by neverthere 11 Replies latest social family
Here is my delema. I know that many had said that they were dealing with this issue in another thread. What I would like to know, and certianly pm me if you don't wish to post, is if anyone is using meds for this problem. I just found out that the meds they put my son on are potentially life threatening and should not even be prescribed to children. He is on Risperidal.
Thanks
Diana
Another thing,how high is his dosage? My son is 8 and weighs around 60 pounds,he only gets 1 mg a day.
Hi Heather, check this out from Whatmeds.com
Risperidone Overview Why is this drug prescribed? Risperdal is used to treat:
Warnings Risperdal?s effects on children under age 18 have not been studied and are not known. Risperdal can lower mental alertness. Patients should not drive or operate machinery until the effects of Risperdal are known. Risperdal may increase a patient?s sensitivity to sunlight. Patients should wear sunscreen and avoid exposure to sunlight. There is a slight chance that Risperdal can cause Tardative Dyskenia, a disease whose symptoms include fine, worm-like movements of the tongue, or other uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue, cheeks, jaw, or arms and legs. Risperdal may cause Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS), a life threatening side effect of any antipsychotic drug which is more common in high-potency antipsychotics. Symptoms include rigidness, fever, rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing, abnormal blood pressure, heavy sweating, and a change in mental state, from confusion to coma. Antacids should not be taken within 2 hours of this drug. For Pregnant or Nursing Mothers: Studies in animals indicate that Risperdal may cause unwanted effects on the fetus. Risperdal passes into the breast milk of animals, and it is not recommended that women taking Risperdal breastfeed. Contraindications Risperdal should not be used for people with an allergy or hypersensitivity to Risperdal or any of its ingrediants. Precautions Risperdal may be used with caution in people with the following conditions:
Adverse Reactions
Interactions with Drugs and Other Substances Drugs or substances that may interact with Risperdal include:
and then this from another source, http://www.psyweb.com/Drughtm/risper.html Risperidone ( Risperdal ) is an antipsychotic drug used in the treatment of disorganized or psychotic thinking. Risperidone ( Risperdal ) is used to treat aggression, false perceptions, Tourette's syndrome, or behavioral problems in persons with mental retardation. THIS DRUG MAY CAUSE NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME. CLASS: Benzisoxazole Derivative. Strengths:
Dosages: Actual dosage must be determined by a physician. Normal dosage:
Problems with:
Test:
Take With: With or without food. Full Benefits In: One to two weeks. Missed Dose(s): If within one hour take, if over an hour skip and then continue on your normal schedule. If Stop Taking: Do not stop without consulting your physician and never abruptly. Overdose symptoms include: Low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, or sleepiness. Warnings Antacids containing aluminum or magnesium should not be taken one hour before taking this drug and never right after. Only take this drug and Heterocyclic antidepressants with careful monitoring. Also check with your physician if you are taking central nervous system depressants like antihistamines, hay fever medicines, sedatives, narcotics, anesthetics, barbiturates, or muscle relaxants. Also check with your physician if you are taking a vasodilator (drug that dilate blood vessels.) The habit-forming potential is none, but long term use may lead to Tardive Dyskinesia. Do not take this drug if you are pregnant ( Only take if the mother's or baby's live is endangered. ) Do not take this drug if planning to become pregnant. Do not take if you are breast-feeding. Do not give this drug to children. Only use drug in small doses at first if over sixty and with close monitoring. Also if over sixty be careful when standing up because blood pressure may be lowered enough to impair balance. If you smoke blood levels of this drug need to be taken. Smoking drops this drugs level in the blood. Do not use if: You had negative reactions to this drug in the past or if you have a history of NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME. Inform your Doctor if: You had negative reactions to this drug in the past. If you have a history of asthma, breast cancer, epilepsy, heart rhythm disturbances, liver / kidney disease, Parkinson's disease, seizures, or Tardive Dyskinesia. If you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription drug. If you plan to be under anesthesia or having any surgery in the next few months, also if you will be undergoing any medical tests. If you are on a special diet ( low-salt / low-sugar or any other.) Risperidone ( Symptoms or Effects ) Common: Lethargy / sleepiness, low blood pressure, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, weight gain, difficulty urinating, nasal irritation / stuffiness, or stiffness. Rare: Dizziness, racing heartbeat / palpitations, weakness, sexual problems, restlessness, skin rash, seizures, low white blood cell count, tremors, involuntary facial / tongue movements, or reduced urinary output. See physician always: Low blood pressure, dizziness, racing heartbeat / palpitations, weakness, sexual problems, restlessness, skin rash, stiffness, seizures, low white blood cell count, tremors, reduced urinary output, difficulty urinating, involuntary facial / tongue movements, or nasal irritation / stuffiness. See physician if severe: Blurred vision, constipation, dry mouth, Lethargy / sleepiness, or weight gain. See physician NOW: Low white blood cell count, reduced urinary output, or skin rash. Stop taking and see physician NOW: Seizures. See this is what is worrying me! Diana | |
My son started 10 months ago on .25 then worked his way up to .5, he is about 70 pounds and will be 10 next week.
Diana
neverthere, 80% of the adults I work with are taking risperidone and for the most it has been a succesful medication for controlling psychotic behaviour. How long as your son been taking them? For the first few months it is trial and error and the results can only be determined by an observer (since most adults I work with cant communicate verbally how they feel). Getting the right dosage could take a while. However according to the chart you have posted it seems a child should not be taken them. The adults I know are only on 1mg. It is worrying, I would seek more info from the person who prescribed them and check his/her credentials. It is probably ok but you never know these days.
.
PS, thing is, your son is aspergers which is on the higher functioning level of Autism. I cant understand what he is doing on Risperadol. Usually it is for those on the lower end of the spectrum, I know of no one with aspergers who takes risperadol. How strange.
What actions is your son displaying that suggests he needs risperadol? Is he having complex partial seziures or something?
My son is not on medication. He is 24, married, going to college in pre-law, and doing fine. I'm sure his form of Aspberger's is mild. His wife has it more severely, but also is not on any meds.
My son is 10 and has been on the meds for 10 months now. He was displaying very aggressive behaviour when he couldn't handle his enviornment. He is very bright but if he was put in a "normal" class would totally freak, screaming, yelling, hiding under furniture etc. The actions at home were very much the same, it was like living with Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde. The meds have helped abit but the aggression is still there and he gets so "out there" that I am scared. He has even threatened to kill himself (the doc says there is no intent to do so, it is a way for him to get people to stop and pay attention to him) and it scares me.
We even had to have the police attend the house last year due to his threats, the therapist said that if he did it again we had to call the police, and when they were here my son tried to hit the ambulance driver and the cop had to threaten him with being put in handcuffs before he would go peacefully to the hospital.
I am scared about all the things they say the meds can do. I don't want to visit my son in prison cause of his outbursts but I don't want to visit him in the hospital while he is on a respirator either.
Diana
He was displaying very aggressive behaviour when he couldn't handle his enviornment. He is very bright but if he was put in a "normal" class would totally freak, screaming, yelling, hiding under furniture etc. The actions at home were very much the same, it was like living with Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde.
Diana, when was your son diagnosed as having Aspergers syndrome? It sounds more like the signs of classical Autism, though I could be wrong. Since he has communicated his feelings of suicide (which is most likely not going to happen) I assume he can articulate his feelings and has no trouble with speech?
Aspergers usually enjoy the company of other people but their social skills are flawed in that they speak obsessively about a subject that would bore most other people. Consequently they become very alone regardless of their desire for company, their social skills usually cause other people to withdraw. It would be nothing for a person with aspergers to tell the person in front of them that they have crooked teeth or cross eyes, they dont have the social skills to know they are crossing a border.
On the other hand, classical autism is a "withiness", there is usually no desire to be in the company of other people and they are usually quite oblivious to other peoples lives but are very wrapped up in their own world. Going on the little information you have provided, it would seem your son could have sensory issues. He may be screaming and yelling and hiding under furniture because the thought of a crowd of other children scares him or causes him high anxiety.
For instance, a lot of children with autism hear things louder than we do and noise begins to grate at their ears, they may not hear what we do, it could be that the words of other children are not coherent but instead make a rushing sound or something similar to how we interpret the sound of fingernails screeching across a blackboard. This begins to alarm a child with autism, but due to the autism the child does not know how to explain this so instead throws himself about aggresively knowing he will be removed from the classroom if he does it. His only way of communicating a problem maybe to throw himself around, this works.
I'm just giving examples to show you how they interpret the world differently to us, none of the above may apply to your son but something similar to them may apply. Only through observation can one really get into the mind of autism and see what the real problemn is. It may be that the tutor raises his/her voice occasionally, the child will become anxious at the suddeness. I see the same thing happen with adults when a dog barks, or a duck quacks, or a roll of thunder. The anticipation of the suddeness of the sound causes high anxiety and often an aggresive response. However when you have pinpointed the problem, life will become much easier and the behaviour changes for the better. It could be something as simple as flurescent lighting thats triggering the responses.
There is a reason for everything, its just that a lot of children/adults with autism cant tell you that reason because they dont know how to articulate it other than to get aggresive.
Hi Brummie,
yes there was original concern that it was autism but was diagnosed just 10 months ago wiht Asperger's by a psychiatrist who deals almost exclusivly in this area.He is great in smaller groups of kids and wonderful with adults. He is on the higher end of Aspergers closer to the Autism end, though he communicates well and when the noise level is not a problem can do ok in a class with kids too, now that he has learned coping mechanisms it has made life much easier, he even attends summer day camp for a month in a special camp for kids with problems/mental/social disabilities(not exactly sure how to word that one) and does quite well.
Diana
