help for his aggression - Autism Spectrum Message Board

Revy · 08-21-2006, 09:43 PM

We have a 6 year old son with autism. He is a very loving boy with a beautiful smile! But we have a serious problem with an occassional outburst of aggression-seriously harmful to those around him. Whether it is a strong push to a child much smaller that sends that child flying or he has without warning knocked a child down and began kicking them in the head/face (I had to tackle him to get him to stop.) There is no sign that this is coming, it is very sudden. At times he gets a kind of glazed look in his eye like it's not really him. Many times he wanders or walks around afterward saying "What happened little girl? Where little girl go?" I don't know somtimes if he actually realizes what's happening. Has anyone heard of pschomotor seizures? Could this cause it? He is on seizure med now, and has been on risperdal in the past, but since it did not help, the doctor tokk him off of it. Any thoughts please?

elmhar · 08-22-2006, 10:50 AM

Hi Revy,

Yes, psychomotor seizures are a possibility. Was your son dxd with this by a neurologist? Did he have an EEG or MRI done?

Are the meds helping? It may be helpful to keep data on frequency of occurrence of the aggressive episodes, to help track med efficacy.

Best wishes.

Revy · 08-23-2006, 05:58 AM

elmhar,
thanks for your thoughts. Yes, he has had an EEG and a MRI. He has been diagnosed with absence seizures, and I have witnessed that he had 4 grand maul seizures (those were always in his sleep). My husband and I have been to a conference this past year and heard Temple Grandin speak about the pyschomotor seizures that result in aggression. I called my neurologist's office about it and they said that they would have to wire my son up for 3-4 days to find out if he is having those type of seizures. Needless to say, wires of any type do not stay on our son for even a few minutes-days are not a possibility.

Majia62 · 08-24-2006, 07:55 AM

Google "drug-induced psychotic seizures".
My son developed those like "in trance" look and then proceed to bang his head or head butt the nearest person. Another way to describe it is 'freezing' and then "losing it". Another autistic goes into a "rage" destroying property, hurting himself (scratching, pulling hair, etc) or hurts others. And has no memory, he would come out to it and with his eyes was questioning what happened. All that after Risperdal.

.... and happened after 'treatment' with other similar drugs (Neuroleptics and atypical antipsychotics), also could happen while ON or after being on SSRIs antidepressants (stimulants, etc), anticonvulsants like Tegretol and Valproic acid. antihypertension drugs like Propranolol or after Benzodiazepines or anesthesia. Search " Drugs and Behaviour".

More vulnerable to the effects of drugs are the elderly, children/teens and some suceptible adults and, of course, the non-verbal developmental delayed children/autistics.

Brandiof4 · 08-25-2006, 11:17 AM

Hi I’m no expert just a lady with an opinion!
I would defiantly seek help and advise from Doctors, It’s very scary to think these kids will one day be adults!! Don’t ignore your Motherly instinct for punishment. When my 5 year old Autistic boy fights with his brothers I talk to him about how wrong he is and the owee he caused, he doesn’t speak yet but I know he knows what I am saying from the tone of my voice and my firm grip. He then is forced to take a time out, and an apology (prompted of course) just like his siblings. I know when your child does something totally outrageous especially in public it’s paralyzing but you need to take action on your form of discipline at the scene. It is also very hard work to stick with a plan of action and fallow through every time it happens, but the payoff in the end is very great! Good Luck and prayers are with you. Brandi