Side+Effects+of+Medicine

=Autism Medication Side Effects=

===For kids with autism, there are many ways to treat it and commonly medicene is used. The type of medicene varies depending on the paitent. The medicene could be things such as antidepressants, stimulants, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics. Just in case you didn't know, and anitconvulsant is a drug preventing epileptic fits or other attacks Although some medicenes do help, the use of medicene is very controversial with some families dealing with autism. Here are some "Side Effects" of the drugs.===

===For antipsychotics, it can cause unusual movements, sleep loss, and even weight gain. Some scientists think that the ingredients that make this drug a little less helpful than it seems. Would you risk these side effects for your child to prevent epileptic fits? Some would and some wouldn't.===

===For antidepressents, some side effects can be restlessness, nausea, and agitation. Kids with autism can be affected by depression, but do the drugs like Prozac or Zoloft work the same for them? The FDA has approved these drugs for kids with autism, but it's still a little risky.===

= =

===The side effects of stimulant medications are reported to be decreased appetite and anxiety. Kids with Autism who have more severe cases can be effected by impulsivity. Doctors say these side effects vary between what drugs you use. They also say if you are experiencing these problems you can switch drugs. Do you think that'd make it any better?===

===Anitconvusant medications are used for seizures occuring from autism. Some medications that can be taken for seizures are Topamax, Lacitmal, and Tegretol. The side effects of this medication are drowsiness, dizziness, and mood changes. Others may even lead to headaches, cold symptoms and irregular bowel movement. The choice whether to take the medication is once again up to you, but there are a lot of side effects. It's all about whether the beneifts outweigh the risks.===

=My Opinion=

== In my opinion, if I had a child with Autism I would choose to use medication. I would because I think the benefits for the medicine outweigh the side effects. Although there are a lot of them, I'd rather have my child be having minor problems than things such as seizures. I guess it would really depend on the drug (antidepressant, anticonvulsant, stimulants, etc.) Hopefully scientists will find the cure and families wouldn't have to make the choice. Until then I think medicine, therapists, and doctors are the way to go. ==