Does my son need meds?

Question

OK first off, my child is 10 years old, with severe global delays--meaning he is developmentally delayed. (We adopted him from the state of NY when he was 8 years old, after fostering him)

For years this child has picked his skin until he bleeds. He has scars all over his body from this type of self-inflicted injury. At school they even made him put socks on his arms so he wouldn't pick himself there.

You have to try to understand that he has many autistic traits, and comes from a very medical back ground --so this doesn't hurt him they way it would other kids. It is sort of like a fasination or a stimulation.

So what I am wondering is do children who behave this way need some kind of meds, and would that be of any help in this situation? I am not one who looks for a quick fix in a drug to make things better...trust me...we weaned him off lots of other meds when we first got him. I am just looking to see what other parents have to say...more from parents who have been there.

Answer 1

Have you tried a therapist? I don't like using medicines for things such as depression or ADHD, instead I see a therapist.

Answer 2

Hello There:You say your boy comes from a "medical background":was his birth mother an addict during pregnancy?Have you forstered him since birth?Was he a "fussy" baby?This young boy has severe emotional problems.Of course his self mutilation hurts him!..he is no different from others...he is expressing himself in the only way he knows how to.Your son suffers from bi-polar disorder...He  does need medicating to stop the damage to himself.Find a clinic/doctor that will treat him without over medicating..refuse sedatives,etc.A problem too serious to discuss on line.With the right treatment,you will see a difference in your young man in weeks.All the best to you.

Answer 3

You have my sympathies; I have a 13yr old son with Asperger’s syndrome. He takes medications and I find it helps him to concentrate; I have never dealt with a behavior as bad as what you describe nor am a qualified to recommend any particular medications however I and any Mother with a child on the spectrum can say for sure that there is not a fix much less a “quick fix” for these children, there are however coping methods and I have found that the medication makes learning and the introduction of behavior modification techniques easier for the child and those who help and care for them. My son was diagnosis in the 1st grade and he in now in middle school and a member of the junior Beta Club. Get a good physiologist (therapy) / psychiatrist  (Meds)  that is what I did and let them guide you on the combination of therapies and meds, mostly it is trial and error until you find what works for your child but do not lose heart you will find it, I did and I understand what you are going thru. Listen to your heart and your gut he is your child and you know him best!

Good luck!

P.S. I have added a few of the web sites I use regularly just in case they might come in handy.

Your Welcome ... It feels good to share my story and be able to help someone else with it. Keep the Faith!

Answer 4

Honestly I wouldnt go with meds to fix things. First these are a part of his personality and being. Masking who we are with meds teaches nothing. We need to teach our children how to live with the "flaws" they have. If we dont they will always need those meds to "fix" the issue. Meds are a quick and easy fix. In most cases you can achieve the same results by using other methods. That said I dont have a child with these exact problems. So I am unsure how effective counseling, structure, play therapy, and OT would be to help him. But i would exhaust those options before even considering meds.

Answer 5

My brother is sort of like that , but he only gets angry and annoys the c**p out of you.

He drove my parents insane and even put a hole in the wall so my parents put him on medication.

He acts a lot better now and doesn't hit things anymore.

His doctor recommended it to my parents cause they didn't know what to do.

So I suggest you talk to a doctor and see if you can get him on medication.