Josiah and his behavioral issues...
We met with the behavioral therapy people this week and set up testing for Josiah for April. This is the 2nd stimulant medication that he's been on and it seems to be making it worse instead of better. I know from our previous psych that he had told us that if a child behaves worse on stimulants, it's not ADHD. I brought that up and the psychologist had said that she's not buying that it's ADHD, yet she's unsure as to what it is. He has the panel that we work with puzzled at his behavior and why he isn't picking up good behavior with the things that we've done with him. She keeps telling me we're good parents and that he's just not a typical 3-year old. We've been at this long enough that he should be learning the appropriate responses and behaviors. I teared up when she said that, I told her she doesn't understand all the times I've cried out for help with him and gotten told that he's 3 and he's a boy. She said that they will go ahead and complete testing on him and see if they can figure out the missing link of the puzzle, she's wondering if there's not some family history or something that has happened in his past that we are just not aware of that is at play. She said what it may come down to is that we do day treatment up at the children's hospital for him so that they are able to see what works with him and what triggers him. She said that they would have him an average of 3-4 weeks and he would go for 8 hours a day Monday-Friday. She was going to see about writing a letter for us to give to his psychiatrist so that he could get in to that program. She said that they would be able to see what meds would work better for him up there and the kids are given a point system during the day and we would fill out his point system for the evening times here at home and usually at the end of 3-4 weeks, they are able to pinpoint what works for him and what doesn't. She just didn't feel that we would be able to get behavior modification working for him until we found the right combination of meds. I was just relieved when we started talking about it all to know that someone finally got what we were feeling and what my worries are with him. I meet with his psychiatrist or call her on the phone and she just changes his meds or ups the dosage...granted I realize it's trial and error with each child, but it would be nice to finally get some answers to what he is truly dealing with.
Labels: Josiah
3 Comments:
I've always thought it was more of RAD or something like that than ADHD. I believe intense behavioral therapy would be more helpful than meds. But that's just my opinion and I'm not there so just from my long distance point of view.
Kim, I have thought about that too. When he started on meds, it helped tremendously, however these stimulants are making it worse. I know he's got bad sensory integration disorder and he's always been a poor sleeper and very hyper. I just don't understand why he can tell us what the good choice is, but yet 98% of the time he follows through with the bad one. He gets time out and it sets him off in a huge temper tantrum that will blow up into a 1-2 hour rage. He bounces off the walls, jumps on the girls, is continuously into stuff, and he waits until I'm distracted to go for things he knows he's not supposed to be into. Very impulsive and no fear of anything. It's hard to know what we're truly dealing with, as his symptoms meet so many different things that I've read. We've been at behavioral therapy for almost 6 months now...and they feel that something is going on, but we need to undergo more testing to find out what.
I know every child is different and this is just "my thought" but I see a change in Zachary with swimming lessons. He is in a semi-private lesson with 2 other boys with sensory and other issues as well. He can listen to the teacher and I am not in the pool anymore...and we are in week 4! I am amazed at his ability to control himself while in the pool too...he's normally so "all over the place" that for some reason the water seems to keep him calm and focused. I know your days are full and with a new baby it's going to get worse...but maybe even a pool in the back yard as a reward for a good day?? Just a thought.
My thoughts and prayers are always with you!!!
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