Adverse Drug Reactions

Dr. Bernard Rimland, the founder of ARI, would be enormously gratified that more and more parents are learning that "Autism is Treatable". 

However, not all treatments are created equal.

Most commonly prescribed drugs have side effects -- ranging from minor to severe to potentially fatal.  One of our goals at the Autism Research Institute (ARI) is to inform parents of the efficacy of various treatments for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The list of drugs below contains links to scientific documents as well as summaries of  possible adverse effects. 

Unfortunately, before the drugs are prescribed to their children, parents are not usually informed of the possible dangers related to the drugs. ARI urges all practitioners to inform their clients about the possible adverse effects associated with every treatment or medication that they recommend to their clients. 

Many individuals on the spectrum suffer from seizures, and most of the drugs commonly prescribed to these individuals may lower the threshold for having seizures.  We have also listed those drugs that are associated with seizures along with a link.

If your son/daughter experiences side effects from receiving prescribed medications, please contact the FDA at: www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1.800.FDA.1088 (1.800.332.1088).

In addition, parents can learn more about possible side effects, as well as benefits, associated with various treatments by reviewing the results from our parent treatment survey. The survey findings are based on over 26,000 responses, and include a large number of biomedical interventions, including drugs, nutritional supplements, and diet.

Yes, autism is treatable, but it is the responsibility of the parent, working with the practitioner, to find the most efficacious and safest treatment for their child.