I know she shows very strong signs of bipolar and her father is bipolar (we are no longer together). But the idea of medicating her scares me. She is the most precious little one, but when it is bad, it is terrible and I don't know what to do anymore. In her fits of rage she makes suicidal comments, she lies saying horrible things about me and her sisters and brother. She destroys rooms throwning things and kicking the walls. These fits are always raised by the smallest things like having to comb her hair or clean up a mess. I am at the end of my rope. She puts the whole house on pause while my husband and I deal with her. The other kids are upset over this. I want to help her, but so far the only thing that seems theraputic to her is cutting paper, like pics out of magazines or making snowflakes. She will cut for hours. In the back of my mind I am praying she would never turn the scissors on herself. We have seen a psychiatrist and they have said that they can medicate her, but I am really opposed to it. If any of you have any advice or knowledge on this subject I would really appreciate it. Any suggestions on ways to help her or alternate treatment. I want to help my baby she needs me now and I don't want to push her away.
Medicate her. or deal with a kid destroying your family. Had to medicate my oldest daughter when she was 6, it was that or put her in an institution.. Good luck.....
medication isnt always a bad thing. when dealing with bi-polar medication really is the best option for HER and for you and your family.. the longer you let it go the harder its going to get.
I would suggest medication and behavioral therapy. With behavioral therapy she can learn to control her actions and not have to take as many meds.
I was going to suggest this. The state and county will supply these services for free if your child has an IEP (individualized education plan). I actually work in this field.
hmmm....first off sorry for the delay in replying...have had some things to deal with. The more I am researching the more I realize I will need to try medication, she is ill and I would never turn down medication if she had a physical illness, so how could I do it to her for this. We love her and we will support her in anything she needs. Thanks for all your advice!
I feel your pain. One of my kids has Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Intermittent Explosive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other problems. Basicly, she's pissed off and violent. Everyone is telling me that I shouldn't medicate the one woth ODD, IED, PTSD, etc, but I am pursuing that option with therapy because I want to free my kid from living with this misery. If the medicine can help her get a grip and feel more normal and in control of herself, then I want to help her with that. So, I think you're making the right decision. My daughter baicly runs things at my house, too, when she's freaking out, because we're just trying to deal with the violence and stuff. I think if meds made her feel more in control, my whole family would be better off. So, my advice is to try it. I f you hate it you can take her off the meds. Good luck. I'll be thinking of you as I dodge the flying furniture at my house because I dared to offer my daughter the wrong juice.....:ack:
More power too you. I have gotten to work with a couple of kids that have ODD. They are tough especially because so many other things accompany this disorder. What kind of therapy is she doing?
We were doing PCIT until about 2 weeks ago. It wasn't working. She was just getting more violent. So she just started seeing a therapist instead. I am optimistic because the therapist really got her to talk about what she was mad about. The therapist asked her to promise not hit anyone until she sees her next week. Then last night she almost hit and she said, "Oh, I promised her I wouldn't." and stopped. She did hit her sister later, but it's an improvement, anyway. At least she thought before she acted. My kid is only violent with her family. At school she's angelic. The therapist told her that she knew she could control herself because she does such a good job of it at school. That seemed to make her feel good. As horrible as it is to be with her when she explodes, which happens every day, I still love her and want to do everything I can to help her. Parenthood is hard!!!
Levi, Hopefully things will get easier now that she is in therapy. We did behavioral therapy where I was working and just like your daughters therapist we made the kids accountable for their own actions. IT is a lot work for the kids, parents therapists. Even though those kids where hard to work with I fell in love with all of them.
GRRRR! It is the last day of school and I can say I am worried what the summer has to hold with this one at home. She is mad at the world and we are just starting a new med. Maybe I am stressing too much, but the therapist she is seeing now thinks she might have the ODD as well. SUPER!! Anywho, it is nice to know I am not the only one, and that you are all here for support. Thank you for that. Now I am off to buy paint to yet again make my daughter paint her wall after washing the pencil off she used to scribble all over with during one of her fits last night. ahhhh...never a dull moment! Peace
To give yourself a break get her into summer activities like swimming lessons or dance classes. Lots of exercise helps these kids because it gives them a chance o release energy and anger in different mediums that aren't violent. They need to learn that if they start to get angry that running around the back yard yelling is ok but writing on the walls and breaking things in the house isn't.
