What would you do if your child...? (6 y.o behavior problems)

Question

6 y.o with severe behavior problems

My son whom is diagnosed with a severe mood disorder has been acting up severely lately. Today he woke up at about 5. Went downstairs, cut up granpa's chair and made cut marks on table, crawling around grandma's house like a kitten while they were sleeping, threw grandpa's urinal on the bed while gram and grampa were sleeping, let dog outside and then ran outside after him across the street, threw his sister down a flight of wood stairs, smacked her, tried to put dog inside clothes dryer, tried biting sister, would not listen to our words, threw all the daycare toys over the fence. Was spitting on the kitchen floor even though I told him to stop... would not listen. Was squeezing the cat so tight it cried... Monica took the cat and put it in my room. He got real angry and tried to throw a metal combination lock at Tasia's head. I held his body... he was trying to get loose banging my ribs with his elbow, trying to bite me, scratching me, pinching me, l*****g me, rubbing his booger nose on me... his sister Monica tried to help me hold his body and he grabbed a handful of her hair... Then I had to help him control his body a second time because he threw dinner plates full of food off of the kitchen table when I told him to go in time out because he was hitting Tasia. Made him pick up the mess after... Then he bit his sister Tasia and pulled her skin with his teeth, and smacked her. Held his body again.

He is diagnosed with mood disorder. His psych nurse needed to lower one of his meds because he was gaining too much weight. She also put him on Paxil for his anxiety attacks that he was having. I think his behaviors are related to these two situations... his med nurse will not change his meds again any time soon. He is six years old. He always chooses to pick on his sister whom is nine but smaller than him.

Answer 1

I posted this before but will post it again.  As a counselor, I have experience in working on behavior issues. Has he ever been hospitalized? You might want to consider psychiatric hospital given how unstable and violent he is, so that he can be stabilized and appropriately medicated in a controlled setting. He appears to be a clear danger to others and uncontrollable, so there should be no problem getting him in somewhere. It wouldn't have to be for the rest of his life, just to get him stable, which should be anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. In a good facility, the staff will actively work with you and encourage regular visits and talk with you about what is needed once he leaves the facility. Also, consider an intensive outpatient therapeutic program. There are those that have counselors go to the school and home to work with the child, family, teachers, etc. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

My friend has a kid like yours. How does he react when you punish him with removing priviledges? When my friend's kid acts up she takes away dessert or a video game etc until he is ready to act resposibly. If he's really bad she recently started making him write letters to apologize (my idea when I noticed the kid hated writing). She also takes him for mom/son time to talk to him about what he's doing wrong and how it affect him. He doesn't actually care what happens to other people so this usually works. However, I would also get at the med nurse or her supervisor about getting him to calm down. If he is this violent he should have something that will make him calmer. And make sure that all punishments are directly affecting him and what HE wants. Also... get the younger sister to plain avoid him or if she notices him watching her, which I've seen my friends kid do to his younger siblings before he picks on them, to move to the oldest sibling or a parent where he may think twice about acting out. Good luck with your son!

Answer 3

It looks like you are on the right track by talking to his Dr. One thing you have to remember is your child is different than some so you have to be creative on the way you discipline him. You are doing the right thing by restraining him when he is acting violently. When he calms down is when you need to discipline him I would try taking his favorite toy away. Or not letting him do something that he really to do. I am by no means a therapist but that is what i am going to school for. I also would put a bell on his door of a night so you can hear him if he gets up. Make sure you put them on the doors that lead to the outside also. And as far as the animals I would do what ever you need to do to keep them away until the Dr. can get his meds. lined out. I don't know if any of this will help but I hope so. I'll be thinking about you.

Answer 4

i am so so so sry i really have no advice i really am omg that's so horrible poor child and he probably does not know wat he is doing makes me wanna cry i'll pray for you good luck:)