Medication to address anger,aggression and violence. Thoughts?

Sometimes anger is due to inability to communicate. Perhaps you could find a non verbal way in which he could let you know that he is getting wound up.

You could say make a picture of a volcano, with red stickers for lava. When heis a bit angry, the red sticker would be low down on the volcano. When he wants to scream and shout the sticker would be coming out of the top. It would require observation from you, to see when he is starting to wind up and then get him to place a sticker. Gradually he would learn to do this, to tell you he is upset.

You could then take him somewhere quiet, to vent his anger/frustation by punching a cushion or drawing and as he gets quieter, then try and find out why he is upset. He may draw a picture of what is wrong, or try and explain it to you.

Much quiet patience and observation is needed and a quiet, safe place for him to calm down.

I'd also add, as he's eleven and a half, is he experiencing any bullying/discrimination at school? Don't take teachers' word for it, they don't seem to notice bullying going on.

The issue of medication is a senstive one. I have read about people finding it beneficial in controlling depression or sensory issues.

Temple Grandin took medication for anxiety/panic attacks that she found crippling, and it made a difference taking mediation. She wrote about this in her "Believer in Biochemistry" text usually included in "Thinking in Pictures and other reports from my life with autism".

It seems to depend on how serious is the need. If medication reduces disruptive or controlling symptoms that obstruct lifestyle then they may be valid. But this is at a cost of some levelling/dulling effect on other aspects, so if you can live without medication it may be better.

It is discussed by Tony Attwood in "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" p165-6 in his chapter on the understanding and expression of emotions. He records the experiences of some people on the spectrum that medication slows their thinking and hinders their cognitive skills.

More importantly, as no-one seems able to agree on the causes of autism, or the mechanism by which it compromises people's lives, medication can hardly be used in an informed environment. Simply using it in the way it might be used for people with other conditions not on the spectrum but who have anxiety, or ocd or depression just isn't responsible medicine. And there doesn't seem to be much understanding of the long term effects.

I think parents need to access the facts about medications. There aren't unfortunately many good effective dialogues on the subject to which to refer.

Maybe NAS Moderators could comment on this.....

Hi,

Drugs are indeed an emotive topic and there are a lot of people on the forum who are very wary, following their own experience, of medicating. Drugs have their place for some conditions but autism, on its own, doesn't normally require them.

It sounds as though you need some real help in changing your son's behaviour. Behaviour like that is common for children with autism who are desperate because the world doesn't know how to deal with them and they don't know how to deal with the world.

Have you attended any of the courses that are avilable to help parents of autistic children understand and manage their children? See link for details.

www.autism.org.uk/.../autism-seminars-for-families.aspx

Hi Crystal12. Don't get me wrong, i agree that medication should be carefully considered before opting to use it, but, to be brutaly honest, my wife and i, and to a slightly lesser degree, my 2 daughters, are at our wits end over the progressively more severe actions of our 11 and a half year old son. Aside from seeking support from local groups and organiisations, we have had woefully little assistance from the NHS since his diagnosis 18 months ago....we need to act in order to stop out family from falling apart such is the stress that we are all feeling right now ! :-(

Hi - imo medication is a last resort + then only to be used in conjunction with non-medical interventions.  It does have its place in that context for some people.  Also I tend to think of meds as more for adults than children?  This might just be me, of course.  Do you know why he's getting so upset + how are you trying to deal with what is a v difficult situation for all of you.  How's he doing at school?  That can be a big stressor in itself.