Your role is only advisory and support, but I believe they need to keep trying. However well-intentioned, it is a short term solution that is going to be a long term problem.

I applaud you on wanting to try, but his parents have to be on board, and all of you need to have a plan together. Hopefully they won’t take it wrong and understand that you’re just trying to help, but I bet by the beginning of the school next year they hope to have him “in line” so to speak. And I don’t blame them - tryouts, practices, events. It gets really overwhelming really easily and as a parent, you want your kid to be involved. It all starts at the beginning of the school year, sometimes in the spring, and sometimes in late August, so if you plan to do this, ask for June, ask for July but then they need to have time (if it doesn’t work) to put their plan in place, too. I’d suspect it takes a week or so before medications show a result, maybe longer. I’m not sure.

The other aspect is his social life. If he has any friends that could come visit or hang out for limited times- an hour or two every week or so? He’s young enough that it won’t matter so much right now as he’d have you focusing in on him, but in the next year or so his friends are going to be so important they may start to eclipse you. OTOH, maybe he just needs you and the quiet time at the lake.
I’m no psychologist, but I see a lot of little boys struggling. We just don’t have the neighborhoods and the schools that we all grew up with anymore, and that really affects how everyone behaves.
I hope he starts finding joy in life every day again - he’s far too young to be sad.

Kids like him often excel in Sports, and as boys get older that is a big deal. Rewards are on the football or soccer field. The kid that makes a goal gets more attention that the kid winning the spelling bee. I would suggest getting him involved in something like soccer.

It must be a very difficult situation for all, including your grandson.

This might sound a bit too clinical but has any objective and non-emotional data been collected as to when the outbursts occur, where they happen, when, and who is (or was)in the direct environment near the time of these outbursts? Additionally, in what environment (if there is one) do these events not occur?

If he is going to be medicated what informs the parents, close relatives, and your grandson that the medicine is effective? In other words what benchmarks serve to measure success/progress?

Organized sports might help but it might serve to spin him even further out of control. The same should be said for a pharmaceutical, approach.

We encouraged parents to take the long view with issues such as this. I think it important to remember that your grandson has a mom and a grandfather that loves him and wants the best for him; that is a really big and positive thing.

Silent