Autistic DS and Ritalin

[prettybutterfly]

Hello all,

I have an autistic DS (high functioning). He's very bright, very nice, totally bonkers and random and utterly unable to sit still or concentrate for long.

He's doing better than he might do, because he's so bright, but he's not doing nearly as well as he could. He's 6 and his reading and writing are like a 4yo's (if that). He's also often disruptive.

We recently filled in some forms to assess ds for adhd, as did school, and we're seeing the paed to discuss the situation on Thursday.

I think Ritalin will be mentioned. I may mention it myself.

What do folks think about Ritalin? I'm a bit worried about the stigma of it - I don't want people to think that I'm a bad parent who substitutes drugs for discipline. But we are exhausted, and he's being held back.

What are people's thoughts and feelings? Who's got kids on it/not on it + what's it like?

Thanks in advance.
xxPB

Bump

well Id read this first: www.ritalindeath.com/

I think it is rare, but does happen occasionally.

Bloody, bloody, bloody hell.

Pretty Hi! I have a child with autism ,ADHD and LD, and I can sympathise with the parental exhaustion! Just keeping ds safe has been a nightmare - and sometimes we can't. Once ms school was in the mix I really feared for him - I mean his survival not just his well being. The lack of imagination (lack of learning from experienc/fear/ awareness of danger) plus the impulsivity and sheer speed of action seems such a difficult combination!
So I faced the same questions as you - and read everything I could ( as a non medical person)-researched the possible therapies and eventually read up on pharmaceutacal treatments (obviously having tried everthing else first!)
I would say find out as much as you can so you get a balanced view, ignore the histerical and unscientific, and find out the potential benefits of treatment over non treatment as well as side effects or drawbacks etc. You just have to do what is best for your child and your family. And be prepared to review frequently. Incidently from my reading around a few years back -Methylphenidate is not the only drug - although it is better known and has been around longer and has a good reputation (at least in the uk where pharmaceutical treatment is not used for borderline or mild cases Of ADHD). I have heard other parents of ASD children suggest other medications ( eg Strattera a nonstimulant) as suiting their children better. Must rush! Take care!

Have v similar son, butterfly, and while the Ritalin-style Equasym did not suit at all, Straterra does 'take the edge off the ADHD' (in J's consultant's words) and has kept him hanging on in school.

I hated the idea of drugs, but something had to be done as it was making him so unhappy and he was unable to function in school. Things are better but it obviously doesn't solve everything. The autism is much much more obvious now he's able to sit still!

My ds has AS and ADHD and like Givemeslesps ds he didn't get on well with the stimulant based meds like ritalin and equasym. Strattera suits him better and 'takes the egde off the ADHD' for him too.

Meds were a last resort for us and something I had hoped to avoid but we had gone as far as we could with diet and behaviour management etc so this time last year decided to give meds a try. I don't regret that decision as he is definitely calmer on them than off.

Dr Marysia Kratimenos based at the Homeopathic Hospital in Great Ormand St, wrote an article about 'drug free' ADHD. It's worth a read and exploring all possible treatments available.

Log on to 'British Homepathic Association' website and search 'hyper active child'.

Thank you everybody for balanced views and good tips.

I surfed and surfed last night and read some very mad things and some less mad things ... I still feel a bit ignorant, but now I feel ignorant in a very well informed way!

Have some notes of things to discuss with the paediatrician (tiny little Trinidadian man with almost inaudible voice and a wizard at getting ds to do things for him ... I wish he was a teacher really) and, missionimpossible, I will check out that site too.

Thanks again.

PBx

Oh dear, MI ... I don't like her!!! She skimped on a proofreader too, which is always a bad sign.

I'm very pro-homeopathy though. I saw a homeopath when I was having trouble conceiving my little hyperactive bundle of asd joy and was pregnant the next cycle. In fact, I hold homeopathy entirely responsible for him!

Why didn't you like her ?

The internet is a wonderful resource ... it can also be one of the most dangerous places to be, especially when you are feeling vulnerable, scared and unsure. Stay on the credible websites and whilst reading individuals experiences can be interesting, you must remember any old tom, dick and harry can add their say - just look at us lot!!!

I found that surfing UK websites was less scary then the US ones. 'Things" are done differently over there and medication is very much the norm. Thank god, in the UK we are less inclined to use it as a first option, and hopefully it should always be the last with our children. Do I live in an ideal world?

Take care

MUmmyofboys, it's hard to say. I didn't like the sales pitchy tone. Also, I thought she either didn't seem to know some of the more up to date research or was underplaying it, to make things seem even more confused than they are.
Apostrophes all over the place too - one of my bugbears.

MI, I agree about the American websites. Terrifying!

there was a piece on one of the german networks recently, zdf I think, about the number of people killed by ritalin in germany. Not very high, iirc, (in single figures over the last 3 or 4 years), but a bit worrying that anyone is dying.

My DS is 19 years old and has been on ritalin since he was about 9. Before that he was on ADs with counselling and behaviour management. ECGs were a regular feature of his treatment when he was younger because they explained to us right from the start that it could put a strain on his heart.

It's very much an individual family decision, but I feel that it saved our family.

I know where you're coming from nighbynight. It's one of those risks which is very slight but has very awful consequences if you are unlucky.

Catweazle, like you, we may find that it's a risk worth taking. I'll see what the lovely Dr says tomorrow. Regular ECGs sound a good idea ... I got the impression that this would be unlikely to happen in America. No Nat. Health, perhaps?

You have all really helped.

Thank youxxx

Well, lovely Dr says Toby has in all likelihood got adhd and we're being referred to the team which deals with this. They'll meet him and probably also observe him at school before discussing strategies with us. Pharmacological strategies were mentioned, but not much will happen now for months I shouldn't think, so no hurry to decide what we think about them!

He also thinks that Tobes is quite likely to have Asperger's rather than HFA, due to his excellent language skills and relative lack of compulsive behaviors. Seems right to me too.

I took him to his brother's Christmas singalong this morning, then on to the hospital and then on to his school for the nativity play. This was all mostly on the bus, which is a penance, but I also got to come home in Toby's school taxi with him! His helper's an absolute star. We both love her.

Thank goodness dh was having a working at home day and could pick up ds2 from nursery at 3, as me and Tobes didn't get home until past 4.

A mad, long day. And now to bed, to pretty much pass out.