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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

7yr old threatening to hurt himself

15 replies

mixedemotions123 · 27/07/2006 15:54

My ds aged 7 has ASD, is taking Medication to help with his aggression and anxiety's and has been on this since Jan.
He lost it with me bigtime this afternoon, he wanted to go to our local field for a walk and I explained that at the time it was too hot outside, and that maybe we could go a bit later on when it cools down a bit. This was not what he wanted to hear, and as a result threw something at me. I told him that because of that he was not allowed out to play for the rest of the day. Things quickly went from bad to worse and he said amongst many other threats that he would get a knife and make himself bleed.
Over the last couple of months, he has been saying that he wants me to hate him, and wants me and whoever is there at the time to hit him, he will even grab my hand to hit himself with.
His mental health specialist said to ignore it all as much as I can, but it is really starting to worry me. I have put the knives up in a top cupboard out of easy reach, but he climbs up onto the worktop anyway to get sweets etc when he knows he is not allowed, so it is not a 100% reassurance.
I just wondered if anyone else has experience of this behaviour in relation to an Autistic child?

OP posts:

Davros · 27/07/2006 18:51

I have a friend whose DS is like this (also ASD NOT AS). Although he has no learning disability and is fully verbal he is very autistic iyswim. It is clouded to others by his verbal and cognitive ability and you need to know him to see how very difficult he can be.
He is also on meds and she has had a rollercoaster of getting these right and has found that Risperidone works wonders but she had to stop being too cautious and accept giving him a high enough dose for it to be really effective. They still have problems but many, many less incidents.
She also just tries to avoid triggers but there are so many of them and they are always changing. Basically if she lets him sit at home and indluge in his latest obessession then all is calm, but that's no way for any of them to live and no good in the long term.
Sorry, this is not much help, all I can say is that I think you need to badger the health professionals involved and anyone else who can help inc Soc Svs, Psychs, OT (sensory issues) etc etc.

Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 28/07/2006 07:15

Hi Davros,
thanks for replying. He is currently on 0.75 Risperidone at the moment which was increased a couple of months ago. He started on 0.25 which made no difference, then 0.5 which helped for a couple of months but then seemed to be less effective so I guess that could be happening again and needs to be increased, although the MHS didn't mention it as an option.He has been on the waiting list for 2 years now for OT, I will contact them to see how much longer we have to wait.
I am just so worried that if I don't deal with this in the correct way, he may go on to self harm later by way of feeling that he is punishing me by doing it.

OP posts:

giddy1 · 28/07/2006 07:46

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Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 28/07/2006 07:59

thanks giddy, and sorry to hear of your dds problems too. It is so bloody unfair that they have to go through so much hell. I don't think that (at the moment) he would physically get a knife and use it on himself, but I cannot take the risk, especially as the thought must come into his mind in order for him to say it in the first place.
Davros,Giddy, would you mind if I ask a slightly personal question as you both have children using Risperidone?
We have noticed that ds has developed coarse hair on his bits! Given that he is only seven, he surely cannot be starting puberty, and i am wondering if it could be a side effect of the meds.

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giddy1 · 28/07/2006 11:44

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Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 28/07/2006 14:10

I had an appointment today with his gp. I felt a bit of a fool really, but he is in agreement that he is developing pubic hair, there is no sign under his arms which is good. He is going to contact my ds psych who prescribed the Risperidone to see if she is aware of this being a poss side effect, and if not then he is going to refer him to a paediatrician. Poor little mite, it all seems so unfair on him. I did say to the Dr that as he is fairly tall for his age, and gets so aggressive, we have been wondering if it call all be connected. He said that he can see where i am coming from. I looked on a site about Precocious Puberty when we first became concerned, and frightened myself half to death. It does say that it can be brought on by brain trauma, which is worrying as ds had Meningitis when he was 3 weeks old.

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giddy1 · 28/07/2006 17:25

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giddy1 · 28/07/2006 17:27

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Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 29/07/2006 08:03

thanks giddy, I spoke to his mental health specialist yesterday, and she feels it is not a recognised side effect of his meds. We will just have to go with the Paed referral. Hope your dd is a bit calmer today.

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giddy1 · 29/07/2006 10:11

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Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 29/07/2006 16:40

Oh, sorry you had such a lowsy night. I know what you mean, it doesn't matter how much they grind you down, it doesn't make you love them any less. Did she wake up for anything in particular? Normally ds wakes up if he becomes untucked, and occasionally with a night terror, but that hasn't happened for a while thank goodness. He was discharged from his Paediatrician when he was 5. He had been keeping an eye on him since he had Meningitis, and ended by referring him to child and family guidance, as he had no concerns about his general health at that time.

OP posts:

Davros · 30/07/2006 12:56

We have not had that side effect with Risperidone and actually I have been feeling a bit smug as I thought it could reduce the effects of puberty!! We also had to regularly increase the dose for the first two years and then DS has stayed on the same dose for the last year with no sign of needing to change. Like most guilty parents we tried reducing the dose, just to make sure he really needed it, and all hell broke loose so we have decided to just accept the medication and make sure he has an effective dose. We also divided the dose into 2 (had been giving just one at first) and tinkered with how to divide it between morning and evening. I give DS's at about 7am and then again at about 4pm-5pm so not 12 hours apart but after the second dose he spends at least some of those hours asleep. It has definitely helped with his sleeping, although its gone a bit weird during the hot weather, and he has gained weight which I belive is quite a typical side effect. HTH.

Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 30/07/2006 13:20

thanks Davros. I think it is inevitable that his dose will increase. We will just have to go with it I guess. Sounds a good idea splitting the dose, I think Giddy does the same with her dd.
Thanks again,

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giddy1 · 30/07/2006 16:23

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Original poster

mixedemotions123 · 31/07/2006 22:22

Swaddle isn't the half of it. in all this heat he
1.has to have his bedroom window shut
2.be tucked in up to his chin so that he can barely move.
He did complain on one particular night that he couldn't sleep. It was about 100 degrees, and he
was glowing he was so hot!

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