Still Learning
My daughter was diagnosed in March 2011. We are still learning and I am educating myself as much as I can. But recently she has started obessing over her dad's dad. My husband's dad passed away when he was 16yo. She has come home from school the last 2 days crying and saying that she feels like a part of her is missing. She sits in her room starring at his pictures and starring at my husbands birth certificate where it lists father. My husband's mother remarried when my husband was 20 or 21yo. She is also mad that her nana remarried. This is something new. Is this common for BP kiddos to obess over things? We go back to the doctor in a couple of weeks and I am keeping track of her moods. Is there any other suggestions? We talk about her papa and waatch home movies, and talk about what kind of things he did with her dad, etc. This has just come up out of no where. Not sure what to do. Please help.
Her dad is going to sit down and talk with her this weekend and hopefully answer her questions.
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Tami
Mom to:
A-10 BP/ADHD, lithium, concerta,clonidine
K- 7 ADD, Vyvanse
It is very common for our kids to obsess. And I know mine can obsess about almost anything. I have also learned that I cannot stop the obsessions. She just gets stuck. I think it would be very helpful to address this obsession directly. Maybe you can get a stages of grief chart and talk about all the feeling people have when someone they love passes.
Good luck.
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Karenj
Self: as sane as I can be everyday
A - DD (17yo) well adjusted, high functioning, motivated, successful, waiting patiently to go away to college
M - DD (13yo) Mood Disorder NOS (dx 4/2011) ADHD (dx 2nd grade), dumb high IQ, mainstream education with IEP/BIP, Seroquel 100mg twice daily - morning and bed time
BF - Live in boyfriend of 5 years, supportive and learning more every day
EX - Ex-husband, divorced since 2002, family history of bipolar, unpredictable and sometimes explosive
I just heard an interview on NPR the other day with an author who discussed how children learn to miss relatives they've never met through stories. I can't find the name of the book, but your dd's issue reminded me of it. I tried googling the topic and got a lot of hits, so apparently it's more common than you might think. Kids have such vivid imaginations, and perhaps kids with BP have especially vivid imaginations--I can see how in her mind she has built this person up into someone very real for her. I agree that some sort of grief work might be the best path to take. She is experiencing real emotions, even if they are based on something in her imagination.
I would also inform the pdoc of this at the next visit. Are you still tweaking meds for her, or does she seem otherwise stable right now?
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Brenda,51, CABF Parent to Parent Volunteer
Mom to A, 17, BP, Tourette's, OCD, ADHD: Eskalith CR, Trilafon, Lamictal, Seroquel, Cytomel, Allegra
E, 15 1/2, BP,AS: Seroquel, Eskalith CR, inositol, Buspar
B, 14 & H, 11
Married 18 years to DH, 50
FROM CABF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet. Information presented here should not replace the considered judgement of a doctor who knows you or your child.
--Brenda-
Yes we are still tweaking her meds. Last month we added clonidine, and I have seen improvement but she is still up and down. Thanks for the advice. Her dad sat down with her and talked about his dad. He answered alot of questions. She seemed satisfied for the moment. Thanks
Tami
Mom to:
A-10 BP/ADHD, lithium, concerta,clonidine
K- 7 ADD, Vyvanse