Teacher says son is hurting himself
My 7 year old son is in first grade and has a working diagnosis of ADHD and some kind of mood disorder. We just got approval to see a neuropsychologist - thanks to advice from this board.
He was initially on Adderall 10 mg but that made him have rages and a very hard time when meds wore off. He then switched to Concerta 18mg. When he switched, I informed the teacher and asked her to let me know of any changes in behavior that she noted.
His daily behavior reports came back showing that he was completing and turning in his work and was prepared, most days. So, after 3 weeks I go to see the teacher and say that the aggression seems to be under control and she informs me that it is not at all. Son has been bear hugging other children and shoulder pushing them. Okay...
Then she tells me that she is concerned that he is covered in bruises, which he is. She proceeds to tell me that he throws himself on the floor in the classroom, on the ground outside, into desks, etc. and then likes to show off his bruises. This happens 3-5 times a day, every day. I asked why she would wait for 3 weeks to tell me this and she said that she just assumed that it was happening at home as well.
I knew that he was really bruised up and when I asked him where specific bruises came from, he would just say that he fell. I took him to the pdoc and she said that she was VERY CONCERNED about the bruising and sent me to the lab for blood work. She was also concerned because he has lost 8 pounds in 5 months.
Okay, so now I'm freaking out and wondering if anyone else has had a similar situation?
Summer, I would be concerned, too. My strong suspicion is that the ADHD meds are making your son's mood disorder worse. I would strongly suggest you read up about bipolar disorder and follow the treatment guidelines for BP. In essence, you treat the mood disorder first with mood stabilizers and forget about stimulants and antidepressants, which make mood symptoms worse. Here are some websites to check out:
Good luck.
Smallmom - thanks! I have checked these websites before but he doesn't seem to have enough symptoms of BP. Hopefully we can get an appointment with the neuropsych relatively soon and find out what is going on.
I totally agree with smallmom. Hurting oneself is not an ADHD trait. But ADHD meds can make a mood-disordered child do it. In fact, it's common. Glad you'll be seeing a NeuroPsych. You may also want to see a Psychiatrist. Let the professional decide if he has bp. Kids dont display all the symptoms. Good luck.
www.conductdisorders.com (good site for beyond ADHD)
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