Depakote for ptsd in 6 yr old child?

[pammiet]

I'm at a loss here and hoping someone can offer some advice.  My almost 7 year old son has been diagnosed with PTSD after having been initially labeled as ADD.....after 7 and a half months of inpatient therapy, and a number of different meds that were tried and failed (stimulants that made him much worse) the diagnosis was changed and he was tried on respirdol, which proved to also not work with him.  He became more aggressive and unmanagable at school and was switched by the psychiatrist managing his care to depakote.  When he first started on it at 125mg at night, there seemed to be a slight improvement, but when we moved him up to 250mg at night, things have deteriorated rapidly.  He is very aggressive, refuses to follow instructions, becomes hostile to the point of hitting, kicking, biting, spitting......and this has now become a problem at home as well as school.  He also takes 1mg Tenex 3 times a day.....Is it possible that the depakote is causing already existing problems to worsen?  One of the reasons he was taken off the respirdol was that it was causing problems with his sleep.  The depakote seems to be having the same effect, that is, instead of making him sleepy, it seems to be getting him somewhat wired up.  Thanks for any suggestions.

[patsue11]

I am confused.  I have PTSD but to me that means Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Is that what he has and if so what was the triggering episode?

[garfieldflacat]

I'm personally having a lot of problems with my daughter, and I was wondering what prompted you to take your child to a psychtrist?

[koukla29]

Depakote is a mood stabilizer, and it doesn't sound like it is helping your son.  He needs to be seen by his psychiatrist and/or doctor who is caring for his medication needs.

[koukla29]

Depakote is a mood stabilizer, and it doesn't sound like it is helping your son.  He needs to be seen by his psychiatrist and/or doctor who is caring for his medication needs.