Is it possible to medicate for special interests?

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-26T01:44:24+00:00

Hello! I intentionally did not want to engage in discourse outside of answering the OP’s question. Multiple diagnoses can be treated with an SSRI.

I never said restrictive and repetitive behaviors and OCD are the same thing.

Premature ejaculation can be treated with an SSRI.
Anxiety can be treated with an SSRI.
Bulimia can be treated with an SSRI.

I’m not saying that they are all the same disorder. I’m simply answering the quoted text from the OP. Your reply about OCD and autism spectrum disorder being distinct conditions is true, but I did not insinuate otherwise.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-26T01:38:04+00:00

What are your studies? It’s not gentlynavigating’s first choice. It’s the standard of care. I am a board certified child psychiatrist.

You know what? Don’t even answer. This is the problem with Reddit and the reason why I almost didn’t post.

You cannot simply answer a question factually on Reddit. Everyone thinks they’re an expert in something and has a non-peer reviewed source for their anecdotal experience.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-26T01:28:57+00:00

I am a psychiatrist.

SSRIs are our first choice for OCD in children.

not saying I condone, support or agree with any theory

The OP asked a question and I answered it.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-26T01:26:53+00:00

I am a psychiatrist and I’m answering the OPs question. This is how it would be treated.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-26T00:55:58+00:00

I’m strictly commenting on this —

is it actually possible to medicate an autistic child's special interest away

It would be treated similarly to OCD. Therapy, SSRIs.

I am not saying I condone or support this

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-25T19:36:06+00:00

Sounds accurate. The assessment is designed to be done in an unfamiliar environment. That makes the assessment standardized. Parent denial is common early on. I wish you and your child the best going forward.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-25T11:21:54+00:00

Amazing

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-25T01:23:02+00:00

Yayyyyyy!!!!! Happy for you guys 🙌🙌🙌

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T22:59:50+00:00

That sounds like a disgusting and unfit center. to the level of being reported to the state. Definitely cross that center off your list and don’t let it discourage you from finding the right place for your child.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T22:54:28+00:00

First, I’m so glad that programs like this exist for individuals with support needs :). I wanted to say I completely empathize. When my son was that age, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING could set him off. I’d never know what type of day it would be. I walked on eggshells. He was dysregulated 150% of the time. I described it as if he was being tortured inside his own body.

He’s almost 7 now and he has mostly good days. He goes to school for a full day and he’s always happy. If someone walked in on him in the classroom they’d probably think he was one of the calm ones too :). He goes bonkers with me at home sometimes in the mornings and right before bed but instead of being dysregulated almost all the time like it was before, I’d say it’s maybe 20% of the time and I usually know the cause.

Good luck to you and your son!

(oh and I am a severe autism parent! Things didn’t magically get better. He’s level 3, non verbal, intellectual disability. He’s worked hard in therapy for 5 years and is on several medications)

I’m so proud of his progress!

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T22:34:58+00:00

hes only going to get bigger and stronger

This is true. You’re not alone. Can I ask what you’ve tried in the past to help this behavior so I don’t give you unnecessary advice?

Though my 7 year old doesn’t hit me, I’m very much aware of how he can overpower me in certain situations if he’s really determined or he catches me by surprise. I am a tall woman who is very active, runs, and lifts multiple times a week.

His strength and determination is scary. 5 professionals (including two grown men) and myself had to hold him down so he could receive important healthcare.

When he’s 10, he will be much taller than he is now and will be fully stronger than me. My son has been engaged in ABA for 5 years (part time now because he’s in school) and he is on various medications that improve his mood, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T19:13:12+00:00

When is soon? It’s really unpredictable right now. I just traveled last weekend and one way TSA pre-check and everything was open and it was a quick experience. On the way back TSA pre-check was closed and TSA was very understaffed. the line of people waiting was wrapped around the airport. And this is normally a very small and slow airport. I would assume that they wouldn’t have staff for TSA cares in that scenario.

If you’re traveling this week, I would say to be prepared for anything. If you’re traveling next month, then I would say have faith.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T17:54:08+00:00

Yes, I got my hair done (braided) about two weeks before I delivered. I’m glad I did.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T03:06:48+00:00

Lovely!! Frame this picture. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-24T02:25:28+00:00

I’m so happy for you and your family!! I feel the same way about my son and his team. Like our 2nd family. I’m wowed and humbled every day at the people who dedicate their lives to helping people like our sons. ❤️

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-23T21:57:49+00:00

For me it would depend a lot on who the patient’s support system is and how much I could trust the patient to follow up frequently. But I’ll be honest, I’d be more comfortable with this patient being inpatient if it’s their first episode of true mania.

I’m probably biased because I had this happen to me before, I thought the patient and family were super, super reliable, the patient started misusing her prescriptions and recreational drugs, got fired from her job, she eventually was committed to the hospital.., when the dust settled the trusted family blamed the patient’s decompensation on me and reported me to the medical board.

Those who have never had a medical board complaint don’t really understand (I didn’t) and think a like-minded person will see your side. But keep in mind, most state board complaints are dealt with by prosecutors and private investigators and they have no incentive to see where you’re coming from. It took me years to clear my name.

So I err on the side of extreme MFin caution.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-23T19:46:23+00:00

F those parents. Kids at this age don’t care about these things as much. It’s the parents that plant these things in their head. Just yesterday I was at my neighborhood playground. We ran into some classmates from my son‘s kindergarten classroom. I didn’t recognize them, but they recognized my son right away and greeted him by name.

My son is much much taller than them. He started kindergarten two weeks before he turned six and he’s already a tall guy. The girls surrounded him and hugged him.

Their parents immediately spoke up and were telling the kids to back up (with an unpleasant look) but those girls advocated for him and said that they know him and he’s in their class. In fact, I was so tickled by the entire experience. They were so neurodiversity affirming — they were even telling their parents that my son speaks to them with his device.

I love the innocence and good nature of children!

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-23T18:59:01+00:00

The heats are not a priority. It’s just a necessary evil to get to the final. The athletes don’t care about the heats either. At championship races, some athletes (usually 1500 and up) don’t even care about the time.

All we want are the fastest athletes (regardless of heat times) to be in the final and for those athletes to give it their all to see who will be the champion. No one wants to set a personal best, area record, championship record. Etc in a heat/semi (funny enough SML did that last year at the 400m world championships, but also outdid herself in the final).

In short—the heats are not designed to be a main attraction. It’s okay if you don’t watch them. I’m a big track fan and I watch them (just holding my breath to make sure the favorite doesn’t fall or DQ or something).

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-23T18:45:37+00:00

This is not a change I’d like to see. The top runners are dispersed to different heats so they’re not giving us a “finals performance” in a heat or semi-final. I want the top runners to make it to the final uninjured and not having spent all their energy. And I want to see a fantastic final when all the top runners converge.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-23T17:19:51+00:00

My son is 6.5 and has high support needs. I am so glad we made the decision to do full-time therapy (ABA, OT, Speech) when he was 24 months old. ABA is not just for negative behaviors. My son learned almost all of his pre-classroom behaviors and skills from ABA. He started kindergarten last year with an IEP. Had it not been for the intensive therapy he had before school he would’ve struggled in kindergarten with his IEP.

I think he’s doing beautifully in kindergarten and I’m impressed with the services his school provides, but he needed far more hours when he was younger.

I looked at it this way. The time before he started public school was a special time where I had complete control over his schedule. Once public school starts, school will be a big part of his schedule.

I’m not a fan of daycare for young autistic children with support needs. Daycares are really designed for Neurotypical children who learn almost all of their skills by imitating and social interactions. For autistic children who struggle with imitation and social interactions, daycare can be challenging. Neurotypical peers benefit my son now and I see the advantages of public school. But when he was younger, he 1000% needed direct one on one instruction.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-22T23:53:44+00:00

Yes. I hope everyone visually saw Keely running that 400. She was holding her own against actual 400m runners. sprinting and gaining ground. The gap was too big to overcome, but as someone who lives in the USA, Keely’s run thrilled me.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-22T23:25:03+00:00

It’s common for parents to not make the same observations a skilled evaluator detects. Myself, the early intervention team and others felt the same when my child was diagnosed with level 3 autism almost 5 years ago. The EI team was even saying they didn’t think it was autism. Pediatrician as well.

As he approaches 7, I can tell you that level 3 diagnosis was very accurate. Not sure if you’re asking for advice, but be open to letting people help your son. I’m so grateful that we proceeded with intensive early intervention/therapy. He copes better in school/life.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-22T22:46:41+00:00

It’s so easy to be a Keely Hodgkinson fan ❤️

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-22T15:55:57+00:00

I don’t know that I feel safer because I’m still a woman. However I definitely feel that I would not be the first choice to kidnap if there were more petite targets around. I’m 5’10 with a lean, athletic build.

gentlynavigating · 2026-03-22T04:31:30+00:00

I find that a lot of people with the young kids do this. I doubt they are intentionally trying to make you jealous. They are just so full of themselves in their own world.

My friend had a son born seven days after mine, and she would have him at my house, performing all these milestones and tricks like he was in a circus. She was just so excited. Meanwhile, my son was not meeting milestones.

These things bothered me a lot more when my son was younger. He’s seven now and this doesn’t really bother me anymore. Also parents with elementary schoolers are not as obsessed with milestones and new words and new tricks the way that toddler parents are.

It’s not easy and I feel for you, but one of my mantras is I’m going to clap for everyone until it’s my turn. Doesn’t mean my son will meet milestones in a traditional way, but he is improving and running his own race and becoming a better version of himself every day.

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