Aspergers Medication

Filed under:Diagnosis — posted by admin on November 24, 2009 @ 2:55 pm

Welcome to this week’s Aspergers article about Aspergers Medication.

Two quick announcements –

1. My wife is due to have a new baby any time in the next few weeks; so if you find a delay in my email responses or one of my future articles over the next couple of weeks you’ll know why!

2. In amongst this I hope to finish the Christmas/Holiday Season ebook in time for early December; so look out for that.

Here’s this week’s article:

Question

Where can I find the right medication to help his Asperger’s, not cure it?

Answer

Asperger’s Syndrome is not something with a cure. There are no medications that can make Asperger’s go away. Many children with Asperger’s benefit from social skills training and cognitive behavioural therapy. In addition, many children can benefit from medications for symptoms related to the syndrome. Many children with Asperger’s suffer from anxiety or depression. Some suffer from hyper-activity or attention deficit disorder. Some children with Asperger’s suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Medications designed to alleviate those symptoms are available for children with Asperger’s. Working with your doctor to understand the symptoms your child suffers from is the first step. Once those symptoms are understood, it is important to then talk with your doctor about which medications might be available to treat those symptoms in your child.

A variety of medications are often available for some of the symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome. For example, many different drugs are available for ADD. If your child suffers from ADD, your doctor will decide which medication and what dose is right for your child. Your child will need to try the medication to see how it affects him. During that trial period, you’ll need to watch your child carefully to see how he reacts. If he reacts well and tolerates the medicine, and the medicine alleviates the symptoms, your child will continue on with the medication.

If your child tries a medicine and suffers from side affects or if the medicine doesn’t help alleviate the symptoms, you’ll need to consult the doctor about changing the medication. This process could be a long one. It is not unheard of to try three or four different medications and dosages to find the medication that is right for your child.

Be sure that you understand the benefits and the possible drawbacks and side affects of any medications you give your child. Also, try to understand how the medicine can work in concert with behavioral therapy in helping your child manage the symptoms of Asperger’s. Be sure to tell the doctor about any herbal medicines or other supplements your child might be taking. Supplements can often have harmful interactions with medicines, or they can render the medicines ineffective.

Consulting a book such as Luke Tsai’s “Taking the Mystery Out of Medications in Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome” can help empower you with knowledge of the medications used in treating Asperger’s symptoms. This book pulls together twenty years of experience in working with people with Asperger’s and autism. It describes many scientific theories and practices that are effective in Asperger’s treatment.

Thanks

Dave Angel
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Articles posted this week at The Parenting Aspergers Community

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How should I help my son who I suspect is being bullied at school, but school officials are not saying too much about it?

As a child with Asperger’s Syndrome, your son is very susceptible to bullying by others. Being just a little different can be devastating in the school setting. Your son is an intelligent person, but those struggles with sensory issues and social skills make him stand out. The other kids do not understand what this means, so they take advantage …To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/368.cfm

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My son gets so distraught when he gets a bad mark in class — how can I help him with this? He’s 11 and has Asperger’s.

Pushing for perfection is a very common characteristic in children with Asperger’s Syndrome. The need to do things right, every time, is overwhelming. When it doesn’t happen, it can be a disaster. Feelings of despair can lead to extreme anxiety and depression since as we all know, perfection is impossible. It is so difficult to watch your child struggle to meet his expectations. You cannot make him see that he is setting unachievable goals; he really doesn’t understand. This creates such a helpless feeling for a parent. With that said, there are …

To read this article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/367.cfm

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I would like to know more about Asperger’s in adults, 35 years and on. Also can people with Asperger’s also have Bipolar? And show extreme jealousy and possessiveness?

Asperger’s Syndrome is thought to be something that a person develops at birth or shortly thereafter, and a person will live with for the rest of his life. If detected early enough, many children receive therapy and counselling that help them develop some of the social skills that are necessary to navigate the world. Since the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome is fairly recent, many people are not diagnosed as having Asperger’s Syndrome until they are adults. Some adults who exhibit signs or symptoms of Asperger’s Syndrome …

To read the full article go to: -

http://www.parentingaspergerscommunity.com/members/366.cfm

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comments (8)

8 comments »

Dave,

Are you familiar with EnListen (r) and the TOMATIS method with Mozart music?

http://www.progresslistening.com

Thanks for your input….

Danita M Luzadder

Comment by Danita M Luzadder — November 24, 2009 @ 4:45 pm
My son was diagnosed with ASD at age 6 and has just turned nine. Schooling him has been my nightmare. He can’t sit in his seat–his social skills and behavior are nil and sensory overload induced meltdowns at school xcan be dangerous for both school staff and other students. I so want my son to have a social life but feel his academic progress is of higher value at this time. I am contiplating home schooling and then intergrating him back in a school setting at middle school when we have had time to work on social skills. My son is no longer on meds ( he was kept in a non responosive state for years) as I have chosen natural herbs and nutriciation for him. The academic results yave been wonderful—the social skills have declined. I am in hopes of feedback or suggestion. Thankyou Trinity

Comment by Trinity Clark — November 24, 2009 @ 5:21 pm
My step son displays nearly ALL of the symptoms and issues that I have read on here so far and this has been so enlightening. He has been treated for depression and ADHD, and they have thought because of his issues with school, people, etc and aggression issues that he was bipolar also. Now, I’ve asked his doctors about this condition and they are checking into it, again, as he has all of these symptoms you describe about apergers syndrome. Thank you for your resources. Wish more of it were free info.

Comment by Angie — November 24, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
My grandson has not yet been diagnosed with aspergers. My daughter is having him tested for communication disorders. Some of the markers I read in the e-book fit while others do not. Patrick is three and his cousin at age two is about to advance him. Patrick sort of lives in a video world Blues Clues and Thomas the Train and the Wiggles. He can recite at length. He uses one word generally to communicate what he wants but you can’t realy have a conversation with him. He does get fixed on things. Recently it is shadows that consume his attention. One weird thing that he does is drink anything and everything that makes a puddle outdoeers
What do you think of these things
Grampy Hartley

Comment by Charlie Hartley — November 24, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
Your comments on psychiatric medications is right on; as ex.dir of Am. Aspergers Assoc and being a psychiatrist I see my share of children with AS. At the first interview I explain to the child and parents that we may have to try a few different medications before we find the right one “for you” “for your child” and I always set up a phone call F/U chat and then a F/U visit. Nice work Dave and we at AAA enjoy your posts. Dr. Ron Ex.Dir, AmAspieAssoc

Comment by Dr. Ron Knaus — November 27, 2009 @ 7:03 pm
All this talk about no cure, medication, your doctor… Consider this, toxins are injected in most of these children. Therefore, toxicity is most likely the core issue. Chelation therapy may reverse nearly all the symptoms. Rest assured, your doctor will NOT tell you this. For you doctor may have caused it.

Comment by Frank — November 28, 2009 @ 6:44 pm
Better yet, after reading your ancient positions on medicine and how they should be considered for these children, while big pharma’s medicine is what caused this epidemic, unsubscribing from this madness is my only option.

Comment by Frank — November 28, 2009 @ 6:52 pm
My son is 3 and he won’t stop screaming and hitting how do I help that?

Comment by Wendy — November 30, 2009 @ 11:57 am