about my son...

I believe my son has conduct disorder. He is constantly doing things he knows well and good he shouldn't do, yet does it anyway, and doesn't care about the consequences. I'll ask him why he did something, and he says he doesn't know, he just did it. He is also abusive with my cats, and they all hate him. They will claw him to bits and he will just keep on trying to hurt them. He knows it's wrong, he knows it hurts them. He doesn it anyway. He is already in weekly therapy, but I think it's a joke. All his therapist does is play board games with him. So he knows how to play candy land, shutes and ladders, and connect four. I could have done that had we owned any board games. She is supposed to out me in touch with a psychiatrist, but it's been three weeks and I haven't heard anything yet. He takes tenex, but it just makes him sleepy and less hyper. I'm at my wife and with him he is almost seven. I love him so much, but it's getting to where I can't deal with it anymore. I don't want to hospitalize him, but I am afraid that's where we are headed if something doesn't change. Help!

Wow. Over a hundred died views, not one reply. I thought the point of these forums was to support one another, share advice and resources. I'm genuinely concerned with my son's welfare. I want to know how others have helped themselves or their children who have this disorder. I see my son's path ahead of him, and it is long and dark. I wish to illuminate a brighter future for him.

I'm really sorry you're only just receiving a reply now geminigirl.. a lot of the views are likely to be from guests, or from members that have viewed the thread more than once.
Or.. just from viewers that have read in the hope of being able to give some advice, but then couldn't think of anything to add to what your sons therapist is already doing with him.

How long has your son been like this, and has anything happened at all to trigger his behaviour? (ie; abuse/parents divorcing/bullying/etc).

I know that the initial process can be dreadful, and not hearing anything for 3 weeks is so difficult when you can see how much your child needs help, so please speak to the therapist and get the phone number for the psychiatrist from her if you don't already have it. Sometimes bugging them can make them move a little faster.

How bad exactly is he behaviour right now.. you've mentioned him hurting your cats, does he hurt people as well? How's he getting on at school, and what has his therapist said about how she thinks therapy is working out for him?

I know that the type of therapy he's in might seem dumb, because how could playing board games possibly help? (I know.. I do understand) - but playing those games with the therapist will be teaching him some valuable turn taking and impulse control skills (as long as it's structured play therapy oc).


When you finally do get in to see the psych, speak to him/her about your worries of conduct disorder. I'm assuming that they gave him tenex because they first thought of ADHD?
Discuss how that helps him relax a little, but doesn't prevent him from acting aggressively or anything.. Hopefully they'll find him a med that works a bit better, as well as helping him learn how to not act inappropriately xx