my 5 year old(although not yet diagnosed)has been taking Strattera since it came out on the market in December(must have been 2002?) This is the first med that hasnt had a honeymoon period for him. His ped doc started him out on Benadryl then Clonodine then his Neuropsychiatrist prescribed Neurontin(that was a joke-he was wired for sound)it took him a long time to get the strattera to work but now that it is, he is a totally different child. he is still very defiant-but docs are very reluctant to diagnose him with ODD because his dad's family has depression, mood disorders, and personality disorders, my family has ADHD and Asperger's and Anxiety disorder(poor kid). does any of this sound familiar to anyone? I dont really know where to start but he is too much for me sometimes-he controls our lives, but I KNOW that if he was off this med it would be worse.

lovey,

Let's just say I can relate to your situation. My wife and I have two children and one began displaying symptoms around the same age as your son and we both bring a family history to the table.

It sounds like what you need is a definitive diagnosis, but I realize that is always difficult, moreso in children, and really tough in the very young ones. But, are you seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in pediatric psychiatry? We found this to be a big help. We also found that a full range of tests by a neuropsych specialist was helpful.

Is Childhood onset Bipolar Disorder a possibility here that anyone has mentioned? Our son carries this diagnosis along with Asperger's and the manic side of bipolar creates a lot of defiance and controlling behavior which is only made worse by the perfectionsism, rigidity, and compulsive habits of Asperger's.

Our "miracle medication" is Seroquel which is an atypical antipsychotic prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar. This med, along with a mood stabilizer for the Bipolar has made a world of difference in our son. It was only released in 1997 and pediatric use is off label but it has made a huge night and day difference.

Hope this helps and please don't lose faith.

By the way my son is also ADD (as am I) and we both take Strattera so this post is not really off topic.

Ed