Re: Considering medication for my son with Autism

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Have you tried ABA? I would try to eliminate these behaviors with a good ABA consultant before I would try meds. Our Grandson use to do all those things. He is now 15 and doesn't do any of those behaviors. ABA was the most effective for us. Our grandson had meds for a while but only to control aggression, but they had side effects. He isn't on any meds now and hasn't been for over a year.

Clonidine might be helpful and it seems to have the fewest side effects. Pat K**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

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My son is 4 years old and is diagnosed with ASD and he had many bad behaviors. The teachers at his school told us that ignoring him when he spit or yelled would be the best way to stop the behaviors. The way it was explained to me is that if you give them attention when they do something bad they are going to repeat it because they dont understand our feelings so to them any attention is good attention. So we started following those instructions and it changed his behavior in a good way and they were doing the same at his school. Is this something you have tried? If not I would suggest it before you start any medication. I was watching the Dr. Phil show on wednesday and there where some parents on there whose kids

were autistic and were being abused at school, these children were acting out because they couldnt tell anyone what was happening to them. Has your son always had this type of behavior or did it start once he started school?

Considering medication for my son with Autism

Hi, all this is my first post on this group or any board regarding myson with Autism. I want to give a bit of background first. I have a 6 year old with what was labeled as mild/moderate autismunder the PDD label. I also have a typically developing 3 year oldboy. My 6 year old son is quite high functioning. He can toast his ownbread, make a sandwich, use the toilet, dress himself (althoughusually needs lots of verbal cues due to being inattentive) so Iusually do it to speed things up (He needs to be on the bus to schoolat @ 7:45 am) He knows his numbers pretty well, colors, and speakswell although he is random on his topics and does not usually use hiswords in a social context, more like demands for something or tellingus what objects are.As I'm sure you have all experienced, people with autism havebehaviors that seem odd. My son is currently into putting a rubberstopper in a plastic bag,

filling up a sink with water, pipes (waterpipes and ducts), and standing on top of a basketball in the house.These issues are not the problem, it's his improper social behaviorssuch as:Hitting me, relatives the teachers and teacher aides at his schoolSaying the word Penis repeatedly (not as much as he used to though)inschool and other public placesPulling his pants down and exposing himself, which he thinks ishumorous. He has done this at his old and current school several timesUrinating and defecating on his bedroom floor in our house afterputting him to bed - He has also done this in the playground atschool, but he is now in new school and no new reports of that. He hasnot done this in a week or so, hopefully this issue will go away.Angry outbursts that seem to have no predictability - He can besitting watching a movie quietly and then all of the sudden, have arage where

he yells out. This usually lasts only a few minutes.When he does these behaviors, I place him in the corner of the room,and inform him that the behavior is naughty, or I try to redirect himby replacing the Penis word to try to get him to say another wordinstead. My wife and I are seriously considering medication to see if it cancontrol these behaviors, because nothing else seems to be working. Weget almost daily reports of poor social behavior from the school andhe does most of these things I mentioned above almost every day. We are not sure the best and fastest way to approach this. I guess Iwill call his pediatric doctor today and see what she recommends. Doesanyone have other similar experiences with these types of behaviorsand if medication was successful in controlling this. Thanks to allfor any advice.

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[Guest guest]

We live n Fairfax County and the Autism classes are ABA based. So I can say that my son who is receiving ABA -- still does these and similar things as mentioned. pkuenstler@... wrote: Have you tried ABA? I would try to eliminate these behaviors with a good ABA consultant before I would try meds. Our Grandson use to do all those things. He is now 15 and doesn't do any of those behaviors. ABA was the most effective for us. Our grandson had meds for a while but only to control aggression, but they had side effects. He isn't on any meds now and hasn't been for over a year. Clonidine might be helpful and it seems to have the fewest side effects. Pat

K**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

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[Guest guest]

What are these ABA based classes doing to work on these behaviors? What behavior plans do they have in place? Pat K**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

[Guest guest]

>

> My son is 4 years old and is diagnosed with ASD and he had many bad

behaviors. The teachers at his school told us that ignoring him when

he spit or yelled would be the best way to stop the behaviors. The way

it was explained to me is that if you give them attention when they do

something bad they are going to repeat it because they dont understand

our feelings so to them any attention is good attention. So we started

following those instructions and it changed his behavior in a good way

and they were doing the same at his school. Is this something you have

tried? If not I would suggest it before you start any medication. I

was watching the Dr. Phil show on wednesday and there where some

parents on there whose kids were autistic and were being abused at

school, these children were acting out because they couldnt tell

anyone what was happening to them. Has your son always had this type

of behavior or did it start once he started school?

>

>

> Considering medication for my son with Autism

>

> Hi, all this is my first post on this group or any board regarding my

> son with Autism. I want to give a bit of background first.

>

> I have a 6 year old with what was labeled as mild/moderate autism

> under the PDD label. I also have a typically developing 3 year old

> boy. My 6 year old son is quite high functioning. He can toast his own

> bread, make a sandwich, use the toilet, dress himself (although

> usually needs lots of verbal cues due to being inattentive) so I

> usually do it to speed things up (He needs to be on the bus to school

> at @ 7:45 am) He knows his numbers pretty well, colors, and speaks

> well although he is random on his topics and does not usually use his

> words in a social context, more like demands for something or telling

> us what objects are.

>

> As I'm sure you have all experienced, people with autism have

> behaviors that seem odd. My son is currently into putting a rubber

> stopper in a plastic bag, filling up a sink with water, pipes (water

> pipes and ducts), and standing on top of a basketball in the house.

> These issues are not the problem, it's his improper social behaviors

> such as:

>

> Hitting me, relatives the teachers and teacher aides at his school

>

> Saying the word Penis repeatedly (not as much as he used to though)in

> school and other public places

>

> Pulling his pants down and exposing himself, which he thinks is

> humorous. He has done this at his old and current school several times

>

> Urinating and defecating on his bedroom floor in our house after

> putting him to bed - He has also done this in the playground at

> school, but he is now in new school and no new reports of that. He has

> not done this in a week or so, hopefully this issue will go away.

>

> Angry outbursts that seem to have no predictability - He can be

> sitting watching a movie quietly and then all of the sudden, have a

> rage where he yells out. This usually lasts only a few minutes.

>

> When he does these behaviors, I place him in the corner of the room,

> and inform him that the behavior is naughty, or I try to redirect him

> by replacing the Penis word to try to get him to say another word

> instead.

>

> My wife and I are seriously considering medication to see if it can

> control these behaviors, because nothing else seems to be working. We

> get almost daily reports of poor social behavior from the school and

> he does most of these things I mentioned above almost every day.

>

> We are not sure the best and fastest way to approach this. I guess I

> will call his pediatric doctor today and see what she recommends. Does

> anyone have other similar experiences with these types of behaviors

> and if medication was successful in controlling this. Thanks to all

> for any advice.

>

I just want to thank you all for your ideas about my son's issues.

He has actually improved greatly and has done very well at his new

school for about the last 3 weeks and overall much better at home. He

enjoys bouncing on a therapy ball that I bought recently and is

currently fascinated with lining up a row of basketballs, soccer

balls, footballs, etc. at home. He's also into sink strainers and

plugs, usually filling up the home sink to the top and floating a

plastic brush on the water. So, I guess I'm holding off on seeking

medications. I think a lot of the reason for improved behavior is due

to the excellent help he gets at his new special education class at a

different school that

he began in November.

[Guest guest]

All childrens classrooms have windows. I stop by at least once a week and look through the window. My husband and I are also known for just dropping by unannounced. I like to make sure that he is really doing as well as they are telling me and they are really involving him in things. I don't want to look through the window and see him just playing by himself. I guess I am an overprotective mother but I like to know what is really going on. Sometimes I see things I like and sometimes i don't. At least twice a year I will seat through an entire day in the corner and see how my child does. I do not participate in class or help when he has a tantrum I just watch and see how the teacher react. The teachers have never objective they are just shocked as they have never had any parent do that before. I think it is odd that parents trust teachers so much. wrote: >> My son is 4 years old and is diagnosed with ASD and he had many badbehaviors. The teachers at his school told us that ignoring him whenhe spit or yelled would be the best way to stop the behaviors. The wayit was explained to me is that if you give them attention when they dosomething bad they are going to repeat it because they dont understandour feelings so to them any attention is

good attention. So we startedfollowing those instructions and it changed his behavior in a good wayand they were doing the same at his school. Is this something you havetried? If not I would suggest it before you start any medication. Iwas watching the Dr. Phil show on wednesday and there where someparents on there whose kids were autistic and were being abused atschool, these children were acting out because they couldnt tellanyone what was happening to them. Has your son always had this typeof behavior or did it start once he started school?> > > Considering medication for my son with Autism> > Hi, all this is my first post on

this group or any board regarding my> son with Autism. I want to give a bit of background first. > > I have a 6 year old with what was labeled as mild/moderate autism> under the PDD label. I also have a typically developing 3 year old> boy. My 6 year old son is quite high functioning. He can toast his own> bread, make a sandwich, use the toilet, dress himself (although> usually needs lots of verbal cues due to being inattentive) so I> usually do it to speed things up (He needs to be on the bus to school> at @ 7:45 am) He knows his numbers pretty well, colors, and speaks> well although he is random on his topics and does not usually use his> words in a social context, more like demands for something or telling> us what objects are.> > As I'm sure you have all experienced, people with autism have> behaviors that seem odd. My son is currently into putting a rubber>

stopper in a plastic bag, filling up a sink with water, pipes (water> pipes and ducts), and standing on top of a basketball in the house.> These issues are not the problem, it's his improper social behaviors> such as:> > Hitting me, relatives the teachers and teacher aides at his school> > Saying the word Penis repeatedly (not as much as he used to though)in> school and other public places> > Pulling his pants down and exposing himself, which he thinks is> humorous. He has done this at his old and current school several times> > Urinating and defecating on his bedroom floor in our house after> putting him to bed - He has also done this in the playground at> school, but he is now in new school and no new reports of that. He has> not done this in a week or so, hopefully this issue will go away.> > Angry outbursts that seem to have no predictability -

He can be> sitting watching a movie quietly and then all of the sudden, have a> rage where he yells out. This usually lasts only a few minutes.> > When he does these behaviors, I place him in the corner of the room,> and inform him that the behavior is naughty, or I try to redirect him> by replacing the Penis word to try to get him to say another word> instead. > > My wife and I are seriously considering medication to see if it can> control these behaviors, because nothing else seems to be working. We> get almost daily reports of poor social behavior from the school and> he does most of these things I mentioned above almost every day. > > We are not sure the best and fastest way to approach this. I guess I> will call his pediatric doctor today and see what she recommends. Does> anyone have other similar experiences with these types of behaviors> and if

medication was successful in controlling this. Thanks to all> for any advice. > I just want to thank you all for your ideas about my son's issues.He has actually improved greatly and has done very well at his newschool for about the last 3 weeks and overall much better at home. Heenjoys bouncing on a therapy ball that I bought recently and iscurrently fascinated with lining up a row of basketballs, soccerballs, footballs, etc. at home. He's also into sink strainers andplugs, usually filling up the home sink to the top and floating aplastic brush on the water. So, I guess I'm holding off on seekingmedications. I think a lot of the reason for improved behavior is dueto the excellent help he gets at his new special education class at adifferent school thathe began in November.

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