Advice on school options for violent child

[Anonymous]

13:52, that's a good perspective to remember.

[Anonymous]

Are these new behaviors? How long has he been taking risperdol?

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with a child with a very similar profile to your son. It was a complete crisis several years ago but he is much better now.

I just want to send hugs and say that it seems, from what you've written, like you are a great mom. Most parents have no idea how hard and complicated parenting can be when child has real issues.

[Anonymous]

We have a son with FASD and the behaviors you describe were common with him until he started taking lamotrigine (a/k/a lamictal) to regulate frustration. Has been very effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Risperdal can cause anxiety and other cognitive and physical side effects that may be making him more reactive.

Is this true? I thought the main purpose of Risperdal was as a sedative.

[Anonymous]

Each more restrictive placement is a huge downgrade in academic quality.

I had a child at an ED center in Fairfax for four years and I never knew a child who returned to his base school (despite what they promise when they are trying to get you to agree to change the placement).

The suspensions, OP, are to force your hand and create a paper trail. They are trying to make your life as painful as possible (do you work?). If you don't agree to the ED center, they will do in-school suspensions after they use up their 10 "free" suspension days. (I call them "free" days b/c the school system isn't accountable for them).

Have you toured the ED center they are suggesting (it is based on address)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Each more restrictive placement is a huge downgrade in academic quality.

I had a child at an ED center in Fairfax for four years and I never knew a child who returned to his base school (despite what they promise when they are trying to get you to agree to change the placement).

The suspensions, OP, are to force your hand and create a paper trail. They are trying to make your life as painful as possible (do you work?). If you don't agree to the ED center, they will do in-school suspensions after they use up their 10 "free" suspension days. (I call them "free" days b/c the school system isn't accountable for them).

Have you toured the ED center they are suggesting (it is based on address)?

I have a friend whose child sounds a lot like yours. They are in MCPS. Her child was eventually placed in the ED program. Frankly, she was relieved and is very happy with the placement. Finally, her child is in a place where he can learn and she isn't being called everyday. In this area, there is a prevailing belief that the highly academic setting is best for everyone. This being said, it's always good to educate yourself about the options.

Good luck, OP. I have no insight for you. My son has ADHD and some other issues, but he doesn't have behavior problems at school so all I can do is hope that you find an answer that works for your son.

[Anonymous]

I'm the previous poster with the child who was in the ED class in FCPS. I don't know about MCPS. One of the many problems we had was very little learning really went on. FCPS understaffs the ED program. Up to 10 disruptive, anxious, frustrated, learning-disabled, ADHD, etc. kids in one classroom with a teacher and an aide, all at different levels (the classes are K-3, or 4-5, etc. depending on the population at the center). They just lump all the kids who are struggling for very different reasons and at very different learning levels all in the same class. Its an impossible job for the teacher. IMO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Risperdal can cause anxiety and other cognitive and physical side effects that may be making him more reactive.

Is this true? I thought the main purpose of Risperdal was as a sedative.

It is an anti-psychotic with many serious side effects.

[Anonymous]

OP - What happens when your DS is suspended? Is he at home and with whom? If you and DH both work full-time, have other younger children and a high needs child - do you think that perhaps one of you should take a reduced work load for a time or FMLA to get to the bottom of things with your son. I am honestly asking this because I had a high anxiety college-aged daughter who was on Resperidol among other things when she had to withdraw and come home and the psychiatrist here had her get off of all meds before a new one was started. It was during Christmas break so she had nothing else she had to do of pressure and from what I remember was up much of the night for almost two weeks.
I just wonder that for a youngster this idea of well we go off one med and start another at times might have better results if the child had a reduced load in the school setting, counseling, and also very important at least one parent who was not completely worn down already to weather the period of change transition? If it was very hard with an intelligent college student, it must be so much harder with young child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are these new behaviors? How long has he been taking risperdol?

OP here. The violence is much more common. He has some in the past but very rare. He was more verbal in 1st grade and said bad things and that is when we got him going in OT, speech, therapy, meds and an IEP in place for 2nd grade. He has been on risperdol for about 18 months but when we talked to his psychiatrist a few weeks ago about the therapist's theory about generalized and social anxiety, our psychiatrist doubled the risperdol.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried parent training to help your son at home? We found that to be incredibly helpful in training our son to react better when he doesn't get his way both at home and outside the home. It changed his life and ours. We also had our son in a self-contained classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Each more restrictive placement is a huge downgrade in academic quality.

I had a child at an ED center in Fairfax for four years and I never knew a child who returned to his base school (despite what they promise when they are trying to get you to agree to change the placement).

The suspensions, OP, are to force your hand and create a paper trail. They are trying to make your life as painful as possible (do you work?). If you don't agree to the ED center, they will do in-school suspensions after they use up their 10 "free" suspension days. (I call them "free" days b/c the school system isn't accountable for them).

Have you toured the ED center they are suggesting (it is based on address)?

We are going to tour the week after next. Our current social worker told us there is a psychologist right there always for the kids at this ed center. When looking on the website, the school said there were two on staff that also work at another school. And the school is over 700 kids. No way my kid is going to get more than a half hour with the school psychologist once a week.

I do work and this has been awful for my husband and I. Fortunately, I have a friendly office and there is a kids room there so he just comes to the office with me. My colleagues have a hard time believing me when I say he is violent as he is on the very small size and looks very sweet. I have heard about home-based schooling in which the school system sends a teacher to you to teach your child. Very tempting to consider this and have them come to him at my office every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a son with FASD and the behaviors you describe were common with him until he started taking lamotrigine (a/k/a lamictal) to regulate frustration. Has been very effective.

OP here. Thank you for this insight. I will ask our doctor about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are these new behaviors? How long has he been taking risperdol?

OP here. The violence is much more common. He has some in the past but very rare. He was more verbal in 1st grade and said bad things and that is when we got him going in OT, speech, therapy, meds and an IEP in place for 2nd grade. He has been on risperdol for about 18 months but when we talked to his psychiatrist a few weeks ago about the therapist's theory about generalized and social anxiety, our psychiatrist doubled the risperdol.

If the violence coincided with doubling the dosage, it's something to consider.