Despite the fact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
not approved any prescription medications to treat the symptoms
of autism and related disorders, drugs are frequently — and
increasingly — being given to autistic children, according to a
study in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. An
especially popular medication for autistic kids is the
antidepressant citalopram, sold under the brand name Celexa, a
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which interferes
with the way the brain regulates the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Celexa supposedly reduces the occurrence of repetitive behaviors
in children and teenagers with autism and related condition. At
least, that’s the reason countless doctors have said they were
prescribing it for autistic youngsters. The problem is, the new
research shows the drugs do absolutely nothing to help. And a
careful reading of the study’s conclusion shows the drug makes
autistic kids’ repetitive behavior symptoms worse. Children with
autism often dem