We have resently ran into this issue on this subject. We have always said we would never medicate a child, unless it is life saving. Yes, we have asthmatic and we give them the needed medication. Chronic medical diseases need to be medicated at times. We have a daughter who has developed a behavioral disorder after she was molested by a family member many time. This person is currently in jail and awaiting a trial. She may have to testify at this trial. Our daughter is 6 yrs old and now has developed what they call aggressive behavior. I forget the mental health term for what she may have they still have to do a pychological work up on her. Now not medicating was a fine choice until recently. While I was at work, my SO took the children (5 of them) to the gym, on the way home our 6 yr old decided she was upset about something. She unbuckled started hitting the other 4 kids in the car, SO told her to get in her seat as he started to pull over. She then began to hit him and kick him while he was driving and trying to pull over. He then removed her from the car so she could not injure her younger siblings and she reaptedly tried to run into traffic. He finally had to hold her in her seat with one hand while driving home, from there he has to restrain her using technique showen to us by her therapists. We only restrain when she is a dnager to herself or the other children. He restrained her for over 2 hours while all the younger children had to wait on lunch. The doctors wants to medicate her because of this seriously dangerous outburst, which by the way she has no idea what or why she was so upset. We are at a very cretical crossroads, FYI she has not done a full out outburst in 2 weeks, but she does this up and down often. We know she has PTSD we just dont know what triggers it. She has good days more often then bad day. Still has small tantrums a few times a week. She also always applogize when she calms down.
Her bio mom was a drug attict and has mult. mental health dx, she eneded up OD this May. The children did not see her really but I think our daughter still may have feeling she cant express over this.
Her half brother that lives with maternal grandmother has been dx with bi polar, ODD.
i agree with trying these and try putting her in something she will enjoy doing like maybe dance, soccer, cheerleading,or baseball. only time and talking will help her get Thur this hard time not meds they only cover it up and could make things worse.
Quoting mysticalmalissa:I agree with these ideas.
Quoting created4apurpos:if she doesn't know how to open a child proof cap you can get a buckle guard to keep her buckled in. in this case there are issues she needs to work thru, not cover up with medication. get her a punching bag, allow her times where she can just hit the living daylights out of it and scream and cry and show her its ok. maybe if she has times of controlled outbursts there will be fewer uncontrolled ones. medication should be for a medical issue, not to cover up a trauma.
I really don't understand why people are willing to medicate for a heart problem or respiratory problem etc but as soon as a mental problem is mentioned most say ... No I will not medicate. No it might not be life or death for the body but it can be life or death for the future of the child. Don't get me wrong try out everything you can before medicating but if all else fails don't beat yourself up over it. My DD is ADHD and after several years of trying to control it with many other methods we went for medication. She went from a child who could not focus with impulse issues to an honor roll student who still has vitality for life. It didn't turn her into a zombie and she actually says thank you for putting her on the meds. I asked her if she felt better with or without and he looked at me saying "with mom, my head feels free of the constant thoughts that fly through my head. I can concentrate on 1 or 2 things instead of 20 - 30. I understand things when they are explained to me, they makes sense."
Along with theropy her future now looks much brighter.
personally I would NEVER do meds, my parents did that to me because I was raped by a family memeber and it made me feel like it was MORE my fault like something was wrong with me when all I wanted was for someone to come out and say " you were raped and it was WRONG and sick do you want to talk to me about it" and it would have helped to know the person was in jail for a long long time!!!
My parents took me to therapy like that was going to help to talk to someone I didnt know when I already felt unsafe they threw me into a room with someone I didnt know even if they were there I would hate it EVERY time therpay is a JOKE unless the child wants to go have you asked her what she wants? what would make her happy? if she wants to talk to you about it?
because coming from a women that was put on meds as a child yeah it was GREAT when i wasnt dealing with things and was a kid but as a adult when I HAD to come off the meds ,because they do long term heart,brain,eye and kidney damage, as well as they cause birth defects in babies when you try to have a family of your own ... so as a adult ready to start my family i had to come off and realize how HORRID drug withdrawal can be!!! IT HURTS then you have to deal with all the BULLSHIT anyways when if they would have helped me in other ways i wouldn't have tried to kill myself 5 times after the age of 22 because of the PHYSICAL PAIN of coming off mind altering drugs
Parents may want and think this is the way out but your not thinking long term for your child and the fact if they want children without defects then they CANT stay on them forever
Quoting MumaSue:
I really don't understand why people are willing to medicate for a heart problem or respiratory problem etc but as soon as a mental problem is mentioned most say ... No I will not medicate. No it might not be life or death for the body but it can be life or death for the future of the child. Don't get me wrong try out everything you can before medicating but if all else fails don't beat yourself up over it. My DD is ADHD and after several years of trying to control it with many other methods we went for medication. She went from a child who could not focus with impulse issues to an honor roll student who still has vitality for life. It didn't turn her into a zombie and she actually says thank you for putting her on the meds. I asked her if she felt better with or without and he looked at me saying "with mom, my head feels free of the constant thoughts that fly through my head. I can concentrate on 1 or 2 things instead of 20 - 30. I understand things when they are explained to me, they makes sense."
Along with theropy her future now looks much brighter.
Op...i would make sure that the medications long term side effects do not outway the need for them now...good luck momma!!!
Quoting jessi2girls:Medication helps those with disorders that are triggered biologically inside.. (unbalanced chemicals for example, although not limited to this..)
If your daughter is suffering physically from something in her body, makng her respond in the way she is, yes medication can and often does help.
If it's not biologically triggered.. (such as PTSD part of it), then therapy is really what is needed to help, rather than medication. Although medication can still help, therapy is really the ultimate way to deal with these type of mental disorders. In issues like this, you really have to treat the underlying cause that is triggering these emotions. Medication can suppress the worst of it, but it won't solve the problem.
A child does not have to stay on these meds ..... I know many kids that have taken their meds for a few years and when they can better cope with their ADHD have come off them and had no bad issues. I'm sorry you had issues with your meds and withdrawl but not every one does. Did you just stop cold turkey or did you slowly stop your meds?
Quoting mama2gg:because coming from a women that was put on meds as a child yeah it was GREAT when i wasnt dealing with things and was a kid but as a adult when I HAD to come off the meds ,because they do long term heart,brain,eye and kidney damage, as well as they cause birth defects in babies when you try to have a family of your own ... so as a adult ready to start my family i had to come off and realize how HORRID drug withdrawal can be!!! IT HURTS then you have to deal with all the BULLSHIT anyways when if they would have helped me in other ways i wouldn't have tried to kill myself 5 times after the age of 22 because of the PHYSICAL PAIN of coming off mind altering drugs
Parents may want and think this is the way out but your not thinking long term for your child and the fact if they want children without defects then they CANT stay on them forever
Quoting MumaSue:
I really don't understand why people are willing to medicate for a heart problem or respiratory problem etc but as soon as a mental problem is mentioned most say ... No I will not medicate. No it might not be life or death for the body but it can be life or death for the future of the child. Don't get me wrong try out everything you can before medicating but if all else fails don't beat yourself up over it. My DD is ADHD and after several years of trying to control it with many other methods we went for medication. She went from a child who could not focus with impulse issues to an honor roll student who still has vitality for life. It didn't turn her into a zombie and she actually says thank you for putting her on the meds. I asked her if she felt better with or without and he looked at me saying "with mom, my head feels free of the constant thoughts that fly through my head. I can concentrate on 1 or 2 things instead of 20 - 30. I understand things when they are explained to me, they makes sense."
Along with theropy her future now looks much brighter.
Sometimes even though we don't want to, we have to medicate so that it gives the child an opportunity to make the behavioral changes they need to. If it is going to help her live a life worth living right now, how can we keep them from it? It can't feel good to her on the inside to have these outbursts and not understand why.
One other thought...on the testifying in court, check with the District Attorney, Prosecuter whoever you deal with to see if she can testify in the judges chambers or something and not in front of the perp. They let my foster daughter do this when she was raped by a sex offender.
Thoughts and prayers to your family.
I have a son who has elevated levels of hyperactivity, aggression, and anxiety. My husband and I will not just medicate him... We have agreed that the ONLY way we would medicate, is if he was to become physically violent to others on a daily basis.
With that said, have you tried dietary restrictions with her? We have removed red #40 from my son's diet and you can see a drastic difference. If he has something as simple as froot loops in the morning, his day is shot. He's hell.
I think, if you can, getting her into a more aggressive therapy routine may help a ton.
Also, from the view of a parent and a CPST, I would highly consider putting her back into a 5 point harnessing seat (I'm assuming seat belt since she can get it undone?). If she is in one and is able to get out, please contact your local safe kids coalition (www.safekids.org) and see if she would be eligible for a harness that is meant for children with special needs. There are harnesses that go up to 186lbs, but again, it's considered special needs or special circumstances. A technician will have your child's safety, as well as other children's and peoples safety, as first thing in their mind when coming to an appropriate solution.
Going to the Mall
- Azmomto5
on Jul. 27, 2012 at 11:04 PM