Medication for Autistic Children - Risperidone... Is it safe?

Wanda - posted on 11/30/2009

My son was on risperidone for many year, the doctor said it cause liver and can cause Dietetics in children so faster several years and therapy at home it is under control without the medication. Autism I am not sure if they really no what they are talking about but with all the other disabilities they can diagnosis threw a wonderful therapist that care enough for the child well being. So stand up and fight for your child. If u don't know body else will.

Julie - posted on 11/29/2009

Hi, my son is 8 years old. he has been on Risperidone for about 3 months now. He has to take it 3 times a day along with a low dose of fluxotine. For the most part he is eaiser to talk to and calm down when he is having an over dose in stimuli. He is doing better in school with the other kids. I have also noticed him playing with others more now than before. He also is sleeping much better. However I have noticed he is always hungry and he is gaining weight. His peid. is watching his liver, kidneys and other blood levels to ensure the Risperidone does not cause any damage. He is having his blood work done this week. I will post what the outcome is if you would like. as far as any other information since I am kinda new to this drug as well this is all I know at this point. Good luck.

Leticia - posted on 11/29/2009

My daughter has Mental retardation, PDD, ADHD, speech impairmant and a mood disorder. The Risperdal has made a huge difference with the aggression. She is a lot calmer in general and more focused.

we recently encountered another problem...she started her mentrual cycle!! Her Dr said the risperdal would probably not be as effective once the hormones started to fluctuate, and she was right. After a year of great behavior, the aggression has started up again. Since she is already on 4mg/ day the dr. recommended adding abilify. She has only been taking abilify and risperdal for 2 weeks so I am waiting to see how it affects her.

Holly - posted on 11/29/2009

my son is on risperidal also and has had a good experience for awhile and then we had to add zoloft to it. He has done a completely 100% turnaround from a year ago. The only bad side effect I have seen with my son is he has gained alot of weight as this medicine has increased his appetite, extremely increased his appetite, and now have to deal with that. Other than that, I think it is a great medicine to help with behavior issues. My son has Asperger's.

Mary - posted on 11/28/2009

My son has been on it for about 5 years with no affects from the medation. Sebastian has extreme ADHD and Asberger's and maybe bipolar. The risperidone has helped him alot with the aggressive and to help him sleep which is some is doesnt do. He has never slept more that 2 or 3 hours with meds.

Sharina - posted on 11/28/2009

I have an ADHD child, 6 years old, who is on it. He takes 7 per day! We had to change the dosage several times but finally, our persistence is paying off! The risperdol definitely helps with his aggressive behaviors. Keep up the good work...you are your child's best advocate. Don't stop pushing for a diagnosis until you are satisfied!

Cathy - posted on 11/28/2009

my grandson is on respridol and it seems to do its part to help him..though he is gaining weight on it because of the steroid influence..he is such a picky eater that its hard to curtain the things he does eat..mashed potatoes and ramen noodles french fries and wendys nuggets...juices water and chocolate milk...thats pretty much it...

Felisha - posted on 11/28/2009

Oh, that is tough. I've been in your spot with hitting. I don't know how old your son is but our son started hitting at about 3 years old. He was diagnosed as 'on the spectrum somewhere' at the age of 5. His biggest issues were disregulation and anxiety that then led to aggression. We started him on Risperdal (I prefer the melt-away tabs they seem to be more consistent) at 5 and he is still taking it and he is 10. It really helped him be more calm and regulated so we could then work on the anxiety piece of things. We periodically do an eval to see if we think he still needs a med and he still has needed the Risperdal. It is no 'magic' pill but it just brings the disregulated behavior down a notch. We have found it be very effective and I'm so thankful for it. If you decide to use it we found that spreading out the dose really helped. So we give half his dose upon waking and half one hour before bed. A nice side-effect of the Risperdal is that it helps him go to sleep. He isn't groggy just a bit relaxed instead of his hyper-alert state. It takes him out of his typical state of 'fight or flight' and helps him be more regulated.

On the diagnosis... our guy sometimes looked very autistic and sometimes not so he got a PDD-NOS label. When it comes to the brain I think autism/spectrum is a HUGE variety so don't feel too pressured to fit in a particular category. We have narrowed it down over the past 5 years and just now really know what he 'has'. This would be our son's diagnosis 'extreme anxiety with severe sensory processing delays combined with hyperactivity' plus he is brilliant which is not to his or our advantage. In younger kids their intelligence can exaberate the anger because they 'lock in' that they are right and it makes it difficult to deal with, very difficult.

Our therapist, who is amazing, told us when he was 5 that he could not help his hitting, he could not control it. And she had witnessed him hit my husband in the groin because he felt embarrassed.

anyway, that's my story with Risperdal... hope it helps. I know the turmoil you are in I'm on that same road. Hang in there.

Tracey - posted on 11/27/2009

My son (9) has aspergers and anxiety. His anger and behaviour in different situation were both dangerous and uncontrolable. He has been on Risperidone for nearly a year now. Started Jan 2009 so time of year does not really play a part! We take .5ml in the morning. The only side effect that we have experienced is an increase in his appetite no sleepiness as others have suggested. It has been a god send... he is so much happier, has friends now, plays sports, has sleep overs and copes extremely well at school. The Dr's are very well aware that this drug is something that they do not stay on indefinately, and will need to change to another one or have a break in a few years. But you can always remind them on your visits. There are side affects with any 'drug' one takes including antibiotics etc. I was a skeptic but no more. Risperidone has been wonderful for Adam, I can not fault it and life is wonderful. But you will need try it to know if it will suit your son.

Kelly - posted on 11/27/2009

First and foremost...try to NOT keep him on Risperidone!!!!! This class of meds, there are others like it, target certain neuro areas. Down the road, he may develop facial tics and other physically uncontrollable and IRREVERSIBLE side effects. They also understimulate kids so much that they feel sleepy and don't have control over themselves. My son was briefly on it, several years ago, before I knew the facts. I noticed the change and he was able to communicate his fears about it with me. We got him right off. He is 15 now, diagnosed with Aspergers when he was about 6. Sometimes the medications will provoke the effects you are talking about, keep an eye on what other meds you try. We have tried several, over the years. The keepers were Focalin, but a residual effect made us abandon it, and Strattera that he has been on for several years. The Ritalins, Concertas etc were a no go for side effects and how they made him feel, mentally. If you are not happy with the dilly-dallying, shop around until you find a doc that is capable. Many psych's are too quick to dispense meds without offering a conjoining behavior mod plan or local program. Meds just help to control the moment, the kids have to have mod plans to help themselves. As you probably know, structure and daily sameness is key to avoid meltdowns. This time of year is a bad time to implement new mods or meds because you don't get a true observation if they are working --- with all the intense external input overloading these poor kids. Good luck, keep hounding those docs!

Michelle - posted on 11/27/2009

My son has been on respiradone for several months and it seems to be working well. We started with .5 mg per night and we are now up to .75 mg. per night. His behavior overall has improved and he sleeps better too! The only side effect so far is an increase in appetite. We are dealing with this as the benefits outweigh this side effect.

Amanda - posted on 11/27/2009

My son has aspergers syndrome and was diagnosed about 2 years ago. He is currently on this drug. He is doing well on it. It has made a tremendous difference in his aggression. We do blood work twice a year and have had no abnormal labs. He is on a low dose of 0.75 mg at night . My advice is to think about it and read as much information about the drug before you consider it. there are side effects with drug, but there are side effects with every drug that you do take. It is an antipyschotic drug, but it does work well. good luck in your decision.

Debbie - posted on 11/27/2009

I am not an expert on this drug, but I chose not to try it for my Asperger son. It is often used for Bipolar treatment, and it is a psychotrophic drug. My fear was what is would do to my son's brain that was still forming. I have known 2 adults that were put on it as a child and both wished they never had been. I chose to try Tenex to help with my son's rages. It is a blood pressure drug that prevents the spike in blood pressure/addrenilin that fuels the rages. It doesn't affect the brain development in any way. It was a miracle for our son. It has been a great tool to help him learn to control his temper and aggression when stressed or angry. If this is new behavior for your son, there most likely has been a change in his home or school environment that he is having trouble adjusting to. I see you have many replies in favor of trying the Respiridone, but for me personally, it makes me nervous experimenting with the stronger drugs.

Katherine - posted on 11/27/2009

My son took Risperidone for quite a while. I was very thankful for it... but this year we took him off of it. Instead he is taking Zoloft. That seems to treat a lot of things. He is not too aggressive (though he still fights with his brothers, but I guess that is normal, they fight too). The zoloft also put an end to his strange anxiety's and screams of terror.



No one is wanting to make a full official diagnosis of Autism for my son either. Then they want to question me when he does strange things like start flipping off his desk, or eating crayons, and we go through times when he is perfectly potty trained, and then other times when he isn't potty trained at all... and I cannot discover what is behind it. I have 6 children... and he is obviously very different from them. And while he is doing well in many areas, and is high-functioning... let's please admit to a diagnosis and deal with it!

Ashley - posted on 11/26/2009

My son has Aspergers and he has been on it for 5 months. We saw a great turn around once he started. It will make him thirsty and hungery, so we have had to watch portion sizes and such. My advice would be to try it.

Karen - posted on 11/26/2009

we gave it to our son who is now 6 after he began picking up furniture and throwing it tvs, chairs etc. he is normally a very calm child and when we saw the Psychiatrist she recommenced we try it when we noticed him about to rage, I found it did very little to help our situation. It turned out that he had post tramatic stress syndrom from the heart surgery he had, though I have it on hand incase it starts again, I found that the adivan helped as well. I am not for or against it, just glad it is an option!

Donna - posted on 11/26/2009

My son was on it, and I wish he still was! It was wonderful when he was on it. My son is at the higher-functioning end of the Autism spectrum and he could be nearly normal when on Risperidone. My problem is, with him now being an adult, is finding a doctor who is willing to monitor his dosages for this and the other medications he needs.

Mónica - posted on 11/26/2009

My child (6) has been on Risperidone for 4 months... he has improved a lot since then... his teachers and therapists are amazed with his improvement. Before Risperidone, if a child teased him or say something ugly to him he would overreact and told the teacher he would leave school because nobody liked him there... now teachers can talk to him and he cares less about children's jokes. I can now show him something he can do something better without him saying he is useless... In general his tolerance to frustration has improved A LOT.

Dena - posted on 11/26/2009

My son, who has been diagnosed with autism, is on Risperidone and it is very helpful. He has the yearly blood tests required and so far there have been no negative side affects.

Ljubica - posted on 11/26/2009

I'm a pharmacy instructor and a marketing exec for a health and wellness company... I also have a son who's 7, and diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, OCD, global delays and is being observed for autims-again! Grrr... I know your frustration, why can't they just make up their freaking minds and do right by our kids.

Risperdol (risperidone) has been successful in dealing with agression. It is considered an anti-psychotic (don't let the classification scare you though). I don't know how old your son is, or how much he weighs, but generally speaking doses under 2mg per day are all right. Anything past that dose can cause extrapyrimidal effects (mimics parkinsons symptoms). Risperidone is also used to calm "ticks." Things to look out for is dry mouth (if your little guy starts to 'lip smack,' that's a sign of dry mouth), shakiness or tremmor and aggitation. Also, dry skin can be a side effect.

Have you tried any naturally based supplements like valarian root or St. John's wart?

Teresa - posted on 01/05/2010

It has worked wonders for my 7 yr old. My child started Risperidone when he was 6 1/2. He calmed down alot, sleeps better and his aggression has come down as well. Risperidone plus his special diet (no milk products, dairy, food coloring, etc) have helped tremendously. We had a 2nd son 8 months ago and for the most part Ira, my ASD child, does great with him. He now gets .5 2x a day as well as melatonin at night.

Valerie - posted on 01/01/2010

Quoting Tiffany:

Medication for Autistic Children - Risperidone... Is it safe?

 He hasn't been fully diagnosed with AUTISM because no one is wanting to diagnose him with it....they're taking their good ole sweet time.

 

My son wasn't diagnosed until he was almost 8. No one beleived me that it was what was going on with him. I worked with children with disabilities for 7 years, most of them were on the spectrum. I can spot a child with autism a mile away regardless of the severity. If you really feel that this is your child's diagnosis than request  formal evaluation, IN WRITING, from your child's school ditrict. They are required by law to provide a full and accurate evaluation. I didn't know that in the begining, and when I found out its exactly whatI did! The school phycologist told me she was sure Noah wasn't autistic because he didn't SEEM autistic. The autism specialist that assists with all evals in our district said she pegged him as autistic the moment she saw him in the classroom. She said they didn't tell her which child she was observing just to observe he children. She said she picked out Noah as the child she thought should be evealuated! If you know in your heart your son has ASD be his advocate. No one else will.

Tina - posted on 12/23/2009

It had taken me 10 years and MANY different doctors to finally get a diagnosis for Asperger's for Wade. Well, if you feel that he is autistic, you trust your gut! Wade also has bipolar disorder, ADHD, ODD and schizo-affective disorder. He takes risperidone for children and has been on it for 1 1/2 years. Of course, he takes a lot of different medications too. But this seems to help with the mood swings more than aggression for us. I did my own research and his psych doc and I began giving him Namenda 5 mg about 6 months ago after Wade had to be hospitalized for trying to choke me and beating me with a boat paddle. It has helped him control his aggression almost completely. Now, Namenda isn't indicated for kids and a lot of doctors don't agree that it is safe without further research, but after being kicked, bitten, chocked andalmost having my arm broken by my own child, I was desperate. Glad I followed my instinct here because Wade is a like a different child.

. I also think that maybe your could do some research on your own about fish oil caps to help? It helped Wade a lot when he was younger. My kid won;t take Valerian root because it smells funny. But maybe yours isn't as sensitive to smells and tastes like Wade. Good luck! Hope this helps! Also, feel free to text me anytime! 803-720-4133

Dawn - posted on 12/02/2009

Quoting Tiffany:

Risperidone Medication for Autistic children....Is it safe?

My son has become very aggressive in the last two weeks. Today we had to take him to the Psych Ward at a local Hosp. because he was not being "Safe" towards his counselor, myself, and himself... just to get him started on meds right away, we had to go there and have an evaluation done. He hasn't been fully diagnosed with AUTISM because no one is wanting to diagnose him with it....they're taking their good ole sweet time. He has been prescribed Risperidone. Are there any other Mom's out there who have children on Risperidone and what are their thoughts on it? Would like some feed back. I have researched it some, but I would like other mom's opinions!

My son has been on this Risperidone for years--it has helped him significantly in keeping his event horizon elongated so he doesn't react so harshly and quickly. It can have some side effects like hunger, sleepiness, and weight gain--but with exercise and meal monitoring, you can keep those things in check....Feel free to call me regarding children and Risperidone anytime...801-503-7400.