WebMD Medical News Brenda Goodman, MA Louise Chang, MD April 23,
2012 -- Antidepressants probably don't help kids with autism as
much as has been believed, a new research review shows. Kids
with autism often repeat certain words or gestures. They might
rock back and forth, or rapidly flick a hand over and over
again. Or they may become fixated on a single thought,
continually making the same point about the weather: "It's hot
outside!" Repetitive behaviors can be worrisome for parents, and
they can keep autistic kids from being able to focus at school
and participate in regular daily activities. Doctors frequently
prescribe antidepressants called serotonin receptor inhibitors
(SRIs) in an effort to help ease these kinds of symptoms. SRIs
include the class of medications called selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But a new research review shows the
benefits of antidepressants in autism may have been
overestimated. That's because all the rigorous studies comparing
antidepressants to have found that