Our wonderful 6 yr old has been struggling for some time with some behavior issues and is being treated by a psychologist. He is on medication which has stabilized his moods somewhat, but he can still be awfully explosive. We are working with the school, he is going to be seen by a DAN doctor, he is not ADHD, bipolar or autistic. He is just angry, insecure, and when agitated or wanting to self-soothe, he begins to sing to himself and/or humm. Normally I wouldn't let this bother me, as he has been doing it for years, but unfortunately he will do it in the classroom also. When they ask him to stop he only gets louder. Removing him from the situation only causes increased agitation. The doctors aren't quite sure what to do about this as they are not sure what is causing it. Could it be like a tick? If so, how do we 'retrain' this behavior. Antidepressants, stimulants.....none of it works for him and he is no longer on any of that stuff. Any suggestions would be very helpful.
Thanks everyone for your info. There is a bit of defiance involved, but we can't follow your typical 'discipline' techniques to fix this as he doesn't respond to demands. That is not a defiance issue with him, but an emotional disorder tied in to being an adopted child and bonding issues (very complicated to explain, but the doc is on top of it). He actually responded well to having something in his hands today and things went great. For those of you who don't know what a DAN doctor is it stands for Defeat Autism Now. They focus on things that a child could be allergic too that could cause disruption in the brain and once the diet is correct, the behavior results have been amazing. A friend of mine took her severely autistic grandson to one in KC (there are only a few in the US)and found out he was allergic to over 400 of 500 things tested for. They changed his diet and for the first time in years, he is holding their hands and starting to speak again. The goal is to have him medication free within a year and so far things are progressing great. Even though our son is not autistic, this particular doctor can help determine if any of the behaviors might be allergy related, so we are looking forward to our appointment.
Anyway, thanks everyone....I do appreciate your thoughts.
I'm not "experienced" in matters like this but using my line of thought see if you can replace it with something else. Something he can hold and rub like a small toll doll with fuzzy hair or something. Or a wash cloth he keeps in his pocket unless he needes it. That is tough one, does he have any suggestions for the problem, what are his thoughts?
Not really sure what a DAN doctor is, that is anew term for me. HOwever, I am actually studying child development in grad school. I do have three children myself (10, 6, and a 18 mos old). My daughter has had sensory issues foir a fews years now. She was treated by a physical therapists. It sounds like it could have potentially sensory integration issues, meaning his brain process information around him differently. It has to do with the way the nervous system works. Occupational therapists are the ones who would treat this and potentially tell you whether or not this is the problem. Would you mind if I suggest a wonderful book. "The Out-of-Sync CHild" by Carol Stock Kranowitz. It is a great book and if nothing else, you mind somethings to try with your son at home to help. Good luck!
I am wondering which medications your son takes. The reason I ask is because I have a neighbor who's son has a simular problem. His psychiatrist blames the Medidate, saying it can be a tick caused as a secondary reaction to the medications. It is one of two medications he currently takes. His psychologist, on the other hand, thinks it may just be a way to self sooth when he is feeling insecure or unsure of himself. It is a bit of a mystery here too. There is a specialist at KU Med that his is going to see this week..... maybe we will have better answers then. Sorry I can't be of any more help but maybe we can keep in touch and see what we learn.
S.,
I have an 8 yo son with ASD and ADHD. We have been going to Childrens Mercy Development and Behavior clinic for 5 years now. It changed our life. They are an excellent resource, and can come up with strategies to get control over the behavior, including medications. We see Dr. Carol Daniel, and are very happy with the care my son has recieved.
Good luck with your kiddo.
C.
I agree that he is trying to self-soothe. Is there any way to have a meeting with the teacher and counselor and decide beforehand what action will be taken before the situation gets out of control. It sounds like the teacher needs to understand that this is most likely a neurological issue and not a "bad kid" issue. When my son was younger, he needed to bounce on a trampoline to self soothe. It was understood that when he felt the need, he would quietly leave the room and go to the counselors office (where the mini-trampoline was located, he would bounce for a minute or two and then return to the classroom. Perhaps there is a quiet area of the room (the reading corner)where he could feel comfortable. Is the teacher making it more than it is? Chances are, the other children might not be noticing or care that he hums or sings to himself. The teacher may be sweating the small stuff. Keep up the good work. It sounds like you are trying really hard to understand how your child ticks. It's exhausting some days, but it's worth it. :)
How about something that is not obvious to others (may not like others seeing he has a towel or fuzzy toy when he gets older). When one of my girls was nervous about doing her presentation at Science Fair I gave her one of my necklaces to wear and told her to just touch it to remind her that I love her. It worked well. Also have used a coin or charm in the pocket that they can reach in and touch or rub. In your son's case, maybe a masculine bracelet (leather cord or something) that he can 'play' with to assure himself.
My 14 year old son has had tics since he was 8. The only reason I don't think your son's behaviors are tics is because when they ask him to stop he hums even louder. To me it sounds like he is being defiant, no?
