Posted by Shoeshine on August 24, 2004, at 14:01:47
My brother is now 8 years old. He has had speech, behavior, and anger problems his whole life. My mother and I have done everything possible to get him help and nothing seems to work. He has been on several different medications that work for a few weeks then stop. The doctors tell us that he has severe speech apraxia. We know that there has to be more than that. He cannot say more than 2 word sentences, he curses, spits, hits, bites. He throws huge fits whenever he doesn't get something that he wants. People have told us that we haven't raised him properly, but I know that is wrong. We have used several different approaches to punish him. WE have had time out chairs where he is supposed to sit but doesn't b/c he kicks curses hits cries and screams at us. We have spanked him on the bottom, took away toys or games, grounded him, talked to him calmly, anything imaginable. It seems like there is something blocking him from comprehending things we say to him. Also we try to do homework with him and he doesn't seem to hear anything we say. He has been doing speech therapy for several years and it seems to only help him annunciate better, it doesn't help him speak more. He was put on a medication called Respidol yesterday. I have been trying to read about it but nothing seems to help me understand this medication. He will be starting school tomorrow which scares me b/c the last school he went to kicked him out b/c of his outbursts. I know that he doesn't realize what he is doing. And I know it's not his fault. He doesn't seem to remember the fits that he has. It is very sad and teachers and other people don't seem to understand. IT is only my mother and I taking care of him and it is very hard b/c I am a full time college student and work 30 hours a week, my mother works 12 hour shifts 3 days a week so that she can be at home when he is at school so that she can be available to pick him up from school if there is a problem with his behavior. I have noticed what ticks him off is telling him no or trying to get him to do something he doesn't want to do. WE have tried to work on this but nothing is helping. NOw that I have told ya'll my problem, I am asking anyone out there to give me and my mother suggestions on how to deal with all this. Some questions I have is: is this medication safe for him? How do we find help from professionals to help him behave better? what is the best way to get him to speak? where can we get help on finding a sitter for him so that I can do work and school and so that my mother can do work, sleep, and finish her schooling so that she can afford medical bills, food, a home, and education for her son? Please help us.... we are open to any suggestions.
poster:Shoeshine
thread:381767
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040821/msgs/381767.html