:) :o ;) :cool: :rolleyes:

:foot: Damn, Love these smiles. :soapbox:

To get to the post. I think the best combo of medicine for me was

1. Zoloft 50mg 1x/day
2. Concerta 36mg 1x/day
3. Risperdal .5mg 1x/day

#1,2 taken in morning right before breakfeast
#3 taken right before bed

Helps me best for my asperger's and AD/HD.

Hi averity05, I am sure glad to see your post. My son is seeing a child psychologist and she says he as ADHD, Reactive Attachment Disorder and possibly Aspergers. She wants to settle the RAD before actually diagnosing him with AS because sometimes they have the same symptoms. Here is my question: My son is 4 years old, what would you recommend I do at this age to avoid problems in the future? What should I be doing as a parent to ensure he has the best possible future and happiness? He is already bothered that he doesn't have friends in preschool. It didn't help the other day when I was kissing him goodby in the hall at school and some kid stopped and said "Oh, does he HAVE to be here?" I felt so bad for my boy. What should I say or do? Please advise!

Terri

The best thing I can say would be to keep a journal of his progress w/ behavior and any medications that he's taking. Also, ask him what he prefers doing. If you give him some options, it can help him. Another good thing to do would be to help him learn the basic 'social graces' so that he knows how to behave and act around others. I was once told that because of AS (asperger's) parents sometimes 'overprotect' their children. It is recommended that unless there is any real danger or threats involved, an AS child should be given the same freedom as any non-AS child.

His psychologist said he is ADHD, but wants to wait until the RAD issue is settled before medicating him. I think the RAD issue won't get better until we get the ADHD under control. What do you think? RAD is Reactive Attachment Disorder. We adopted him 2 years ago and we haven't really bonded properly and I believe it is because of all the misunderstandings and temper tantrums. I have posted on the parenting forum about this, but I haven't gotten much advice. Am I wrong for wanting to medicate such a young child? I have watched him be torchered and scared to death about having to relate to kids other than his sister. He knows he misunderstands everything and he really tries to fit in. His confidence and self esteem are so low, I hate watching this go on.

Terri

It all depends on the severity of the disorder. I see that if he is experiencing tantrums that can't be controlled w/o medication, it might be worth a shot. The only medication that parents like to keep their kids away from is Ritalin. Ritalin was once taken of the market because there was a massive amount of children committing suicide. I asked my Mom why it was then put back on the market but she doesn't know. Of course you must ask a doctor, but my brother was prescribed clonodine (brand name: Catapres/Catapres-TTS (patch)) for his ADHD. It worked, but it caused weight gain. I unfortunatly don't know what RAD is. (not what it stands for, but the disorder itself.) This is the best I can do. I hope it helps.

Thanks! I think I will medicate him. If he still shows signs of Aspergers after the ADHD is taken care of then we will go from there. It's hard to bond with someone when they are constantly throwing a fit or misunderstands what you say to them.

Terri

There are social skills training that organizations have specificly for kids and teens w/ Asperger's. Maybe there's one in your area.

Because he is only 4 years old, just keep a close eye on the type and dose of the medications you decide to use. Regardless of medication, Asperger's will always remain. I don't recommend Ritalin or Straterra for the ADHD. Always speak to a doctor first (or psychologist) about using medication. The only medicaiton I believe should be used for now is for the temper tantrums. One of the most important things to do when he starts school, is always inform the teacher's about your child's ADHD, Asperger's and RAD. Let them know what methods work and what doesn't. One thing I learned from Super Nanny (it's a TV program on Channel 7, 8pm, Friday Nights), is make sure the school followes the same disiplines you do. The thing that AS kids need is consistancy. Though it can be very tricky at first, attempt to learn what trigger's a temper tantrum. I understand how hard that can be. My brother has Autism (his IQ is between 100-110), and even I has a brother don't always know what will "set him off". Just do your best and keep posting.

You cant get help if you don't ask for it, never keep your problems to yourself
I hope this help's you. Good Luck!