I'm looking for personal experiences as well as resources for treatment.
A relative of mine has a young daughter with a dx of CD. There have been many different diagnoses, actually. ADD/ADHD, early-onset BPD, anxiety/panic issues, mild autism. Also, SPD, including hypotonia. The child has anatomic features (body and face) that caused her to be tested for genetic disorders. They all came back clear, so it was suggested that the birth mother's recreational drug use in the first trimester caused the damage.
So now they are settling on CD. The outlook is not good for my relative's daughter. She is 8 years old and already has certain people that she hates. She says she likes to "persecute" them. (Not surprisingly, she can barely read but her vocabulary is outstanding for her age. She tested at an IQ of like 79 or 80 but has amazing creative intelligence.) So, certain small people in her life are in danger of physical harm whenever she is around.
I think the family is beginning to realize that residential treatment is not out of the realm of possibilty. It was already discussed when the psychotic tendancies were first dx. While there haven't been major, prolonged breaks, this poor child lives in a constant state of being out of touch with reality. Her daily conversation is grandiose and shows she lives in a world of her own creation. She makes all the rules in that world and can't accept that society is not willing to living by them.
So...the relative in charge of this child is a great mom as far as love and affection goes. There is ZERO chance of attachment/abandonment issues. The child is never spanked. In fact, her mother doesn't even believe in speaking to her too firmly, thinking it's disrespectful. She assigns a great deal of honor to her daughter, which is wonderful, but right now it's contributing to her daughter's belief that she is (for lack of a better word) equal to adults. I know that isn't coming out right, but I'm having a hard time explaining. Of course, kids are equal as far as the value of their life, but I'm thinking in terms of kids being minors legally who are in need of guidance and direction from adults. I think many MDC parents here are more unconditional/consensual, which may be fine for mentally healthy kids. But for a child who is 8 years old and firmly believes the establishment is wrong because she is not allowed to drive, and can spend an hour ranting and raging over the subject, it would seem that a firmer, though still gentle, hand is needed.
Examples: the child is allowed to choose her own clothes. Her sensory issues drive her to wear all cotton items with soft elastic. No jeans, no button shirts, and every garment must be solid color or have a perfectly symetrical pattern. No problem there. But if she wants to leave the house without bathing or at the very least brushing her hair, or if she wants to wear a knee-length nightgown and no undies around make family members, but can't sit in a way that keeps her covered, she's alowed to. Her mother will say in front of her "Who cares what other people think? Do what makes you comfortable!". Is it a stretch to think that this isn't the best approach for a kid who already doesn't care, to the point where she is willing to perform acts of violence to get what she wants? I mean, I NIP and didn't care who felt uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean I would also be willing to beat someone up if I like their watch and wanted it for myself. Is it necessary for kids with CD to be raised with a firmer hand, or does it just not matter because anti-sociality isn't treatable?
I know it may not be possible to give this child empathy, but can she be taught from a strictly intellectual point of view that there are socially-acceptable rights and wrongs with respect to how we treat people?
There is nothing quite so bone-chilling as telling an 8 year old child that it is inarguably unacceptable to hit her toddler cousin and having that child look you in the eyes, smile, and tell you her pet dragon told her it's ok to kill anyone she hates.
What types of resources and treatment are available for a child showing signes of anti-social behavior? Is there any hope? Is there less hope because of her lower IQ? How likely is it that she will need full-time residential care? Right now, she is on a cocktail of drugs that changes every time she sees the psychiatrist. They live in a small town, but I am willing to help get them to a bigger city with better care. The drugs have accelerated her weight gain and soon it may not be possible for her mother to physically control her. (In addition to her larger-than-average size, she has episodes of incredible strength. It can take two adults to get her under control).
Is there any benefit to dietary changes/restrictions? She is given complete autonomy over her food choices, which means she eats virtually no vegetables and almost all white foods. Junk is not limited at all, in fact, her mother uses it as a bribe several times a day.
TIA for suggestions on where to go for help.
A relative of mine has a young daughter with a dx of CD. There have been many different diagnoses, actually. ADD/ADHD, early-onset BPD, anxiety/panic issues, mild autism. Also, SPD, including hypotonia. The child has anatomic features (body and face) that caused her to be tested for genetic disorders. They all came back clear, so it was suggested that the birth mother's recreational drug use in the first trimester caused the damage.
So now they are settling on CD. The outlook is not good for my relative's daughter. She is 8 years old and already has certain people that she hates. She says she likes to "persecute" them. (Not surprisingly, she can barely read but her vocabulary is outstanding for her age. She tested at an IQ of like 79 or 80 but has amazing creative intelligence.) So, certain small people in her life are in danger of physical harm whenever she is around.
I think the family is beginning to realize that residential treatment is not out of the realm of possibilty. It was already discussed when the psychotic tendancies were first dx. While there haven't been major, prolonged breaks, this poor child lives in a constant state of being out of touch with reality. Her daily conversation is grandiose and shows she lives in a world of her own creation. She makes all the rules in that world and can't accept that society is not willing to living by them.
So...the relative in charge of this child is a great mom as far as love and affection goes. There is ZERO chance of attachment/abandonment issues. The child is never spanked. In fact, her mother doesn't even believe in speaking to her too firmly, thinking it's disrespectful. She assigns a great deal of honor to her daughter, which is wonderful, but right now it's contributing to her daughter's belief that she is (for lack of a better word) equal to adults. I know that isn't coming out right, but I'm having a hard time explaining. Of course, kids are equal as far as the value of their life, but I'm thinking in terms of kids being minors legally who are in need of guidance and direction from adults. I think many MDC parents here are more unconditional/consensual, which may be fine for mentally healthy kids. But for a child who is 8 years old and firmly believes the establishment is wrong because she is not allowed to drive, and can spend an hour ranting and raging over the subject, it would seem that a firmer, though still gentle, hand is needed.
Examples: the child is allowed to choose her own clothes. Her sensory issues drive her to wear all cotton items with soft elastic. No jeans, no button shirts, and every garment must be solid color or have a perfectly symetrical pattern. No problem there. But if she wants to leave the house without bathing or at the very least brushing her hair, or if she wants to wear a knee-length nightgown and no undies around make family members, but can't sit in a way that keeps her covered, she's alowed to. Her mother will say in front of her "Who cares what other people think? Do what makes you comfortable!". Is it a stretch to think that this isn't the best approach for a kid who already doesn't care, to the point where she is willing to perform acts of violence to get what she wants? I mean, I NIP and didn't care who felt uncomfortable, but that doesn't mean I would also be willing to beat someone up if I like their watch and wanted it for myself. Is it necessary for kids with CD to be raised with a firmer hand, or does it just not matter because anti-sociality isn't treatable?
I know it may not be possible to give this child empathy, but can she be taught from a strictly intellectual point of view that there are socially-acceptable rights and wrongs with respect to how we treat people?
There is nothing quite so bone-chilling as telling an 8 year old child that it is inarguably unacceptable to hit her toddler cousin and having that child look you in the eyes, smile, and tell you her pet dragon told her it's ok to kill anyone she hates.
What types of resources and treatment are available for a child showing signes of anti-social behavior? Is there any hope? Is there less hope because of her lower IQ? How likely is it that she will need full-time residential care? Right now, she is on a cocktail of drugs that changes every time she sees the psychiatrist. They live in a small town, but I am willing to help get them to a bigger city with better care. The drugs have accelerated her weight gain and soon it may not be possible for her mother to physically control her. (In addition to her larger-than-average size, she has episodes of incredible strength. It can take two adults to get her under control).
Is there any benefit to dietary changes/restrictions? She is given complete autonomy over her food choices, which means she eats virtually no vegetables and almost all white foods. Junk is not limited at all, in fact, her mother uses it as a bribe several times a day.
TIA for suggestions on where to go for help.
