Help I need help with my 3 year old!!!

SRL

Active Member
A lengthy doctor's appointment can really throw a wrench in a 3 year old's life so you'll want to give it a little time.

I suggest that you start a log and record times of dosages along side any observations.

I'm a little surprised that the doctor suggested starting both medications at the same time in such a little one. It will make it difficult to determine which medication is contributing to side effects, if there are any.
 

Sara PA

New Member
Risperdal and Abilify?

Risperdal is an antipsychotic or major tranquilizer. (So is Abilify but I'm not sure if that's the second drug you mentioned.) Risperdal, like some of the other antipsychotics, is used to calm people in agitated or psychotic states. There is an immediate-dissolve version that is given orally and used to calm people quickly.

What dose is he taking?
 
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BusynMember

Well-Known Member
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is far more common in kids who were drug exposed. My son has it. Pica is a symptom. But our kids also can have other problems, serious ones, due to their prenatal neglect and lack of a consistent caregiver and who knows if any of the foster homes were abusive? I would DEFINTELY want to look out for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), but in his case it may (or may not) be the whole picture. That drug/alcohol exposure DOES matter. A lot. And who knows what mental health or neurological issues birthmom or birthdad have? Usually we don't get good information on that. You need a very seasoned professional, used to foster kids.
 

karif

crazymomof4
ok,
we had a very,very bad reaction to medications. Gave him Respridol yesterday and Ambilify last night, then Respridol again this am. an hour later he started crying that his tommy was hurting and then threw up. He then was very agitated and started roaming the house and crying, not knowing where he was. He was shakey, and very irriatated. After an hour of trieing I finally got the doctor on the phone. He had us come in with my insistance and got a Benedryl shot. Josh has been sleeping ever since. Doctor said it was to much medication. I am thinking what was he thinking since he was the one who gave it to me yesterday. Has anyone had a reaction like this before? Feeling very frustrated and scared.:sick:
 

SRL

Active Member
medication reactions of various sorts are not uncommon. The fact that you have such a little one combined with starting two medications at once is going to make it more difficult. Keep a close watch on him and don't hesitate to call the doctor if needed. Let him sleep and make sure he gets plenty of fluids. Did the doctor suggest you wake him up this evening sometime to check on him?

What doses did the doctor start with? Did he suggest trying only one medication first at a smaller dose next time?

Hang in there-I know it's scary but too much of even the "right" medication isn't fun to watch in a child.
 

karif

crazymomof4
We have been watching him very close all day. He is awake now but doesn't want anything to drink or eat. He did eat two ice cubes. He is still very out of it for him. Just laying there, he keeps closing his eyes. Even when he has the flu he isn't this sick. I am not sure when I should be concerned my husband just thinks I am being paranoid. He said let him sleep.:(
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
My son had a very bad reaction to Risperdal. It can be serious. I would call the doctor, at the very least. My son had to go off the medications right away.
 

karif

crazymomof4
Josh is being admitted to the hospital he is not getting better. The NEurologist just said to let him sleep it off but he threw up again and is still sleeping. He is now dehydrated so his regular pediatrician put him in the hospital for IV. I am very stressed and feeling like a horrible mom for putting him on medications.:sad-very:
 

Sara PA

New Member
Don't do that to yourself. If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at the doctor. He's the one that put your son on those medications, not you. You just followed the directions of the professional. You did exactly what our society says we should do when we think there is something wrong with our children -- you took him to the doctor. That means you are a good mom. That the doctor was wrong doesn't make you a bad mom.
 

SRL

Active Member
You're not a horrible mom for putting him on medications. You did what the specialist suggested and there was no predicting this outcome.

I'm surprised that he became dehydrated this quickly. This is unusual: makes me wonder if he's not struggling with a bug of some kind as well. At least in the hospital they'll be able to evaluate for that.
 

tiredmommy

Well-Known Member
{{{Hugs}}} What a nightmare! Please know I'm keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers. And stop beating yourself up! You are not a bad mom! Some people are more prone to adverse reactions than others, no one had any way of knowing this would happen. He may also be suffering from a nutritional deficiency which may be fueling the pica. His drooling, if excessive, could also make him more prone to dehydration.
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
If he started drooling on the Risperdal, it could be from that. My son did too. It just was a very bad medication for him. But some kids need medications. You are doing what a good mother does--you saw a bad reaction and took him to the hospital. Don't be hard on yourself. You are doing all you can.
 

SRL

Active Member
How's he doing this morning, Karif?

One of the things you may want to do that you might not have thought of yet, is to use this to push for referrals for further evaluations. If he reacts this strongly to medications then you will want to explore non-medication interventions. Ask your pediatrician for referrals for speech and occupational therapies, as well as an assessment by a pediatric neuropsychologist. The more accurate data you have on him, the better you'll be able to address issues.
 

karif

crazymomof4
Well he is doing a little better. After being on IV all night we were worried because at 9.00 this morning he still had not urinated. Then less than an hour after that my husband called and said he peed all over. He is still very tired and mellow. Not normal for him at all. We all went to visit him, my other 3 kids and me, he was happy and playfull a good sign. But he still wanted to lay down and go to sleep. He is sleeping now again. He did finally eat something. I don't know if the medications are still in his system or if he had a flu bug also. We are lookin into getting a second opion from a new neurologist. The problem with getting an evaluation from a neuropshcologist is that none will see him before he is 5. This is going to be a very long road I can see. Now I am more convince than ever that God picked me to be his mom. Out of all the mommies in the world God knew I would find an answer for my Josh.:confused:
 

karif

crazymomof4
I am wondering now if I should try a natural approach instead of medications of any kind. Has anyone had success at the natural approach? The only problem with him is that to try to get a 3 year old to eat anything let alone health something is a big challenge. NOw top that off with all of his issues. I am just so scared to start back on medications. They want him to start amblify again when he is back to normal. I don't know what to do.:praying:
 

SRL

Active Member
We're not doctors so take this with a grain of salt: most of our kids need a combination approach. medications alone, therapy alone, natural treatments alone, adaptations alone, or special needs preschool alone usually doesn't cut it.

See if your doctor can push through some ASAP evaluations for you. You'll be better able to make decisions when you feel a little more comfortable with what's going on. You never know which piece of the puzzle could be making a huge difference for him--for instance kids with sensory integration problems can have very severe behavioral problems simply because they can't handle the sensory stimuli most of us can in this world. medications can't fix that--only therapy and interventions can.
 

Sara PA

New Member
Is that drug Abilify? If so, I would ask the doctor why he thinks it necessary to prescribe two drugs of the same class at the same time. I'm at a loss to figure out why your son's first medication trial is with two drugs at the same time. You really have no way of determining if he is reacting to the Risperdal, the Abilify or the combination.

What doses were prescribed?
 

karif

crazymomof4
He is finally home from the hospital. We were worried for a while that he wasn't waking up, but when I went back to releive my husband he wanted to eat pizza and drink. Then he started being his normal self. yeah! I never thought him screaming and running around would be so exciting. As far as the dosage of medications he was taking .25 respridol and 5mg of ambilify. The doctor is taking him off Respridol and lowering the medication Ambilify to 1mg to start with and we will slowly go up. I am alos looking into natural ways, maybe starting slowly with that also.:D
 

karif

crazymomof4
Sorry for the bad spelling. We have had a ruff couple of days. The medication is abilify and it was 5mg cut in half so 2.5 mg. Now he is lowering it to 1mg.
 

karif

crazymomof4
Well he is back to his normal self this morning. I am very thankful. I never thought I would say thankful for him pushing his brother and trieing to tear down my blinds.:D I am thankful though. We are supposed to start back on medications tommorow. I am a little scared and hesitant.
 
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