Should My Autistic Son Be On Ritalin?
We have been waiting one year to get a mobile therapist into a home. We have been wait-listed. Like other families, there is a shortage of staff post-pandemic, and who knows when services will begin. The mobile therapist was to help with my son’s anxiety when the school bus dropped him off at the wrong location. He became so anxious and fearful of being alone and tried to confine me to a room in our house. He said, “I must know what room you will be in.”
I became so frustrated because he wouldn’t go outside and play in our yard, go to the mailbox himself, or even be upstairs in his bedroom alone. He became so fearful, and we thought the mobile therapist would help him in these moments. He was not like this before. It was like we took three steps backward.
Because of the waitlist, I found a therapist to “bridge the gap” until the mobile therapist arrived. I didn’t know we would be here a year later. We met the psychologist several times, and she recommended my son take Ritalin for his ADHD.
I am aware that under the umbrella of autism, ADHD is ubiquitous. Our son has ADHD but is not officially diagnosed because of autism.
I told the psychologist, “I know my son has ADHD, which is common with autism. But why are you recommending Ritalin?”
She replied, “I think we should treat his ADHD as a separate entity.” I had my son’s teachers fill out the Vanderbilt questionnaire. And the psychologist rated him and said, “I think we should start to give him Ritalin.”
It was an interesting discussion to have. As we have met other people along the way, I have never had this discussion before. And I thought, why now? Why treat ADHD separately?
Frankly, I wasn’t sure if that was the right solution. My son cannot verbalize the side effects he may be feeling. I wasn’t sure that this was a great idea. But I want my son to have the best life possible; maybe this is a solution to help him.
I went to his pediatrician (because the psychologist cannot prescribe Ritalin) and had another conversation, knowing he also has a cardiac condition. The doctor said, “We could try it and see how it helps him. But I also want you to know that Ritalin may not be the right drug. We will have to see if he has any side effects. We could switch to another drug, but we will have to worry about his blood pressure knowing about his cardiac condition because increased blood pressure can be a side effect.”
As a middle and high school teacher, I know many kids have taken Ritalin or Adderall. They take medicine in the morning, become zombie-like, and bounce off the walls by the afternoon. It was apparent to see how the treatment changed these kids. This is not normal, and I even spoke my concerns to their parents about it, but nothing was done.
I have read about the side effects of Ritalin or Adderall and how it affects current college kids. They take Adderall (without an ADHD diagnosis) to focus and study, which can lead to other addictions. I have also read that in the past decade, there have been many overdiagnoses of ADHD in children.
I told the doctor, “I don’t want this medicine to change the essence of who he is.”
Her response was clear, “Yes. I agree. Because he is not neurotypical, we will want to try to help him if we can.”
So the doctor wrote a prescription.
In the meantime, I met with another child therapist who has an autistic son as well. She was absolutely against my son being on Ritalin. She said, “Don’t be nice!”
I said, “What do you mean?”
She said, “You are the advocate for your son. You will meet many idiots and incompetent people along the way who don’t even know about autism. I have been a child therapist, a nurse, and a social worker and have been doing my job for 41 years. I know what I am talking about. I left my son’s psychiatrist’s office and said, “You don’t know what you are talking about, and I won’t be paying my copay. Thank you.”
I loved her don’t-beat-around-the bush- attitude, yet she seemed jaded.
She continued, “Few people worldwide are considered autism experts. I know what I went through on my journey with my son, who is now 21. Doctors should not be prescribing this medication, only psychiatrists. I am not putting doubt in your team. However, doctors are spent, and I am sure your pediatrician is wonderful, but she spends only so much time with your son. Does she know about his ADHD? Did your son’s teachers say anything to you? And why would someone prescribe Ritalin when your son has a heart condition? Don’t make assumptions. Not all teachers and doctors are autism experts, and don’t be nice!”
Jason and I decided not to give him Ritalin at this point in his life since he is only ten years old. But as a parent, I question if I am doing the right thing. Our primary concern is giving him this medication with his heart condition. I would love for my son to decide if this is the right path as he ages, but I know he may be unable to communicate this. So at this point, we will focus on his heart and not have to worry about the side effects of ADHD medicine.
This drives us to research whether autistic people take Ritalin to treat ADHD as a separate entity.
And so, the journey continues.
