[momof9wantingmore]

My dear AS is 7 years old and after being misdiagnosed (Aspergers autism) for years, has finally been properly diagnosed with FASD and all the behaviors that come with it. He was 2 when he came to us as a foster child (adopted at 3) and had temper tantrums but nothing my DH and I thought we couldn't handle. As he got older and bigger he would go into rages that would last hours, he became completely defiant, refusing to do anything he did not want to do. He would threaten to cut us, said he hated us etc. When the rage was over he would act as if nothing ever happened, it was getting so bad we almost could not go anywhere or do anything and he was becoming very spoiled as we would do just about anything to prevent a meltdown. We finally consulted a child psychiatrist. They put him on Abilify, which helped but he gained too much weight and became very lethargic, so he was switched to Geodon(sp) which was horrible, nightmares, terrors etc. Now he is on Strattera which is for ADHD but studies have shown it to work well for the behaviors associated with FASD, we are very happy, he is doing well with mimimal side effects, his old delightful self is back without the rages. I know he will never become an easy child but we are thrilled to get through the days without being called jerks and jackasses. Has anyone else had a child on Straterra for FASD and did in continue to work well for them?

[MomwithFive]

<<he is doing well with mimimal side effects, his old delightful self is back without the rages. I know he will never become an easy child but we are thrilled to get through the days without being called jerks and jackasses.>>

I am glad you are now spared the rages, they can be so very draining. My daughter was exposed to etoh in utero and we wonder if this has any effect on her "meltdowns" as we call them. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to them.
I hope the calmness remains in your home. It's hard.