Risperdal Medication

Hi T.,
My son, now 15, has been on Risperdal for a few years without any bad side affects. He has Asperger's Syndrome, ADHD and is Bi-polar and Risperdal has been helpful with some of the symptoms.
W. Q

T.,

Please do not give your little boy risperdal. The side effects are absolutely wretched. I was given this medication when it was still being tested by the FDA. At first, I was merely sleeping heavily with no dreams, and wetting the bed (I was in my late 20's at the time). I had to wear Depends at night. Within two weeks, I was 'an alert vegetable'. I was aware of my surroundings, but I lost all ability to communicate; I was paralyzed and had to be wheeled around in a wheelchair by my husband. He had to change my diapers, feed me, and wipe the drool from my face. We finally went for a second opinion and the new doctor immediately had me taken off the medication. I do not know what your child's diagnosis is, but if he's not paranoid schizophrenic, this is the wrong medication for him. Risperdal is only to be prescribed to adult patients with severe paranoid schizophrenia. This medication was mis-prescribed to me for mild anxiety. Please seek advice from another doctor. Please, for your sake and the sake of your child.

Please let me know, and good luck to you and your son.

A.

Our nine year old daughter takes Risperdal. It was heaven sent. She really needs it and we can tell when she hasn't had it. Without it she is mean and extremely hard to live with. Seh has not had any side effects. She takes focalin for the ADHD. Risperdal has been around a long time and it is the only medication that is considered safe for kids by the FDA. I hope that this helps.
Thanks, K.

Hi T.! I have not had a child on Risperdal, but I have worked in a psychiatric hospital and with a child psychiatrist. I have seen Risperdal be very helpful. I am not sure what the doctor is prescribing it for. It is an antipsychotic, but also has many off label uses. One side effect I have seen is a large amount of weight gain as this medication tends to make you hungry and lethargic, so kids tend to take in more calories and burn fewer. Just watch your child closely for any behaviors out of the ordinary. May I ask who your psychiatrist is?

T.

First, why is he putting him on Risperal? My granddaughter has been on risperdal for about six years. She has had none of those side effects. Her biggest side effect is dry mouth, she needs to drink a lot, and she cannot be out in the heat for long periods of time. The heat absolutely drains her. Both of the side effects are in the tremor family. It is a very good medication. It has done wonders for my granddaughter. I do not know what your sons diagnosis is, but you and your doctor do. Apparently he feels it would benefit your son. Try it. If there are side effects, you will see them right away and simply talk to the doctor about taking him off and trying something else. TD and dystonic reactions are usually after a person has been on the medication for a long period of time. Follow your doctors advice. He will know better than anyone.

Good Luck
S. M

My granddaughter was taken off Strattera. It had too many side effects . She takes Concerta. Works great. She is: Bi-polar Fetal alcohol Syndrone, ADHD, Depression, Anxiety,
and High Irregular Brain Activity(seizure protocol) On top of all of this, she is a typical 13 year old teenager.HA She does great on medicine combinations.

I just want you to know that my son used it with great resalts.He is no longer on it and doing fine now. It is a very low dose which is great and to me that means he just needs a little help. As with all med there as side afects so we have to take the bad with the good and hope for the best. I would say give it to him it will give him the boost he needs.

I'm assuming the MD is a psychiatrist since Risperdal is a less common drug for kids. I'm curious to know your kids diagnosis, it sounds like more than a typical ADD/ADHD.

That being said, one of our kids has early onset bipolar disorder. At one point his psychiatrist tried that same drug. At first it was very helpful but later it made him VERY tired. He wanted to sleep ALL the time! He was then put on Abilify, which has also been changed. As far as the scary side effects of Risperdal, they are very rare, but you do need to watch out for them.

Another thing to think about, depending on why he's on the meds in the first place. If he got more active/hyper and/or aggressive on the Strattera, he could be bipolar (that could be a normal reaction). The risperdal would decrease aggression, hyperactivity, and help stabilize his moods. However, if that's the case, he would likely need off the Strattera to get his mood stabilized BEFORE adding anything else for hyperactivity. It could be Risperdal or a similar drug, or another type of drug commonly used for seizures, but also used to stabilize mood in folks with bipolar disorder.

If you've been told he has bipolar or a "mood disorder", check out www.bipolarchild.com, it's a website and newsletter written by a child psychiatrist with EXCELLENT information.

Hope it's not too much information or worry you too much. Bottom line, if he really needs the med, it's OK. You do need to watch for the side effects, but serious ones are rare.

I am a psychiatric nurse, and those side effects are real and do occur. I would not give it to my child. There are other alternatives for behavior problems than drugs. Dietary allergy problems are a major cause of hyperactivity and nervous system changes. Please if you can, do a little online research on his disorder. I think you are very wise to be concerned about giving risperdal to a 7 yr old.
B. S. RN CCM

Hi. I currently work with a psychiatrist and I am a rehab therapist for children and severally mentally ill adults. Tardive Dyskensia and dystonic reaction are both extremely rare. Even if he starts to show signs of these side effects, they are easily reversed if caught early. Also, he is on a small dosage-severe side effects are normally seen in higher doasge. I watch my clients for it all the time. If you start seeing some mild side effects, most of the time they disappear in the first week or two. I have seen it used with children who do not respond much to normal ADHD medications such as Strattera. Straterra should balance out any weight gain. It normally will cause lose of appetite so it should even out the Risperdal. Respirdal is an anti-psychotic but I have seen it work wonders in children when nothing else would help. I hope this helps. It really is a pretty safe medication.

Hi T.,

My son is microcephalic with autisitic tendencies. He was on risperdal at one time. He started to have snake-like movements so we switched the medication. Of course, there's different reactions in different people. It is OK to be concerned. You weren't clear as to why the doctor added the medication, but since you are concerned I would ask for another alternative.

K. C.
Http://www.Health4URFamily.com