Where does the ASD stop and the rebellious/controlling teenager begin? Risperdal

[Guest guest]

As a mother of a 17yo (asperger dx @10yo & BP @ 15yo) son who has 'put us thru

the ringer' over the past 5 years, let me say that no one except another who has

'walked in your shoes' can begin to understand what we go through. (Even those

who are close to us and really love us well)

It's SO hard to know sometimes whether or not it's manipulation or beyond their

ability to control. But I will say that for us, we found that we HAD to learn to

become more consistant in our parenting and become closer to being on the same

page. Otherwise our son would just divide and conquer. We attended at 12? week

program called " The Parent Project " . You can find them on the internet. They'll

provide you with info for classes in your area. It was instrumental in restoring

peace in our home. Once we began using their principals, things really did

change. It took my husband a year to 'buy into it' because he didn't think it

was punitive enough, (he's the 'take the kid out behind the woodshed' kind of

guy) but once he began to use their stratagies, he became a believer. And the

side benefit was the network of friends we gained thru the program.

Riperdal was awful for our son too. Weight gain was not worth any positive

benefit. So we stopped Risperdal and added Abilify. For him, ablity made ALL the

difference. What I noticed was his ability to actually have a moment to think

before he reacted to something. Not something he seemed capable of prior to

being on Abilify. He says it helps his racing thoughts to no be so severe...just

my 2 cents.

Ginger

>

> So are you saying that these meltdowns can be extreme to where the child

becomes violent, destructive and belligerent?� My son was diagnosed with

Aspergers/Bipolar.� He has been very physically violent and destructive for

several years.� We recently have got to where these happen only 2 to 3 times a

month.� It used to be 2to 4 times a week.� I have people that don't

understand these meltdowns and say he is just throwing a temper tantrum to get

his way. Or he is just so spoiled he knows that if he does this you will give

in.� I want to believe that these comments are not true but sometimes I

wonder.� Examples are if we are planning on going to do something and he has

been told, and we are not quite ready he will get impatient to the point he

keeps yelling he is ready and then it leads to a meltdown.� I then have to

restrain him other wise everything gets thrown and destroyed, then while I

restrain him he gets angry to the point of hitting, kicking

> and biting me.� These can last 20 minutes to over an hour.� This happens

when he gets to hungry and I don't have what he wants, or I cant get it fast

enough.� If he wants to watch cartoons, if we don't stop at the same gas

stations on a trip, or when he is ready for bed and I can't get everything shut

down fast enough.� Do you think that these children learn the behavior on how

to throw the fits to get their way?� Just wondering if anyone else has these

problems.

> Thank you

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> From: Robin <spedexaminer@...>

> Autism and Aspergers Treatment

> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:00:24 AM

> Subject: Meltdowns vs temper tantrums

>

>

>

>

>

> On of the most misunderstood autistic behaviors is the meltdown. Frequently,

it is the result of some sort of overwhelming stimulation of which cause is

often a mystery to parents and teachers. They can come on suddenly and catch

everyone by surprise. Autistic children tend to suffer from sensory overload

issues that can create meltdowns. Children who have neurological disorders other

than autism can suffer from meltdowns. Unlike temper tantrums, these children

are expressing a need to withdraw and slowly collect themselves at their own

pace.

> http://tinyurl. com/lnuc8j

>

[Guest guest]

Improving a child's neurological processing and sensory processing will help lessen the occurrences of meltdowns that are happening as a result of "sensory overload" or distress to the processing system. I am blessed to have a teen with Asperger's that has none of these behaviors. We did a lot of neuro-based therapy that changed his life and I believe is the reason he is who he is today. We have dedicated our lives to providing this information and this therapy to others. For more information, visit our website at www.keytometherapy.com.From: Ginger <twinmom@...>Autism and Aspergers Treatment Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 2:06:09 AMSubject: Where does the ASD stop and the rebellious/controlling teenager begin? Risperdal

 

As a mother of a 17yo (asperger dx @10yo & BP @ 15yo) son who has 'put us thru the ringer' over the past 5 years, let me say that no one except another who has 'walked in your shoes' can begin to understand what we go through. (Even those who are close to us and really love us well)

It's SO hard to know sometimes whether or not it's manipulation or beyond their ability to control. But I will say that for us, we found that we HAD to learn to become more consistant in our parenting and become closer to being on the same page. Otherwise our son would just divide and conquer. We attended at 12? week program called "The Parent Project". You can find them on the internet. They'll provide you with info for classes in your area. It was instrumental in restoring peace in our home. Once we began using their principals, things really did change. It took my husband a year to 'buy into it' because he didn't think it was punitive enough, (he's the 'take the kid out behind the woodshed' kind of guy) but once he began to use their stratagies, he became a believer. And the side benefit was the network of friends we gained thru the program.

Riperdal was awful for our son too. Weight gain was not worth any positive benefit. So we stopped Risperdal and added Abilify. For him, ablity made ALL the difference. What I noticed was his ability to actually have a moment to think before he reacted to something. Not something he seemed capable of prior to being on Abilify. He says it helps his racing thoughts to no be so severe...just my 2 cents.

Ginger

>

> So are you saying that these meltdowns can be extreme to where the child becomes violent, destructive and belligerent?� My son was diagnosed with Aspergers/Bipolar.� He has been very physically violent and destructive for several years.� We recently have got to where these happen only 2 to 3 times a month.� It used to be 2to 4 times a week.� I have people that don't understand these meltdowns and say he is just throwing a temper tantrum to get his way. Or he is just so spoiled he knows that if he does this you will give in.� I want to believe that these comments are not true but sometimes I wonder.� Examples are if we are planning on going to do something and he has been told, and we are not quite ready he will get impatient to the point he keeps yelling he is ready and then it leads to a meltdown.� I then have to restrain him other wise everything gets thrown and destroyed, then while I restrain him he gets

angry to the point of hitting, kicking

> and biting me.� These can last 20 minutes to over an hour.� This happens when he gets to hungry and I don't have what he wants, or I cant get it fast enough.� If he wants to watch cartoons, if we don't stop at the same gas stations on a trip, or when he is ready for bed and I can't get everything shut down fast enough.� Do you think that these children learn the behavior on how to throw the fits to get their way?� Just wondering if anyone else has these problems.

> Thank you

>

>

>

>

> ____________ _________ _________ __

> From: Robin <spedexaminer@ ...>

> Autism and Aspergers Treatment

> Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:00:24 AM

> Subject: Meltdowns vs temper tantrums

>

>

>

>

>

> On of the most misunderstood autistic behaviors is the meltdown. Frequently, it is the result of some sort of overwhelming stimulation of which cause is often a mystery to parents and teachers. They can come on suddenly and catch everyone by surprise. Autistic children tend to suffer from sensory overload issues that can create meltdowns. Children who have neurological disorders other than autism can suffer from meltdowns. Unlike temper tantrums, these children are expressing a need to withdraw and slowly collect themselves at their own pace.

> http://tinyurl. com/lnuc8j

>