risperdal ??????

I have a 5.8 year old who we have been taking to a therapist for behavior management.He was born at 32 weeks has had late developmental milestones..severe speech delay, walking, feeding etc.. he has done very well with early intervention and specialized pre school however around 4 behavior became severe,,outbursts and DEFIANCE.. he is dx ADHD and ODD and I have put off meds for as long as possible.. He is extremely bossy, whines and basically has meltdowns all the time if he does not get his way.. He will NOT listen most of the time.. His tantrums get worse and worse.. We tried Focalin XR 5mg and we saw basically no results.. The Psychiatrist now suggested Risperdal .2 mg(very low) 2x per day..
I read everything I can find on the drug.The Dr. says it is now being used for mood disorders.. He is calling it Mood dysfunction or something.. He is not bipolar,..He just seems to go from zero to meltdown over any little thing.. it gets exhausting and I see how this is effecting everyone in his life.. I see how people don't want to be around him because it gets too tense with all the meltdowns.. I am worried about the risperdal.. is this a good tx.?? he has only been on for about 9 days.. and i do see some improvement.. I am just worried we are using a med that is really for other illnesses... will this target the fact that my son has no self control and is impulsive in actions and words??

[michaelsmom1229]

thank you for your input and maybe i did not explain him correctly...
his tantrums include destruction of everything in his path.. i one time needed a store worker to help me carry him out of a store..he can not control himslef.. he has no self control ..overly impulsive, can only see now not future or past.. no consequences matter..he will easily annoy everyone around him.. he is so impulsive he outs himself in dangerous situations.. running away in stores, hiding, running in the road etc..

he is 50 lbs and the tantrums are getting to the point that it is harder and harder to physically restrain him..
he has alot of negative self talk during these times and says terrible things about himself and others..

[rebbecca]

I know what you are going though my son is 8 and he is also adhd and odd. My son is also on risperdal 1 mg 2x a day and it helps alot. the drug does alot for mood swings for my son. he is also on concerta, he has only been on it for about a week and it is great.
I dont care what any one says, a child with these problems has nothing to do with being spoiled or not. It is a chemcial imbalance in there brain. the frontal lobes in the brain that arent working correctly.
if you need to chat im here! my heart goes out to you, it is very hard to see our children go though these.

[michaelsmom1229]

THANK YOU ....it means alot to have support instead of comments like him being spoiled...I am a creature of structure...so i know that is not the problem..It breakes my heart to see him so out of control..and then just when i think i can't take it anymore.. boom a great day with great behavior.. he is always on the go and i know from everything i have read and been told that he is at his happiest when he is in motion.. and if you try to stop him when he does not want to it will be an absolute nightmare the rest of the day..and i am sorry but that doesn't fit in to an average day.. we can't ride bikes from sun up till sun down.. that doesn't help when getting up to brush our teeth takes a wicked fight , screaming and yelling and physically holding him down to do it.. and that is how it would go with every task every day..and with that comes the frustration and anger (unfortunatley) from me... which i don't want to do.. He has been great since the risperdal and I am not a medicine advocate.. i was actually against it for a while.. until i watched all the people in his life not want to be around him/us because of his behavior.. Thank you for your kind words.. it does make it easier knowing there is someone there who really does get it.. and is not so quick to judge him as spoiled....do you know how long the dr wants your son on risperdal.. do you know if it is something they will always need??? good luck with the concerta..I know it is great being able to smile and laugh with my son again...

[rebbecca]

he will probably be on the risperdal until it stops working for him. ask his doctor for blood work every 6 months to make sure the meds arent affecting his body in a wrong way.
my son will always need to be on meds because of his aggression. my son alsway has a mood disoder that doesnt help with the adhd and odd. good luck with your son and take care of yourself too.

[kayliandleeksmom1]

I also have a daughter who does the samething your son does however my daughter only does hers at school or in front of strangers...so i feel liketo some degree she can control it until she gets to a certain point and u cant Bring her back....she TRIES to do it to me until i say im going to tell dad...however she has been said to be one of the best kids in her class until friday...she was good all day and got mad bc another kid got a treat and she didnt...soooo she threw herself in the floor screaming screaming at other parents and her therapist just happened to be there picking up her own son and seen the whole thing...i was very opposed to meds for a long time until 3 months ago she started zoloft for anxiety...it has helped with that but def not with the odd and after friday her therapist said its def odd...so we are prob looking at risperdol also....ive read alot of good things on here about it.....so just know uf not alone dear....i have since started having to take xanax myself for nerves.....never a dull day...I PRAY ALOT