My 7 year old granddaughter with DS hits and bites

[T2332]

My 7 year old granddaughter has Down syndrome.  She can be a loving, sweet child, but she hits and bites people (children and adults) and fights with you when you are trying to  take care of her needs.  She has a tracheotomy and a feeding tube, so we must suction  her and feed her and give her meds through the g-tube.  She also is not potty trained.  She makes it very difficult to change her diaper, feed her or suction her because she  is constantly fighting you by pinching you or  trying to pull out her trach and feeding tube.  She also hits and bites people for no apparent reason when she is just playing.  She is getting older and stronger and we are hoping to get these issues taken care of soon.  She  is really a very bright child and knows allot of sign langauge.  She goes to a public  school, but she has hit teachers, nurses, other children and family.  Does anyone have any advice on how to   disipline her and stop this behavior?

[T2332]

Thank you for your advice.  I am pretty sure a behavioral therapist has come to their home, but isn't there long enough to see the behavior.  I will double check.  Thanks again.

[Cornpones]

It seems she's frustrated, and she's taking it out, on the ones who loves her most! And this is coming from a mom, who has a son with down syndrome too. My son is only 3, but in our support group, my friends have gone through this with their kids, and I have learned a thing or two to prepare myself. Early preparation is key. I would talk to her therapists, not the school ones, but the professionals. They have great tips and advice. Also suggest a behavioral therapist, that works with kids that have down syndrome. And your local down syndrome support group is one of the best resources available to you. Good luck. :-)

[T2332]

Thank you for your reply.  My granddaughter does have sleep apnea but from what I've seen she sleeps very well.  I know her parents are in constant communication with her doctors and the school  and I will pass on this information to them.  Again, thank you for your response.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
As children with Down's Syndrome grow, they become aware of their psychological, social, mental limitations. They face ridicule, abuse, taunts in school. This can naturally initiate an anger, frustration in them. Also sleep apnea is a common problem in these children, and its quite possible that your grand-daughter is not getting enough sleep in the right combination of deep sleep/and less deep one. This can also make her irritable.
I suggest you consult the school counselor and try and find out exactly what is happening in school. Also get a complete psychoanalysis to see if she has anger/depression due to some identifiable cause, and her IQ level tested to see if she can really cope up with her peers, needs special attention in normal school or needs to go to specialized schools. Please discuss this with her treating doctors. Take care!

The medical advice given should not be considered a substitute for medical care provided by a doctor who can examine you. The advice may not be completely correct for you as the doctor cannot examine you and does not know your complete medical history. Hence this reply to your post should only be considered as a guiding line and you must consult your doctor at the earliest for your medical problem.