Guest guest Posted January 27, 2010 Report Share Posted January 27, 2010 I was looking for the paper on treating co-morbidities and autism which I mentioned to Nevin when I found this on an NHS Choices website. I hadn't realised that SSRIs could have such serious side effects. I thought I would post this in case anyone has a child on SSRIs and would like to read it Sally > > There is no available medication to treat the core symptoms of ASD, > but medication can treat some of the related symptoms, such as: > > * repetitive thoughts and behaviour, and > * aggressive behaviour, such as tantrums or self-harming. > > The most widely used medication is the serotonin reuptake inhibitors > (SSRIs) class of antidepressants, which work by changing the levels of > a chemical called serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is known to affect > behaviour and mood. > > Examples of SSRIs include: > > * fluoxetine, and > * paroxetine. > > Some children with ASD who are taking SSRIs can suddenly have a sharp > rise in serotonin levels. This can trigger a group of side effects > known as serotonin syndrome. > > Symptoms of mild to moderate serotonin syndrome include: > > * confusion, > * agitation, > * muscle twitching, > * sweating, > * shivering and > * diarrhoea. > > If your child exhibits any of the above symptoms, stop their > medication and seek immediate advice from your GP. If this is not > possible, call NHS Direct on 0845 4647. > > Symptoms of severe serotonin syndrome include: > > * a high temperature (fever) of or above 39.4ºC (103ºF), > * seizures (fits), > * irregular heartbeat, and > * unconsciousness. > > *If your child has any of these severe symptoms, **call 999 and ask > for an ambulance.* > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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