Help advice for 5 year old son Asbergers ADHD and anxiety

Tanya - posted on 05/07/2012

Im no expert, but from what I've heard, Ritalin should be the drug of last resort. Very dangerous side effects. My son was just prescribed Risperidone, he too has Asperger's and ADHD. You should go back to see your doctor asap and/or speak to your pharmacist. Good luck!

User - posted on 05/07/2012

try the diet with the ritalin and soon you will be able to go lower. find a dan doctor god bless. it worth it. my son was headed for special ed and now his preschool teacher is thrilled with the results from all the diet and biomedical treatments. god bless

Kim - posted on 05/07/2012

This may not just be a medication issue...there may be something new going on in the classroom, recess or lunch. For us it is nearing the end of the school year, and there is anxiety over change and excitement about summer activities, and that affects moods and behavior. Remember that your child is a complex puzzle and has a unique perspective on his world. Seeing the world from his eyes (even though it isn't always a logical perspective) often sheds light on a potential solution. Best of luck and hang in there. You aren't alone. We use Vyvanse and Lithium, but have been able to drop the Lithium significantly with an improved school environment, and I expect he will not be on it all all by Fall. If a non-stimulant will work for your child, it may eliminate some of the common side effects for aspies on stimulants (anxiety and agression).

Robin - posted on 05/06/2012

my son is four and he is on risperdaol for that and other things it seems to work good for him

Kayla - posted on 05/05/2012

Hello Michelle,

My son is also five and has ADHD and Aspergers... I totally understand what you are going through!!! My son was constantly being suspended from Kindergarten until he was finally diagnosed about six months ago and started on medication. His disorders make even the most simple everyday tasks a chore, from brushing his teeth to putting on a pair of pants. It is extremely overwhelming on a daily basis to manage let alone throw in a trial and error medication regimen. My son started on low dose Adderall at first and it made him into this drone or zombie like state. Afterwards we tried generic Ritalin and it wore off within four hours... We then tried Ritalin LA and increased the dosage to from 20mg to 30mg to 40mg. After we increase the dosage the benefits only last a week or two before his body develops tolerance and the effects wear off in the middle of the school day again. Right now we are giving my son 40 mg of Ritalin LA and .5mg of Intuniv. Unfortunately it wears off by 4pm and therefore he cannot play in extracurricular sports, afterschool programs, and we cant go out in public to the grocery store or restaurants. I hate having to take shifts with my husband to stay home with my son at night because we cant get anything done with him around. I have an appt with his Dr again in a few days and dont even know where to go from here... I dont know if we should increase the Intuniv to 2mg or try an entirely new medication instead of the Ritalin. We also have an appt with a pediatric neurologist in June that we have been on the waitlist for 8 months... I pray that they can also help find a medication combination that can give our entire family some quality of life. I know that this post probably doesnt help out but just know that I feel for you and understand everything you are going through... We can get through this, because we dont have a choice but to keep trying.

Amber - posted on 04/29/2012

guanfacine, which is a nonstimulant, has worked wonders for my son's adhd and anxiety. supposedly it helps a lot with anxiety. he used to chew his clothes to threads at school and stopped immediately upon starting the medicine. good luck! ;) a

Jennie - posted on 04/27/2012

My 9 year old son also has adhd and aspergers. He's on medication and has only been on Ritalin. We've tried different dosages and have had great luck with it. Sometimes you have to try a different type of medication. My son would not leave his hands to himself and not be very nice to his classmates. But for him the Ritalin has worked great. My advice would to let the doctor know that his current medication is just not working. I've heard people having to try different ones and doses. Sometimes it just takes time figuring out what works best. I've even had a psychologist when my son was almost 5 tell me that my son has oppositional defient disorder. My son wasn't even 5 yet. I changed doctors. Good luck and I totally understand what your going through. Hang in there. My son is on Ritalin LA 20mg (long lasting) once a day. It makes him not hungry but I think all stimulants decrease the appetite so his doctor prescribed him risperdal which helps with irritability associated with autistic disorder and one of the side effects is weight gain. My son was very under weight and this has helped him gain weight and sleep better.