9 yo with Multiple Disabilites now has social development issues

[LynTX]

This 9yo girl is legally blind from birth, had brain trauma with premature birth, diagnosed ADD (on ritalin), and LD in math and reading comprehension. Her first 5 years were spent with her mom, who is bipolar(diagnosed but untreated). Now she lives with dad and step-mom. Stepmom cared for her as a mom for first 3 years, but now that the marriage is rocky, she has pushed the girl away and has nothing to do with her. Biological mom lives in the area, but visits sporadically at best. Now for my concerns. I have worked with her in a classroom setting. She does not socialize when peers at all. She makes random statements about different topics not related to discussions (during class time). She repeats phrases for weeks like "I can't eat ice cream, it gives me a headache," over and over even when ice cream is not the topic of discussion. She pushes other students when she does not get her way. She is overly affectionate with adults (hugs adult strangers) but ignores peers. She will fixate on an action and refuse to stop (throwing a ball at the dog over and over when asked to stop by an adult; putting a ball in a sock and swinging it around and around for hours). She will become defiant when asked to do work she does not want to do. The school says all of it is because of her V.I. and ADD and has V.I. training in her IEP. The social behaviors and psychological problems are ignored. The dad wants to get more help for her, but doesnt know what questions to ask. He wants to know if she could have emotional problems (or other probs) or is it really just visual and ADD?

[LynTX]

Thank you for the input.  I have shared the info with the father, and he is has meetings this week with both the school and the pediatrician.

[7isenough]

Lyn,
I would double check on that Ritalin. Because her Mom is Bipolar and there is a chance that daughter may be too, Ritalin is a big No-No for most BP. My son is 6 and BP, ADHD,ODD,OCD and Anxiety Disorder and has some similar problems that the daughter has. He is on several medications and one of them is Clonidine. He is now excited about going to school, speaking in school to peers,helps the ADD/ADHD, the anxiety. As far as the Defiant, I'm still working on that.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

This little girl is severely emotionally disturbed, and there can be no question about it. Such disturbance cannot be accounted for by visual impairment or ADHD. It is quite likely that she displays Pervasive Developmental Disorder, but whatever the case she needs a significant amount of more intensive help. Such children are often treated in residential treatment facilites or, at the very least, in private therapeutic day programs.