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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I did not read every post in this thread but I just wanted to say that our family friends had similar challenges with their 10-year-old son.  Though he was less violent, the parents felt hopeless he would ever behave normally. He was not hospitalized, did not physically harm family members (he is small for his age) but not allowed in public school classrooms for fear he would hurt classmates as he had in the past. He was misdiagnosed for years with severe ADHD and as a result was on medication that ultimately made his behavioral problems worse.

Last year, my friend hired a new psychiatrist who conducted new evaluations which uncovered her son was bi-polar and ASD. He immediately started new meds and intensive counseling and ABA therapies 3 times per week.

Now, one year later, he is a different kid... happy, funny, pleasant to be around, well-behaved, conversational, more social (making friends), and doing well in school in a regular classroomwith pull-outs! There is hope OP!![/quote]

I am not OP but I have a VERY similar child (though less violent most of the time).  This gives me so much hope.  How old was your friend's child when diagnosed? Do you know what medications helped them?  This gives me hope.[/quote]

Child was almost 11 when diagnosed. I don't know what meds he is on or was on (I don't want to pry, I just lend support and listening ear) but I know the side effects mess with his sleep patterns and make him extra tired. Also, he loses weight despite eating more. But friends think it was the ABA, extra counseling and group peer counseling that made the biggest impacts. Poor kid was misdiagnosed for years and the parents didn't know any better despite trying different meds (that were not effective for bipolar) and behavior modification techniques (that didn't work for ASD).

My son now wants to play with his friend rather than being forced to hang out with him when the families get together. In the past, we didn't trust the two of them alone together because of the kid's unpredictable (e.g. running into busy streets) and sometimes aggressive (e.g. hitting, trying to push and hold my son under water) behavior. The kid is also conversational (with adults too) rather than just making odd statements and unfunny jokes or stewing. Good luck![/quote]

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