Asperger's Syndrom - ADD and medications

[MiRoCK]

My husband has a son ('J') who has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome.  'J" is VERY high functioning, but has typical problems with social interaction, interpreting social cues, etc.  He can also get quite fixated on certain subjects, topics or activities.  He is currently 9 years old.

Grade 2 for 'J' was miserable, but Grade 3 has gone significantly better, mostly due to the efforts of his teacher.  He has an IEP and does receive some special education support/monitoring from the school, but receives his education in the main classroom.  All of his grades are above 80 at this point.  Although he requires a 'daily contract' at school with his teacher, due to the teacher's efforts, it seems to have worked for the boy.

My husband and I don't live in the same state as his children, but have tried to keep current with 'J's" activities, long distance, as best as we can.  Mom isn't too forthcoming about what goes on with 'J' - she always tells my husband that 'everything is fine'. (we hear about the discplinary notices that get sent home only from 'J' - never mom or the school).  We have received documentation from the school that mom has been offered training, seminars, and in-home support, to help her manage the problems related to AS, but mom has TURNED DOWN all offers - even though the state is offering them to her for FREE!!!!.

Today, we received a letter from mom notifying us that she has been doing research on the web and that she feels that J has ADD.  She and his teacher have filled out a survey, and that she has an appointment with the doctor, to review the survey and to determine if J requires medication.

My husband flipped!  First of all, despite the fact that they share joint custody, mom refuses to give my husband the names, phone numbers and addresses of their doctors (we are in the process of filing a motion with the courts to correct this).  Furthermore, he is finding out about this THE DAY before the appointment!  He's asked mom for the name of the doctor and phone number, but she has refused.

My husband and I have been attending AS Parent support groups where we live.  We are aware that ADD can be an additional problem for children with AS, but our understanding is that you can't make that kind of diagnosis without running a whole slew of tests - not just a questionnaire!!!  Mom stated that she 'isn't a fan of medication', but feels that it would be best for J.  My husband is flipping because he feels that medication is a last resort!  Why can't she take the training and use the FREE support  that is being offered as a FIRST step!!

So, our questions are as follows:

1.  What tests are typically conducted for AS and ADD?
2.  How dangerous could ADD medication be for J, if it isn't really necessary?

Thanks for you input

[true]

Hey there,

I am sure by now you have found a number of websites and or books to help you out with your search. I just thought that I would add there is the website  http://ldonline.com/ It is one that I can search through and also has a very good forum area. There is also aspergers.com.

In regards to the IEP process that your child currently is involved in your ex Can Not keep you from being involved. If need be due to distance you can ask the special education department manager if your child's lead person involved refuses to set up a phone conferance.

It is my understanding that by Federal Law you as a parent even a divorced parent are to be allowed to be a Active Partcipant. I would also look at the website http://www.wrightslaw.com/ this website is filled with resources, information it can almost be overwhelming at first but in the long run it will be a website that ends up in your favorites. Your child's educational welfare is in your hands and being an active particpant is how it works.

There are also IEP groups located on Yahoo groups. There are many different groups on the yahoo groups. I am sure there are probably other servers that have them as well. There are so many avenues that you can utilize but honestly as a parent of a child with disabilities I have made many mistakes along the way and most likely will continue to but I am working hard not too. Feel free to contact me, I am not an authority, nor would I claim to be totally knowelegable hopefully just helpful.

Hope this helped,
true

[tulip]

He was diagnosed with ADD when he was in first grade. That's pretty typical for kids to falsely diagnosed with ADD, because the tests they do for ADD are not that in-depth. Teacher's just want the kids to quit disrupting their class, so they look for the easiest fix.

OSS was on medication from the time he was 6 or 7 until about 17. DH said he never noticed a difference whether he took it or not. Teachers said they did. I came into his life when he was 15. He wasn't diagnosed with Asberger's until he was 17, and had been in trouble with the law. He has an obsession with computers, especially certain web-sites and message boards. It started out with him getting grounded for misusing computers at-home and school. He couldn't stop, and he eventually starting running away from home and breaking into the school to use the computers. Finally, he was court-ordered to have a psych eval at the juvenille detention center, and diagnosed with AS. He is still struggling with the same issues and is having a really hard time with adult life. (He's 20.)

It is imperative that your ss be properly diagnosed at a young age, so he can get the counseling and treatment he needs. I don't think medication is used for AS. I would talk to a medical professional to find out how Ritalin and Aderall can affect a child when they are improperly administered.

Anytime a child is said to have ADD, I think the parents should get another opinion. My ss isn't the only child I know misdiagnosed with that disorder. It's very common. Sometimes perfectly normal children with high energy levels are said to have ADD because their teachers don't know how to deal with them. Many times, there is another problem that needs to be discovered and treated.

Check out these websites:

http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/
http://www.aspergers.com

and the book Blue Bottle Mystery by Kathy Hoopman

[katz]

1. What tests are typically conducted for AS and ADD? Questioneers that are given to several people in contact with the child (parents, teachers ect) are a common way to dx add (btw are you sure it is add, and not adhd there is a difference). There also is the way of brain scans, very expensive, insurance wont cover it, and it isnt usually the dr's first choice because of those factors. And actually that is what started the autistic (which asperbergers is in the autism spectrum), diagnosis for my step daughter.

2. How dangerous could ADD medication be for J, if it isn't really necessary? As I understand it with most the possible medications for add, IF the child does not have it, it will have the opposite of the desired effect. Basically to a normal brain wave, it would act as speed and speed the child up even more (in the case of ADHD).

Also since my step daughter is autistic, I have been to a few seminars, and found them to not be very helpfull in my case. Granted it was our first step, it just didnt help as much as I had hoped it would.

[4honor]

Adderall was originally developed for the military to assist its individuals to become the perfect warriors. It increases the concentration of ANYONE (why do you think it is the most widely abused drug in collge towns) and makes them antisocial as they become more and more task oriented.

Side effects range from poor appetite to death.  The drug can place additional strain on the heart. Ritalin the same. They can cause moodiness to the point of being highly emotional. It can cause withdrawl from social situations. It can wreak havoc on metabolism and appetite. It can cause tremors in extremities. If you are inconsistent with administration of it, it can cause psychosis - because it alters your perception of reality.

We have found that Adderall make SS a very VIOLENT child (SS has significant vision problems and not ADD ~ but try telling that to BM.) He must be closely watched on Friday nights when he comes to our home so that while he is coming off this medication he does not kill his little brothers just to see what would happen. He is not allowed to touch the cat, the dog or any person smaller than him until Saturday morning. SS has not taken medication in our home in 4 years... BM does not send it.

Adderall may make your SS MORE antisocial and significant testing should be required, as the medication may exacerbate his problems, not assist.

Do not discount the diagnosis, but request/demand a thorough work up, so that other diagnoses will come to light if it is not truly ADD/ADHD. If you have him for a significant amount of time over Christmas break set up an appointment for testing during that time.

[catherine]

and takes a small dose of Ritalin and it has made all the difference in the world in regards to his education.

Tests included questionarries (BM refused to fill hers out) for all the parents (steps), the teachers (2 of them), and the DR did a 1/2 hour interview.  Because BM fought this big time, we also went to a psychologist and a psycharist that also confirmed the diagnosis.  That's it to testing, but your DH and you should have been a part of it.

In our case, BM still tells YSS that there is nothing wrong with him and we only make him take his meds so we don't have to deal with him.  His school records show a MUCH different story!

[stillfighting]

I have a son with Asperger Syndrome and he gets Focalin which is helping him a lot. He was haveing trouble in Kindergarten but instead of finding out why my STBX took him out of school and said she would home school. While I was away (a few months) she was smoking crack and ignoring the children.

If I were you I would read every book I could get my hands on, I have several that have helped alot, serch the web and be positive and loving it works wonders. Search for famous people with Asperger Syndrome, you will be amazed. I wish all the luck in the world with your child.

A RICH MAN IS ONE WHOM WHEN HIS POCKETS ARE EMPTY HIS CHILDREN FILL HIS ARMS

[msme]

Just wanted to mention that there are several forms of ADD & ADHD that are vision based. Medication will not help & as you said, can actually make them worse.

My younger son was diagnosed with vision based ADD when he was 21 by Dr. Arthur Siederman, the author of a wonderful book, "20/20 Is Not Enough". It gives you a totaly new perspective of vision. I would recomend it to anyone who has a child with ADD or ADHD, especially if the child wears glasses.

Good luck & God bless.
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!