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Real members of MyAutismTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Medications

A MyAutismTeam Member asked a question 💭
Alexandria, VA

My daughter has autism, adhd, aggressive (impulsive) behavior. We just started the medication journey two weeks ago. We tried Metadate (ritalin) for a week and it was horrible. Her aggression and self-injury were completely out of control. She started Intuniv a week ago. We started at 1mg and doubled it yesterday and today. She is still aggressing and hurting herself and she fell asleep on the kitchen table at 4:30 today and again in the bathtub tonight. We're going back to 1mg tomorrow… read more

December 19, 2012 (edited)
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Answer Summary

Members rallied around a parent struggling to find the right medication for their daughter's aggression and impulsivity, with many sharing... Read more

Members rallied around a parent struggling to find the right medication for their daughter's aggression and impulsivity, with many sharing that their own children ultimately needed a combination of medications rather than just one, and emphasizing the importance of patience as it often takes weeks for medications to reach full effectiveness and for dosages to be properly adjusted. Several members described their experiences with specific medications, noting that stimulants like Ritalin sometimes worsened aggression while non-stimulants like Tenex, Intuniv, and Risperdal provided better results, though responses varied widely from child to child. A recurring theme was the critical need for a provider who listens, works collaboratively with families, starts with very low doses, and combines medication with behavioral interventions like ABA therapy for the best outcomes.

A MyAutismTeam Member

Our doctor told us that some of the stimulants to treat add and adhd can make the aggression worse. so she gave my son Tenex which is a blood pressure medicine they have seen some great results with for children on the spectrum. It has done wonders for his aggressive behaviors and also has helped with night terrors. We have only been on it for 2 weeks, but it's really made a big difference. Our son was close to being removed from the local public school because of his outbursts, aggression, and in ability to focus. The teachers say he's a new kid....

Good Luck! I hear it's a "process" to find the right meds. We are lucky we found something so fast.

December 26, 2012
A MyAutismTeam Member

We went through the same thing with my son. In the end it turned out that he needed more than one medication. They tried different things and now he is on sertraline - 25 mg one time in the morning, methylphenidate - 10 mg bid, intuniv - 2 mg at bedtime, and abilify - 5 mg at bedtime. We haven't reached Nathan's goal behaviors yet but there has been some improvement. And another thing to keep in mind is that it often takes time for the medication(s) to work to its full potential, for the child to adjust to the medication(s), and often requires adjustments to the dosage of the medication(s). If you believe that the meds really aren't working, talk to the childs provider and see what your other options are. Be patient eventually you will find the right way to go with your child's meds. I know that it can be painful to watch your child struggling and it can be frustrating not seeing the improvements that you want quickly. Hang in there.

December 19, 2012
A MyAutismTeam Member

Abilify made my adult son much more anxious, causing him to pick himself, a new behavior :(

May 29, 2013
A MyAutismTeam Member

Logan uses risperdal. Without it, he's completley out of control.

January 11, 2013
A MyAutismTeam Member

ADHD meds made my son violent and angry. He takes Risperdal now and we r still evaluating his response.

December 25, 2012

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