Elliott is full on sad. He has even begun punishing himself for things he feels he has done wrong. By punishing himself, I mean sending himself to his room, grounding himself from his own toys and not eating dinner.
Lizze and I have both spoken with him and it doesn’t seem to help.
We explained that we would let him know if he’s done something wrong. Maybe he’s depressed? That’s entirely possible.
We begin his anti anxiety medication this weekend.
Lizze and I prefer beginning medications when we will personally be there to observe him. We like to do the same thing with Gavin as well.
Perhaps the anti anxiety medications will help him to not worry so much about everything.
I’m wondering if maybe he is suffering from depression. You may not have known this, but kids can suffer from many of the same mental illnesses as adults do.
The symptoms however, are sometimes different than their adult counterparts.
I think that we’ll have to keep a close eye on him and see if things get better or worse. I will also make sure that we at least attempt to redirect him from his sad thoughts.
If you don’t mind, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Studies have shown that the onset of depression among children occurs earlier in life today than in past decades.
Have you asked Dr. Patti about control issues? Not eating and punishing yourself are control-seeking behaviors. He might feel things are too chaotic for him and he is trying to assert order and predictability. Reasonable responses are giving him control over more things, and making things that he can’t control as predictable as possible. Does he have his own room that he can clean up and make decisions about what goes where, for instance?
This is extreme, I know, but I saw a documentary awhile back on kids and medications (I honestly don’t remember if they were for anxiety, ADHD or what) and they showed examples of kids as early as 7 years old committing suicide. For the life in me, I can’t see how a child between 7 and 10 years old can even THINK of that, let alone actually DO it. But they did. It was very disturbing.Watch him closely. Perhaps even call the doctor now. Don’t let it go on much longer and don’t think “Oh. It’ll correct itself.”
@Michael you’re absolutely right. People don’t think about things like that happening, but they happen.
Thank you. We see Dr. Patti at 1pm this afternoon.
Thanks for your comment to me about mood swings. We just got a referral for a psych eval for our 9yr old w Down syndrome. His anxiety is causing aggression problems. We also wait to her on his thyroid levels.
Talk to his doctor and check his current meds to see if they may cause depression.
@anansison that’s exactly what my plan is. Thank you
I have found the Aspie kids have a very very strong sense of right and wrong. Maybe he can find more creative ways to correct his percieved errors? Not all mistakes deserve a time out! Ask him to suggest ways he can “correct” his errors and work thru it that way until the true solution is found? Maybe he feels he is not pulling his weight at home. He might be picking up on your stress and feels he should be helping more. All childeren are ego centric and belive everything is thier fault at one time or another
@PurpleLogicRules that very good point.
I know my husband’s depression is fueled by anxiety, maybe it will help. 🙂
@MicheleChaney thank you 🙂