Hope for the Violently Aggressive Child

Book excerpt: Dr. Ralph Ankenman presents new diagnoses and treatment options for children who have severe disruptive meltdowns at home or school. Referred to as Immature Adrenaline Systems Overreactivity (IASO), this approach is based on the relationship between aggression and the body's adrenaline systems. Therefore, IASO does not require psychotropic drugs. Instead, IASO reduces or eliminates psychotropic drugs from a child's regimen. IASO stops episodes of violence and aggression in patients with autism, with bipolar disorder, with developmental disabilities and also many with no mental health diagnosis at all. Standard psychotropic drugs often do not fully resolve these behaviors and lead to unnecessary side effects. A companion website of the same name as this book enables caregivers and parents to discuss and share tips about this new approach, called Immature Adrenaline Systems Overreactivity (IASO).