In serious need of help!

I dont even know what to do anymore.
My son had his VNS implant done on May 15. Since then his anger outbursts have been off the charts. I had to take him to emergency because he was bashing his head off everything he could, to the point he gave himself a nose bleed.

i have tried so many discipline techniques. time-outs, the naughty step, calming breathing techniques, removing him from the situation, and the ignoring the tantrum. He's just getting more and more violent.

His neurologist is suspecting Autism. Dont know how severe. Dont know if its ASD or Aspergers. we've been waiting almost a year to have him diagnosed.

Can anyone please please help me to learn new ways to teach him that his behaviour is unacceptable. He's 2 and a half, non verbal, and has eye contact issues, He doesnt play with toys, except his ball.
i'm out of idea's.

What's a VSN?

Quoting Emery'sMama:" I dont even know what to do anymore. My son had his VNS implant done on May 15. Since then his anger ... [snip!] ... He's 2 and a half, non verbal, and has eye contact issues, He doesnt play with toys, except his ball. i'm out of idea's."

USUALLY with Aspergers their speech is sophisticated for their age. If it is ASD he probably needs some therapy to help with his behavior. Why is it taking so long for them to figure it out?

Quoting Smartass *TNTC*:" What's a VSN?"

Oops, VNS a vagus nerve stimulator. to control his Epilepsy

Quoting Mel & a girl named Pey:" USUALLY with Aspergers their speech is sophisticated for their age. If it is ASD he probably needs some therapy to help with his behavior. Why is it taking so long for them to figure it out?"

Because the system here sucks. The wait list for everything is 6 months to a year long.
We're waiting for Speech, Development, and Behavioural therapy.
Plus we're being seen regularly by a neurologist, Epileptologist, and Neurosurgeon.

Quoting Emery'sMama:" Because the system here sucks. The wait list for everything is 6 months to a year long. We're waiting ... [snip!] ... Development, and Behavioural therapy. Plus we're being seen regularly by a neurologist, Epileptologist, and Neurosurgeon."

Poor baby and poor momma! My brother has Aspergers and I have my bachelors in psychology. I focused a lot on Autism and Aspergers because of my brother...it sounds more like ASD than Aspergers. My brother talked like an adult as a toddler. He just had issues holding conversations and picking up on social ques (still does). One thing I would suggest is once you find out what is going on start the social security battle now! My brother gets money that will help him in life down the road...he is not 20.

Quoting Mel & a girl named Pey:" Poor baby and poor momma! My brother has Aspergers and I have my bachelors in psychology. I focused ... [snip!] ... going on start the social security battle now! My brother gets money that will help him in life down the road...he is not 20."

Social Security? i've never even heard of this.
I'm just trying so hard to cope with the day to day living, i dont even want to look to the future right now. i really just need a fresh set of brains to bounce idea's off of, so i can figure out what else i can try.

Quoting Emery'sMama:" Social Security? i've never even heard of this. I'm just trying so hard to cope with the day to day ... [snip!] ... future right now. i really just need a fresh set of brains to bounce idea's off of, so i can figure out what else i can try."

Nevermind just saw you aren't in the states! Yeah here the kids SSI for autism if they meet criteria.

Quoting Emery'sMama:" Oops, VNS a vagus nerve stimulator. to control his Epilepsy"

Could something be causing him pain?
And since he can not communicate he is acting out.

I nannied for a family who had a son with moderate/severe austism and they had put him on a new suppliment. The suppliment made him crazy violent. Here it was causing him gut issues and once his mom pulled him off of it he was fine.

Quoting Mommy to Boys!:" Could something be causing him pain? And since he can not communicate he is acting out. I nannied ... [snip!] ... The suppliment made him crazy violent. Here it was causing him gut issues and once his mom pulled him off of it he was fine."

i thought of that, and i've taken him off milk recently.
the medicine he's on (phenobarbital and clonazepam) he's been on for 6 months and seems to be tolerating fine,
over the weekend we added Lamotrigine(sp?) but he's only been on that for 2 days so i know thats not the culprit
is there anything else that has been known to cause gut issues?

Quoting Emery'sMama:" i thought of that, and i've taken him off milk recently. the medicine he's on (phenobarbital and clonazepam) ... [snip!] ... only been on that for 2 days so i know thats not the culprit is there anything else that has been known to cause gut issues?"

Could his VNS be causing him pain?
Gut issues could be caused by a lot of things, IBS, Allergies, Yeast Overload.
With him having no verbal skills and lack of eye contact it sounds as more of austism then Aspergers.

http://www.nationalautismresources.com/ibs-kids.html
This is an article about IBS in Autistic children and causes.

I hope you can find some answers soon. I know how frustrating you must be.

Quoting Mommy to Boys!:" Could his VNS be causing him pain? Gut issues could be caused by a lot of things, IBS, Allergies, ... [snip!] ... about IBS in Autistic children and causes. I hope you can find some answers soon. I know how frustrating you must be. "

i never would have though about IBS, i'll bring it up at our next appointment.

the behaviour started before the VNS, so that was ruled out already.

I cant thank everyone enough, i have quite a few things to bring up to our doctor, and to read up on.

On a side note, Great news! I think the VNS is finally helping with seizures, because he had 4 this morning, he went tonic, but the clonic phase never came!
which is absolutely amazing! So I had to share!

Quoting Emery'sMama:" i never would have though about IBS, i'll bring it up at our next appointment. the behaviour started ... [snip!] ... because he had 4 this morning, he went tonic, but the clonic phase never came! which is absolutely amazing! So I had to share!"

Ahhh thats exciting.
I hope you can find some answers soon. I dont know a whole lot on Autism but I sure did learn a lot from the Family I nannied for. His mother is actually a big Autism Advocate in Ohio. And she has recently started a group and organization to bring resources to families in our area. She is wonderful information.

I would consider making a list of questions that you want to ask your Dr about. Its so easy to forget things once you get in there and then you leave and remember. Do a ton of research and ask a ton of questions. I hope he can get the therapy he deserves. I use to live in Canada so I know how the system can be. Its such a long dauting task sometimes. I guess thats the price you pay when you have free medical care. You win some, you lose some.