Published on 12, July, 2020
My son is 17 and has not been prescribed anything for his autisic symptoms other than dietary supplements.
We love him to bits. He is profoundly autistic, non-verbal with profound learning difficulties and very much in a world of his own.
He has bouts of anxiety, not every day but frequent enough for it to become a challenge outside the home. OCD has gone from 'quirky' to making our lives very limited. He has now started with teenage tantrums that are happening more and more when we are out and about (shop is closed, things in a store have moved, train is late, bus takes a wrong route etc). As well as tantrums he will also refuse to move and can literally stay in the same spot for hours. We are struggling to get him to school too as he refuses to come out of his room in a morning - his school is the best school for autism in the area and we all have a great relationship with the staff and they are fantastic with him.
Now - I think he would benefit from some mild medication to help him stay calm with life's disappointments my husband thinks differently. I know literally nothing about anti-anxiety drugs so please feel free to give your opinion.
Can anyone share experiences or offer advice?
Thank you
Hi - I have a 16 year old boy that has only recently been diagnosed with ASD. He was initially referred to CAMHS when he was about 10 with OCD - to cut a long story short, he was eventually diagnosed with anxiety disorder and depression a few years ago. He was started on Sertraline by the CAMHS Psychiatrist - this really helped his OCD tendencies, but not his anxiety/depression so much. It was changed to Fluoxetine a few months ago and it has been fantastic. He even admits himself that he is a different person now - so much happier and more confident. I was quite concerned for him to have medication, but am so glad that he did x
Yes, many individuals have experienced success with anti-anxiety medications in managing their symptoms. Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and others, are commonly prescribed to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety disorders. It's important to note that the effectiveness of a specific medication can vary from person to person, and the choice of medication depends on factors such as the type and severity of the anxiety disorder, individual response, and potential side effects.