my stepson is 6 and is developmentally delayed with autistic tendencies. just wondering if anyone has ever heard of them being medicated for over-eating or basically eating to self-soothe. thanks for any help or experiences or advice you can offer. his psychiatrist has put him on abilify (for a year now) and is wanting to start him on something else for the eating/soothing. he used to hand flap and do these things with his fingers. and yes, he is verbal, but he is also slow and doesn't understand some concepts.
2007-04-26 06:53:09 · 4 answers · asked by spacey 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
ok, he is not highly functioning. we try to keep him active. but he can not play games, even simple ones, because he is developmentally delayed. that means he is really really really NOT smart, ok? so we run and chase the dog and play on the swings. but you can not do that all day every day. and he has begun to hide food under his bed and sneak food too. remember he is only 6 years old.
2007-04-26 07:12:08 · update #1
sound SO much like my autistic son who is now 12
He did exactly the same with food and stashed it everywhere in his his room, we would find it in his socks, under the matress and the most peculiar places!It became a massive problem as he would want to eat at all hours and we had to put a lock on the kitchen door...it was a comfort thing!
Our solution??? I gave him a brightly coloured box which I named a beddy box - I explained that we could put bedtime snacks in there and these would stay in his bedroom so anything that was in the box - he could eat
His name is Lewis and sounds so much like your stepson that its quite uncanny....Lewis has come on in leaps and bounds and Im a firm believer that its because I changed lots of parenting ways and 'went right back to basics'
Dont underestimate your stepson with intelligence either --- he's trapped in an alien world where he cant make sense of it. With the right help and encouragement he'll shock you all
My son is Lewis who just happens to be autistic
2007-04-26 13:32:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
My niece is a high functioning autistic. I know that a dr wanted to put her on meds but my sis-in-law wouldnt have it. As far as eating goes she eats only when shes hungry. If he eats to selfsoothe i say make him active, get his mind on other fun activities. He shouldnt be on meds 4 that imo.
2007-04-26 14:07:14 · answer #2 · answered by Exquisite 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
www.southpawenterprises.com will have some products that will help to keep his sensory imput to a level that he can handle and this will help with the over eating and soothing.
Weighted blankets, chewers, textured products just to name a few.
Mother of two children with borderline autistic type spectrum disorders.
2007-04-26 14:03:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have not heard of that, but there are hundred of online support groups for parents of autistic kids. Try this one. Maybe someone on there can answer.
http://www.autism-network.com/
2007-04-26 14:03:13 · answer #4 · answered by purplebinky 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋