I have a 5 yr old grandson who was born at 34 wks weighing…

Hi,

I am Susan McPhail, M.Ed. I've been teaching special education for 23 years and am the parent of an adult daughter who has autism. I have had training and conducted training in a variety of interventions designed to alleviate issues that are faced by people with autism/Asperger's syndrome, and I regularly present to university students and teachers on the subject. I have served as an expert witness and advocated for people who are on the spectrum of autism for over 20 years. I am currently a doctoral candidate and the focus of my dissertation is autism training for teachers.

It sounds like your grandson has characteristics that might indicate autism spectrum disorders, probably on the Asperger's end. I am concerned about a five year-old taking Risperdol as I have just returned from a very informative conference at which Temple Grandin was a key note speaker. She specifically mentioned Risperdol as a medication that is not appropriate for people with autism, but especially not for young children on the spectrum. We have recently taken our 23 year-old daughter off Risperdol due to some troubling side effects. She is doing great without the psychotropic medication. I would take him to a reputable therapist and to a pediatrician who is familiar with autism and who doesn't prescribe Risperdol for 5 year-olds. I would seek a proper diagnosis and evaluate his needs and include them on his IEP. They may be speech therapy, behavior therapy, occupational therapy, or social/functional skills training. The school is obligated by law to provide what he needs to be successful in education. They are to provide what is appropriate for him to make gains in school.

Thank you for the question and I hope that I've helped. Please consider accepting as it helps in supporting my further endeavors to assist families and individuals affected by autism spectrum disorder. If you need additional information or assistance, please let me know through Just Answer.

Susan