Re: What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

[Guest guest]

We just started prozac for my 11dd. She has so much anxiety. She was dX with Aspergers and ADHD, but with the anxiety we figured on trying prozac to see if she really does has ADHD or just anxiety. time will tell.Amy Spikings ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

Pretty much the heart of the problem with using psychiatric medication. Older

medications have survived the test of time, and any long (or short) term side

effects are more likely to have been discovered. Newer medications may have

fewer side effects, and some may be more effective; however, I don't trust the

FDA these days to vigorously test them.

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

Wow.......I think we've all had the same feelings as you....and still struggle a lot.

Bottom line is that your decision may change when you see your child failing. Socially.... it's horrible. Seeing them becoming sad and depressed and angry and frustrated........and worrying about them not just fitting in, but worrying about their mental health....and possibly their life.

When you feel that you have to try the meds because "it can't get worse" or seeing them struggle and suffer is too hard...............then you make the choice to try it.

Remember,,,,,people take meds for diabetes, stomach issues, heart probs, cholesterol, and tons of emotional issues. Yes, there are side effects, but you have to weigh the odds. And only YOU can do it. And your child.

Obviously, if the meds make it worse, you stop or try something else.

If your child feels better.....and you see a "good" difference,,,,then you have to make a decision to continue or not.

Good luck......

"Buddy the Elf, What's your favorite color?"

Robin

From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

I agree with Robin, it's a difficult individual decision for all of us. But they do start any medication in the smallest possible dose to see if it will help with the anxiety. While we were trying to make this decision, our psychiatrist said that in children, the brain can be somewhat "rewired" by taking this kind of medication. Instead of going to panic mode when a problem occurs in the child's life, the medication would allow the brain to go more toward problem-solving mode, and eventually this would be the ingrained path in the brain, even if the medication were to be stopped.

I don't know if this is true, my son is 10-1/2 and has been on a small dose of Prozac for about a year and a half. We have no reason to stop it yet, but having the 'rewiring" idea explained to me definitely helped us make the decision to go ahead with the medication, in hopes that it would not be a lifelong thing, and it would definitely help him now as child who was suffering every day with too much anxiety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

I totally agree with Robin and Suzanne. It is a difficult decision to make, but you do want the best for your child. It is hard to see an aspergers child struggle with the challenges that they do. You want to help them & protect them every step of the way without losing your mind. It doesn't do them any good not to medicate them because they just struggle even harder. So do yourself and your child a favor, think it through first, talk to her doctor.

[Guest guest]

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be useful for learning to managing

anxiety. Also, it can be worth monitoring diet to see if any foods make things

worse (for me, some foods make me feel anxious, and also make my muscles

tighten). Could some B vitamins help?

I've been on a meds merry-go-round as an adult - I would have concerns about

putting my child on meds very young (immature brain etc). I think he may need

something, but is learning to control his outbursts (diet helps a lot). Doctor

agrees that no-one really knows the risks.

If you really have tried alternatives, then would try lowest dose

Miranda

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

My daughter has been on Zoloft since she was 7. She had debilitating meltdowns

and rage problems and I would say adding Zoloft cut those in half. I still

wasn't able to put her in regular school until last year when a new doctor added

Abilify and the change was almost miraculous. She went to a small private school

and had only one emotional meltdown all year, and the teachers loved her. She

had some weight gain issues with it, but that's a small price to pay and she was

pretty skinny starting out. She's 12 now, and recently we had a discussion

about medication and I asked her if she felt like it helped her and she looked

at me like I was crazy for asking. She said " Mom, it helps me so much. I have

control of my emotions. " That's a big thing for an aspie kid like her to

communicate. I asked her if she ever felt like she wanted a to do a trial where

we wean off meds and she did not feel like that was a good idea. I don't feel

like these particular meds have done anything negative for my daughter. She's

bright and engaging and happy, and still has all of her feelings...just not the

crippling ones. Maybe she will get rewired some and that would be nice. Maybe

she'll always have to take something (Temple Grandin says most aspies/autistics

benefit from an anti anxiety med).

Bad experience with clonidine, and any stimulant like focalin, concerta etc.,

and small doses seem to work better than large ones with SSRI's for my kid.

Michele

>

>

> From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>

> Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

>

> Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

>

>

>  

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

Suzanne

My daughter just started her prozac meds last week. Have you seen changes in your child?Amy Spikings ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

My son is on several meds. He has been on a ssri since age 7. We tried stimulants, but they were mostly a disaster. We finally settled on Strattera and it works very well. He also takes a mood stabilizer - Lamictal. We recently had to increase this med because of major meltdowns. It is a wonder med for him. I do not regret putting him on med at all. My brother who is very much like him and had no meds is a drug addict and I am raising his son. I want to do everything I can to help him have a productive life and I think the med is part of that. DeanaSent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®From: Amy Spikings <amyspikings@...>Sender: Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:26:08 +0000 (UTC)< >Reply Subject: Re: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? SuzanneMy daughter just started her prozac meds last week. Have you seen changes in your child?Amy Spikings ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

Amy, my son was having big meltdowns in school due to his anxiety. Like kicking and crying on the floor when he didn't get a turn (this was in 3rd grade.) After medication, he would still get upset, maybe cry a little bit, but you could talk him through the problem and he would get over it much more quickly. In 4th grade, he could feel himself getting upset sometimes and ask to go to the social worker's office to talk her, instead of crying in class. So I think that's a big improvement for him.

And in general, he seems happier. When he first started the medication, I saw him as almost giddy, like giggling and acting silly a lot. But that went away, and he has a more even personality now. But he does smile more, he's not so intense. And we haven't seen any negative side effects with him yet.

It may take a month or more to see changes, as it happens slowly, but when you look back at how it used to be, and talk to teachers and other people who interact with your child, you realize that there is a difference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suzanne

suzmarkwood@...

From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them. The teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the problems and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher is a great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much anxiety to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to reduce her stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see the doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which could identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school as well.

It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems, so be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down. We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!

Kari, MN

[Guest guest]

Michele,

What was your daughter's reaction with Clonodine? My 15yr is taking Abilify with clonodine. Focalin and Concerta were bad for him w/ Abilify combined. Doc prescribed clonodine around May seems to work right now.

-

From: qwimbleqwee <qwimbleqwee@...>Subject: Re: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 5:10 AM

My daughter has been on Zoloft since she was 7. She had debilitating meltdowns and rage problems and I would say adding Zoloft cut those in half. I still wasn't able to put her in regular school until last year when a new doctor added Abilify and the change was almost miraculous. She went to a small private school and had only one emotional meltdown all year, and the teachers loved her. She had some weight gain issues with it, but that's a small price to pay and she was pretty skinny starting out. She's 12 now, and recently we had a discussion about medication and I asked her if she felt like it helped her and she looked at me like I was crazy for asking. She said "Mom, it helps me so much. I have control of my emotions." That's a big thing for an aspie kid like her to communicate. I asked her if she ever felt like she wanted a to do a trial where we wean off meds and she did not feel like that was a good idea. I don't feel like these particular

meds have done anything negative for my daughter. She's bright and engaging and happy, and still has all of her feelings...just not the crippling ones. Maybe she will get rewired some and that would be nice. Maybe she'll always have to take something (Temple Grandin says most aspies/autistics benefit from an anti anxiety med).Bad experience with clonidine, and any stimulant like focalin, concerta etc., and small doses seem to work better than large ones with SSRI's for my kid. Michele>

> > From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>> Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?> > Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM> > > Â > > Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing

another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!> Kari, MN>

[Guest guest]

Clonodine just knocked her completely out. So she was sleeping at school. This

was when she was 7 or 8. Focalin made her lock herself in the car and scream

that she was going to kill everybody. Awful!

I need to add something about the abilify and the weight gain. I know this

sounds extreme but the prescribing doctor added metformin when she gained

weight. It helped a lot with the weight gain. Also her pediatrician is her

grandpa, he doesn't dispense psych meds, but he wanted to make sure to do a lot

of blood work before we went on the metformin to make sure she doesn't have

metabolic issues. He was fine with the metformin and he's usually very

conservative with meds, then again he knew what we'd been through. I didn't

mention it before because it's the only med that I'm a bit ashamed that she's

on. I don't know why really. She's happy and healthy.

I also forgot, Abilify made her really nauseous at first but it passed.

> >

> >

> > From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@>

> > Subject: ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

> >

> > Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 2:43 AM

> >

> >

> >  

> >

> > Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> > Kari, MN

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Roxanna,

You mentioned that your oldest ds had a high anxiety level and the prescribed

med(s) helped him. What med(s) helped him (if you don't mind sharing that

information)? Thanks! -Kari

>

> I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them. The

teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the problems

and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher is a

great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much anxiety

to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to reduce her

stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see the

doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which could

identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school as

well.

>

> It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems, so

be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the

problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how

much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

>

> Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his

anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down.

We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life

difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned

about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you

have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds

work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety

he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and

participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good

stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Roxanna

> Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

>

>

>

>

>

> ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

Roxanna,

You mentioned that your oldest ds had a high anxiety level and the prescribed

med(s) helped him. What med(s) helped him (if you don't mind sharing that

information)? Thanks! -Kari

>

> I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them. The

teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the problems

and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher is a

great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much anxiety

to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to reduce her

stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see the

doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which could

identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school as

well.

>

> It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems, so

be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the

problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how

much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

>

> Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his

anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down.

We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life

difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned

about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you

have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds

work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety

he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and

participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good

stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Roxanna

> Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

>

>

>

>

>

> ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

My son also suffers with extreme anxiety. I never wanted to put him on meds but after bringing him to a psychiatrist she strongly suggested we should at least try it. I agreed because my son wanted & tried to hurt himself causing him to go to a psychiatric childrens hospital. & he also suffers with social intergration disorder. My son is on 2 teaspoons on Celexa. It has helped a great deal, If he doesn't take it, He becomes moody, difiant and hard to handle. I can see a huge difference since he has been on the Celexa. He has been on it for almost a year. TinaTina Lynn Ledvina There's a silver lining behind every cloud and a rainbow after every storm.From: jmlrgs1870 <jmlrgs1870@...>Subject: ( ) Re: What meds are really safe for Aspie kids? Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 3:39 AM

Roxanna,

You mentioned that your oldest ds had a high anxiety level and the prescribed med(s) helped him. What med(s) helped him (if you don't mind sharing that information)? Thanks! -Kari

>

> I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them. The teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the problems and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher is a great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much anxiety to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to reduce her stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see the doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which could identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school as well.

>

> It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems, so be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

>

> Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down. We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Roxanna

> Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

>

>

>

>

>

> ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

I don't mind sharing. We started with "zoloft" for him and it worked wonders. years later, the doc switched to a different SSRI - luvox. It was supposed to help with theobsession issues better. My ds had started getting anxious about the amount of gas in the car, if you went one mph over the speed limit, things like that. He would obsess on it. The luvox helped but not for long and it also seemed to help him gain weight. Luvox seemed to wear off helping him while the zoloft seemed to keep working fine.

Anyway, the SSRI's seem to work really well for him for anxiety. They have newer meds now too. My ds is now 21 yo so it's been a few years.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!

> Kari, MN

>

[Guest guest]

Based upon what some posters have mentioned, it sounds as though meds can be

helpful when begun as a child and, in fact, can result in less need for them

when they grow up. Just curious, approximately how long did your children stay

on their meds before they were weaned off of them and were able to function all

right without them? Thanks! -Kari

> >

> > I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them.

The teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the

problems and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher

is a great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much

anxiety to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to

reduce her stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see

the doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which

could identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school

as well.

> >

> > It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems,

so be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the

problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how

much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

> >

> > Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his

anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down.

We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life

difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned

about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you

have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds

work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety

he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and

participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good

stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Roxanna

> > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on

meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> > Kari, MN

> >

>

[Guest guest]

My oldest ds was on meds of some sort from about age 4 to age 13/14, approx.

He did not stop taking them because he was functioning really well without them but rather, because he had spent years listening to "Just say NO to drugs" mantra and could not separate drugs from meds. And he hit puberty and had his own ideas about how to run his life. lol. He eventually got so bad - depression/anxiety - that he could not attend school by 11th grade. So he did need to keep taking them, IMO, but he refused to do so.

He is 21 yo now and he does admit he needs something for sleep issues but the typical sleep meds don't help him that well. He just refuses to admit he could use help with anxiety or in any way needs help for anything else. ("What? I'm NOT perfect? The hell you say!" lol. )

Still, he would never have come this far without taking the meds when he did. And the good effects he learned stayed with him until he became overwhelmed again in high school. If we had better staff in place to help him, I think he might have stayed in school and managed without meds. But the support he got was only good on paper and pretty awful in real life. Since he is not one to ask for help and internalizes everything, nobody would notice he was not coping well unless they paid attention. He was no longer spinning things in class by that age and he didn't act out like other kids might do. He would just internalize his feelings and they would build up.

I think with better supports, he could have successfully managed life without meds. It's just a guess though.

Still, they helped him a lot and yes, the good effects stayed with him when he did stop taking meds. He was a lot less rigid in his thinking and a lot more willing to try new things. This was not something he could do before because his anxiety was crippling. So he had advanced a lot. And of course, even today, he is doing so many things he could not have done before. He is highly anxious at times. I worry that he will hit a brick wall in regards to what he is willing to try. But so far, so good. Success breeds success with him.

My other ds (hfa also) did not take meds when he was younger. He just recently started taking meds because his depression was overwhelming. We have had the worst time finding the right med as well. In addition, the doc added concerta for ADHD and I have to admit I should have looked into this long ago. I knew he was ADHD but did not realize how hard it was for him to manage it (or try to manage it, lol) and how well the meds are working for him now. But now his depression is mildly controlled so far (puberty just seems to magnify every problem) and his ADHD is improved. I do suspect he will always need meds for depression (it runs in our family). It may not be optional there.

Roxanna

Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body, especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side effects? Thanks for any input!

> > Kari, MN

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thank you, Roxanna, for sharing! I think I'm going to make an appointment.

Hopefully, I can find a psychiatrist who knows about AS around here, but as long

as they can help to reduce her anxiety it will be helpful. I'm still a bit

worried about side effects/long-term effects, but it's been so difficult for

her. We have depression in our family, too.

Thank you to everyone who responded with all your helpful posts! You're all in

my thoughts! --Kari

> > >

> > > I would not get meds simply because the teacher said she should get them.

The teacher is not a doctor. You should see a real doctor and discuss the

problems and the possible options available that will suit her/you. The teacher

is a great resource because she is telling you your child is under too much

anxiety to function. I would be calling an IEP meeting to figure out ways to

reduce her stress and anxiety at school as much as possible while waiting to see

the doctor. You could also request a functional behavior assessment, which

could identify areas where she is stressing out and suggest solutions at school

as well.

> > >

> > > It's great when teachers will tell you that your child is having problems,

so be glad the teacher is speaking up! Now call an IEP meeting to discuss the

problems and come up with solutions - even temporary ones. You can then see how

much you can lower her stress level without meds, if that is your choice.

> > >

> > > Regarding meds, one thing we noticed with our oldest ds (hfa) is that his

anxiety level was too high to function in any way, so he would just shut down.

We started meds about age 8-ish or so, for anxiety. Wow, what a major life

difference. Years later, he chose to go off these meds and what he had learned

about how to manage and function has stayed with him. So it's not something you

have to do forever, it depends on the person, the needs and how well the meds

work for them. But the effects are long lasting in our case. The less anxiety

he had, the more he could particpate and learn in life, the more he learned and

participated in life, the less anxiety he had. Good stuff built upon good

stuff. None of that happened until we got the meds started.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Roxanna

> > > Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ( ) What meds are really safe for Aspie kids?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Hi! My dd is only 9 and her teacher this past year thought she should go

on meds to help with her anxiety. The side effects listed on all these and other

meds are a mile long! I'm scared to put these chemicals in her young body,

especially if this is something that she's going to have for the rest of her

life according to ASD info. At the same time, I want to help her. She's so

stressed out about being popular, school in general, etc. Does anyone know of

something that can help that won't just be causing another problem due to side

effects? Thanks for any input!

> > > Kari, MN

> > >

> >

>