Any experience with Straterra ???

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My son was diagnosed by the neurologist with having ADD,
He is 9 yrs old, and been diagnosed with Aspergers since he was in Kindergarten.
We have tried Intuniv recently, and it didn't work for him.

I am seeing more and more, the ADD side of him.....
very hyper, after school with the noises, spinning in circles, meowing at the cat, chasing his brother, etc, etc.....
He doesn't have Tourette's...... but these noises he makes are about to drive me CRAZY ! !!
When at school, he often times refuses to do any work, by laying his head on the table.

I am at my whits end ! !! !! !!
I am reluctant at giving him meds, but, something positive has to happen.
Meds, are the only thing, I can think of that we haven't already tried before ! !! !!
Urghhhhhhh ! !! !! !! !!
HELP ! !! !

Does anyone here have any useful advice for me on trying Straterra ?
The neurologist says it has shown great improvement on behavior, etc, with his clients.

They suggest 40mg x 4 days. then 60mg once a day after that.
ANOTHER thing, is they have to do a liver panel,
which means they have to draw blood..........
HOW IN THE HELL, am I going to get him to do that ???! !! !! !

Thanks

ADHD confuses me. The things you describe just sound like a child who is sensory-seeking to me. I jump around a lot and used to spin and make noises.

And do you know WHY he is refusing to do his work? When I did that I didn't understand the assignment, had executive functioning problems or was too depressed or overstimulated or anxious to do anything.

'ADHD confuses me. The things you describe just sound like a child who is sensory-seeking to me. I jump around a lot and used to spin and make noises.

And do you know WHY he is refusing to do his work? When I did that I didn't understand the assignment, had executive functioning problems or was too depressed or overstimulated or anxious to do anything'


Well, he has always made noises.... but, lately it has gotten worse.
It drives me a little batty, and this is a place for me to vent, "the parent's lounge", if you will.

He says, "it's because I have Asperger's", and sometimes I wonder if he is manipulating this into an excuse.

Please realize that communication is complicated for a child. Moreso for a child with AS. I have to agree with the other post. That doesn't sound like ADD. That sounds like an overstimulated child.

While it's always possible, people with AS are not typically manipulative by nature. I think he's having trouble telling you what he needs help with. He may not be able to break it down to explain what his difficulty is, so he uses a canned "I have AS" response.

It became harder and harder for me to cope as I aged because my "peers" were developing a lot of complex social behaviors that I didn't understand or care to engage in. It's possible that he's feeling that more this year and that's why you're seeing the increase in his sensory seeking behavior. Or it might be he's stressed about something else.

I would like to add that there's nothing wrong with venting, but your original post referenced ADD and potentially medicating your child. So that is why I am addressing the ADD concern you have.

thank you, countess.

Oh GOD,
he just used the "suicide" word.
What am I going to do ??

I am taking him to the counselor/psychiatrist again.
I pray and pray daily.....
I wish he could find happiness.
I feel so helpless.
BUT, I will DO ANYTHING to help my sweet son, find some peace.

My son has Aspergers/ADHD/GAD. His old doc prescribed this and my son had the dreaded "black box" side effects...suicidal thoughts, constant crying, etc. It was a nightmare. After that experience, I was scared to try anything else for quite some time.

My experience with other meds is in the "ADHD Meds" thread.

Kat

I didn't meant to criticize you for venting if that is what I did. I'm just speculating and trying to provide more understanding on the child's behaviour.

I think it would be very rare for an AS child to be able to manipulate in such a way.

Hello - I'm new here, but I can provide feedback about your question regarding Straterra.

My son (12 years old) took straterra and had a very bad reaction to that medication. He became very unpredictable, angry and violent. He said he didn't feel good while on it. We took him off of it and put him back on concerta and his behavior changed within 1 week. I do not recommend that particular medication - based of of my personal experience. Additionally his teachers had said they had seen other kids with bad experience with that particular medication.

Hope that helps!

it seems that the response to pmeds is highly individual. strattera worked very well for me, but it gave me gerd. concerta also worked well but it made me very cross. same for norpramin. unfortunately, it is still largely a matter of trial and error to find the right pmed.

I have ADHD in addition to AS, I went on Straterra and I when I started I had huge decrease in appetite and I lost several pounds as a result. I didn't stop it because I couldn't take any stimulant ADHD medications like Concerta. Not to mention that I also had irregular bowl movements in the beginning as well (when I was on 40mg dose instead of my normal 25mg or 18mg at the time) I have been varying the dosage over the past few years but it has help me significantly to get though middle school, high school and currently college.

If your son is able to get through getting used to the drug through everything, I believe it can help with his ADD. Good luck.

Actually it does sound like ADHD.
ADHD is about finding stimulation. It's over hyperactivity (one type is at least). Furthermore, it's about not being able to pay attention or do important tasks that it poses a problem in life.

Hmm OP about the blood test you need to tell him what will happen. If he has a low pain threshold he will need to know. And tell him it will only take a short time.

If he does go on meds you need to be able to teach him ways to control his behaviour. Meds won't magically make the problems go away, but they will make it much easier to control his behaviour.
Also that dosage sounds way to high for a child on the spectrum. I could only have 10mg. The doctor wanted me on 30mg but that would have been way too much.

Why can't finding stimulation be a sensory problem opposed to ADHD? I jump around, climb on furniture, have trouble sitting still, and can focus well but too intensely so I don't have ADHD.

kids and psychotropics dont mix well. Their brains are still developing and kids have totally different responces to these drugs than how they effect adults, plus because the brain was influenced by chemicals while it was still developing, some side effects can become permanent like motor tics etc. I saw that information on PBS: frontline

However there is a solution that I heard that works that is drug free. There was this kid in my sister's class that had off the charts ADHD, could not sit down if he tried and was running all over the room while the teacher was trying to teach, everyday. Well the school wanted him to go onto ADD meds, but the mother was a neo-hippie and was not going to put anything chemical into her kid. So she took the kid to a zen meditation teacher who taught him meditation, and within 6 months he was a totally different kid. He was taught to empty his mind to force all thoughts out of his mind for longer and longer periods of time (which takes alot of concentration btw) until he could do it for an hour. By 6 months he could do it for an hour and had the control of his mind to stay focused in school. Well there are also studies that show that meditation applied regualrly will change the chemistry of the brain. Plus the benefits are side effect free, drug free and longer lasting.

If I were you, I would try this and really work with him on the mediation cuz I have also appiled it myself and it works as well as drugs do. I know that some types of meditation can calm my mind better than xanax.

But if you start this kid on drugs he will be dependant on them the rest of his life to function and the side effects are really nasty in some of them. Like the one you are concidering, I have never heard it working for anyone that I known who took it. My mom passed out while on Stateria. Plus the reason you have to get these regular blood tests is because it can damage the liver. He does not need to start out life with a damaged liver. There are other options that work better than drugs.