medication

[asereht]

HI all, Our gp thinks my son (Aspergers) should be on medication as he is not coping in school.

 

We are not keen on this and doubt my son will go for it. The psychologist and psychiatrist do not seem to keen either. Any advice would be grateful.

 

Theresa

[Tez]

Hi Theresa,

 

What medication does the GP think your son should be having and in what ways is he exhibiting his inability to cope? My son isn't coping at school either and his is demonstrated by intense anxiety. The Psychiatrist is suggesting that we give him slow release Melatonin during the day; she says it won't send him to sleep because he's too pumped up with adrenalin but it should help to calm him.

 

She tells me that there is a case study being undertaken in London with children with Aspergers using Melatonin as an antianxiety drug and the results are very promising. Haven't tried it yey so can't comment from practical experience but it is under consideration.

Edited April 26, 2005 by Tez

[asereht]

Hi Tez, GP didn't mention anything by name he is leaving that up to the psychiatrist. Gp rang him to suggest medication but the team want to discuss it first at a case conference.

Theresa

[Alli]

Tez

Do you have any sites that woul give more info on this

Thank you

Alli

[Tez]

Sorry Alli haven't done any personal research on this yet so don't have any sites. The psychiatrist gave the advice over the phone when my GP phoned her for advice when I was in his office discussing my son's problems. Will be seeing her to discuss things further on 9th May if I learn anything more will post more info then.

 

 

Edited to say I've just had a quick look to see what I can find and haven't found that much on trials on humans. Did find the results on an experiment on rats (if it's got any relevance to human behaviour I'll leave you to decide) - details of this are given below:-

 

Other studies have examined melatonins impact on depression and anxiety. A rat study conducted at the Panjab University in Chandigarh, India, investigated the effect of melatonin on the forced swimminginduced behavioral despair test.30 While acute administration of higher doses of melatonin did not induce anti-depressant activity in mice subjected to the test the first time, daily administration of melatonin prior to the test had a positive impact on mice chronically exposed to the test. The researchers concluded melatonin had anti-depressant action, possibly by impacting GABA-benzodiazepine receptors. In another rat study, researchers examined whether melatonin could reverse increased anxiety levels linked to injection of E. coli lipopolysaccharide.31 They found prior, concomitant and subsequent treatment with 4 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg of melatonin all worked to reverse the anxiety effect.

Edited April 26, 2005 by Tez

[bid]

Hi

 

This is just my opinion, and I do hope I don't upset anyone.

 

My son was on various medication from the age of 8 until he was 15.

 

I look back now and I see that he was essentially being medicated so that he could 'cope' in the mainstream environment.

 

Finally even the medication couldn't help him 'cope' any longer and he had a breakdown through the stress of struggling in the mainstream environment.

 

He came out of school almost a year ago, and then over the summer holiday we took the decision to take him off all the meds.

 

Now he is at a special school for AS he doesn't need any medication, because the environment is no longer causing him acute distress. He no longer self-harms and his challenging behaviour has almost disappeared.

 

The only solution we were ever offered for him was medication. What he needed was a different environment that understood AS.

 

I would say now that of the meds he was on, Ritalin did have a positive effect, because it gave him a 'mental breathing space' when he was a little boy so that he could access behavioural therapy.

 

He had two different meds for anxiety and stress, and was offered another last summer. I would say none of these really helped. When they didn't make a sustained difference, we were just offered a higher dose or additional meds.

 

As I say, this is just our experience, and I do hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

I know the agony of being given no help other than the offer of meds <'>

 

Bid <'>

[bevalee]

My son was given Prozac to help him with anxiety and depression when he was in mainstream. I can't honestly say that it helped him. He was signed off from school because of his dep/anxiety and he calmed down alot because he was taken out of the situation.

 

I think really it depends on the child.

[Tez]

This is just my opinion, and I do hope I don't upset anyone.

 

You didn't upset me, I totally agree with the comments that both you and Bevalee made. As a parent I think very carefully and consider all my options before giving any medication to my child. One of the things that help me to make my decisions is other people's experience, if ultimately medication is unlikely to help with his problems, and may just mask them, I want to know.

 

Thank you for your honesty and candour.

[Elanor]

Hi

 

I can't disagree with what anyone has said about medication. The thing is, that AS can be so complex that there's not likely to be any single solution to the problems that our children experience.

 

Medication can be one part of dealing with problems - particularly things like stress, depression and aggression. But Bid's point is important - medication won't ultimately work unless you can also find ways of addressing the environmental factors that contribute to the problems.

 

Of course there's no medication for AS - it can't be cured, and there's many people who feel that's a good thing. However, seeing my child miserable, violent and isolated hasn't been a good thing. I've done a lot to change home life, in some really radical ways - and that's helped enormously, but my son still needs the medication. In combination, the meds and everything else we do for him, is helping my lad to be happier and more able to be a loving and lovable child.

 

I might be saying different in 3 month's time - but then I'm reviewing it all the time.

 

My real complaint is that there isn't anything else on offer.

 

Elanor

[asereht]

Thanks everyone for the prompt replies. Very grateful for all opinions.

 

I will let you all know how things go and what we decide. Thanks again for all the advice.

 

<'>

[asereht]

Sorry Tez just realised that I didn't fully answer your question earlier so I have sent you a pm.

[Alli]

Thanks Tez and all in the thread.

That really helped. Will post any info that I find here.

 

Bid

"This is just my opinion and I hope I don't upset anyone"

I really appreciate the fact that forum members give an honest open comment on how things worked or did not work for their children. We are not medical experts but we are experts in the parenting of our own children. Anyone considering medication for their child wants to hear every aspect of the arguments for and against. I particularly liked the way this thread shows that where medication is used or not, it depends on the child and a maybe a set of circumstances that change.

Most people will not be offended by an alternate view. They will be delighted to have that information because it may apply to their child in the present or the future.

Alli

[mbrown]

Hello All, Like all parents we felt reluctant to go down the medication road. We didn't mind using melatonin because we believe by all we have learned that it is completely harmless and specifically targetted and dealt with our boy's sleep problems.

 

Going on to 'harder' meds took a little more getting used to but thanks in part to a few people from this forum we decided to agree to use Risperdol.

 

I can honestly say we have never looked back. His attitude, and work progress at school and home has improved immensely.

 

Tantrums and such are almost non-existant. There was a bit of weight gain at first and this has proved to be the most difficult aspect of the meds. We just have to keep a very close eye on what he eats. Encouraging him to eat healthy foods at least if he is going to eat.

 

I believe my boys improvement in school is not down to the meds alone. I think that it merely makes him more receptive to the strategies adopted by the school and staff to make him get on with his work and other pupils.

 

So, medications should not be used as the only tool to achieve certain goals. Used responsibly they are a great aid.

 

Good luck.

Mike

[mossgrove]

I've come to this thread rather late.

 

Medication can be a useful tool if you are clear about why you are doing it and what you expect to achieve. There have been many success stories when using meds to help control ADHD behaviours in particular.

 

That said, i fully understand Bid's position. If medication is being used as a substitute for tackling the issues in the school or other environment that cause so much stress then they can do much more harm than good.

 

I would say it is impossible to answer the original question until you know what the meds are, why they are being offered and what it is hoped that medication will achieve.

 

 

Simon

Edited April 28, 2005 by mossgrove

[asereht]

i fully understand Bid's position. If medication is being used as a substitute for tackling the issues in the school or other environment that cause so much stress then they can do much more harm than good.

 

I would say it is impossible to answer the original question until you know what the meds are, why they are being offered and what it is hoped that medication will achieve.

 

 

Simon

I too agree with bid and we will find out all the information we can before we agree/dissagree with taking any meds suggested.

 

Thanks simon!

 

Theresa

[Alli]

Tez

Have been told by Psy. that studies have shown that meds are less "successful" where there is a dual diagnosis. Never heard/read this anywhere else.

Alli