The world of real school does that too – it’s not like the stereotypes of schools. Read the many, many accounts of real schools being unlike those stereotypes at http://ask.metafilter.com/220286/Jocks-Nerds-and-Rebels-tm .

Of course, if one pays less attention to one’s real-life classmates in one’s real-life school than to fictional characters in fictional schools in movies and books, *then* one can easily end up thinking that school is shallow bullshit where kids only care about prettiness and sports and parties…

I just typed an entire email and it got wiped out….

Please contact me re the autistic diet – it has helped me and my boys tremendously. That is, if you are interested.

They are 17 months apart, are non-verbal and have been diagnosed with mental dissabilities and autistic tendencies.

It’s a different kind of merry-go-round living with them, but their love is unconditional. On Riperidone/Risperdal they were zombies. Now, they have been kicked out of all special needs schools they attended because they are too loud as well as too “stupid/dumb”. Life has changed a lot, but this diet has helped us tremendously.

One thing – I buy dried chamomile flowers by the lb. I make tea with a herbal tea such as rooibos tea (caffeine free and deliciously tasting) and these chamomile flowers, hich I give hot or cold as an ice tea sweetened with xylitol. This helps a lot to calm them. Also, see if your child responds well to valerian root. Large doses usually give my boys upset stomachs, but a small dose once a day really helps them. See if his stomach handles it well and then give it to him at niight before he goes to sleep. But be sure to check during the day first. If he doesnt cope with it during the day, he might mess his bed at night.

I have to go – the boys want to watch dvd’s again.

Please contact me if you are interested or simply reply to this thread. There is an app that helps you shop for this condition…dont know the url right now. But if you let me know ill find it for you.

Good luck – you are an amazing person!

Lots of Love

Marianne

My 10 year old son with autism was prescribed Risperidone after a rage attack at the hospital where we had taken him to emergency. Out of desperation and crisis we started him on the medication. The dosages were .25 in the morning and .25 in the evening for three days and then upping the evening dosage to .5mg.

We saw an initial positive result. Slept soundly, less yelling, more smiles and seemingly less irritable, less running away from dogs and general anxiety. At school they reported that he was quieter and more willing to complete tasks. They also knew that he had started this med. He still was pretty cranky in the morning and still had his yelling and kicking episodes 1-2 times per day.

After the 3rd day of increasing the dosage, the school raved about his day. During these days on the drug, I had watched him carefully, since he is not verbal enough to tell us how he is feeling. I was and still am terrified of this “medicine.” After school we went home and he was set off. His rage was terrible. His nose started bleeding profusely and he started punching himself in the face. He was crying and yelling and kicking and hitting and biting me. He ran at the windows and tried to put his foot through the panes again and again. I called 911 as I was alone.

Long story short. That morning dosage was his last. He had taken it for a total of 8 days. Yesterday was his first day off of it and he had 5 terrible tantrums that day. We are covered in bruises. Today we’ve had one tantrum in the morning that was able to be redirected. We are so not out of the woods yet, but I thank all of you for your sharing your experiences. I wish ALL of you good health.

Lynn.

I have been taking this drug since 2008 – 2mg. Its true this medicine cured my mental illness(being very aggressive). But now I am Facing all the major side affects. Nose bleeding Hand shaking and all. Lost my aggression. Lost energy to do something.So many things to say.

Now I planned to quit in April. Taking small amount of medicine everyday and reducing it every week. I quit my job also just to take off this medicine. I am taking vitamins and on good diet. Doing Yoga and exercise. Lets see how it goes.