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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
9 y/o lying and stealing
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
9 y/o lying and stealing
by Erik Jones, Feb 06, 2000 12:00AM
Our 9y/o child who is diagnignosed with ADHD and is on adderol recently has been doing a lot of lying and stealing. Recetly at school he found a ladies guess watch in the auditorium. He showed the teacher what he found and then the teacher told him to bring it to the lost and found. He returend to the class and had the watch on his arm and stated that it was his cousins who is male. The teacher game him several chances to confress but came up with several other lies. His lying is also carring over into the hoem inviroment. He steals/sneaks candy or food he knows he is not to have, but even after times outs or taking away play/tv time or something that he does on a daily basis seems to have no effect on him. His psycoligist recently placed him on Trazodone. The dr. feels that he has a little too much obsessivenss/compulsiviness - ie talking in class, drawing and disturbing other classmates, and at home argumentive, has to be told directions several times before he finally gets on task, but then still has his routines with playing games while doing these tasks. My wife and I are at wits end with him and are startign to run out of answers and punishments. Seems any punishment we give him does not phase him. What are we to do???? Is this medicine supposed to help especially if we only give it to him at night <trazodone> and adderol twice a day. Does the trazodone work all the time?? We dont have any answers!!! help....
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., Feb 07, 2000 12:00AM
, Feb 07, 2000 12:00AM
Dear Erik,
Your son displays some condition alongside the ADHD. It is likely one of the other Disruptive Behavior Disorders or a Mood Disorder. Be sure to ask your son's clinician what the diagnoses are.
More importantly, you are in need of a systematic way to manage your son's behavior - i.e., clearly delineated rules/expectations and established incentives for adhering to them and punishments for violating them. Generally, child clinicians are prepared to help parents develp such plans. Make such a request of your son's psychologist.
Relative to the Trazodone, I'd ask the prescriber what target symptoms the medication is supposed to address. Trazodone is an antidepressant, though it is not commonly prescribed for children. Gnerally, children who are being treated for a depressive or anxiety disorder are prescribed one of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil are examples of such medicines. Again, ask the prescriber about this.
Your son displays some condition alongside the ADHD. It is likely one of the other Disruptive Behavior Disorders or a Mood Disorder. Be sure to ask your son's clinician what the diagnoses are.
More importantly, you are in need of a systematic way to manage your son's behavior - i.e., clearly delineated rules/expectations and established incentives for adhering to them and punishments for violating them. Generally, child clinicians are prepared to help parents develp such plans. Make such a request of your son's psychologist.
Relative to the Trazodone, I'd ask the prescriber what target symptoms the medication is supposed to address. Trazodone is an antidepressant, though it is not commonly prescribed for children. Gnerally, children who are being treated for a depressive or anxiety disorder are prescribed one of a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil are examples of such medicines. Again, ask the prescriber about this.
Member Comments (2)
by Phillip Nichols, Jun 07, 2000 12:00AM
Try putting him in kung fu or karate. The better programs teach mental and physical discipline. Lots of positive encouragement when he behaves properly and when he does not, do not make it about him, but on the behavior. For example, do not say "you" when scolding him or showing displeasure. Show no emotion and simply say, "you are a great kid, however, your behavior today was unacceptable... He needs to burn off energy in a positive way and he needs to build up his self esteem. Only you and your wife can do this in a lasting and effective way. I don't have answers about the meds, sometimes they and other times they make it worse. Good Luck
