Whats the evidence for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors?
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are called SSRIs for short. We didn’t find any good-quality studies (randomised controlled trials) of SSRIs as a treatment for autism. We found three studies of another kind. They looked back at children with autism or related conditions who were given SSRIs in the past.[1] [2] [3] They included 70 children altogether. These studies showed that SSRIs may help children with autism. But this type of research isn’t very reliable. We need good-quality studies before we can say for sure whether SSRIs work and are safe as a treatment for some symptoms of autism in children.References Namerow LB, Thomas P, Bostic JQ, et al. Use of citalopram in pervasive developmental disorders. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 2003; 24: 104-108. Martin A, Koenig K, Anderson GM, et al. Low-dose fluvoxamine treatment of children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders: a prospective, open-label study. Journal of Autism and Developmental