Dd refusing to take abx

[Mary M]

I have experienced this many times in the past with my dd14. It boils down to wanting some sort of control in their lives and being able to make choices. I like to make her part of the team so she buys in to the treatment. And in the end it's her choice as to whether she gets well or continues having intrusive thoughts, tics, rages, etc. She has never once opted for the wrong choice...thank goodness. Even with plasmapheresis, knowing that she will have to have the line either in her neck or groin. As long as she is made to feel like she is part of the team and has some sort of control she is fine. I also find that bribery works well although I prefer presenting it as a reward. She gave me a hard time about driving 18 hours to/from seeing Dr. L so I told her if she did well I would get her the contact lens she had been wanting for months.

 

Nancy

 

I think the control issue is huge for her right now. She feels totally out of control of everything (the OCD is so all-encompassing right now). She actually said a few days ago "I just want to feel like myself again" so I think there's also some sorrow/depression, loss of self...it's hard to watch isn't it? Thankfully our upcoming visit to Dr K is less than 5 hours and we have relatives in Chicago who she adores so that is making the trip something to look forward to for dd.

[simplygina]

We always bribe with ice cream after a throat swab. This is where I guess I've been "lucky". My son was 5. Sometimes he refused to take his meds. But he was also only around 40 something pounds, so sadly I had to hold him down and squirt little by little the meds into the back of his cheek and wait for him to swallow.

 

 

Ice cream is our go to bribe as well. After every shot, swab or stick they get a hot fudge sundae. I keep worrying that I will find out it is all caused by an allergy to diary. Then I'd be scrambling for something and I'm sure whatever was the next best thing would cost twice as much!

[simplygina]

I have experienced this many times in the past with my dd14. It boils down to wanting some sort of control in their lives and being able to make choices. I like to make her part of the team so she buys in to the treatment. And in the end it's her choice as to whether she gets well or continues having intrusive thoughts, tics, rages, etc. She has never once opted for the wrong choice...thank goodness. Even with plasmapheresis, knowing that she will have to have the line either in her neck or groin. As long as she is made to feel like she is part of the team and has some sort of control she is fine. I also find that bribery works well although I prefer presenting it as a reward. She gave me a hard time about driving 18 hours to/from seeing Dr. L so I told her if she did well I would get her the contact lens she had been wanting for months.

 

Nancy

 

There have been so many times DS has indicated he hates the pills or doesn't feel like taking them. I always say, "You don't have to if you don't want to. It's up to you" and he so far has always replied that he knows they help and it is worth it. It is the same with the blood draws. He was so upset about the idea of having to do another one for the CamKinase II test but told me he wants to know the results, so he'll do it. So I do think it is a control thing. At the same time, he seems a little worried about what kind of parent that makes me if I can't be trusted to MAKE him do what is best for him. I just tell him he is getting old enough (he's 10) to make some decisions for himself, especially ones that are about how he feels, and that my job as a parent is to teach him how to grow up and make good choices, which seems to satisfy him most of the time. Would I really let him quit taking the abx if he didn't want to? I don't know because it has helped so tremendously. Luckily I haven't had to find out yet! The rest of the supplements I would probably let him take a break to see what happened.

[EAMom]

Our PANDAS dd has always been a trooper re blood draws. Re the Cunningham study, we explained it as something that would "help other kids", and so she is good with that. Sweet huh?

 

Re meds...she is leary about certain ones...refuses the multi-vit now and has always refused omega 3 pills. Also, if there is a change, for example we up the dose of antibiotics and there is an extra pill, she questions it. But she takes the azith, advil, prozac...so that's good with me. We did have more trouble a couple of years ago when her pandas was full blown.

Edited May 8, 2010 by EAMom