Risperidone

[jgrau]

Does anyone give their child Risperidone with a stimulant medication like Ritalin? I have read about a study that reports that Risperidone (brand name Risperdal) reduces Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and enhances the effect of Ritalin. What has been your experience? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?

[Elijah1]

Risperidone can help for behavioral rigidity or inflexibility (for those who have problems 'going with the flow' and adjusting to change). This is one way it can help ODD. It also has a modest effect on anxiety and obsessive compulsive behaviors. You are correct that studies have shown a benefit when maximizing the stimulant medication was not enough.

[MunchkinMommy537]

My son is on Risperdol, although not with a stimulant (yet...CVS sucks). It has helped even out his behavior, which is important before starting a stimulant because stimulants enhance what’s already going on in the brain, and sometimes that means it makes bad behaviors worse (this all comes from his psychiatrist). My only issue with the medication is that it has caused him to gain a significant amount of weight over the past couple of months. Abilify is another mood stabilizer that was developed to not have the side effects Risperdol does, so I would suggest looking at both.