Valium to help with Screaming/Aggression?Welcome to the boards. I have an almost 9 year old with severe autism, fortunately he's ony 80 pounds, which is often more than I can handle. Zach is on no meds, but we have a rx for ativan (very similar to valium), exactly for those occasions you are talking about. The advantage to ativan is that it is sublingual, and will melt in the mouth. We have never had a problem getting the med., but some drs are concerned about breathing issues on the drug, something we have always been counseled on. We've seen no side effects at all with ativan, but there are many that have seen horrendous side effects. We were always told to call 911 in an emergency, I'm sure many will disagree with that, but as my ds gets bigger, I would not hesitate to do that in a public place if Zach gets out of control. The lying down in the middle of a parking lot is something Zach has done, which is one of the reasons we requested and got a disabled placard. If you don't have one I would consider it in your situation. A few weeks ago Zach lay down on his back, arms behind his back in the freezer aisle of our small and quiet, local grocery store. In this case he was laughing, but was still playing limp noodle, and it took 15 minutes to finally get him up and moving. Best wishes. Just wanted to add, if your neurologist continues to not be comfortable prescribing something, it is okay to look for another dr., look for one that specializes in autism (which I'm sure you already know). One of the problems is that drs see very few kids with severe autism, and don't always appreciate the added difficulties, and that you need real help. Maybe your local Ped., or a teacher could give you a letter stating it would be beneficial to have an emergency med. on hand. We are fighting much of the same battle with my 14 yr old. It has gotten to where we can't go anywhere, for fear of what she might do. Not only is it embarrassing, some of the stuff is dangerous! (like going on a "sit-down" strike in the middle of the parking lot or street!) Haven't found a lot to help with the screaming and defiance, but we do give her clonidine 3-4 times a day and that at least helps keep her calmer. Her pdoc feels that clonidine is one of the best for ASD. My DD cannot take Valium, Ativan, etc, as they make her even more agitated, so "beware!" if you go that route! Hope you find something that works. We, too, live in Texas and are having to consider a group home or state hospital. You might check into this place: www.bttcresidentialtreatment.com. We applied for Taryn to go there and even went down for an assessment. Very impressed with the place and the program. They address problem behaviors and teach the parents how to work with the kids. Taryn was refused admission, because of her suicide attempts, but they look like an excellent place. I am new to these boards, and really want to know how this works for other parents.
My wonderful 9 year-old DS has severe autism, uses PECS and is over 5 ft. tall and weighs about 150. We don't go out in public anymore because he is too big for me to pick up if he throws a fit, or plays "limp noodle" and falls completely flat in a parking lot or in a public place. He tends to scream an awful lot and his screams are now incredibly loud, shrill, bloodcurdling screams that can be heard outside of our home.
Does anyone have a Dr. who has allowed a prescription for valium or something similar to reduce some of this behavior and create a calmer disposition? I just want so much to be able to take him out and have him enjoy life instead of holing up in the house for the rest of our lives. Besides, when he gets even bigger and stronger, how else am I going to be able to calm his meltdowns? I try to imagine when he is 20 an 6'4 or 200 pounds. I have asked for a "calming medicine" such as this before, or even a medicine I can administer strictly in case he was a danger to himself or having a horrible meltdown, but the neurologist always shied away from that issue. I need to have him here with me and care for him as long as possible. We live in TX and I cannot live with myself if he goes to a state school.
PLEASE tell me that some of you have been able to get prescriptions for medication like this. Forgot to add:
He takes 2cc of Risperdal 3x a day. Even now he is outgrowing this dosage. sorry...I just noticed that he is already taking a pretty big dose of Risperdal. He may need a "cocktail." My own son takes Tenex and Buspar as well. Ativan is something we have in our arsenal for "as needed" calming. We have ONLY used it once, on an airplane when there was tubulence. I plan on using it to get him calm enough to get near a dog so we can work on getting him unafraid of dogs. It's something that is used to sedate to some extent. Also, Trazadone can work. I don't know if Valium is a good choice (or if any of the mentioned meds are for your child) but I do know that an excellent doctor who specializes in autism can most likely come up with a good combo,. [QUOTE=dkatiemom]Forgot to add:
He takes 2cc of Risperdal 3x a day. Even now he is outgrowing this dosage. [/QUOTE]Was your son this big before he started on Risperdal ? The medication can cause severe weight gain which is adding to your care management problems, iof he's 9 and 150 pounds due to this medication chances are good he's going to be 200 pounds long before he's 20. It also sounds like Risperdal isn't effective in helping to manage his behavior at this point. This article snippet notes that the weight gain associated with this med is most pronounced in preadolescent youths. I'd address the issue further with the doctor http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15232335 I have a friend whose doc has given them an "as needed" prescription for valium. They give it to him before a haircut, a trip to the dentist, or our house (he is petrified of dogs - we keep ours outside when he's here, but still). The only other med he is on is the Daytrana patch for adhd. Our son's not on anything, so sorry I don't have first hand experience. Take your child to a child psychiatrist who is an expert in autism and who is used to medicating ASD children. One of the most prescribed meds for what you describe is Risperdal. It works in lots of kids with autism. But you MUST use a doctor who understands how. Sometimes it's necessary to have a couple of different meds. And always remember that meds, alone, won't do the complete trick. Using an entirely positive behavior plan that is consistently implemented is key. Good luck.our neurologist is a board certified pediatric neurologist/psychiatrist and she just started Ky on Tenex, we'll see full benefits in about 4-6 weeks(she said it probably won't help much with aggression but might help her impulses and tics. We had the options of Clonidine, Risperdal, and Tenex. Our neurologist decided that Tenex would be the best option for now(because she felt the other 2 would be too harsh on Ky) and then we'll bring Ky back in for another checkup in July where they will do another 24 hr VEEG and then decide then what else to try or add on. She also is getting wraparound services. I've been told no medication will take them away totally. But they should help to be able to function. good luck!!http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/120/5 /1162 - article written to support pediatricians in the long-term management of autism. Gives an overview of autism research, sections on educational interventions, medical management, and family support. Includes two tables about drugs. Table 1 lists drug alternatives for the various symptoms, and selected relevant research. Table 2 lists the steps you should go through while considering and starting drug therapy. (thanks for the tip, nowwhat). http://www.autism-pdd.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13715&am p;KW=cycles+of+rage - "Medical Treatment of Aggression" by Randi Hagerman. |
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