anger in a teenager with learning disabilities

[raspberrytipple]

Hi,
I've jumped over from another topic area as I wondered if someone here might be able to offer some advice. I have a 14 year old brother who has Williams syndrome which comes along with health difficulties and severe learning disabilities. Little bro has always had temper tantrums and strops but as he has got older he's begun to swear and is starting to become physically abusive on occasion and he is never clear what triggers his temper, for example the other day the dog barked, he flipped and destroyed his nintendo DS and swore blue murder at my mum. Does anyone have any experience of dealing with temper at such an age? My parents are struggling with him at the moment, most other things they can work through such as the growing awareness of his sexuality, laziness etc but his temper is really getting us all down as, generally speaking it is restricted to happening at home but just very recently he has lost it in public. I for one am scared that he is going to really hurt someone as well as hurt himself soon. Any advice anyone?
Thank you

My son has ADHD and he losses it all the time over the most trivial things and in public, he is only 9 so he is probably a lot easier to handle than your brother as he is smaller, he used to kick and punch and go into a blind rage, he is now taking Ritalin which stops it getting so bad, now he shouts, screams, stamps his feet and slams doors, when he gets like that I tell him to go into a quiet room until he has calmed down, he was reluctant at first but he does it himself now because he knows it helps him calm down quicker.

Have your parents been to the doctor about ways that he can try to calm himself down when he feels that angry?

Hope it helps a bit

Thanks Gomesmum,
Yes they have been to the doctor and a counsellor which helped a bit but they are still having problems. We are just finding that because he is getting bigger his tantrums are harder to contain. Its so difficult as they feel quite isolated, they don't know anyone else in the same boat. I might point them to this forum as we've not come across anywhere else where we can ask questions.
Thanks for your response.

the challenging behaviour foundation can be really helpful. Lots of free resources for parents.

Does he have sensory issues? (Might explain reaction to dog barking).

He has sensitivity to some high pitched noises but is actualy only able to hear in one ear really due to having had a large cyst removed from his year about six years ago, it destroyed his ear drum and some of his ear canal. Thanks for the website, I'd never heard of it so ill have a good look. It's amazing what professionals who are sippposed to be able to help you can't actually tell you!

My mum is deaf in one ear and can have trouble locating sounds. I suppose that could make a sudden dog bark potentially frightening?

Yes I suppose I hadn't thought of it like that although his behaviour can be such that sometimes he makes the dog bark winding him up then loses his temper all the same. It's so difficult. Sometimes I think he just wants to lose his temper but then I try to remember he doesn't have that much control over the way he acts.

I know from my point of view thats its hard to deal with as you don't know what to do with them when they are so angry and also you feel so sad for them because as you say they can't control it, I had to see lots of doctors before I got any help so I would say it's worthwhile your mum going back as many times as it takes to get him and her the help that they need, as I said my son is 9 and it was only the beginning of this year that anyone would help us.
I'm looking for groups in my area for children with behavioural problems for my son to go to as he wants to meet other children who would understand him as the children at school are a bit weary of him because of his explosive personality, maybe you could look for something for your brother and would also help your parents not feel so isolated meeting other parents going through the same thing, I know I do so i'm looking forward to meeting other parents as well.
Whatever you do I hope you find something that works for them.