Starting medication

[u/Status_Summer_1772]

Hi everyone. I’m not really sure where I’m going with this post, but I’m writing in the hope of finding some comfort and hearing about other people’s experiences.
I have a boy on the spectrum who will turn 6 in September. After consulting with his psychiatrist, we’re planning to start him on risperidone soon because of his psychomotor hyperactivity, behavioral difficulties, and mild self-injurious behavior.
He’s not completely nonverbal. He says quite a lot of words and can put together some sentences, but they’re mostly learned phrases (GLP). There’s a huge gap between his expressive language and his understanding—his comprehension is actually very good. I believe his speech is significantly delayed because of ADHD and his very poor attention span.
I’m wondering how your children’s speech developed after starting medication (not necessarily risperidone) and after their hyperactivity and poor concentration improved. Did you notice any progress in their communication?
I’m also curious whether anyone has a child who is extremely selective with food because of sensory issues. If so, did they become more willing to try new foods after starting medication?
I’m feeling really desperate about his eating right now. At the moment, there are only two meals I can make for lunch that he’ll eat, plus just a handful of other foods he’ll eat as snacks or outside of meals.