The developmental pediatrician around here told us we could medicate him if we felt his behaviors needed them. He bounces- we call him Tigger. He is annoyingly bouncing all.the.time. He has this stimming thing. I've talked about it before.
I don't want to medicated him if it isn't necessary. I also know that medication can be very helpful for some kids. When I taught I saw many kids improve behavior, etc. I don't want to automatically medicate him because we have a diagnosis. In my opinion, Jon's diagnosis of PDD_NOS is no different than Jon having blonde hair and blue eyes. If medication helps him become less bouncy and all over the place I would do it. I am not sure what to do.
I don't want to rush for medication but I don't know what more to do. I've tried some minor behavior changes and tried to put a pillow down when he plays video games. Nothing is working.
4 comments:
You know I medicate mine, and I have to say that even though there are still a lot of the symptoms going on, the fact that we can actually work through them, and she can actually step back and take a look is such an amazing thing, it really does make it worth it.
Good luck with your decision, my friend. It is not an easy one. Just ask yourself if what he does is harmful to him, or will be (in more ways than just physically) or if it merely a nuisance. Is there any hope he will outgrow some of them (my niece has been diagnosed with Autism, and it is said that she will outgrow some of the behaviors.)? It's a lot to weigh.
I had to have help to make my decision as you know. I tried counseling first, and when it was apparent that wasn't enough, that's when I turned to medicine.
Do I have any regrets? No, I don't. Do I wish I had done things differently--tried natural methods, etc.? No, I don't. We have results, and while she isn't perfect, what child is?
have you ever seen or used a "move 'n sit" cushion? http://www.amazon.com/MovinSit-Air-Cushion-FitBALL-Dynamics/dp/B000NGX1NE
They allow the kids to have movement while sitting in a chair or on the floor, so they don't have the same need to get up and go!
A small personal trampoline is great too, has a safety handle to hold on to. You could use it at times throughout the day.
Medication is a tough one. as a special education teacher I was against medication until I saw what it did to help one student. from then on my opinion has been to try, monitoring very closely (keeping notes day to day) to get the right dosage. If it doesn't make a difference even in a short period of time then stop. I liked ritalin because it did not accumulate in the body, you knew when it was gone! Even some to help with attention in school is good, but not too much to drastically affect eating habits. Good Luck.
Jean Nicol,
I used those wedges in my class for kids when I taught. Chris uses one now to help him with correct posture :)
I don't like to medicate right off the bat. I have no issue with it but usually like to try other options first. I had several kids when I taught that were different kids as soon as they got medication into their system. One kids sticks out and is my sole reason for not discounting meds. He had Tourettes syndrome, OCD, and ADHD. His dad thought he needed a good beating and that would change his behaviors. We talked to his mother about the behavior modifications we tried and when she realized that wasn't enough he was put on meds. We also changed his placement from a learning support class to an emotional support class. He was a completely different kid!
Stephanie,
He bounces and does a Wookie sound all day. It is a nuisance but I am worried about him doing it in school. He is 38 pounds at almost 6 years old. Some of that is from his constant movement and some is from his choices in food. He will only eat cereal, yogurt, pizza, chicken nuggets, french fries, and hot dogs.
I am not looking for perfect, I am looking for the best "Jon" he can be. I agree...no one is perfect :)
This is such a hard choice! We tried different meds with Hopper, but she reacted poorly with each one. In many ways, they helped her concentrate, but then she wouldn't eat a single bite at school, she'd have meltdowns every single day when she got home. It was horrific.
About a year and a half ago, we found out about L-Theanine, and amino acid. It seems to help her on so many levels, and she doesn't have negative reactions to it, so we're very thankful.
One thing that really helped her when she was in school was a weighted vest. You probably already know about them, but they really did help center her as a kid. They helped both Scooter and Hopper with concentration and time on task.
I wish you the best in making a decision. I know it won't be easy.
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