Urgent pls help 8yr old was in psy hospital 2 times for a week now on adderall xr & riperdol and clonidine?

Question

I am SO CONFUSED! is this right? he is only 8, had a bad temper tantrum at school, admitted him back to the hospital, has ADHD, ODD, Impulsivity, hyper can't stop talking. His tantrum was his 1st big one & scarry, flipping chairs, telling everyone to shut up, trying to hurt himself & he was on tofranil at the time when the hospital put him on it. Now he is on the adderall xr 20mg, risperdol 1mg, clonidine 1.0. The adderall is hurting his stomach and STILL HYPER, non-stop talking. What do I do now? My boyfriend can't believe how much more he is talking, we went shopping & my son never stopped talking, only ate 1 bowl of cereal today & a pretzel from the mall. Can't get him to eat. Does this hospital really know what my son has just from being in their 2 times? 1 wk in October & just this last week. They would test his brain or any real tests & my boyfriend thinks that is wrong. Son is working w/ a new therapist. Tonight he was itching all over when I put him to bed. why? pls help

Answer 1

OMG that is one tough kid... heres what to do.
Let me sum this up before i say it. Tofranil has awfull side efffects SOMETIMES, and it looks like he has some of them. It explains more temper than usual.

Common side effects of Tofranil:

Dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; excitement; headache; impotence; nausea; nightmares; pupil dilation; sensitivity to sunlight; sweating; tiredness; upset stomach; vomiting; weakness; weight loss or gain.

Severe side effects of Tofranil may include:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blurred vision or other vision changes; changes in sex drive; chest pain; confusion; constipation; fainting; fever; frequent or difficult urination; hallucinations; impulsive behavior or other unusual changes in behavior; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; jaw, neck, or muscle spasms; mental or mood changes (eg, increased anxiety, mood swings, agitation, irritability, nervousness, restlessness); panic attacks; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe dizziness or drowsiness; sore throat; stomach pain; suicidal thinking or behavior; swelling of the testicles; tremor; trouble sleeping; trouble walking or keeping your balance; twitching of the face or tongue; uncontrolled movements of arms and legs or stiffness; unusual bleeding or bruising; worsening of depression; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Answer 2

Itching all over tonight -- do check his body, particularly chest, back and face for any red rash or spots. If he is experiencing this it may well be an allergic reaction.and should be seen by a Dr.
If he is having trouble sleeping due to itching, but no rash, give Benadryl and Tylenol to help subdue the itching long enough for him to get to sleep.

One of the most distressing things for a parent is when a child is out of control, and placed in the psych hospital. While these are professionals at handling behavior and getting results for these ill children, -- your little guy is where your arms cannot protect him, and that just makes a mom ache inside. and yet....when he is a danger to himself and others he needs to be kept from harming.

It would help you immensely if you had a phone number to call with 24-hr. access to a psych nurse or therapist for information to assist you in your parenting and medication and behavioral dilemmas. That was something my daughter's therapist provided, even coming to the ER to assist with managing her through the process after an assault. If you need more information from the psychiatrist or the therapist -- ASK, and ask for ways to manage the behavior so that your home life can be as normal as possible.

Sometimes meds can alter a person's hunger or desire for food and water.

I applaud you for seeking to meet your sons needs at this age, rather than waiting until he is older. Do be careful of yourselves, that you are able to manage your child with a clear mind, not overburdened by the behavior. Do know when you need to have a break and let someone else care for him. Some school policies may allow for special care, possibly an aide to assist him in his behavior at school, as he could be considered a "handicapped child" Work with your school counselor to seek out what is available and what testing would be needed to go that route. (There is special government funding for these kids)

If you can meet with other parents in a support group, this may be of great benifit to you all.

Answer 3

I don't think Yahoo! Answers is going to get you a better answer than a licensed doctor, especially about something that seems so unique. I would recommend calling the doctor and telling them what is going on. If they can't help you, they may be able to recommend a specialist. Also, most of these disorders don't have a "real" test like a brain scan. They often require assessment through means that may not seem like "real" tests. Additionally, it is normal for Adderall to decrease your appetite. A book that might help you is Driven to Distraction by Edward Hallowell. Good luck with this.

Answer 4

I will! <3