Help with our 7 year old son with AS
I posted a while back about my son having rage issues. These seem to be under control for the most part but something new has popped up. I don't know how to explain it but our son will get unbelievably sad for no reason. I'll give you an example. Today we had a fine day around the house. We played, talked, cooked. went for a family walk, watched a movie. Not one problem. My son say's to his mom. " Can I talk to you about something?" and then he starts crying and says he is so sad, and he doesn't know why. He starts sobbing, Wailing,shaking for like an hour. Screaming. "Help me, You got to help me!" " I can't live like this" We hold him for an hour and he slowly starts to feel better. WTF he is 7!! ! Depression runs in our families big time on both sides, but at 7?
We went to a counciler for the raging and he wasn't much help. ( it seemed to go away on its own) He recomended Buspar for anxiety. Anybody have experiance with this stuff?
This has been happening more frequently and it seems to be getting worse.
One of our families here has a child with very early onset bipolar, and I do think my NT daughter has shown signs of clinical depression periods since she was six or so. It does happen. I'm not sure what to suggest to do about it, however ... I've really dragged my feet on it with my daughter, to be honest, and mostly have just honored and respected her need to have sad periods, etc. But .... She always cycles out of it right as I start to think we need intervention ... I don't know, I'd rather let her be a kid, you know? But ... If your son is ASKING for help, then you need to find some answers.
Sorry for not really being any help ...
_________________
Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).
CockneyRebel
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Joined: 17 Jul 2004
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The chemical imbalances of depression can be genetic and they can start early. I remember my first BAD bout was in high school, around age 15 and I said those same exact words.
Take him seriously, talk about his sad feelings and offer lots of reassurance and definitely get him in for evaluation. I know meds are the last thing you want to do for a kid so young but something small like a very low dose of Prozac may bring great relief fast if it turns out it is depression. When you're a kid, depression is terrifying because you have no rational basis to help you understand it. He reached out for help. Please get it for him.
We went to a counciler for the raging and he wasn't much help. ( it seemed to go away on its own) He recomended Buspar for anxiety. Anybody have experiance with this stuff?
This has been happening more frequently and it seems to be getting worse.
Some types of seizures can cause rapid onset feelings of despair. I don't know that they last as long as your son's but it could hurt to get him checked by a neurologist.
Another thing which might cause this is there might be some things that greatly upset him but he manages to keep himself distracted from this most of the time, but they might wear on him inside until he breaks down. This could be stressors that he never addresses or mentions because he doesn't know how to explain it (and to be honest a lot of NT's just don't understand) or a common childhood worry. If these periods happen after periods of happiness, it could be the lull in the day that seems to bleak in comparison with the brighter parts of the day...a bit like people usually perceive January to be boring because it follows the holiday season.
Another option would be PTSD. You might say he is only 7,what could he possibly have this from, but children with AS are often subjected to things that stress them immensely.
And then there's always bi-polar disorder, though I don't know that it typically manifests so young.
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