The SSRIs most commonly prescribed to autistic people are fluoxetine and sertraline. Sertraline is often the top choice because its side effects are milder than those of other SSRIs and because it has fewer interactions with other drugs.
Does SSRI therapy help autistic children? Research suggests SSRIs don't change the core characteristics of autism in children. Also, emerging evidence suggests they might cause harm. It's possible, however, that SSRIs might help some autistic children with anxiety, but more high-quality research is needed.
The only medications approved by the FDA for children with autism are Abilify and Risperdal. Both are antipsychotic medications that can help with irritability and aggression. Medication can also be helpful for kids who also have another diagnosis.
Luvox, Prozac, and Celexa belong to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Decisions about these drugs should be made on "a case-by-case" basis for obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety in adults with autism, the Cochrane reviewers concluded.
Lithium is another option for children and adolescents with ASD who present with symptoms of a mood disorder, such as elevated moods/euphoria, mania, and paranoia, whether accompanied or not by irritability.
The FDA approved aripiprazole in 2009 for the treatment of irritability in children (ages 6–17 years) with ASD (68). It is considered to be a stabilizer of dopamine and serotonin within the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and frontal cortex (69).
For those with autism, anxiety drugs are best used in combination with behavioral interventions. Among high-functioning individuals, they may be particularly effective when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy.
The most commonly prescribed medications are methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate, Quillivant), amphetamine (Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse, Dyanavel), atomoxetine (Strattera), and guanfacine (Intuniv, Tenex).
Tobii Dynavox just announced the launch of Indi™, the world's first all-in-one speech tablet for non-verbal communicators, including those with autism.
JB2 is a new therapeutic drug developed and tested by Northwestern researchers that could treat Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a subtype of autism. A new therapy could treat Phelan-McDermid syndrome, a rare subtype of autism spectrum disorder, according to a December study by a group of Northwestern researchers.
Methylphenidate may improve hyperactivity in children with ASD in the short term, although there was no evidence that methylphenidate improves or worsens ASD symptoms. Some children cannot tolerate the medication's side effects.
Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and related therapies are usually considered to be the "gold standard" of autism-specific treatment. Many districts offer ABA classrooms or provide ABA therapists as part of the school's disability program.
Studies have shown that people with autism often respond to traditional depression and anxiety treatments including: Antidepressant or antianxiety medications, especially Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), like Prozac and Zoloft. Mental Health Counseling.
Mood stabilizing autism medication
Lithium, Lamictal, Depakene, Depakote, Tegretol, Topamax, Trileptal, and Keppra are options to explore with your child's pediatrician.
Double duty: The antidepressant Prozac has no effect on children with autism, but seems to improve repetitive behaviors in adults with the disorder.
Your child may not be able to properly communicate what they are feeling or thinking. This can lead to frustration and irritability, which in turn can lead to aggression or self-harming behavior.
Autistic children who are high-functioning typically engage in repetitive thinking, including anger ruminations, constantly thinking about negative situations and angry feelings. These thoughts can lead to anger and meltdowns.
You may be offered medication, such as anti-depressants. Although guidelines consider antidepressants are generally useful and safe, there is very little research into whether they help treat depression specifically in autistic people.
Vitamin B6 and magnesium to ease autism symptoms
More than a dozen studies have suggested that supplementing vitamin B6 and magnesium in children with autism helps to ease symptoms, but the treatment remains controversial as each child's body will react differently to varying interventions.
Specific phobias are the most common form of anxiety disorder among people with autism. A person with a phobia experiences extreme distress when exposed to a specific stimulus or situation. Obsessive-Compulsive disorder and social anxiety disorder also occur frequently.
Bupropion is unique among antidepressants as an inhibitor of dopamine reuptake, leading to increased dopamine levels in the synapse. This has lead to its use as a smoking cessation therapy, the indication for which it is most commonly prescribed.
At first, autistic subjects display signaling alterations in the MCL dopaminergic pathway, such as reduced release of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and reduced neural response in the nucleus accumbens [4,5].
Tenuous ties between serotonin and autism first surfaced decades ago. In 1961, a study of 23 autistic people reported that 6 of them had an unusually high level of serotonin in their blood. Since then, researchers have consistently found that about one in four people on the spectrum has high blood serotonin.