[Elfsea] OT --Need help!

[cehuse]

Hola!

I'm very upset and I don't know what to do. I feel like everyone here is my
family and I know that I can get a neutral answer from ya'll.

Yesterday, I received a call from the school. Diane had been suspended the rest
of the week. Why? Because she threw such a massive fit that it took a male
teacher to remove her from the classroom. For those that don't know, Diane is
nearly 9 and she has been throwing these fits since she was 3. At first I
thought it was just temper tantrums. But now she is just too old to be having
them. She seems to really throw one when she perceives something as unfair or
something doesn't go just her way. She is not a spoiled brat, if she was I would
know how to control that. It's not my parenting skills, otherwise Ryan would act
like that. I really think it has something to do with her birth. It was a really
traumatic experience for her. She was born with a 108 degree temperature and we
were not allowed to see each other for 24 hours. It later was found that she had
Group B strep (if you don't know what that is...it's pretty nasty stuff, it can
cause anything from deafness/blindness, mental retardation and at the very
worst..death).

When she throws her fits and you look in her eyes, it's almost like she isn't
there. You can't reason with her at all. If you spank her, it makes it worse.
Sometime her fits are violent and she throws things or kicks and hits whoever is
closest by her. This scares me because of Paige...I'm really afraid that she
could hurt Paige should she get too close when she becomes mobile.

I have tried counseling and that just does not work at all. I've tried cutting
out red dyes and sugars and that doesn't work either.

Can anyone offer a suggestion as to what to do with her?? Does anyone know of a
doctor that might be able to analyze her and see if it's medical? She's on
Medicaid.

Please help me! I'm at my wits end! I pray every night for the strength that I
do not seriously hurt her because her behavior not only makes me so angry, but
it embarrasses me, as well. My parents don't even want to take her even
overnight because they can't handle her when she throws these fits. My dad wants
me to put her in a mental institution, but I will never do that. I love her too
much (just the thought of it breaks my heart). For those that don't know, her
biological father hit her across the eye this last Christmas (which caused a
bruise on her eye) because she was throwing a fit (not that I condone his
behavior).

This just has to stop! But, I just don't know what to do. I'm very afraid that
her destructive behavior will cause her harm when she turns into a teen and this
scares the daylights out of me.

Any ideas? Suggestions?

Maria

*** St. Theresa's Prayer ****
May today there be peace within
May you trust your highest power that you are exactly where you are meant to
be....
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has
been given to you....
May you be content knowing you are a child of God....
Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to
sing, and dance,
It is there for each and every one of you....