I have seen this behavior twice in my career as a Foster/Adoptive Parent. One incident stands out in my mind so clearly.

We had taken the children out to eat and two of the boys had very bad behavioral issues. So we decided that instead of eating out we would go home.

When we got home it became a cold cuts and salad night. One of the boys was very quiet then out of the blue he began screaming and punching things. We sent him to his room. Thinking separating him from the other children would be best.

He continued punching walls and being violent to the point where we called the emergency number at the Childrens Agency for help. By the time someone called us back. The boy had beat a whole through his bedroom door big enough to walk through. He had demolished all of his bedroom and destruction laid all around him.

He sat there rocking back and forth in a traumatized state of mind. He had tears streaming down his face. But a very blank look on his face.
The anger had ended as quickly as it had started.

When we were sure it was safe to enter the room.
We held him and fixed his bed. We got him something to eat and drink and then we put him to bed. He was so exhausted from the violence that he just didn't speak.

The next morning he woke up and looked around and asked what had happened to his room. He had little or no memory of what he had done.

The agency removed him from our home and placed him in a lock down boys facility. When we were given permission 10 days later to visit him. He was in the same clothing we had taken him there in and he smelled of urine. I asked his worker there if they knew he had a bed wetting problem and she said no they had not been notified of that. She assured me he would be taken care of.

Upon investigation I found out he had been put there and had not been seen by a doctor or a therapist. I was told he would receive immediate help for the issues at hand. Once again the system failed this child.

The second time I saw this behavior was when my middle daughter April was 12. She had an episode of IED and she grabbed a fire place poker and held her father against the wall with it. We called 911
and she was so violent that it took 2 police officers and my husband to put the cuffs and leg chains on her and carry her out of the house to the police car.

She spent 17 months in a girls lock down facility in Ladoga, Indiana. When she has episodes of IED
we do not try to restrain her or do anything except allow her to leave. She has destroyed windows and doors and walls in our home. She has beaten me down to the floor.

Recently she resisted arrest and it took 2 police officers and a can of mace to control her. We are going to court with her today on that matter alone.

At the last court date the Judge turned custody of her back over to DHS. She then ran away before the DHS worker could even meet her and discuss what that would mean as to living conditions.

When the DHS worker called us to discuss her we told them how the police gave us very little help when she ran away. We also told her that the longer she is off her medicines the worse her fits of anger and rage become. They assured us that she would be found and put in a secure facility until todays court date.

When they found her on Friday. They called us and brought her back to us. At least we know she will make her court date. Once again the system is messing up.

If you suspect that your child has anger issues that do not have a set pattern of escalation. If that anger comes and goes as quickly as described in this article. Then do not hesitate to talk to a clinical therapist and ask if this could possibly be IED.

Intermittent Explosive Disorder is not something that a family can handle alone. It also is something you do not want to see develop in a person you know.

The destruction and consequences of this disorder are among the worst I have seen in dealing with Emotionally challenged children.

There is help out there. The medications can help control this problem. Help is only a few questions away. Don't be afraid to ask for it. It could save some ones life.