Re: Ritalin Question

[Guest guest]

, the older son who was much more severe, was given Ritalin to

help him. I always argued that his lack of focus was due the the pain

and misery he was in and not just being distractable. BUT we

eventually tried and endured 2 days of " Please let me die, Mommy. I

want to die " as he staggared around the house banging his head on the

wall very distraught and angrily. Just horrid. So, with that we left

that doctor and went to the neurologist. Remember that had

very bad sensory issues and was vocal with lots of rocking, tantrums,

and such. My feeling is that he was so miserable and in pain that the

stimulant only increased his ability to feel that pain, and so we got

the awlful reaction. This may not be true of someone else as ASD

covers a wide area.

Our best med was amityptiline and I definitely would encourage anyone

to try this if you are looking for a new option. improved 50%

right there. However, many descriptions of other ASD kids do not

match his. Zoloft also helped. I have read mixed articles on the

serotonin in ASD conditions. Some say the serotonin is quite low and

so SSRIs like Zoloft help (it helped us). and other studies say the

serotonin is quite overly high, in which case an SSRI would not help

at all (as another mom of an ASD child experienced).

.

[Guest guest]

This is my first time posting. I have an 8 yo son with Asperger's. We are

Feingold and GF/CF plus no soy, peanuts, or eggs. My son also has allergies

to many molds for which he takes zyrtec. I am not sure if we will be able

to take the enzymes, but they sound intriguing - especially with our food

restrictions. In response to the Ritalin question - my son took Ritalin and

then Concerta for a little over a year and I think that he is doing better

now that we have discontinued them. From what I understand in children with

autism who also have anxiety issues, as my son does, ritalin can increase

the anxiety. This was certainly the case for us. He seems to be less

anxious and handle teasing and stress better now that we have been off

Concerta for 3 months. My son is not on any prescritption drugs now except

for the zyrtec. Prozac and Adderall were also bad for us.

Thank you all for sharing your information and if we decide to try the

enzymes, I will let you know how we progress.

[ ] Ritalin Question

> I just talked to a mother who is considering Ritalin for her child

> who has autism. She is considering it because his biggest hurdle is

> lack of focus. I talked to her about many options to consider first

> (keeping a food journal, eliminating phenols, etc.), but wonder what

> results anyone has seen using Ritalin? I am familiar with numerous

> ADHD children using Ritalin, but very few autisic children. By the

> way, this child has been on the Houston enzymes for about a month and

> doing well, just needs more focus. He is also gfcf.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Here is the personal experience of an AS adult who was on Ritalin as a

child.

http://home.pacbell.net/cscomp/ritalin.htm

> I just talked to a mother who is considering Ritalin for her child

> who has autism. She is considering it because his biggest hurdle is

> lack of focus. I talked to her about many options to consider first

> (keeping a food journal, eliminating phenols, etc.), but wonder what

> results anyone has seen using Ritalin? I am familiar with numerous

> ADHD children using Ritalin, but very few autisic children. By the

> way, this child has been on the Houston enzymes for about a month

and

> doing well, just needs more focus. He is also gfcf.

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your reply. I am wondering if after another month on the

enzymes, this child will have better focus. That was definitely the

case with my son (has never taken Ritalin). She plans to wait till

the end of September to decide, so that should be an advantage.

> This is my first time posting. I have an 8 yo son with

Asperger's. We are

> Feingold and GF/CF plus no soy, peanuts, or eggs. My son also has

allergies

> to many molds for which he takes zyrtec. I am not sure if we will

be able

> to take the enzymes, but they sound intriguing - especially with

our food

> restrictions. In response to the Ritalin question - my son took

Ritalin and

> then Concerta for a little over a year and I think that he is doing

better

> now that we have discontinued them. From what I understand in

children with

> autism who also have anxiety issues, as my son does, ritalin can

increase

> the anxiety. This was certainly the case for us. He seems to be

less

> anxious and handle teasing and stress better now that we have been

off

> Concerta for 3 months. My son is not on any prescritption drugs

now except

> for the zyrtec. Prozac and Adderall were also bad for us.

>

> Thank you all for sharing your information and if we decide to try

the

> enzymes, I will let you know how we progress.

> [ ] Ritalin Question

>

>

> > I just talked to a mother who is considering Ritalin for her child

> > who has autism. She is considering it because his biggest hurdle

is

> > lack of focus. I talked to her about many options to consider

first

> > (keeping a food journal, eliminating phenols, etc.), but wonder

what

> > results anyone has seen using Ritalin? I am familiar with

numerous

> > ADHD children using Ritalin, but very few autisic children. By

the

> > way, this child has been on the Houston enzymes for about a month

and

> > doing well, just needs more focus. He is also gfcf.

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

1 ritalin is speed to a normal person but to an adhd person it is a tranquizer that is why he is snacking like crazy he is coming "off the high" my 7 yrold son picks at spots on his skin dead skin and i don't know about the 3rd issue jerzyannie@... wrote: My son has been taking 20mg of Ritalin for the past 2 months. His focus is great and he is much calmer. He takes

the long acting pill in the morning. What I have noticed is:He's always snackingHis compulsive behaviors seem more intense (pulling stickers off toys, books, etc.)He was 100% potty trained and he's now pooping in his pants. Ugh!He is 6 y/o with hfa, adhd, apraxic speech and cute as a button!

DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less

[Guest guest]

I don't think the snacking is from the Ritalin. Usually it has the opposite affect. Pat K

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I'm also new in this group.

I live in Indonesia (south east asia)..

have two autistic children (eldest is PDD-NOS, and youngest is ADD)

Indeed it's a hard life for..

and even harder 'cause we live in Indonesia..a development country ..

so we need a lot of support ...especially an information about therapy

methods, medicine etc.

Thank you

Jackey

[Guest guest]

Jackey, my name is Pat and I am the grandmother of a 13 year old autistic grandson. I have been working with him for 10 years. How old are your children? I would love to hear all about them. Pat K

[Guest guest]

Hi Pat,

the eldest is 9 years old and his brother is 7 years old. They're boy..

The eldest has kind of digestinal problem since first year. We have been applying CFGF diet on him. Now he is in third grade, public elementary school. He can follow 60% of his lesson. 40% are about social, language, incl. sport lesson (that what autistic child doesnt coup with).

The youngest probably not have serious problem in his stomach, but he is also having light/partial dislexia. He's in first grade.

(There's no autistic centre or school dedicated to them (autistic). there is a school of children with handycap but not for autistic.)

He has very diffulty to learn alphabet etc.

Cannot sit tight, always walk around and sometimes very aggresive. But we got his good eye-contact since last two years.

Feels like in heaven when I'm back from my work and he stands behind the gate and says, 'ayah..(means: daddy, in Indonesian)' ...won't it make we cry?

but after that he will stare again, turn his back and go somewhere else..

But all that thing comes, thanks to God, Pat..

well sometimes like in hell but also in heaven in the same time when autistic children suddenly come to us and hug us, isn't it..

Nice to know you..

I hope you do pretty good with your grandson as well..

Love them

That's all we have..

Jackey

Re: ritalin question

Jackey, my name is Pat and I am the grandmother of a 13 year old autistic grandson. I have been working with him for 10 years. How old are your children? I would love to hear all about them. Pat K

[Guest guest]

60% of his lessons seems very good to me. What are you doing for the aggression? Pat K