Autism Therapy: suicidal thoughts

definition of suicidal thoughts: Thoughts or plans to take one's own life or to kill oneself.

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Safety and Usage of Atypical Antipsychotic Medicines in Children: A Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study
Drug Safety, by Harrison-Woolrych, M., Garcia-Quiroga J., Ashton J., and Herbison P., published in 2007, summarized Jul 11, 2008

Risperidone use in children with autism may result in sadness.

This New Zealand study looked at the use of a type of drug therapy (atypical
antipsychotics) in children. In 94% of the cases the drug therapy was for risperidone. Risperidone is prescribed for many reasons such as autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorders. A total of 131 of the 420 children in the study (31%) had one or more adverse events. The study described one 13-year-old girl with autism who was given risperidone therapy and became sad. An 11-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome received risperidone therapy and became depressed. Another 11-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome had suicidal thoughts after starting risperidone.


Atomoxetine for Hyperactivity in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Placebo-Controlled Crossover Pilot Trial
J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc., by Arnold, LE, Cook MG, Witwer AM, Hall KL, Thompson S., and Ramadan Y., published in 2006, summarized Nov 5, 2006

Atomoxetine appears to be a safe and effective treatment for hyperactivity in children with autism.

Most children with autism typically do not respond well to drugs used to treat hyperactivity. While atomoxetine is effective in treating hyperactivity in some children with autism, it is not as effective in autistic children as it is in non-autistic children. The advantage of atomoxetine over other drugs used to treat hyperactivity is that it has fewer side effects in children with autism. Specifically, atomoxetine does not cause evening rebound irritability that is commonly seen with other drugs used to treat hyperactivity. Known risks of atomoxetine include agitation, suicidal thoughts, and unusual behavior.


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