Question for Aspies re: aggressive behaviour

My daughter is Asperger's and 7 yrs old. She takes risperdal for
aggression. Without it, she's almost not human, it seems. She's
easily aggitated, hits, kicks, bites, slams kids up against the wall,
stabs with pencils. When she's on her meds she's generally much
easier to be around and isn't aggressive.
I always dread the one day where she might miss a dose of her meds and do something really bad to someone. And this scares me the older she gets. She'll probably be my size when she's a teen, and who can curb her aggression then if she misses a dose of her meds?
Any Aspies out there who have been-there-done-that, and any words of hope and reassurance for me?
I love my aspie girl dearly, but at the same time she sometimes scares
me.
Thanks!
Kim

No intelligent suggestions here.
Though, I've read a bit about how too much stimulus or lack thereof can trigger imbalances.

Were you able to track it to a pattern? Like her getting more aggressive when the vacuum cleaner is on; or when the TV, which makes high pitch sounds no one I know but I can hear; or if she is wearing something - anything - that itches, hurts, etc.

If you can do this, that is, find out what drives her to aggression, and then explain your findings to her, as she grows up... maybe the two of you can work it out together.

Then again, it could be lack of stimulus. Or frustration at certain things neurotypical people would not be bothered with.

I have read there are almost certainly times when people are more _____ (aggressive, in this case) than other times. The parent is probably the best person to observe and note what these are.

This advice may be worthless to you since my diagnostic session for AS is still several weeks away, but I had much of the same behavior when I was a child, only it was directed at other people. In particular, I remember doing such things to them when they touched or disorganized my things without my permission, disrupted my schedule, did something I didn't understand, made too much noise (too many people taking or people talking too loud still bothers me), and touched my head when I didn't expect it.

My absolute worst years were 15-17 then I suddenly mellowed out at 18. Violent behavior can still happen when I feel threatened, which may be due to the very low ability to assess social situations and gague emotions by body language according to tests I've been given.

My understanding of this issue with autism is that autists have a very low ability to assess the thoughts and emotions of other people and improper or no ability to express, or in some cases even understand, their own emotions. This can lead to no other way to let the stress that such events cause autists out until they explode.

I don't think it's related directly to Asperger's.

I'm quite non-violent (outside computer games), and generally go out of my way to avoid violence, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that I can and will escalate a situation far beyond what the opponent was expecting or willing to do himself.

My violent nature comes from cold logic. If there is logical reason for me to fear physical violence and there is not a reliable method to avoid or escape it, logic (as I see it) dictates that the best response is to instantly initiate the violence at the maximum level required to absolutely guarantee that this will be the first and last incident involving this particular person.

That means if this guy was expecting some kind of a fist fight, I should employ foreign objects that will cause such severe damage that he is unwilling to ever risk confrontation with me again. If the individual is attempting a felony crime (burglary, mugging, etc) the only logical assumption is that they are fully prepared to use lethal force. Thus my only logical course of action is to employ lethal force first.

Now I recognize that this is very cold, very violent, and generally would be considered an inappropriate response. So I try to avoid situations where my set of criteria could be triggered (and just in case I haven't made it clear, escape is almost never removed as an option. On the other hand, I never consider it an option if I'm at home - I defend that without question.)

See, the difference is that my capacity for violence comes from cold application of logic designed to ensure my survival in any situation. Because of my Asperger's I don't really have an emotional or psychological problem with causing injury or death to protect myself, but by the same token I would always rather not be violent, since aggression can lead to denial of rights (getting stuck in a mental institution or jail).

It's a matter of what makes sense, what's logical - more than what's "right" or "wrong".

I see this post has been dead for a while, but its interesting.
The irrational and violent behaivour is how i used to behave as a kid too...fortunately for me i was physically alot stronger than most other kids my age...unfortuante for them though
I lost my desire for violence somewhere about age 11-ish..since then I havent been in a single fight, 7 years later, which is actually quite non-violent i guess...
In terms of restraint, im concerned if I ever did get myself into a fight, I may use anything and everything I could until they were in hospital...I guess that makes me psychopathic...and a danger to society...

I used to be an aggressive child, but I learned to control it (for the most part). Once I realized that what I was doing was not normal, I made an effort to check myself every time it seemed like I was doing something wrong. This took care of most of my troubles, but some still get through. There's only so much I can take without wanting to destroy something.

My parents came up with a solution that worked well, though. They got me a punching bag to take out my agression on. No one gets hurt and nothing gets destroyed, no matter how hard you punch or kick it. The only hard part will be building up the patience necessary to be able to get home before the fists start flying. Hopefully she'll be able to hold it in without medication later on in life.

Good luck, Kim!

As a child I was aggressive only in the presence of my family - There was one particular door that I kicked for no apparent reason in my mother's friend's house. Anyway, around people that I didn't know I showed the usual symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome.


So, as Spektyr has stated I don't think the aggressiveness is part of Asperger's. Perhaps your child will eventually learn that being aggressive is not worthwhile. While saying that, I would continue to seek advice on this matter, perhaps on parenting forums. I am 23 years old and am not yet a parent and thus can offer no concrete advice.

Kimberly Ann

I suffer from much of what you are describing your daughter is doing...

always did, except my parents didn't have meds back in the late 60's to earily 80's...

finally put on Haldol, (put me to sleep); switched to risperdal (you know the one your daughter is on...) now trying Abilify (which is for schizophrenia and Bi-polar but we are having wonderful success with it already at 5 mg a day...)

Abilify is doing better than risperdal... and risperdal did better than Haldol... (and I don't have such a high pitch voice...)

noise "chips away at my brain and just drives me to anger and rage" as if "an ax were chiping away my brain cells"

Oh the joy of being deaf, if only in heaven I could look forward to that...

doctors won't even consider me autistic or any subclass of it because I am way beyond the years to dx it for me... I'm pushing 40 in about 3 months...

###disclaimer### personal success with Abilify, do not take this as medical advice above your doctor###
this is only personal success story with abilify...

risperdal was first considered a med only for schizophrenia and BI-polar### back in 93 (or so) when I was put on it

here comes the disclaimer again...
###please don't do something stupid!!!

I am alot like that but don't take medicine or pills or what not.I get so easily pissed off and when i am angry i have little control over my actions.By now though my family have realised this so try their hardest not to spark me off.Maybe it's a problem to do with not being able to put yourself in other peoples shoes.I never realised it but i'm begining to think i do that maybe you should just try to explain that other people have feelings and you should treat them with the same respect as you want them to treat you.