My nine-year old daughter has started hitting and scratching herself in anger when she gets frustrated. She's an ADHD kid, so highly, highly emotional and very reactive. It takes practically nothing to set her off, and has been doing this for the past three or so months. She started 3rd grade this year, and as many of you probably know, the ante gets upped quite a bit.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
E.
She needs to be seeing a therapist. Now as opposed to when she starts cutting herself, because if unchecked the self-harm will escalate.
Hugs to you, E..
Get her to a councilor that can help her learn how to react to difficult things. I took my son to one when he was little because he was acting out and having bad dreams. They helped us a lot. Him and us as parents.
Obviously you know this isn't good.
I also have an ADHD and anxiety prone daughter.
A good therapist will help her so much, please get her in to see someone.
And talk to her doc about her meds, in case that may be affecting her mood, especially in terms of how she feels about herself.
If her ADHD treatment does not yet include behavioral therapy -- if it's just medication -- she could benefit greatly from therapy plus meds. Therapy with someone who specializes in helping kids her age can give her coping mechanisms, ways to think and check her own impulses to do things like hit herself. If she's not getting behavioral therapy alongside her meds, please see her doctor now to get that started. You are absolutely right that around third grade is a year when all kids, not just ADHD kids, tend to become much more aware of themselves, their strengths and shortcomings, what frustrates them; they get more into social relationships and therefore more open to being upset or frustrated by those interactions; schoolwork and homework increase; etc. So this would be a good time to get her some help with ways to cope through her thinking and reactions, not solely with meds.
If she IS already getting therapy -- please address this with the therapist ASAP!
Is she, through the school, having an Aide with her in, school?
If not, that would be, very helpful.
And is she not, seeing a Therapist or anything?
It seems to be escalating... time to get her some help.
