Coping with obsessions and rituals

Filed under:Behavior — posted by admin on March 25, 2008 @ 2:19 pm

One of the hallmarks of Aspergers syndrome is the development of obsessive thinking and the performing of ritual behaviors done to reduce stress and anxiety. This type of behavior can later meet the criteria in adulthood for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Aspergers syndrome children often have an obsessive interest in a particular subject and very little interest in much else. They may obsessively seek information about maps or clocks or some other topic. They may also be very inflexible in their habits and rigidly adhere to certain routines or rituals. These obsessions and compulsions are believed to be biological in origin. This means that it is very difficult to go to therapy or just talk the individual out of the rituals.

Even so, there is some evidence to suggest that cognitive-behavioral therapy may help control some of the behaviors and makes the child aware of ways to recognize when the behavior is occurring so as to stop it before it occurs. This kind of therapy, in general, can be helpful for children, teens and adults with Aspergers syndrome because it focuses on concrete behavioral and “thought” changes necessary to function on a day to day basis.

Parents may need to simply be supportive of the child who so rigidly hangs onto rituals he or she doesn’t understand. Unless the child has done a lot of therapy, it takes a great deal of effort to fight the rituals nor does it help to punish the child for them.

There are medications, often used in obsessive compulsive disorder that can take the edge off of the ritual behavior and obsessions, especially when used along with cognitive behavioral therapy. No medication is without side effects and the improvement may not be complete; however, it is worth the effort to try the medication as recommended by your child’s doctor.

comments (30)

30 comments »

Thank you so much for your informative articles. They always seem to come at the right time. And they explain so much of what is going on in my son’s life.

Comment by Jill Yohn — March 25, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
Has anyone out there found any medications (prescribed or natural) that can help with ADHD/ Asperger behaviors? We are currently on Strattera (after trying many other meds.) but have not noticed any true benefits.

Comment by Lisa Johnson — March 25, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
My son is on Wellbutrin XL, and that seems to alleviate some anxieties. He still has some obsessive behaviors, but they aren’t as often, or as strong. For example, my son rubs his head a lot…he now only rubs it sometimes when he really feels pressured..it isn’t an obsessive, all the time motion. Hope that helps!!
Jodie

Comment by Jodie Cooper — March 25, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
Our daughter is on Adderall which has helped with her chewing and sitting still. However, her socks being on perfectly is still an issue. We need to be in a flip flop climate!
Sleeping is an issue! Anyone have any tips! CURRENtly, she takes medicine and we follow a routine but is getting up in the middle of the night. ugh she must be exhausted of course she doesn’t complain. I am certainly tired. any suggestions?

Comment by Pam Hunt — March 25, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
I’ve worked with kids that are on the autistic spectrum/aspergers. Prozac has worked well for OCD symptoms. It’s an older med., but beneficial for some.

Comment by Lisa, why not try Prozac. It's an older med and has a positive history with autism/aspergers. — March 25, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
My son has Aspergers and is on abilify and lamictal. Lamictal was just added and it seems to help him come out of his rages quicker. That’s a good thing.

Comment by caddolorato — March 25, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
We have tried 4 different medications for our now 10 yr. old son. The first, Luvox worked well for the OCD sympotoms but didn’t touch the anxiety. Neurontin helped with anxiety and motor ticks. They both had side effects which weren’t worth it in our eyes. He tried Geodon which didn’t have much effect. Risperdal has been wonderful, although we’ve only tried it for a month. It seems as if the dosage may need to be tweaked a bit. Our Psychiatrist wanted to try Risperdal right away but warned of weight gain and our son was resistant to try as weight is a worry of his. We wish we’d started it 8 months ago. Good Luck.

Comment by Deal — March 25, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
How is anyone handling obesity especially as a side effect of medication?What are some suggestions to help other student in child’s class get comfortable with them?(2nd grade)

Comment by lili — March 25, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
For my son, 12, I’m on his case all the time. I give him free time, like 30 minutes of the things that make him feel comfortable doing his things that he obsesses. It works to get him to do other things and read about other subjects instead of just one.
Chi

Comment by Chi — March 25, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
My son is on Daytrana. We have loved this medication. We finally so relief for his ADHD high impulses. He has tried almost everything. Daytrana is a patch. It is put on in the am. It works ALL DAY! It also doesn’t have to be filtered through the kidneys, and liver. I haven’t heard any negative things about this medication. However, I haven’t talked to anyone who had even heard of it. Our neurologist gave this to him.

Good Luck!
PW

Comment by Paige Walford — March 25, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
Hi my daughter has a dual diagnosis, she takes methylphenidate,and i know a lot of people don’t like it but it has saved our sanity somewhat…
It was great at first,but then it wasn’t reviewed for 5 years, turns out the dose had to be doubled, and I’m more than aware that its simply mean’t for concentration , but once thats in place in the same way the bad behaviour spirals , so does the good a little like the ripple on the water effect, once the messages in her brain are going to the right place, she then over reacts a lot less we can reason a lot more things through albeit in a manner she needs to hear things it really has turned our lives around , she also has many sensory issues including not knowing when she was full, to be an overweight teen is a big deal at school she has mircaulously lost loads as she is simply eating when hungry.Don’t get me wrong its not a magic cure all but life with an aspergers teen can get pretty hairy to say the least for us and them , and she is so much more settled , I certainly try it .She was more suited to the slow release one a day.
Hope this helps even a little.

Comment by helen hanson — March 25, 2008 @ 7:36 pm
The only drug that we have found to help our son with Asperger’s has been risperdol/risperdone. It is not a stimulate. Stimulates accelerate my son’s autistic tendencies though with my daughter who has mild Asperger’s Concerta seems to help her comorbid of a.d.d. The risperdal helps my son to cope with overstimulating and we have seen much improvements. and so far no side effects. Mike

Comment by Mike — March 25, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
Meds work differently on everyone–sometimes you have to try several before you find the best one that suits. Our son is currently on Risperdal (to keep it together) and Lexipro (for the anxiety). It helps but I’m always wondering if there’s something else that may be better.

Comment by Mimi Henderson — March 25, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
My son is 8 years old and was perscribed .25 Risperdal. After reading many internet postings on weight gain and r.d.s, I just couldn’t follow through yet. So I ask you all out there…Have you had any experience with this drug? Is there any substitue natural remedy? He definitely gets stuck with routines or obsessive with certain objects (cassette tapes – hoards them as well). He does get very sidetract often and is mainstreamed yet has an aide. Thanks

Comment by Joanne Pahl — March 25, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
My son is on the following schedule of meds. we have been long working to get him to this place where they are doing well and he is able to function even though he suffers many differant diagnosis (bipolar, depression, pdd, aspergers, adhd, self injurious behavior, aggression,etc.) he is 11 years old about 126 pounds but not over weight. AM 15 mg Focalin xr, 500 mg depakote, 1mg risperdal, 3 pm 15 focalin, 1 mg risperdal, PM bed time 500 mg depakote and 1mg risperdal I cannot express in words what a relief it is that these medicines are available for him to take so he can feel good about himself and try to function to his best ability. It doesnot help his immature behavior but that is the aspergers and that is ok if it is all we have to deal with. God Bless, I realize no one wants to put their children on medicine and I wish it could be different but it cannot, not right now at least for Logan. One of the best things that help him is getting his sleep and being on a cosistant sleep schedule. If we get off the schedule he declines even with the meds.

Comment by jennipher nadolski — March 25, 2008 @ 11:39 pm
Respirdal seems to help my son the most with ADHD and aggression. It helped a lot with the temper tantrums and head banging. He’s been on it for 2 years now. The main side effect with this med. is weight gain, but I make sure that he eats healthy foods and we’ve had no problem. We also added Celexa last year for anxiety and OCD. It seemed to help for awhile, but now the OCD symptoms are getting worse. We are slowly increasing his dosage because he has gone through a big growth spurt. Hope it helps because his compulsions are driving me (and him) crazy!!

Comment by Sarah Howland — March 26, 2008 @ 1:23 am
My son has Asperger/Dyspraxia/Epilepsy. He has been taking anti-epileptic drugs for a couple of years, but still having absenses etc, so doctor taken him off for a trial period. Obviously this medication was also helping his anxiety/stress levels as these had increased tremendously in recent months. Dr then prescribed Strattera for anxiety, but caused more problems actually trying to get him to swallow the capsules – he is convinced that he will choke and ‘flaps’ and screaches so he doesnt have to take them. I have given up for the time being, but have started giving him Eye Q sachets (Omega 3 & 6) and can see a definate improvement in his concentration levels, his writing is much clearer and his stress/anxiety levels seem to be lower also. This is completely natural ingredients, so no side effects! Give it a go, you don’t know until you try! Good luck

Comment by Julie Coombs — March 26, 2008 @ 5:36 am
We use the natural remedy things….in combination. Mind soothe, bright spark, focus Jr (but switching to adult)…plus I have him on daily vitamins that dont have copper and some of those things that are bad for Aspergers. This combination has worked very well for us…without side effects. I dont give them on weekends or in the summer or spring break, unless we have something planned I feel he will really need it for. That way he gets natural drug holidays. We also have a 504 plan at school and our teachers have all be wonderful. My son is included in all of it…we used positive behavior modification when he was younger. But dont really need it so much anymore. He is 12 and in 6th grade….he gets all A’s and B’s.
I do believe we are at the higher end but I also believe alot of our interventions (we started when he was in second grade) have helped a great deal. I am thankful to many people as well as this book called Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence (practical solutions for school success bye Myles and Adreon…good book!)

Comment by kelly — March 27, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
We use the native remedy things….in combination. Mind soothe, bright spark, focus Jr (but switching to adult)…plus I have him on daily vitamins that dont have copper and some of those things that are bad for Aspergers. This combination has worked very well for us…without side effects. I dont give them on weekends or in the summer or spring break, unless we have something planned I feel he will really need it for. That way he gets natural drug holidays. We also have a 504 plan at school and our teachers have all be wonderful. My son is included in all of it…we used positive behavior modification when he was younger. But dont really need it so much anymore. He is 12 and in 6th grade….he gets all A’s and B’s.
I do believe we are at the higher end but I also believe alot of our interventions (we started when he was in second grade) have helped a great deal. I am thankful to many people as well as this book called Asperger Syndrome and Adolescence (practical solutions for school success bye Myles and Adreon…good book!)

Comment by kelly — March 27, 2008 @ 5:32 pm
My 11 1/2 yo son (Aspergers and ADHD) started on
meds for the first time mar 1. His dr. started him on Vyvanse. He takes it before school and it is effective until about 6 pm. This has caused him to have trouble getting to sleep so the dr advised 1 or 2 Beneydrl 30 minutes before bedtime. It works. He is doing well in school finishing his work and no more temper tantrums.

Comment by susie — March 27, 2008 @ 9:26 pm
Has anyone heard of any natural ie. herbal remedies for their asperger’s kids? Perseveration is relentless, distraction at school, some behaviour issues as well, but we don’t want to stunt the creativity, which is very high. Still resisting medications. Any successes with alternatives?

Comment by kelly — March 27, 2008 @ 11:13 pm
Note to Pam Hunt on sleeplessness: My 9 year old son, on Strattera for ADHD and also diagnosed with Asperger’s, used to have trouble sleeping. We found a very helpful liquid melatonin made by Biometics called BioNite. It works like a charm!

Comment by Sherri Conley — March 28, 2008 @ 10:49 pm
My 8 yr. old son has Aspergers, ADHD and anxiety. He is currently on Vyvanse and Zoloft. It has supressed his appetite and he has lost 10 pds. Meds. were working but recently we have noticed some changes. Impulstivity is coming back and anxiety and focus are too.

Comment by Jeanette — March 29, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
My son was on Risperdal for about 3 months, and then we replaced the Risperdal with Abilify. The Risperdal made him more aggressive with time. The Abilify seems to be doing a better job, but it is too early to tell. He takes Adderall XR for the ADHD and it is wonderful. He also takes Prozac and it has been very helpful as well. The tantrums and obsessions (stuck thinking) are the worst for him. Any suggestions?

Comment by Renee Cain — March 30, 2008 @ 9:11 am
I am shocked to see so many people turning to medication. Alot of the behaviors I have just read about on this page could be VERY EFFECTIVELY dealt with through diet, (see failsafe diet by Sue Dengate)and a good occupational therapist who specialises in sensory integration. I cannot stress enough what a difference these forms of intervention make. Our son has been diagnosed with autism, and since we have become more aware of his sensory based behaviour issues and the effects preservatives have on his behaviour, he is now a calm, verbal more affectionate child. The only meds that pass his lips are multi vitamins (no preservatives of course)

Comment by Melissa — April 1, 2008 @ 7:11 am
OMG!!! I cant believe all the parents are putting their children on so many medications. drugging your children is not the answer… one might help but have you read the SIDE EFFECTS??? you give them one thing and cause ten other bad things to happen to your child then get them more meds and create a hard ship on them and yourselves… My son is 4 1/2 years old and has Aspergers Autism and ADHD… he used to have severe temper tantrums and hurt himself and others.He never slept for days on end. if he fell asleep it was only for 5 – 10 minutes then he would be wired for days. His pediatrician is so awesome she recommended a natural substance you buy at a health food store called : Melatonin. it tastes like candy mints and it helps his anxiety, sleeplessness, and he is able to focus so much better then he used to. he is also seeing an occupational theropist to help with other ways to reach him for his obsessive actions. but we refuse to put him on meds and he is becoming an awesome child WITHOUT drugs… get together with your childs doctor and discuss possitive reinforcements, not things which cause side effects. oh ya parents… Melatonin is NATURAL and does not get a child addicted, so you can smoothly transfer them off it when you notice the time is right…

Comment by Ashley Gaona — August 4, 2009 @ 1:11 am
GET YOUR CHILD OFF THE ZOLOFT!!! read the SIDE EFFECTS… it causes depression and if you watch the news adults and children get so depressed on that med that they commit suicide. SAVE YOUR CHILD!!! read the bottle and pay attention to what the harmful effects are. they arent worth your childs life.

Comment by Ashley Gaona — August 4, 2009 @ 1:18 am
Do not come on this board and frown upon those parents who choose pharmaceuticals over natural remedies. Most of us have tried both types or use a combination of the two. Drug companies must list all side effects experienced even if only one person experienced a certain side effect during the study. Each individual is different, they may experience no side effect or every side effect listed. Every parent on this board is desparately trying to do what is best for their own child in order for them to be happy and successful in the world. It is offensive to me that one would suggest that just because I choose to medicate my child with pharmaceuticals instead of natural remedies I am not doing what is in the best interest of MY child.

Comment by Angela — August 6, 2009 @ 9:30 pm
I agree with Angela. Parents would not even be posting comments on this site if they were not desperate to have their child be happy and healthy. It is a certainty that everyones brain chemistry is different, and that the same regime that works one day may be a disaster the next due to growth spurts etc. We’re all just trying the best we can with he limited knowlege that we have about the complex human brain. I just pray for all of the devoted parents out there that their children somehow get through all of the insanity and just be kids.

Comment by MaryEllen — August 9, 2009 @ 3:32 am
I tried homeopathic methods for my son’s AD/HD. It did not work. He then developed Asperger’s and it was not diagnosed until he was 15. He did not have a good psychiatrist for 5 years who somehow didn’t recognized this. He has and continues to go therapy. Both the meds and therapy take a LONG time to benefit from. My son is now 16 and he still has many of the general difficulities that most Aspie’s have. That’s life. Be patient and help them; always be positive. That’s what I’ve learned.

Comment by Marie — December 15, 2009 @ 11:43 am