This boy has ADHD and has been on medication for it since Kindergarten. He has been through the 2-week Boy's Town program 2 years ago, and one year ago his parents turned him over to the State on a voluntary basis as an uncontrollable juvenile.

That happened after he had shoplifted, and his parents found the hair care products he had shoplifted in his room, and they made him take them back to the business the next day after school and apologize. During the day that day his mother called the business and told them what they had discovered, and that they were going to make him bring the stuff back, and actually ASKED the business to press charges against him. That's what happened, so he was fined $200 plus $41.50 court costs.

His parents grounded him then, saying he couldn't go out and do anything that costed money until he had payed the fine off, and they weren't going to do it for him. Two nights later, the boy took off on his bike and rode it to the local skating rink after he told them he was going to go to bed. So his mother called the police to report that he had left the house without authorization, and told the police to check for him at the skating rink. The police caught him there within five minutes, and called the parents to come and pick him up. His parents told the police they couldn't control him, because he wouldn't obey their rules and he wouldn't do his school work and that they wanted him taken to the local youth shelter and turned over to the State Department of Social Services.

The boy ended up being in the youth shelter for four weeks, and then in a foster home for another 5 weeks. His parents said it was the most difficult thing they'd ever had to do, but they didn't feel they had a choice at that point, and they needed help with him. They had no idea what would happen, but they knew things would only get worse if they didn't take some drastic measures to stop him. He was a ward of the State for 6 months, even though he was placed back in his own home after that initial nine weeks out of the home.

He was doing very, very well until his mother told him about six weeks ago that he couldn't take money out of his Savings account to buy a set of sub-woofer speakers for a car until she had a chance to discuss it with his Dad, and possibly the Behavioral Services Team that the family has been working with. He actually started CRYING in Walmart, where they were when this conversation took place, to try to get her to change her mind and go to the bank right then to withdraw the money!

When he starts "throwing a fit", as his mother puts it, she puts her foot down and tells him that his behavior won't make her change her mind in his favor, and that because of his behavior she WON'T give in to him. She has done this as a reaction to his throwing fits ever since he was two years old, yet he STILL tries it! Anyway, things got bad rather quickly after that, and he has tried to make his parent's lives a "living hell" ever since, it seems.

They have had him in counseling, with them, off and on ever since sixth grade. He's in 10th grade now. He had a psychiatric evaluation at Mayo Clinic a year ago, just a month before the shoplifting incident, at the recommendation of the Psychologist they had been taking him to. He was diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and possible Bipolar Disorder by that Psychiatrist.

The family is receiving services through Region III Behavioral Services, and they are involved in the school "Wrap Around" progam, which works with at-risk youth in their school, home, and other social environments. His Youth Group leader is a part of the Behavioral Services Team, as is his school counselor, both parents, himself, the Team Coordinator, and the School Psychologist. His family's LMHP counselor is also on the Team. He sees a Psychiatrist who deals with adolescents, and just had another medication added to his routine when his mother took him to see the Psychiatrist yesterday.

He had done some superficial cutting on his left wrist on Sunday, but his mother didn't see it until Tuesday morning. She did what the Behavioral Services Team had recommended as an emergency plan in case anything like this happened, and took him to the hospital ER for an emergency mental health evaluation. He told the counselor who interviewed him there that he had made the cuts on his wrist out of anger and frustration with his parents for pressing charges against Movie Gallery for letting him rent the movie that was rated "R", and that he was also having some problems with peers, and that he didn't have any other outlet for his anger that he wouldn't get into trouble for.

Anyway, it seems this boy just doesn't know when to stop fighting his parents rules and start behaving! They're very concerned about his behavior, and are doing everything possible to raise him right, but nothing seems to help. His mother has drug test strips at their house, and routinely does drug testing on him if/when he is acting out like that. The tests have all been negative, and she knows it is his urine and it hasn't been altered in any way. He hasn't been drinking alcohol, because they keep very close tabs on him and he hasn't ever showed positive on the alcohol tests they use on him occasionally, either. They have also warned him about the risks of mixing alcohol with all of the other medications he is on, and have told him it would be fatal to him.

His parents are Christians, and his mother especially is very involved at their church. She is the Nursery Coordinator at the church, and is involved in Stephen Ministries, Christ Care groups, and the Hand Bell Choir. She also drives the church bus on a volunteer basis for various church group activities. These parents have a lot of faith, and are asking for LOTS and LOTS of prayers for their son and for their situation. I told them I would ask for prayers from people here on this forum for them, also, as it can't hurt and it might just help. It seems to be about the ONLY thing that will help them at this point.