New and have a question for anyone familiar with respitol

[dkhx2]

I have a 5 yr old daughter who has recently been diagonosed with autistic spectrum disorder (mild case) mainly affects her behavior. Has horrible tantrums which is causing her issues in school. Which was the main reason why we had her seen by a dr. He is going to prescribe her a low dose of respitol and I am curious to hear if others have used this and what the pros/cons might be. I of course do not want to give her anything that will hurt her or make her worse in anyone so i want to make sure we are doing the right thing for her.

Thanks

 

[HaoZi]

All I can say is keep a VERY close eye on her and lots of contact with her school to note ANY changes, physical, behavioral, psychological, eating, sleeping, etc.

 

[SRL]

Hi and welcome!

I'm not familiar with Respitol but there is a drug called Risperdal and I'm wondering if that's what the doctor is suggesting?

 

[BusynMember]

It's probably Risperdal and it's often prescribed for spectrum kids who act out. My son is on the spectrum, but he couldn't handle Risperdal. He is medication-free now and doing well, BUT he never acted out much. You can try it and see what happens. Watch out for anything unusual.

 

[dkhx2]

Yes thank you i had it wrong its risperdal. I cant even get the medication my insurance is denying it because of her age. This is my first time dealing with anything like this so im really concerned about giving her any medication. My research online says its given to teens and adults im not finding anything about children. She acts out and this is why hes prescribing it said it would be the lowest dosage. Now im really worried about giving it to her when i do get it. Has anyone had good or bad experiences with this particular drug?

 

[KTMom91]

It was a lifesaver for us...made a huge difference in Miss KT's behavior. Really helped her get her anger issues (mostly) under control.

 

[joneshockey]

My 4 year old son is on Risperdal (since July 2010) and it has done WONDERS for his behavior. He currently takes 1/4 of a .25mg tablet at breakfast, 1/4 tablet at 3:00 and 3/4 tablet at bedtime. He had HORRIBLE behavior issues prior to going on medication (hitting, kicking, spitting, throwing things, scratching, biting, urinating & deficating in the house, sleep issues at night, etc.) and he is a TOTALLY different child now. I was also VERY concerned at first about putting him on medication, but I was at my whits end with him and counciling 1 time per week was not changing his behavior at all. I know we are in different situations, since my child has a different diagnosis but it has been VERY effective for him. Just be prepared if you do use the medication with your daughter that it takes awhile before you will know the full effect of the medication (it takes a period of about 2 weeks for the medication to be completely in her system). I would also recommend keeping a journal both at home and one for the teacher to write in so that when you go back to the doctor you will have documentation of how her behaviors have changed or improved. If you ever have any other questions about my experince with the medication don't hesistate to ask.

 

[susiestar]

My son took this for about 4 years starting at age 7. It was a HUGE help and had minimal side effects for us. Ravenous hunger and weight gain were the only side effects that were problems, though other side effects can be problems. It is a huge help with aggression and violence/anger. I hope that you can find a way to help her. I strongly recommend reading "The Explosive Child" and "Lost at School" both by Ross Greene, "What Your Explosive Child is Trying to Tell You" by Dr. Doug Riley, and ""Love adn Logic magic for Early Childhood by Fay and Cline. These will each be a help for you and for her teachers (if you can get them to use the methods).

I STRONGLY urge you to have her throoughly evaluated for sensory integration disorder by a private Occupational Therapist (OT). Schools have OTs but their evaluations only cover ways it impacts school. Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) likely is causing problems in every aspect of her life. Most kids with autistic disorders have some degree of sensory integration disorder and it can cause HUGE problems. As an adult who should have been diagnosis'd with it as a child (if anyone tested for that kind of thing back then - which they didn't), I can attest to how it messes up every single aspect of your life. Heck, my kids cannot wear scented deodorant or use scented shampoo or body wash because I get physically ill from even a whiff of them. Bright lights, loud noises, certain pitches, many many textures, etc... are all problems for me. And for my kids - though each of us has different problems related to our Sensory Integration Disorder (SID). Heck, I have a fairly limited diet because many many tastes and textures make me gag/vomit. NOT by choice, it truly is something I cannot control. Treatment for Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) is amazing, non-invasive, and can make a life-long change in your child's life. It is well worth the cost of the private Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation, even if insurance won't pay for it. If it were my choice, I would make this one of the first things that EVERY child was evaluated for before kindergarten. Esp because the treatment is so doable and helpful and has almost no risk of side effects as long as you are properly trained (anyone can learn it, but it must be taught by an Occupational Therapist (OT) to be sure you do it properly). It makes a HUGE HUGE difference very quickly.

Hope this helps.