Please or to access all these features

SN children

Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

ds1's behaviour at home is out of contol

150 replies

Jimjams · 24/02/2005 20:29

he has been dreadful since the weekend. HAving got over the climbing over bannisters thing he is now just running around ricocheting off the walls. he has rediscovered throwing things but is throwing stuff to try and smash it (bye bye sugar bowl- and I've just had to remove from his room a china tractor that his aunt bought him as a baby). He is climbing everything and obsessively trying to look at things from certain angles 9wants us to open/shut windows and goes ape if we won't- and really ape- real headbanging meltdown type stuff. He's refusing to go to bed and keeps turning his light on then leaping round the place when he's meant to be sleeping.

So what do we do?

Tonight I have removed his bedroom light, and the hall light, have put up 2 travel barriers (one on top of the other) so that he can't climb out of the room. and now the entire house is in darkness- the idea being that if he can't see anything then he will lie down and go to sleep.

I feel like we are treating him like an animal- but I don't know what else to do. we don't have a punishment- he thinks being shouted at is hilarious, and after being awake for 4 hours last night is completely hyper. I feel like the only thing we can do is come down pn him like a ton of bricks, but I'm worried that if this bad behaviour is a delayed anxietyreaction to ds3 turning up then this will onloy make it worse. I'm trying to spend consturctive time with him and cuddling time after school, but its hard when he's constantly having to be pulled off various items of furntiture that he's climbing.

Feell very out of control and for the first time in a long time am unsure as to how I should be dealing with this. Help please!

OP posts:
Jimjams · 26/02/2005 22:24

calmer (and that's just me ) he's still loopy though and into everything, pouring water on the floor, spraying belach all over the place, flooding the kitchen, putting ds2's clothes down the toilet. And able to get into the so called locked cupboard. Bedtime is back on track though- he now accepts that when the gates go up its time to settle and he does

We need to make some changes to the house to make it more suitable for dealing with his behaviour.

OP posts:
Jimjams · 26/02/2005 22:25

aw so do I scummy- we're pretty central so easy to pop in (5 mins drive frome the station).

OP posts:
MrsFROSTgetful · 26/02/2005 22:26

WICKEDWATERWITCH!!!

Just couldn't resist saying HI!

Back in 2003 i did a google search about 'getting help claiming DLA' and it had a search result for YOU and a post you made on MUMSNET linking to BHAS....that was the start of a lifechanging journey for me.

If i'd not googled that day...i'd have never seen your post- and never gotten onto mumsnet.

That BHAS site helped me get DLA awards for my ds1 and myself- and am now filling in forms for ds2.....and many people on th SN threads have used it to

THanks!

Blu · 26/02/2005 22:29

oooooh! I'm planning to be in Devon sometime this summer - are you N or s devon, jimjams?
TC are you collecting the pics of washing machines to send on?? Do we sit topless on top, or what?

Jimjams · 26/02/2005 22:32

ROFL Blu. you can sit on them how you like- ds1 will just be staring at the drum (I'm in Plymouth).

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 26/02/2005 22:32

Oh that's lovely mrsfrostgetful, really nice to know!

WideWebWitch · 26/02/2005 22:33

ha ha Blu @ topless on top!

ionesmum · 26/02/2005 22:36

jimjams, what a fab mum you are, I am in awe of you! And it's great to see so many mums helping out.

Re the calpol, this may be really rubbish advice so apologies if it is, but when dd1 was tiny she needed infant paracetamol and our g.p. prescribed some, it was pink but nothing like the neon gloop that Calpol is. maybe you can ask for additive-free medicine? Or what about suppositories? Or is ds likely to find that too upsetting?

Jimjams · 26/02/2005 22:40

I've thought about suppositories before but I'm not sure how he would react. It's a good idea though I'll ask my GP next time I see him- even if we give them when he's asleep. I think I've been given that less gloopy stuff before as well. I'm careful to use the sugary stuff, but this time he had nurofen as well (what's that got in it? saccharine or asppartame). HIs temp was pretty high otherwise I would have just let him run it.

OP posts:
jmb1964 · 26/02/2005 23:30

Jimjams - hope things are calming down for you all over the weekend. What a s**y time you've been having. Guess you'll be resorting to tepid sponging and cool baths only next time ds1 gets a high temp? At least he is probably past the risk age for febrile convulsions now..
I have just taken photos of washing machine, tumbe-drier and hoover for your ds1, but can't find TC's thread - help!

Jimjams · 26/02/2005 23:32

He's always been fine with high fevers (convulsion wise) but now he always throws up with one- that's why I wanted to bring it down. Maybe I'll juts have to sit out the aftermath.

OP posts:
jmb1964 · 26/02/2005 23:46

Hmmm - sounds as if rectal paracetamol would be well worth a try - can't think it would have much in the way of tasty additives, after all
Have found the white goods thread and sent pix to TCs yahoo address - hope it works!

louismama · 27/02/2005 01:05

Hi jimjams sorry to hear youve been having a hard time of late just wanted to let you know im thinking of you as really appreciated your support on my first post last night.I think youre supermom. Feel guilty most night for having to shout or say ENOUGH very firmly with ds but sometimes its the only way, have still been begging him to go to sleep at 6am TOO many times. Wouldnt it be lovely to give them a quiet kiss on the head and say sweetdreams and that be the end of it.By the way thought dh was doin great accepting the fact ds may have a problem, Tonight he got blind drunk and said it must be his fault-genes as he was also a late talker/walker really upset now the denial has faded

louismama · 27/02/2005 01:07

btw mumsnet is an absolute gold mine for info only the other day was wondering if calpol was making ds loppy.

tigermoth · 27/02/2005 07:24

oh jimjams, nothing useful to add, but wanted you to know you are in my thoughts. Sorry you are having such a megahard time with ds1 and the social workers.

Sorry we've missed each other when we've been to Devon. We should be around at Easter weekend and the week after - love to see you if you're free.

KarenThirl · 27/02/2005 08:16

RE calpol - don't know if you're aware of it but many children's syrups contain a preservative which is a recognised trigger for hyperactivity. Can't for the life of me remember what it is (will post again if it comes to me).

singersgirl · 27/02/2005 12:55

I think the preservative is sodium benzoate. It is in most medicines, including antibiotics. It's virtually impossible to get colour-free children's antibiotices.
My son reacts not only to the preservative, but to the colouring (though I use Boots colour free paracetamol syrup now), the flavouring and the sweeteners. He is better with sugar. I have a recipe somewhere (not to hand, but could find it if anyone's interested) for making a suspension of ground up preservative-free adult paracetamol in water - it also gives dosage for weight. I tried that with my son and couldn't get him to swallow it, so when he's ill I just grit my teeth. Hope things are looking up, Jimjams.

KarenThirl · 27/02/2005 17:15

Sodium benzoate - that's the chappie. I was avoiding it a couple of years ago when looking for an antihistamine for J's hayfever. One pharmacist offered me tablets instead, but when we examined the label we found it contained Sunset Yellow colouring, a real baddie. Can't get my head around that at all - preservatives and flavourings make sense but not something that just makes it look pretty.

I prefer sugar too. You know where you are with sugar but the jury's still out on most artificial sweeteners.

happymerryberries · 27/02/2005 17:22

Just been thinking a bit more about this.

Jimjams, a friend of mine has a son who finds it impossible to swallow syrups without vomiting due to the texture. He has taken soluable paracetamol which was disolved in ordinary juice. A good pharmacist may be ablove to give you a child does IYSWIM. Do you think this would work for your ds, or does he not drink juice of any sort?

JaysMum · 27/02/2005 17:56

Sunset Yellow is E110. Avoid like the plague. Causes real hyper behaviour in children.

E104 E106 E108 E110....all extreme stimulants which cause Hyperactivity.

JaysMum · 27/02/2005 17:58

oppps and I forgot to add artificial sweetners....so thats all diet products....contain asphartamine....is that how you spell it???.....this is the same chemical they use in shampoo and hairspray!!!!!

Jimjams · 28/02/2005 14:24

"normal" service is returning, slowly. I hope.

Well I was very lucky and the new motorhome place I found has a cancellation for August - so I've taken the plunge and hired a week. If it's a disaster we'll just come home

OP posts:
JakB · 28/02/2005 15:07

Jimjams, so glad things are returning to normal. Motorhome sounds great! Have to consider that ourselves... Funnily enough, dd had a 'roast dinner' yesterday which was gluten and dairy free but the carrots were cooked in honey. She was absolutely wired from 6pm until 11.45. I gave her 3 melatonin tablets which had absolutely no effect. Dilated pupils, manically running from one end of the room to another humming. No eye contact. Completely away with the fairies!

Geri2 · 28/02/2005 17:50

Hi JimJam - thanks for the welcome

Would just like to ask you all something, am going to see the consultant on thursday for mri results, and thought would ask her to prescribe something to dd sleep during the night.... Have tried melatonin but didnt seem to work, consultant did prescribe something but cant remember what it was called, but that didnt help much either... any suggestions please...
thanks
geri
x

JakB · 28/02/2005 20:33

Geri2, sorry, how rude of me, welcome! . My dd also has autism and severe learning difficulties so I'm sure we will have some common ground! Sleep, bloody nightmare. DD needed something other than melatonin, which didn't even touch the surface, last night.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page