Need Information About Resperedol

Get another doctor opinion! My daughter was placed on Risperdal at age 7, and after 5 days she gained 10 pounds. We asked the doctor to take her off the meds (Dr. Levin). Did not like Dr. Levin, he kept "trying" different meds and they made her worse. One medication caused her brain to "spin" and she felt dizzy/slept for three days after one dose of the medication. We switched to Dr. Goldman ###-###-####(www.amenclinic.com) who has an office in San Ramon. Daughter disgnosed with nonverbal learning disorder, OCD and slight Aspergers (autism). She's been on Abilify and Cellexa for 3 years and doing fantastic, just lowered the dosage because she is improving. Also, watch Dr. Amen on PBS he has a show that is scheduled to be televised on Feb 27th. He has written at least 7 books on ADD/Brain/Behavior.

Hello, I have a son who is 13 and is taking it, no side effects he has been on it 2 years i like it..

Hi F. -

Not only am I very familiar with the drug in terms of it's use when it comes to children (I'm a special ed teacher and a I have a masters in child psych) but my husband, who suffers from bipolar disorder, also takes this medication every day. The medication is called Risperdal, and it is used to treat a variety of mental health issues in adults and children - it is most commonly used in the management and treatment of bipolar disorder, but is generally not given as a stand alone medication in adult, merely a complimentary medication to be used in tandem with other meds like Lamictal which ARE used to specifically treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The medication itself has a very short half-life in the body : this means it is not very strong, and is metabolized by the body quickly so that it is not in the bloodstream for more than 3, maybe 4 hours after the medication is taken. I have seen it used in children with autism to alleviate certain symptoms, and in children with ADD, ADHD, and bipolar disorder - and just with any medication, it will either work for your child or not. I would, however, suggest trying the med with your child if the doctor suggests it: he/she would not put your child on a medication that was not commonly used for the condition your child suffers from. It is neither a strong or dangerous medication, and is very well tolerated by most people - in all my years of experience, I CAN say that I have never seen any negative symptoms outweigh the benefits that it can lend to some children.
Try it as per the doctors suggestions - and know that it is very unlikely it will do any harm to your child (you give you child motrin, and it is just as possible for her to become ill from parent given over the counter meds as these meds) and if it works, well then thats great!! It is a drug used to treat many aspects concerning mental health, and is used commonly in both adults and children. If, after a trial period of taking the meds, you don't see any improvement in her condition, then stop the meds. But just think, if this happens to be that medication that makes all the difference in the quality of your child's life, what an amazing thing it could be!

Hi F.. I would question why Risperdal for ADHD. This is a psychotropic that is usually used for bi-polar. Have they tried other ADHD meds? There are so many out there - Ritalin, Aderall, Stratera and a new one that I cannot think of the name of. Call the doc and ask why they are using this med for ADHD without trying the ADHD meds first. Maybe there is a reason because of the Trileptil.

I would try the ADHD board on BabyCenter.com. A lot of very supportive parents there and you won't get the anti-med bunch there. Just some open-minded BTDT moms who know the ins and outs of ADHD and the medications that can help.

Hey F., no solid info on this but I wanted to mention that (as i am sure you know) lots of drugs are famous for treatin gone thing but are effective for other, lesser known applications. Seizure meds are a common example, and many of them are common therapies for anxiety, insomnia and nerve problems. Even good old viagra started as a heart disease med and ecstacy began life in clinical use as a therapy for profoundly disconnected couples. blah blah. point is, don't freak out that your doc is suggesting a psychotropic med for your daughter but DO DO DO get second (and third) opinions. ADHD is seriously overdiagnosed in children, but if she really has it, she'll benefit from treatment (both environmental and medical therapies!). how this interacts with her sclerotic disorder i don't have a clue and that's where your case probably gets complicated. tread lightly, get lots of opinions, and good luck!

Hi F.! I wanted to tell you that I have a son who is now 15, but was diagnosed with ADHD at age 11. They had him on Stratera for the ADHD and Risperdol for bipolar. The risperdol was a life saver for him. But, if your daughter is just having issues with ADHD and not on an emotional rollercoaster, I don't know why they would have her on that. My son would be really hyper one moment and an emotional train wreck the next. That is why we started the Risperadol. I would HIGHLY recommend the Stratera for ADHD. Also, diet made a huge difference with my son. We took away most of the foods that had sugar or white flour in them and it worked great.

Research some natural alternatives for the ADHD so you can keep as many unneccessary meds out of her. Diet is a factor for sure- wheat, dairy, refined sugar- not good. Homeopathy, magnesium- check it out. Good luck.

My youngest son, 10.5 yrs, has been on risperdol for years now -- along with trileptal. He has autism -- and a whole host of other conditions. He has also been on trileptal for about 3 years. Both drugs are critical for his functioning and I would subtract neither of them.

Drugs are often perscribed 'off-label' or used for what essentially are their side effects. It's a little bit like using bendryal to calm your child on an airplane.

I want to encourage you in your search for solutions to manage your daughter's medical condition. For many years, I was sure that a really good mom could manage her child's behavior without any kind of medication or even much outside help. Living with a child with autism has taught me that this is not so.

I now realize that I, as a mom, have a whole host of tools available to me to help my children succeed. Sometimes I use something as simple as rewards and punishments and sometimes I use something as complicated as medication. I try to carefully select the right thing for the child at that time.

It's rather like hanging a picture. I'm sure that the nail can be driven in with a shoe -- or even the end or a screwdriver. But why reject the hammer just because you don't like the way it looks? Different jobs need different tools -- that's why we have so many of them.

Different kids need different interventions. Different medical conditions need different treatments. The trick is to match up the right intervention and treatment for your child's medical condition.

Remember, even the hammer has some use.

I strongly caution against overmedicating your daughter. Get a second opinion or look into alternative treatments. Is the doctor who recommended the Risperdol a psychiatrist? Do they get free samples from the drug companies to promote the drug? My son had behavior problems at your daughter's age and his doctors had him try that drug and it was not good. So many medications have side effects that are worse than what they are trying to cure. Also, with some of those meds there can be lasting effects. There are so many other things you can do for ADHD other than medication and she might just grow out of it. I know my son was misdiagnosed. He is now in HS and doing great. Have F. and pray on it. Good luck.

Have you thoroughly researched alternative medicine ? What about an Osteopath ? Is this Dr saying to give her another medication in addition to the anti siezure meds ? My sister went on anti siezure and I understand they can really impact your liver. Do you really need to drug your child for ADHD ?