I have a 4 yr. 4 mo. old sone who came down with an apparent viral
 menigo-encephalitis at 4 months of age.  This left him with moderate
 quadraplegic spastic cerebral palsy (much worse on the right side),
 a mild seizure disorder, and general significant developmental delays
 in all areas.  He currently functions at approximately a 1 year level.
 He was on phenobarbitol the first 15 months after the illness.  The only
 observed clinical seizures were within 2 weeks of the illness.  EEG's
 at 6 and 21 months showed some sub-clinical seizure activity, with similar
 results for 6 mo. when on phenobarbitol and 21 mo. when off phenobarbitol.
 We took him off phenobarbitol against the recommendation of our neurologist
 but under his supervision.  He was noticeably more alert and less drowsy
 after taking him off.  There was a noticeable developmental spurt in the
 6 months following cessation of medication.  Given that there were no
 clinical seizures the neurologist said we were lucky nad that as long as
 no new seizures or other new neurological problems developed there wasn't
 much a neurologist could do for us.  We last saw him at 31 months.

 Current;

    Recently our family doctor strongly recommended we see another neurologist
 specializing in pediatric neuro-chemistry.  We went to see him last week.
 He is tentatively recommending we try CLONIDINE (brand name CATAPRES).
 He has also ordered an MRI and new EEG, which may possibly alter this
 recommendation.  He definitly indicated that this use of the drug was
 experimental, but a relatively safe experiment.  The literature he gave
 me indicated it is frequently helpful in treating Tourette's Syndrome,
 attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and obsessive/compulsive disorders.
 None of these diagnoses really apply but some symptoms are in common;
 he bites himself, is irritable, has poor sleep pattersn, attention span
 in highly variable and task dependent, and much of his play is highly
 repetitive.

    I guess I am asking the net experts if they have any informed opeinions on
 this experiment.  On one hand I recognize that I am a somewhat desparate
 parent anxious to try anything that might help.  However given my son's
 extremely poor communication skills I am not sure I would recognize many of
 the side effects.  I already have major difficulties determining if he is
 crying because something hurts or if he's just irritable.  Similarly
 I'm not sure how easy it would be to recognize and improvement.  I note
 my laymen's type guide to prescription {*filter*} lists clonidine only as a drug
 for high {*filter*} pressure (definitly not the problem here) and says the
 drug has not been approved for use for children under 12.  This experiment
 also promises to be costly in terms of both time and money.  This doctor
 is expensive and a 3 hour drive from home.  Thanks in advance for any
 information you can give me.

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     Trindel Maine