2 1/2 Year Old On Anti Depressants

[rastafairy]

oh Pheonix sending you a cyber hug, right don't want to nag but Index.html is right you MUST get a neurologists evaluation, speak with this doctor you saw and make an appointment when you can sit down and discuss everything without your little boy around, just ask your mum to have him I'm sure she will. Now what bright spark told you that locking him in his room for five minutes is going to help! oh please! they are having a laugh! he will panic he will freak and no doubt be very aggressive with you!" and i would say in this case it won't work and only make matters worse, you really need to see a neurologist and early behavour intervention team, when you go back to this doctor tell him, mean time you could try the time out but in a place where you know he's safe,he can see you and you can see him, but you have a barrier between you both, if it's a room don't if you can, make it his bedroom his bedroom in my opinion should not be used to punish a child, these are only my opinions and that's all,and be warned although i'm sure you will already, if this is the first time you have tried time out he will get very angry so that's why i say about being able to see each other, then you can talk to him calmly which is hard but he'll calm down, i know it's difficult just giving you advice like this but, if you can stay calm and talk him through and have the barrier between you both so he can't be aggressive at you.
Now your husband if you can try to talk to him again about it if you don't feel you can then i would suggest mentioning your concerns to the doctor who if he thinks it important will look into it, i also aggree with Index.html that medications for him at such a young age are not ideal and this is a strong medication he's on, so again that's why you need to see a neurologist, just to let you know my son was reffered to them and he's a different boy now, so they do help. well you take care and don't be afraid to ask for help at the end of the day if you don't ask you don't get! that's my motto. So keep your chin up and let us know how your doing, AMAZING SO FAR!!!!

[phoenix04]

rastafairy,

The Paediatrician is the one who suggested the timeout by locking the door on him. Infact I have now had 2 Paediatricians tell me to do it and I shocked myself. We was going to put a half door on so he could still see us but they said it has to be a full door. Because when we speak to him he doesn't understand they said by locking him in there for 5 minutes he will learn that he can not do that type of behaviour.

They also told me to lock him in there if he gets out of bed and this worries me even more because I think he will become terrified of the dark. My partner agrees with timeout and I can not convince him otherwise.

We constantly fight when he try's to give him timeout or tells him off because I don't like it. My son comes to me and wants a hug etc but my partner said I am being to easy on him.

How do I convince my partner this is not the right thing to do? and how do I teach my son to stop bad behaviours?

I will see If I can get a referral to a neurologists.

[Jennita]

Originally Posted by phoenix04

Thankyou for your responses.

He is on Amitriptyline. Not sure how different we do things here in Australia to the US.

He has gave these to him for his sleep as we showed him a sleep diary we had been keeping. He runs around all night and just wants to watch to movies. He said when he is diagnosed he will start giving him daytime medication.

I wouldn't have him on these tablets at all but I can not see him sleeping much without them.

I can not get him to sit at all during the day to help him learn. He constantly just laughs and smiles all day like nothing is wrong.

I was also recommended to start timeout by locking him in his room for 5 minutes at a time which I really do not want to do but just sending him to his room doesn't work because he is so cunning and sly.

When we seen the paediatrician we didn't even get a chance to tell him what was wrong because he said he gets 2 out of 100 children like my son. He watched and observed him and told him off when he touched something at the doctors he wasn't meant too touch and he just smiled and kept doing it, the doctor said it is his smile and eyes that are different and defiant.

I know something is wrong with his father but he will not tell me what and I worry for my son.

I don't have alot of family support as my parents work and also have there other grandchildren every week and I don't like to ask for help. Although I am hoping this will now change things alittle.

I have dealed with depression myself and still do at times as I have an eating disorder since I was 16.

Well, I can't begin to figure out or know the reasons for his behaviors but it doesn't seem the Elavil would be such a good thing; I found a side effects list and some of your son's behavior is on it, at least it seems so. You didn't make clear if some behaviors were before or after the Elavil; in any case I imagine the medication could worsen such symptoms. Here is the list, I'm sure not everyone gets all the side effects or hardly any, but also you must keep in mind he's only 2 years old so he may have more severe effects from it...

Side effects may include: abnormal movements, anxiety, black tongue, blurred vision, breast development in males, breast enlargement, coma, confusion, constipation, delusions, diarrhea, difficult or frequent urination, difficulty in speech, dilation of pupils, disorientation, disturbed concentration, dizziness on getting up, dizziness or light-headedness, drowsiness, dry mouth, excessive or spontaneous flow of milk, excitement, fatigue, fluid retention, hair loss, hallucinations, headache, heart attack, hepatitis, high blood pressure, high fever, high or low blood sugar, hives, impotence, inability to sleep, increased or decreased sex drive, increased perspiration, increased pressure within the eye, inflammation of the mouth, intestinal obstruction, irregular heartbeat, lack or loss of coordination, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, nausea, nightmares, numbness, rapid and/or fast, fluttery heartbeat, rash, red or purple spots on skin, restlessness, ringing in the ears, seizures, sensitivity to light, stomach upset, strange taste, stroke, swelling due to fluid retention in the face and tongue, swelling of testicles, swollen glands, tingling and pins and needles in the arms and legs, tremors, vomiting, weakness, weight gain or loss, yellowed eyes and skin.

[Jennita]

Originally Posted by phoenix04

rastafairy,

The Paediatrician is the one who suggested the timeout by locking the door on him. Infact I have now had 2 Paediatricians tell me to do it and I shocked myself. We was going to put a half door on so he could still see us but they said it has to be a full door. Because when we speak to him he doesn't understand they said by locking him in there for 5 minutes he will learn that he can not do that type of behaviour.

They also told me to lock him in there if he gets out of bed and this worries me even more because I think he will become terrified of the dark. My partner agrees with timeout and I can not convince him otherwise.

We constantly fight when he try's to give him timeout or tells him off because I don't like it. My son comes to me and wants a hug etc but my partner said I am being to easy on him.

How do I convince my partner this is not the right thing to do? and how do I teach my son to stop bad behaviours?

I will see If I can get a referral to a neurologists.

Seeing a neurologist is a great idea. I'm wondering, do you spank him at all? Most children are like dogs, you must use a punishment that gets their attention and must do it at the time of offense or they don't make a connection to the punishment/behavior. I'm not talking abuse here, just a swift stingy slap. IMHO, children have to learn there are physical consequences to their actions sometimes.

I'd rather spank my child and make him learn that from me than somebody else someday kicking the crap out of him when he tries the same behaviors on others, you know what I mean? Other people do not put up with abuse, and they fight back....this is a lesson your son must learn before he either hurts somebody or somebody hurts him.

I used to slap my son's hand and reinforce it with a loud, not yelling but firm NO, when he would go for the electric outlet plugs...better a slap than a burned hand from the electricity!

At that age, he could not even begin to understand why, so the physical restraint was the only way....but as he got older, I replaced the spanking with explanations and lectures on the why not's of life, using the fact I loved him as the reason for my concerns.....later on, he said he wasn't sure what was worse, the spanks or the lectures....seems I went on a bit too long sometimes in my marathon talks with him ....but all in all, he did appreciate that when he was of a more understanding age.

But 2 and 3 year olds cannot reason as well as older children, and sometimes his room timeout might not be so bad in their opinion since they have all their beloved things in that room.

[flintrock]

Have you ever heard of Tourette's syndrome? you might want to look it up. He seems to have a few symptoms. Noises, lining things up (OCD). There are mild cases of this and can be treated with meds also.