Sorry, I can’t advice you as I don’t have kids on risperidone. I do have a daughter age 10yr who had in the past Ritalin with little effect and she’s currently using 75mg Sertraline/Zoloft and 150mcg Clonidine/Catapres.

Hi there! I am yet to give respiradone to any of my own children but support families who have children taking it for either ASD or generalised extreme anxiety, as well as in former employment taking care of children in state care.

Respiradone is like the ‘safer’ version of benzodiazapines (diazepam, tamazepam, olanzapine, etc). It takes immediate effect for the period given. The goal is to bring the child just before the threshold of where ‘fight or flight’ mechanisms are triggered do they have the chance to develop self regulation.

It doesn’t have an adjustment period like other mental health medications where behaviors can go temporarily off the rails, such as anti-depressants, whilst getting used to it so you are spared that concern.

If you have a good doctor they will start on a lower dose and monitor the response and only increase until the desired effect of simply ‘taking the edge off’ is reached. It should never be administered at a dose that wipes your child out.

Also, I have been told that recent research (presented at a conference that I did not attend and for a paper I have not yet read) indicated that it may be more effective to have the daily dose split into several doses across the day. However, please do not undertake this of your own volition. Please discuss it with your pediatrician, psychiatrist or other prescribing specialist to get clarity in administration and have it included in your prescription details and medication forms for your education and support providers. Best wishes!