New here...confused and need advise

[Savvykt]

Hi -
this is my 1st time posting. We've recently (3days ago) started our 6year old DS on clonidine. My son has been diagnosis with anxiety. He is competitive beyond belief and is becoming extremely disruptive with team sports, camps and continues to be difficult at home. He has rage outburst frequently and wishes himself and the family to all be dead I have 4 kids, 3 boys and a little girl. So far he preformed well last year in kindergarten, but made no friends. He has a twin brother that is extremely social.
the clonidine is putting him to sleep on the lowest dose .05 so now the psychiatrist wants to put him on Risperdal. I am scared to death of the side effects of Risperdal. I understand everything has side effects, just seems this drug has many common effects...he has been in play therapy for 2.5 years and just now are we getting to the point that we feel drugs may be the answer, I just wish there was a natural route.

I justvdont know what to do-any advice, tips??

Thanks in advance

*katie

 

[Wiped Out]

Welcome Katie,

You have found a gentle place to land. I remember how hard things were when my husband was that age. Has your son seen a psychiatrist or neuro-psychologist? I highly recommend an evaluation by both to get a really clear picture of what is going on with your son.

I do understand your wanting to go the natural route. We got to a point with my son when we knew that wouldn't work and it is a hard crossroads to be at. Sending some understanding hugs your way.

 

[BusynMember]

I would give him a neuropsychologist evaluation. I wouldn't wait or hope it goes away. I'd just do it and get him help. Very rarely do things just get better...interventions (the earlier the better) really, really make a difference, but you need to be sure of what is going on. in my opinion a therapist is not enough and they can not diagnose legally. And our differently wired kids rarely respond to things like play therapy, charts, praise, time out, etc. Usually we need a high level professional who understands how to best parent our "different" kids.

You may want to purchase "The Explosive Child" by Ross Greene. The books methods are a great placeholder.

Drugs can help with some symptoms. Rarely do they cure the whole problem and often they wear off so they need to be carefully monitored.

 

[Savvykt]

Thanks for the responses! We had him evaluated last summer, thats who diagnosed him with anxiety. He is seeing a therapist and a psychiatrist, that's who prescribed the clonidine and resperidal.
Should we have him re-evaluated? He has been vomiting and sleeping all day, so I am stopping the clonidine. I do worry all the time, my husband has twin brothers that have been diagnosed with scitzoeffective disorder (sp?) so I'd hate to trigger any mania with the different drugs.
this whole process is scary and sad to me...

 

[InsaneCdn]

Who did the evaluation? (it makes a difference) - not the name of the person, but what kind of background?

Risperidone is a fairly strong medication to be used on a kid of this age, especially if the only diagnosis is "anxiety". I'm just another parent, but I'd be seeking a more accurate diagnosis - not that the anxiety is necessarily a wrong diagnosis, but rather that it probably isn't the whole picture.

 

[Liahona]

Wanted to say welcome. My difficult child 2 is on Risperdal. He is 8 yrs old now. He first tried it at 4 yrs old, but I didn't see any difference. It is helping now. He is also on Zoloft and Melatonin to help with sleep. Eventually he will also be on an ADD medication, but I'm holding off as long as possible on that one. Yes, it is scary giving them medications.