Emma’s Fostering Blog
Medication
It’s been two weeks since James came as an emergency from home, and he will stay here until they can find a suitable home for him.
He has a lovely nature with a great smile. He is fairly independent and willing to try new things but very much in need of nurturing and needs a lot of one to one adult time. He really loves being read to, playing football and being outside. We are seeing major control issues, as in wanting to do only what he wants to do and throwing terrible tantrum so he defiantly needs strong boundaries, sanctions and rewards.
James puts everything in his mouth, and he walks down the stairs as a much younger child would. I have never met a child so young who loves all food including spicy food, pickles, brown sauce, chillies it seems as if it’s quite sensory. He is more tuned in to older boys as the first time he met my older son he ran to him and hugged him tight as if he had known him for years and he would rather hold his hand, sit next to him, than he would to me, as if he is not keen on woman.
We have established a bedtime routine, he goes to bed at 7pm but he can take over an hour to settle him. After a week I decided to remove everything out of his room because he would get out of bed once I left the room playing, so after doing that he settled easier.
James wakes like clockwork at 4.30am every morning shouting, singing, banging, he gets up and goes to the toilet a few times banging doors and shouting, he makes strange sounds and swears, he does not go back to sleep, despite trying. He is so hyper at that time in the morning so you have to get up with him
One of my major concerns is that I have no idea about this medication Melatonin he is on, whether alternatives were sought to address his underlying issues, how long he has been on this medication and whether he has some kind of addiction now to it, because on a couple of occasions he was screaming at me for more medication to help him sleep which I found strange as he is just 7 and I have not seen him tired since he has been here despite doing plenty of exercise and activities. I think sleep is important to everyone, how long can I manage such long days.
He is running on less than 8 hours sleep, despite the medication.
My thoughts are how much more can they increase this medication, I think he is addicted and the sooner he gets CAMHS input in helping to find an alternative the better. James staying with any Foster carers long term, for this to work, we will need to find an alternative.
