DRUGS To Break Focus on Special Interest?

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I'm waiting on an assessment for my son for AS but in talking to the intake team leader today she mentioned their thinking lately was to offer a drug to children to stop them hyper focusing on special interests. I was totally floored by the suggestion... on giving something to a child that would alter their brain chemisty so much. Does anyone on this forum have experience or comments on this?

Ability to hyperfocus is part of my strength, part of my weakness. It should very much remain a personal choice (or for a child, a parent deciding in the best interest of the child)

And I've somewhat learned to 'dance' an interest, either pursue it more or tail back a little.

Straight up, t sounds like this place is gung-ho in favor of 'normalcy', at cost of being yourself. You are right to be floored.

Concerta has helped me and my cousin with special interests. I decided to stop taking it because it made me depressed.

SSRI's can lessen obsessional behaviour and made me less focused in my special interests. It has since worn off and I'm just as obsessional as before.
It really depends whether being over focused on special interests is a bad thing or not. Special interests can be great to have but if they get in the way of school work or anything else in life, then they are not healthy. I had something like a schizoid personality where I was so into my imagination it got in the way of doing homework and school assignments. I had to turn it off for awhile and for years I was able to control when I imagined and at what intensity.
Personally I think if you use them in a productive way then they can be a really good thing. I have started little projects centered around my special interests. Of course if I was ever to work I would need to find a way to still be able to watch my favourite shows or offload my thoughts.

Ritalin helps me focus on my interests more but can also help me to switch between tasks. I have to have a degree of mental control though.

I would never take such a drug. If I didn't go back to liking The 60s and The Kinks, I would have never have taken up drumming. I don't like that normalcy thing very much. There is no way that I would ever take an obsession pill. When a nurse in the emergency ward at the hospital mentioned putting me on a sleeping pill and an obsession pill, I put my foot down and told her that I was not taking any obsession pills. I told her that I wasn't taking any pills of that type to please my mum or to please mainstream society. I also told the counselor in the hospital the next day, that I'm not taking any obsession pills and that if I wanted to dress the way that The Kinks did in the 60s, I should be able to and I told that nurse a bit of my childhood compared to that of my favourite member of that band and how different adults in our lives did similar things to him and I. I also told her that I know who I am and that I'm not confused and that I don't feel accepted by my mum because I feel more English than Canadian. The counselor talked to my mum alone for a few minutes and than we all came to a conclusion that I should be accepted as I am.

oh yes, take away one of the few individuals delights of an autistic person. I wonder how these people live with themselves.

They make you sick

I don't know why anyone would want to break their focus on their special interests. That's kind of silly. What sort of medication does that, anyway? I don't know of any. I'm on an Paxil(an SSRI) and Ritalin(only as needed, because i think it might be part of the reason for the tics i have) and neither of them have made me less focused on special interests. Paxil has gotten rid of or lessened some of my more ocd-like traits and things that might fall under "nonfunctional routines and rituals," though. I can see how that works, because Paxil helps with anxiety, and those things are often related to easing anxiety.. Special interests aren't really like that though, and i think they are just because of the way our brain processes stuff... We're wired to focus on details and repeat and obsess. I don't see how meds could change that without pretty much making you into a zombie.

I'd think very carefully before giving a child anything like that. Hyperfocus might make it more difficult to fit a child into the rat-race of modern society, but strong pharmaceuticals could give bigger problems. Better to accept people as they are, as long as they're not doing any harm.

I agree that everything depends on a situation, but in my opinion a life for someone with AS is quite depressing and difficult as it is. Focusing on my special interest is one of a few things that bring delight and colors to my world and at least for some time I can forget that I'm "on a wrong planet" (not the forum ) So I think that taking that away from someone would be cruel.
I also believe that some people can develop their special interests into something quite beneficiary later in life. So maybe focusing on them and being different isn't that bad after all

I think it depends on if the 'special interest' interferes negatively with functioning and enjoyment of life.
Most special interests likely wouldn't fall into this catagory, but if it gets so intense that not giving into it makes someone severely depressed or suicidal, then that's when drugs are needed. Or if they focus so much on it that they have no interest whatsoever in school/work, other people, or neccesities of life.

Otherwise obsessions can be quite good, as they can lead to employment in certain fields or at least be a source of enjoyment and relaxation.

Thank you for the responses, I share the same views. I was feeling outraged and insensed at what she suggested as she has not yet met my son, so I though she was out of line for commenting anyhow. We home school and he has been far more responsive this year in coming to do his school work when needed. His special interest is an issue at bedtime or sometimes mealtimes but I wouldn't want to take away his focus by some other means as it is his whole life at the moment. I am working towards supporting his special interests, the teacher we report to is great and she is on the same page as me and is helping me get him enrolled in some grade 11 courses next year (he will be grade 9) just so he can take Java programming.

He is on Prozac and has been for the last 2.5 years for his anxiety and it works really well for him our only issue was when they tried to take him off it last summer he became totally overwhelmed and could not cope, but since then has been fine on 20mg. Do his special interests interfer with his sleep, yes, probably if he's planning what to do next but I have the same problem, but some of my best thought or ideas come to me in the middle of the night! He has been on Melatonin for 4 years but as it is no longer effect I would be willing to try something that would help him get to sleep easily but nothing else or anything addictive. He also had trouble focusing on his school work during the daytime, but once I switched to late afternoon and early evenings he is really focused.

I'm not really looking forward to the assessment process as I have a feeling they are going to push many different things, but so long as I remain firm in what I think is best for him and until such times as he can make a decision for himself.

Many thanks

Lorraine

The last thing I'd want is drugs to lessen my special interests. I'm surprised such a drug even exists, special interests are very enjoyable for aspies and auties and not a hindrance to their well being.

no better living through chemistry for me and mine.

And she already has strong opinions on the way things should be? Not a good sign.

I guess see how things work out. And remember, you do have a right as a patient and human being and a parent to a second opinion. As an American, I kind of like what I hear about Canada's health care system, so I hope it's relatively easy for you to move laterally if need be.

I could not imagine a life without reading about or searching for new information about my special intrests. I could see giving it to a child who was doing nothing but their special intrest causing them problems in school but what if the kid's special intrest was something that was undercontrol?