Re: Prozac for Autistic Kids?

September 3, 2004

My son has been on microdose Prozac for almost 10 months - and while

we definitely saw big improvements within the first two weeks of

starting it, it has in no way reversed his autism. We continue to

use it because we feel that it supports his continued improvement,

albeit slow - but I certainly don't see it as curative. The initial

improvements we saw were 1) falling asleep right away instead after

lying there mumbling to himself for two hours (first night), 2)

pointing and telling me to look at something (week one) and 3)

singing again which he hadn't done for months after his regression.

These good things are still present.

> Yesterday I was at the local GNC store talking to one of the sales

clerks. She said that her son who is nine, was diagnosed at an early

age with PDD/NOS. She said that her son's doctor perscribed for him

a small dose of Prozac and he took it for a couple of months and it

reversed the Autism. Does anyone here know anything more about this?

>

> stayathomeparentsofchallengedkids/

> parentswhostayathome/

September 3, 2004

We use Zoloft (cousin to Prozac) and it has been very good for us.

But I agree with others in that it certainly wasn't the total answer.

I don't think there is anything wrong with helping the person to feel

better while you are working on other things, or until something

better comes along.

I heard Temple Grandin speak once and noticed that she strongly

advocated very low doses of meds (particularly the antidepressants or

ones that affect neuro-transmiters). She said that most everyone with

autism that she has met that was reasonably happy and functioning

used a med or some sort. She said to even consider micro-doses of 1-3

milligrams.

One thing to keep in mind in regards to the parent who said

Prozac 'cured' her son is that autism and related issues are

diagnosed only on observed behavior in a subject way. What I think

is 'hyperactive' may not be what someone else thinks is 'hyperactive'

to the point it is a problem. The diagnosis isn't based on medical or

biological tests.

So it could be that her child *needed* Prozac and that is all he

really needed. He takes Prozac and he no longer displays the

behaviors considered a problem. Thus he is 'cured'. For another

problem, it might be a food intolerance, a chemical, a pathogen, etc.

These underlying problems manifest in the behaviors seen. It doesn't

mean one underlying problem is the same for all people with autism

diagnosis. But it is for that particular person.

If anyone is following the research on the 'minicolumns' in autism

brains...well, it would be nice if they could develop some type of

medical test or brain scan so one could tell if they had this brain

formation that counts as 'autism' or a brain formation that counts

as 'ADHD' or a 'typical' brain formation. Then if the scans showed a

typical formation, people would know to look for some underlying

medical problem that was manifesting as the problem behavior. The

minicolumns certainly explain how people become hypersensitive with

all that extra sensory perception. And why neuro-therapy works. Sorry

if this got off-beat a little.

Here is one image of the brain scans (scroll to bottom):

http://www.mcg.edu/news/2002NewsRel/Casanova.html

.

September 3, 2004

Great thread! My son's MRI came back 'normal' for demylination (he

had super high BMP antibodies) but his Purkinje cells were all

messed up (but they didn't tell me that because that is not what I

asked them to look for). I cross referenced that bit of info and

found that these are the cells that heavy metal are most attracted

to. The Cerebellum also uses a ton of these cells to coordinate

movement (i.e. oral motor, gross motor, fine motor) so if they are

damaged or blocked, guess what...motor processing issues. The docs

didn't know this. I wouldn't have if I hadn't thought to run a

search on metals in the brain. We have tools to use but I don't

know if anyone knows what questions to ask. Anyway, this is one

reason I advocate detoxing my son. Autopies of those with autism

also show the same disfunction of Purkinje cells...very interesting.

Blessings,

> We use Zoloft (cousin to Prozac) and it has been very good for us.

> But I agree with others in that it certainly wasn't the total

answer.

> I don't think there is anything wrong with helping the person to

feel

> better while you are working on other things, or until something

> better comes along.

>

> I heard Temple Grandin speak once and noticed that she strongly

> advocated very low doses of meds (particularly the antidepressants

or

> ones that affect neuro-transmiters). She said that most everyone

with

> autism that she has met that was reasonably happy and functioning

> used a med or some sort. She said to even consider micro-doses of

1-3

> milligrams.

>

> One thing to keep in mind in regards to the parent who said

> Prozac 'cured' her son is that autism and related issues are

> diagnosed only on observed behavior in a subject way. What I think

> is 'hyperactive' may not be what someone else thinks

is 'hyperactive'

> to the point it is a problem. The diagnosis isn't based on medical

or

> biological tests.

>

> So it could be that her child *needed* Prozac and that is all he

> really needed. He takes Prozac and he no longer displays the

> behaviors considered a problem. Thus he is 'cured'. For another

> problem, it might be a food intolerance, a chemical, a pathogen,

etc.

> These underlying problems manifest in the behaviors seen. It

doesn't

> mean one underlying problem is the same for all people with autism

> diagnosis. But it is for that particular person.

>

> If anyone is following the research on the 'minicolumns' in autism

> brains...well, it would be nice if they could develop some type of

> medical test or brain scan so one could tell if they had this

brain

> formation that counts as 'autism' or a brain formation that counts

> as 'ADHD' or a 'typical' brain formation. Then if the scans showed

a

> typical formation, people would know to look for some underlying

> medical problem that was manifesting as the problem behavior. The

> minicolumns certainly explain how people become hypersensitive

with

> all that extra sensory perception. And why neuro-therapy works.

Sorry

> if this got off-beat a little.

>

> Here is one image of the brain scans (scroll to bottom):

> http://www.mcg.edu/news/2002NewsRel/Casanova.html

>

> .

September 3, 2004

Hey , How are you this week?

To original poster :

I just wanted to add that Temple Grandin's video " Myths and Misconceptions about

Drugs " (or something to that tune) is available on VHS and can be ordered to

borrow through The Timberland Regional Library. It is a copy of that

presentation was talking about when she was suggesting that people on very

low doses of anti-depressants. As a matter of fact I encourage you to borrow all

of her vhs tapes " Thinking in Pictures " and " Careers and opportunity " and I

think there is another something about sensory learning?...yeah i think that is

what it was. I can't remember exactly, I watched them in May for crying out

loud.....I can barely remember what I had for breakfast...is there such a

condition as pre-alzheimers? LOL

Also, remember is that there are natural anti-depressants in the foods put on

this earth some are more potent than others:O) and you aren't necessarily closed

in by prescription choice only. Many of us use prescription like said she

did, many of use choose natural safe supplements like I did. Not everything

works for everybody so really research all of the choices )

- Ethan's mom

jornmatt <kjorn@...> wrote: