Risperidone 1mg- whats your expeirence?

[HuntressMother]

Hello again ladies.

So, i took my 5 year old DD to her ped yesterday in regards to some behavior issues that we have been having for over a year and a half. You can read about her issues in a post i made a few weeks back called something like  " Tell me your thougths please WARNING: LONG". ( That isnt the title exactly, i cant remember it now for the life of me, but it should be easy to find.)

Some of the issues with her are: SPD, ODD, ADHD, and possible AS. I myself have AS and was concerened about my DD having it as well.

Back to topic- i took DD to the ped yesterday because her behaviour issues have really been getting worse latley. I feel like i have done everything that I can do as a mother to help her with these issues, and I am confident in that.

So, the ped was very poliet about the whole issues and explained to me his concern in her withholding her poop ( shes been doing this for over a year now ) losing weight ( DD is a super picky eater- she will refuse to touch her food if it 'doesnt look right' on her plate and eats very few things becauses she refuses to try new things) as well as her sleeping behaviour ( she tosses, turns and screams bloody murder in her sleep- she often awakes cranky from lack of.) and asked me if i would like to medicate her and he told me that he thought that would be best for her and that is would help alot.  Please note that it took him OVER a year to decide that she does have some serious behavior issues to a point of medication. 

I think what really sold it for him is that fact that my 2 year old had a huge knot on his little head from DD running him over with a toy. Her actions towards him/ other children has been getting more and more violent.

The medication he chose for her is Risperidone 1mg.  She is to take this every 12 hours. He warned me that for the first week this med would make her very tired- but after a week or 2 her body would adjust and she would do much better. He also warned that is some children, this med increases their appeitiet and makes them gain weight. He warned that this is something i should keep an eye on.

So after crying and giving myself a pep talk in my bathroom for about an hour ( and hearing DH give DD a time out for hitting him) I decided i should atleast give it a try.  So i gave her the meds pretty late into the afternoon ( around 6) and it took it about 2 hours to 'kick in'. I noticed that she was much calmer, spoke more softly, was more gentle- as well as being quite tired. I wasnt too sure if she was that fatigued from the meds or our long day.

She asked to go the bed early because she was sleepy and I read her a book and actually finished without her asking 10,000 questions or trowing a temper tantrum because she didnt like the way the book looked/ended.  She slept until 11:00am this morning and seemed to feel fine.

I gave her a 2nd dose at 12:00 this evening and within and hour she was on our couch curled up almost falling alseep. I fixed her a lunch of raw baby carrots, grapes, strawberries and fish sticks- she didnt have much of an appetite at all. She ate a few bites and crawled back on the couch. A few minutes later it was time for her little bros nap, when i returned from laying him down, she was asleep. I moved her to her bed for a nap and she remains there was we speak.

So, my question to all of you is:  Whats is your expeirence with this medication and your child?  Why was you child given this medication?  where/are there any side effects for your child?

Thanks so much for reading and sharing! 

[melissa17s]

I do not have experience with this medication.  Contact your doctor and tell him how much she is sleeping.  Seems excessive- more than drowsiness as a side effect.

[HuntressMother]

Yes i will be calling him in the morning when he is back in office. She also has NO desire to play AT ALL. I tried to get her to play outside, inside, and even offered her 'special activites' that shes not allowed to do very often and she turns them all down. Its very sad and a little scary.

She has laid on the couch all day and hasnt gotten up tp play, pee or anything. She has only ate once today and hasnt touched anything else. I even offered her a fruit pop sicle- she wouldnt even take that.

Her doseage is 0.5 ml- a small amount. Maybe he will suggest a smaller amount or switch her meds or take her off of them all together. I dont plan on giving her the meds again until i speak with the doctor. Im very worried. :(

[mysweetboys]

We considered this medication for our DS (6 y.o.), but did not end up using it (yet, anyway...), so we have not seen the side effects first hand. We were also told that one of the side effects is drowsiness. It does sound like your DD is lethargic rather than drowsy though, so I would definitely talk to the doctor ASAP. Does she have a fever? Also, our Ped told us that Risperdone dosage can be adjusted by very small amounts when prescribed as a liquid, and she usually starts at a very low dose to see how it is tolerated and increases as needed, so it may be worth asking if a lower dose would be better if your ped does think the sleepiness is just a side effect and nothing to be concerned about.

[HuntressMother]

I noticed ealier that she felt a bit warmer than normal, but i didnt think much of it because she had been all wrapped up under the blankets for a few hours sleeping. However, shes been lying on the couch all day since she woke up from her nap at 4:00- irs now almost 7:00 and i just checked her temp. Its 100.7.

Now I am REALLY worried! Is the fever associated with the medication in an way? Should i be freaking out?

[mysweetboys]

Don't freak out, but do take her to the hospital. She's probably just sick and happened to start showing symptoms shortly after the medication. However, I remember reading that a child on Risperdone with a fever should be seen right away, so I would take her in to be sure.

[HuntressMother]

I just called the hospital and asked to talk to the ped on call. He is suppose to call me back soon ( but thats doubtful).

Im not freaking out as much as i could be right now because i remember this morning, before i gave her her med, she was acting a bit like she didnt feel to well. And shes had a bit of a runny nose for about a week now. Im keeping a very close eye on her and hopfully the ped on call with get back with me and let me know if i should take her in. If she still have a fever in an hour or 2 and he hasnt called me back, we're going to the ER.

Thanks for the advice. Ill update soon.

[mysweetboys]

just checking to see if there's an update. Sounds like she's probably just sick, but hopefully you'll get to talk to the ped soon.

[LynnS6]

Just remember that you took her to the doctor -- where sick kids hang out, right? I hate taking my kids to the doctor for things when they're not sick because they invariably pick up something.

I hope the ER doc called you back and has reassured you somewhat.

[DBZ]

I gave my daughter this drug because I was having to protect my other 2 children from her violent tantrums. She seemed to always be aggressive and defiant. The drug gave me my daughter back and allowed my other children to be safe. She adjusted quickly to the meds and took them with no probs for about a year. After that they didn't work as well and we had to change things around. My dd was about 12 and going through puberty as well. She did gain weight, but other factors played into that as well. Good luck to you.

[HuntressMother]

Hello again.

I talked to her ped this morning. He suggested lowering the dose just a bit. I gave it to her at 12:00 today and the results are much better. She still jumping, playing, laughing and being a kid- without hitting others and having SPD 'fits'. She also eating much better today and her behaviour is wonderful.

I was relived to find out the fever was from a slight ear infection that she began complaining about today. I put some garlic drops in her ears and gave her a very small dose of tylenol- and shes 100% better.

Thanks for you concern and support. Its really helped me out.

[HuntressMother]

Thanks for your reply.

Thanks for sharing your story about your DD- my DD has many viloent outburst as well. That was my #1 reason for starting her on this med. She also holds her poop in and refuses to poop without wiping it everywhere- that was another huge reason to start the meds because it was simply too much of a fight everyday just to get her to go.

Im feeling much better about the meds now and im happy with the result. Those first few days of a behavioural med HAS to be scary for all parents, im sure. Im very happy with my choice and she is too.

Just last night ( during bath time ) she told me " wow mommy im being good!" and she also said she slept much better and didnt have bad dreams. She also noticed herself, that she could be still when she wanted. She seems to be much happier.

[mysweetboys]

That's great that you're seeing an improvement and she notices it too! And what a relief that the fever is just from an ear infection.

[HuntressMother]

Phew- i know! Shes doing even better today- the smaller dose made A WORLD of difference. And in other good news- she says the garlic drops have really helped her ear.

[blessedwithboys]

We suspect my 8yo ds has bipolar disorder.  He began risperdal in mid-January.  The starting dose was .25mg 2x/day.  After 6 wks there was no change so it was doubled to .5mg 2x/day.  The only thing I've noticed so far is that ds will dribble pee in his sleep if I don't make him pee right before getting in to bed.  Risperdal alone doesn't tire him out, but he takes his pm dose with 1mg of melatonin and the two together do him in in 30 mins.

[Rebecca2009]

My son has been on Risperidone for a couple of years now, since he was about 5 or 6 years old.  Last summer his dosage was increased and it made him Very zoned out.  At first we didn't realize why he had changed and it was distressing.  Then when he began school his teachers were telling me they thought he had a seizure disorder. Turns out it was the med was far too high for him.  It tooke awhile for us to get his dosage back to where it was originally, now he is doing fine.

He takes one half of a 0.5 mg tablet twice a day and he weighs about 62 pounds.  Risperidone is a powerful drug and it has to be mangaged very carefully.