| Using medication with a child who has Autism is | | | | their child. I know some parents who even go so |
| very similar to using medication for any other | | | | far as to keep their child home for the first 24 to |
| children. Several steps should be used to make | | | | 48 hours when starting new medication. If there |
| sure the medication is safe and effective for your | | | | are any strange reactions you can call about it |
| child. | | | | right away. |
| The first step is to only use one medication or | | | | The third step is to keep a journal. As the years |
| one technique at a time. In this manner parents | | | | go by it will be difficult to keep track of the |
| will be able to tell whether or not it is working. If | | | | different medications you may try. Keeping a |
| too many things are changed at once this is | | | | journal will help you remember what your tried at |
| difficult to keep track of. | | | | what age and what dosage. |
| It is important when using medication for a child | | | | A typical medication that we tried for my child |
| with Autism is to know exactly what the | | | | produced strange results. After the first two |
| medication is expected to help with. Parents want | | | | doses she could not seem to keep her head up. |
| to watch to see that if the medication is to help | | | | As the evening went on she started drooling. I |
| with behavior it is doing that. | | | | stayed up the night and watched her. |
| The second step is to watch your child on a new | | | | This was not typical for her at anytime. Before |
| medication for at least 24hours, preferably the | | | | she took the first dose the next day I called the |
| entire weekend. Although teachers can be very | | | | doctor. The doctor agreed that even though what |
| good at watching for changes they have not | | | | I was describing was not critical, it was enough to |
| been with your child in all the conceivable | | | | discontinue the medication. If I had sent her to |
| situations you have. | | | | school that day I may not have reacted as |
| Parents have information no one else has about | | | | quickly. |