Juanita Says:
My daughter is 7 years old and has been on Focalin 15 mg for almost a year, she has been taking it at 8 am and 2 pm and today the Doctor started a new schedule. She now has to take Focalin at 8 am and two new medications. She has to take Clonidine .1 mg either 1/4 or 1/2 at 4 pm and they said it will make her drowsy. The other medication is Risperdal 1mg but 1/2 a pill at night which also puts her to sleep. She has ADHD and severe Oppositional Difiant Disorder, do you believe that much medication is proper or do you recommend getting a second opinion? She is also having anxiety and depression symptoms do you believe that this mixture of medications could hurt her? Does anyone know any great psychiatrists in the Dallas/DFW area that they would recommend?
Hello Juanita! I am 29 and suffer from A.D.H.D., Depression, Obesessive Compulsive Disorders, and within the last 4-5 years have experienced what I believe to be anxiety attacks. I have never taken risperdal, whether it was prescribed or not, but when i was 17 they (doctors' in a psych hospital) had me take clonidine, along with tegretol,mellaril,tofranil, and paxil (or maybe zoloft). Honestly I didn't believe any of these meds to be healthy for myself. I am not speaking on behlaf of your daughter, but I don't believe these meds to be a great answer. I truly recommend a psychiatrist and encouraging your daughter to actively participate in sessions not just attend. I was seen by a psychiatrist/cologist while I was in elementary school, but at that age I didn't fully understand the benefits that were afforded to me if I were to take these sessions seriously, it's difficult as a young child to understand why you are a certain way at your young age. That's why I say have her activly participate in these sessions with professionals. I was even told by this professional (one of many at my elementary school age) that coffee could possibly have a reverse affect on my hyperactivity (I was not diagnosed till I was 15-16) due to the caffiene. So before school at a young age I was drinking cups of coffee, but yet I don't remember if that had any effect at all. Throughout my middle and high school years I did recieve a lot of detentions and suspensions in school due to my disorders, but yet I still hadn't realized what I was going through. I believe that if I had a firm understanding and had knowledge of the affects/effects of these disorders I could have come to terms with them. I also don't believe that even half a pill of Risperdal is healhy, maybe a quarter, because it may slow her down way to much during her school day. My cousin, who lives in Houston, has just graduated from UofH, I think in the field of medicine and psychiatry. I'll contact my mother for my cousins info and talk to her to find out if she has any recommendations for professional, great psychiatrists, in your area. For now gather the best information you can and compile it all so that you can make a judgement as to what's healthy for your daughter as far as medication and inform her to your best ability of the disorders she lives with.
Hi, As a psychotherapist and Holistic practitioner and a mother of two toddlers I say, TRUST YOUR INTUITION. It's appalling to me how readily we are told to medicate our children. She is still growing and her brain developing. The medical community still is not sure of how these mind altering medications will affect a developing brain in the long run. They may end up doing more harm to her as an adult. However, no doubt based on what you are saying she is having some difficulties that need to be addressed. Children are often emotional barometers. They act out what is happening around them. Look into family therapy and see why at such a young age she is showing these behavior problems, perhaps some good counseling for all of you will help with communication, empathy, proper parenting skills, etc. If therapy doesn't help then try alternative approaches like herbs and better nutrition. It's amazing how sometimes changing a child's diet can have such influence on their behavior. If all else fails and all other roads lead to no where then I would say consider medications. But do your homework first about the effects of these drugs and consult many physicians before you settle for one.
This post is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be an official diagnosis or treatment. Please see the medical disclaimer for more details.
Hi- My son will be 7 next month and his doctor just put him on Risperdol too! He has OCD and ODD and has been on Zoloft for years... I, too, am a little worried about the Risperdol, because of the possible side effects, but I am at a loss of what to do. Our doctor made us take him for an EKG and bloodwork before she put him on it and we'll do the same tests in 2-3 months, so that she can monitor if/how the Risperdol is effecting his body. I would definitely suggest having those things done before you give it to her. Everyone (in the medical field) I've talked to has said, Oh, good... I'm glad you did that when I've told them about the tests. We've tried many other meds in the past and none have worked, but up until last month he was just diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder. It is such a hard call to know what to do and what not to do... I only want my son to be happy! I'm sure you're the same!
my son of 5 in dec. has agression issues. he has been on resperdol for abt 2 yrs one time daily now he is also taking clondine 3 times a day. i feel like he might not be on the right meds, those are for agression, bt hes not on anything for whats causing him to be agerssive. i feel that he might have depression &/or anxitey. he just explodes with violence and started saying he hates himself and hates others. he also states that he will kill himself or you. then once he relises that he has hurt you or your feelings he tells you that he is sorry an then it repeats a min later. there are days that we do go without any of this but most of the time im ending in tears and so is he. no doctor has ever said that theres a chance of him being depressed or anything bt on of the meds that he takes can cause this.i dont that its the meds bc hes always been this way. i feel lost an that the meds are not the right one bt the doctors tell me that the rest is on me. that i am not disaplining enough at home.. i actualy am a pretty strick mom. please give you help. thanks
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