MEDICATIONS FOR AUTISM
These fall into two categories:
• Psychoactive medications, which directly target neuropsychoactive symptoms
that are related to dysfunction of the brain.
• Co-morbid disorder medications, which help heal the physical problems,
such as infection and inflammation, that can directly or indirectly affect the brain.
The Psychoactive Medications for Autism
The psychoactive medications that are most often used to treat autism are in the
following six major categories.
(1) Antidepressants.
(2) Atypical anti-psychotics (or neuroleptics).
(3) Anti-convulsants.
(4) Stimulants (or ADHD medications).
(5) Anti-opioids.
(6) Miscellaneous medications (including secretin, Namenda, and Actos,
among many others).
The psychoactive medications for autism are not intended to be curative, but do
often decrease the most troubling symptoms.
Talk to your doctor about the advisability of a trial of one of these medications.
There is also a great deal more detail about the particular medications in these
categories in Healing the New Childhood Epidemics, just as there is also a great
deal more detail about virtually every other aspect of the Healing Program.
Medications for the Co-Morbid Disorders
Including Those That Impact Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies
To effectively treat the 4-A disorders, we must also generally control or eliminate
the co-morbid disorders that so often accompany the 4-A disorders. These
disorders are often problems that can be adequately addressed with medication.
These disorders might include infectious disorders, as well as inflammation
(which sometimes accompanies infection, and sometimes exists without it).
Because infections are typically caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi, the
proper medications for controlling them are (1) antibiotics, (2) antivirals, and (3)
antifungals.
(1) Antibiotics. Treating bacterial infections is generally quite straightforward,
because bacterial infections generally respond quite well to antibiotics.
Sometimes, however, the infections are resistant and chronic, and must be
treated more aggressively. On occasion, a long, preventive course of antibiotics
is necessary for treatment of the autoimmune disorder PANDAS, which is
triggered by streptococcal bacteria. PANDAS can contribute to ADHD symptoms.
There are a great many antibiotics that are appropriate for children, and among the
mostly commonly used are Amoxil, Zithromax, Cefzil, Bactrim, Ceftin, and Biaxin.
Discuss their possible viability with your doctor.
(2) Anti-fungals. Treating fungal disorders is of extreme importance in all of the 4-
A disorders, because fungi, particularly candida albicans, is a primary cause of the
gastrointestinal dysfunction condition known as bowel dysbiosis. This bowel
dysbiosis can result, directly and indirectly, in neurotoxic assaults upon the brain.
(3) Anti-inflammatories. The other condition that most often contributes to the 4-A
disorders is inflammation, which can be localized in a specific area, such as the
brain or bowels, or can be spread more systemically. There are some promising
off-label uses of nutraceuticals for systemic inflammation. These nutraceuticals
can often be applied in conjunction with anti-inflammatory dietary changes and
anti-inflammatory supplements. Also, localized inflammation often responds well
to pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory medication.
MEDICATION FOR ADHD
Medication for ADHD generally involves employing a limited selection of
medications that revolve around the stimulating methylphenidates, such as
Ritalin.
In a number of cases, however, I also apply various medications that are also
used for the autism spectrum disorders. Some ADHD kids are former autism kids
who are moving off the spectrum, and some ADHD kids have a few autistic
features. Different children need different medications, and I treat the child, not the
disorder.
I sometimes prescribe the methylphenidate drugs, and when I first meet most
ADHD kids, they are already on methylphenidates. Nonetheless, I put more effort
into getting kids off these drugs than putting kids on them.
For more detail on medication for ADHD, read Healing the New Childhood
Epidemics.
MEDICATION FOR ASTHMA
Asthma medications consist of two categories: drugs that help control the
inflammation that underlies asthma, and drugs that relieve symptoms during an
acute asthma episode. Most kids with asthma must use both.
The drugs that control inflammation on an ongoing basis are either steroidal, or
nonsteroidal. There’s also a relatively new class of anti-inflammatory drugs that
inhibits the inflammatory messenger cells called leukotrienes.
The existing drugs merely suppress inflammation once it has begun. Therefore,
the best methods to overcome asthma are to remove the root causes of
inflammation from a child’s immediate environment. This is best achieved with
environmental controls, such as getting rid of mold or animal dander, and avoiding
allergenic foods. Inflammation can also often be reduced with nutritional and
supplementation therapy.
For more detail on medication for asthma, read Healing the New Childhood
Epidemics.
MEDICATION FOR ALLERGIES
Allergy is the 4-A disorder that is generally the least responsive to medication.
Allergy is such a complex, interrelated, internal reaction that it simply cannot be
contained with the highly targeted actions of pharmaceutical medicines.
There are five primary medication options for controlling allergy symptoms, but for
the most part, the entire medicinal approach to allergy consists of merely
controlling symptoms. This is especially true of food allergy. The five categories
include:
(1) Antihistamines.
(2) Decongestants
(3) Local steroidal inhalants
(4) Oral or injected steroids
(5) Nutraceutical medications
Speak to your doctor about these medication options. They can often keep
symptoms from overwhelming children, and making them miserable. Meds can
also sometimes help prevent allergic symptoms from causing further problems,
such as congestion that may lead to infection.
Summary of Medication
For your child to reach his or her fullest potential, several medications may be
appropriate, although not always at the same time. However, it is very unlikely that
he or she will need more than just several, and perhaps will need only one or two.
Even these meds will probably need to be taken for only a limited time.
For much more detail on medications for each of the 4-A disorders, and the co-
morbid disorders that often accompany them, read Healing the New Childhood
Epidemics.
