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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Will Taking Strattera Be Safe For ADHD & Aspergers?

i have a 5 year old son that seems to show both signs of adhd and aspergers.... they are treating hin for the adhd with concerta 27 and risperdal .5 at night.... hes still impulsive and hyper.... hes been on the meds for a year now i dont think this medicine is working.... can strattera be given to him at his age and is it used for both conditions?
Wed, 19 Nov 2014
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Pediatrician 's  Response
Strattera is a good medication for ADHD and can be given to your son. It takes a few weeks to see the full benefit so some some doctors will continue the concerta for the first month while building up the Strattera. The benefit if Strattera is that it also lowers anxiety, it lasts 24 hours so once a day dosing is enough, there are no rebound symptoms as seen with the stimulant medications and it does not suppress the appetite as much. It might also allow you to stop the Risperdal, a medication which I personally feel should not be used for long periods of time and should be avoided in children as young as your son. He will need a lot of help navigating the social aspects of life if he has high functioning autism. What was formerly called Asperger syndrome is now included in the Autistic spectrum. Children who fit this description can have difficulty reading others and want desperately to fit in but feel they cannot understand their peers. They are also more often than not unusually smart and intensely focused on a particular interest. If you are one to watch TV, see the first season of Bones for an very accurate depiction of a brilliant person with Asperger’s. It is based on a real individual and does a good job of showing what it is like for the affected person. Another possible area of difficulty might be motor pragmatics, i.e. complex motor activities such as sports may seem difficult or the child may seem too awkward. If this is the case, introducing him to Yoga and one of the martial arts with individual lessons one on one not in a group at first will help him build motor skills and confidence. Imagine if everyone were born knowing how to play the piano. Those of us who could not would be considered disabled. Children with Aspergers have to learn social skills much like you or I would have to practice the piano. Specifuc explanations and detailed instruction with role playing and the use of the "social stories" books will give him a frame of reference. As he gets a but older, others may try to get him into trouble by sensing his desire to fit in and his naive nature, using it for their own vivacious enjoyment as they see him misbehave at their encouragemeant. Warn him not to do things he is being asked to do by others unless they, too are participating and he is sure the activities are ok. Invite children over to play with him at your home and inconspicuously coach him if he falters. Read about Asperger’s and talk with other parents and even their older children. Know that he can have a full and rewarding life and he is not defined by a disability but rather blessed with a difference that has a lot of benefits. Thomas Jefferson, Bill Gates, Einstein, Steven Spielberg, Dan Akroyd, Alexander Graham Bell, and many others have this diagnosis and are very successful.
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Will Taking Strattera Be Safe For ADHD & Aspergers?

Strattera is a good medication for ADHD and can be given to your son. It takes a few weeks to see the full benefit so some some doctors will continue the concerta for the first month while building up the Strattera. The benefit if Strattera is that it also lowers anxiety, it lasts 24 hours so once a day dosing is enough, there are no rebound symptoms as seen with the stimulant medications and it does not suppress the appetite as much. It might also allow you to stop the Risperdal, a medication which I personally feel should not be used for long periods of time and should be avoided in children as young as your son. He will need a lot of help navigating the social aspects of life if he has high functioning autism. What was formerly called Asperger syndrome is now included in the Autistic spectrum. Children who fit this description can have difficulty reading others and want desperately to fit in but feel they cannot understand their peers. They are also more often than not unusually smart and intensely focused on a particular interest. If you are one to watch TV, see the first season of Bones for an very accurate depiction of a brilliant person with Asperger’s. It is based on a real individual and does a good job of showing what it is like for the affected person. Another possible area of difficulty might be motor pragmatics, i.e. complex motor activities such as sports may seem difficult or the child may seem too awkward. If this is the case, introducing him to Yoga and one of the martial arts with individual lessons one on one not in a group at first will help him build motor skills and confidence. Imagine if everyone were born knowing how to play the piano. Those of us who could not would be considered disabled. Children with Aspergers have to learn social skills much like you or I would have to practice the piano. Specifuc explanations and detailed instruction with role playing and the use of the social stories books will give him a frame of reference. As he gets a but older, others may try to get him into trouble by sensing his desire to fit in and his naive nature, using it for their own vivacious enjoyment as they see him misbehave at their encouragemeant. Warn him not to do things he is being asked to do by others unless they, too are participating and he is sure the activities are ok. Invite children over to play with him at your home and inconspicuously coach him if he falters. Read about Asperger’s and talk with other parents and even their older children. Know that he can have a full and rewarding life and he is not defined by a disability but rather blessed with a difference that has a lot of benefits. Thomas Jefferson, Bill Gates, Einstein, Steven Spielberg, Dan Akroyd, Alexander Graham Bell, and many others have this diagnosis and are very successful.