Behaviour/ hormones

[Lucyaugust2007]

My son is 14, has Down's Syndrome.
He is non verbal (communicates with a combination of PECS and Makaton).
Developmentally he is at toddler level.

Since he entered puberty his behaviour has declined massively.
He hits me, shoves me and throws things.
He will lie on the floor and refuse to stand (I have reached the point where every outing is a battle and I have put off going to places I had planned because it is just less stressful to stay at home than risk him having a public meltdown).
After he has behaved badly, he will sign "sorry" and give me a hug, but then five minutes later he will do something else.

When he's not hurting me he is loving, affectionate and kind.
I am putting it down to his hormones and the frustration he is feeling, but I am at a loss as to how to deal with it.
He attends a special school, and I follow their advice,(he has a behaviour plan), but he has been so overwhelmed by Christmas.
I just feel so low with it all.

I am in the same position and I deal with it by having a safe space he can calm down in when he lashes out.

I wish I could say hormones were to blame but we’ve had this since my ds was 9.

I even wear a motor cycle helmet so he cannot get my face (nearly had a broken nose) when I can sense he’s upset and could go for me, I also have his bedroom very calm and sensory proofed to stop him destroying and or hitting himself so mo
mirrors , padded radiator covers etc

Have you tried contacting your social services for a referral to the learning disability team? They can help.

Do you have carers for respite or overnight repaired? All these things should be accessible through a. Social worker and if you don’t have one you need to request one .

also make school aware, making everyone aware means that when your ds gets older provisions can be put in pace as they take years , even something such as residential college at 18 needs to be started years beforehand.

our worlds got a lot smaller because of my son’s aggression but I have carers in the home, respite during school time and I’m making inroads for residential college at 18.
my son is 16 now, but around 14 I knew that I cannot manage him after 18, it would be no life for either of us.