neurologist update

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	Well I finally sat down with my dw, she had taken Nicky 4 to the neurologist. He told her he was PDD and had traits that he believed is ADHD. She told me that Nick was not making eye contact and was not paying attention to him. She said that he was bad even for him. He tends to act like that in new places. So I don’t know if that is an accurate dx. His teachers and therapists have never mentioned that he may be ADHD.          He proscribed Ritalin. She said to him, I know my husband is going to have a hard time with the meds. Which I do. He told her that the meds were important, that we did not want Nicholas to have a hard time making friends and in turn have low self-esteem. That it would really help him with other kids.              I or we decided that we might need a second opinion. So I will look into it. Just wondering if anyone has had the same thing. Also if anyone can say if their child is on meds and how are the doing on them.      Thanks John PS  boy am I confused. John38876.4588657407 John, I know that PDD, ADD and ADHD are very closely related. You are more than entitled to a second opinion and should get one if you feel unfomfortable. I know there are many kids with pdd that take ritalin, some react well to it some don't. My cousin took ritalin when he was younger as he was dx'd add. Now he is older and doesn't take it any more and is doing much better. Attention issues can go with autism, epilepsy and many other disorders. Attention meds to me are rediculous cause that is just forcing a child to fit a style to learn that isn't there way of learning best. Wife did attention meds as a kid  and she sees it the way I just said.  Public education wants them like zombies to sit and learn. A person can learn also doing things the auditory/ kynisthetic way. Just some thought. I really fear that the day will come when some doctor will say that DS needs meds and I am so scared of meds. I read Ritalin Nation and was appalled after I read it. On the other hand, some children need medication. In my case, I would really need to be convinced that DS needed it in order for me to feel the risk/benefit was worth it. I would get a second or third opinion. If you're going to medicate, you need to feel comfortable with that decision. I spoke to a psychologist on the phone who said my son needed medication without even seeing my son (just because I had said that my son hit other children at the park--before I knew he was autistic)! To me, the lack of eye contact could be due to anxiety because of a new social situation (because of the autism) versus an attention issue--of course, I have no idea how they tease this out if a child has both ASD and ADHD? I've also noticed that DS will do "selective mutism"--does it less now than when he was younger. There were just certain people that DS tuned out--DH used to say: maybe he just doesn't like them! I noticed that he did this the most with people who were pressuring him to respond. Just seems to me that in a different situation, your son might present completely differently. Hang in there! Nowwhat I am not going to touch the meds question again with a ten foot pole!   However, I will say that when you see that issues you KNOW your son has no control over are making his life head off in the wrong direction, and it breaks your heart, you WILL be looking for something to help.  For some of us, that help came from drugs and from nothing else.  When that time comes, IF it comes, try everything and stick with what works for YOUR child.  About ASD and ADHD.  I just posted on the impulsiveness thread a lot about this. There is school of thought that believes ADHD, when it occurs among kids with ASD, is really just a part of the whole autism spectrum thing.  A symptom that some kids have and some don't.  Like stimming.  The same meds work on ASD-type ADHD (if you ever choose to go the meds route) but there seems to be a difference in the symptoms as the kids get older. The hyperactivity and umpulsivity of ADHD does not leave ASD kids at adolescence as much as it does othewise NT kids.  Studies are ongoing. Hi John...I think it's a tough decision either way.  I think that some really benefit, and some may not need that route...it really depends on the child. Here's what happened to us. I had scheduled an evaluation with a Child Psychiatrist specializing in Autism, but like most, had to wait several months.  As my son was having other issues, we had to take him to a neuro as well...this appt. was about 3 weeks before our Psych. appts.  The neuro saw us for maybe 20 minutes, barely listened to our concerns where Autism was concerned, but instantly said Riley appeared ADHD and not Autistic (because he loves and is affectionate to us---yeah another one that thinks that), and wanted to prescribe meds.  I chose not to...because I know my son, and if he is uneasy, or in a new placy, he gets a little ansy.  He's fidgety by nature, but over the years I've learned that he's trying to feel comfortable in his space.  He uses his trampoline before homework/handwriting assignments, uses a sit n'move cushion at school, and is does really well with those.  He is even to a point now that he'll stop in the middle of playing, or reading, or movie-watching, and go jump 20 times on the tramp and feels better, goes right back to what he's doing. Anyway, fast forward to the psych appts....this doctor, with her 20-something years of Autism experience, said absolutely it wasn't the case, and said that the meds will likely do nothing for him and that his sensory issues caused it. Maybe the doc was right, maybe not, you are certainly entitled to a second opinion.  My son is older, so I kind of knew intuitively that that was not the whole issue.  Meds are up to you...again, for some they are lifesavers, for others, they are prescribed too quickly.  (please see current studies of med use, it's scary!!!) I had always thought there's always another way...however Riley having migraines and CVS has caused us to use meds afterall.  Where he used to be sick or in pain 40%+ of his days, he's living a much more healthy life - feeling awful only 5% or so now.....as for the you, you just have to see what works for you, and for Nicky, and keep CLOSE WATCH and hopefully your doctors will do the same. Good luck!!!  I wish you the very best!!! Thank you all for all you helpful input. It is nice to hear all the stories and info from this great board. John   John, I certainly don't know your situation but my opinion is (for what it's worth) 4 is way too young to resort to meds. If when he starts kindergarten or first grade and still has attention problems that effect his learning then maybe you could consult a developmental pediatrition. Our son was "off the wall" until about age 7 but he still had concentration problems in school. We tried Ritalin at age 8 and it brought out his autistic symptoms even more and we were not happy with it. Instead we tried behavioral interventions along with a modified day and we are having pretty good success. Good Luck  I don't think meds are bad, but our NeuroPsych (and I recommend seeing one rather than just a regular Neurologist) told me ADHD symptoms are just part of the spectrum. Meds were tried and didn't help him. Lucas is a happy, neat kid who happens to have ASD, and he gets help from his Spec. Ed teacher and Aide for the attentional issues. For us, after so many med trials, we avoid meds unless totally necessary. I personally wouldn't give meds for just attention problems. My son is 13, and very, very, very improved, but his eye contact still isn't good with strangers--sometimes even with us. It's, again, just part of the spectrum. I doubt meds would change that. Totally your call. You can try and then stop the meds, like we did. No meds helped my son be more social. He's a happy loner who would rather NOT play much with other kids, and that's also often part of the spectrum. For the record, my son has been on Concerta, Ritalin, Adderrall, Prozac, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Trileptal, Depakote, Lithium and Seroquel. I may have left some out. He had wrong diagnoses. The only thing he got out of meds was forty extra pounds and he is still struggling to lose weight. There are no meds for autism. Many professionals, even neurologists, are clueless about ASD, higher functioning. We were told my son can't have autism because he's too friendly, eye contact is too good (it's not), he talks too well, he can transition from one room to another without throwing a fit, etc. Many doctors think of autism of only the classically low functioning type. I'd definitely see a NeuroPsych. Our Neurologist told us Lucas has ADHD too, but he was wrong and we knew it. Very frustrating. Our NeuroPsych agrees that ADHD within the Spectrum is just part of autism--that all autistic kids have symptoms of ADHD. He didn't give him a seperate dx. of ADHD.pammar38877.2750115741[QUOTE=tzoya]    However, I will say that when you see that issues you KNOW your son has no control over are making his life head off in the wrong direction, and it breaks your heart, you WILL be looking for something to help.  For some of us, that help came from drugs and from nothing else.  When that time comes, IF it comes, try everything and stick with what works for YOUR child.  About ASD and ADHD.  I just posted on the impulsiveness thread a lot about this. There is school of thought that believes ADHD, when it occurs among kids with ASD, is really just a part of the whole autism spectrum thing.  A symptom that some kids have and some don't.  Like stimming.  The same meds work on ASD-type ADHD (if you ever choose to go the meds route) but there seems to be a difference in the symptoms as the kids get older. The hyperactivity and umpulsivity of ADHD does not leave ASD kids at adolescence as much as it does othewise NT kids.  Studies are ongoing. [/QUOTE] My son fits the PDD and ADD group and he does use ritalin/concerta.  It has made a noticible difference in him.  It is not a cure but it helps him manage his day.  He was missing out on things WITHOUT it.  My DS is one that I feel truely benefits from it.  You will know if they don't.  I also have had him on other drugs that did not do any good at all and made him zombie like.  You as the parent have the last word. Every med reacts diferently for every child.  My oldest son was diagnosed with ADHD and now takes Straterra and it has been working good for him, but before that one, we tried a few different meds that did not work, Ritilin was one of them.  Grant has also tried several meds before we found ones that worked for him.  Ritalin made him seem to drugged up to do anything, a few others just made him into a monster.  Now he takes Adderal and Trileptal which seem to work good for him.  THen he takes Rozerem to help sleep but his medical will only cover 10 days a month, so we have had to alternate with melatonin and it seems to be working ok.
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