Comments on: Psychiatric Medications for Preschoolers

By: Regan

Regan — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:18:58 +0000

Kristina,
Your and Jim’s experience in training probably parallel’s ours here pretty closely, that’s why I thought that the PMT and PCIT might look quite familiar…and not what is commonly thought of as “psychotherapy” (not a couch in sight). I put up the links so others might have a chance to see what the structure of the recommendations are.

I’m sure you guys deliberated and observed a lot before deciding on meds. If they make it better, they make it better.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:56:28 +0000

And here is Autism Speaks hosting a Symposium on the Development of Novel Neuropharmacological Therapeutics for Autism at the Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology on December 14, 2007 in Boca Raton, Fla.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:55:22 +0000

Regan, thanks for those links—-both Jim and I were trained in ABA when Charlie started doing ABA in the fall of 1999. I’ve also had VB training and lots of 1:1 coaching from in-home consultants—-so yes, I do think I’ve in essence done some of the therapies you mention. Deciding to give Charlie medication (he was 6) was a decision reached only after much discernment, self-scrutiny, and behavior plans. Once we started the medication, there were more behavior plans—-it’s a back and forth.

By: KimJ

KimJ — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 17:10:08 +0000

We’ve never put Pop on meds, heck, we can’t get him to take antibiotics or vitamins.
But I do apply Niksmom’s theory, promoting sensory outlet and avoidance to help control his SID. When he wasn’t speaking (well enough to make his needs/wants known) we did all sorts of sensory exercises with him. Now he can do them alone.
Dr. Temple Grandin discusses the use of psychotherapy in her own early childhood (albeit under vastly different circumstances) and says Speech Therapy would have benefited her much more. If you’re not talking yet and have significant receptive language delay, psychotherapy isn’t going to make much impact.

Never say never is right, and we’re fully aware that Pop’s needs may drastically change when puberty sets in.

By: Autismville

Autismville — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:15:31 +0000

No meds as of yet, but I’ve learned to never say never. Jack is just four, but all the therapy in the world doesn’t seem to help overcome the stereotypical, self-stimulatory behavior. We attempt to intervene, but his drive to engage in the behavior seems relentless at times…

Addressing his sensory needs does seem to help, but only a little. Thankfully he hasn’t been self-injurious yet. Hopefully by the time we may need meds, even better options will be available.

By: Marla

Marla — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:11:53 +0000

And how exactly do they do psycotherapy with a toddler? We have had our daughter on medications since she was three. She has always done better, been able to focus, reduction in aggressive behaviors, sleeps better and has less anxiety and of course her seizures are under control when she is on medications for them. It was certainly not my wish to medicate her but I do believe her life has been made better through use of medications. We have tried weaning her off of certain medications many times and it is always obvious that she needs the medications. She is at the point now where she can communicate about her medications and recently said about her Strattera, “I need that med. Don’t make it stop.” That was the first time she fought us on stopping a medication. I could not believe it.

By: Niksmom

Niksmom — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:41:19 +0000

oops…meant processing…

By: Niksmom

Niksmom — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:40:53 +0000

Perhaps a controversial reply…wouldn’t it be wonderful if SPD (sensory processinf disorder) were recognized in the DSM and we could try NON-pharma approaches to helping our littlest kids by giving their bodies the sensory input they need instead of altering their pathways? We are not yet in a position where we will have to make the pharma decision but will put it off as long as possible. I see tremendous changes in Nik when he gets significant and appropriate amounts and types of sensory input. Of course, getting schools to take on the added burden of providing necessary training to teachers and additional OT’s…well, sure, drugs are much cheaper for the schools! Sigh. It’s a tangled skein…

By: Beth

Beth — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:01:53 +0000

My son began Ritalin just shy of 6. It was a very difficult decision and it was recommended to me by 3 seperate (and unrelated) professionals before I was willing to try it. I don’t think that I could have been willing to try it with a preschooler. It has made such an incredible difference for him.
All of the psychotherapy in the world could not help my son focus in class and control his impulsive actions. My son does not get individual psychotherapy (nor do I believe that it would benefit him) but I do agree that medication alone is not the answer. In lieu of psychotherapy, I think a supportive academic environment with some group counseling in the school setting would be a better recommendation for children this young (or in my son’s case) where they do not have the capacity for self-awareness or personal reflection quite yet.
The medication decision is tough for any parent to make.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:10:32 +0000

For me, personally, I shudder to think of preschool age children being medicated. I do appreciate the merits of older children being medicated (although never having faced the decision myself I’m not aware of all the angles) but seems to me a preschool child should be given a chance to grow and mature a bit more before putting drugs in their little bodies.