While there is no specific medication for children on the autism spectrum, as there is for ADHD, for example, there are many medications that may improve kids’ symptoms and help them get the most out of behavioral therapies, school, and family and social life. The NYU Child Study Center’s Melissa Nishawala, M.D., talks about the most common medications given to kids on the spectrum, what they are used for, potential side effects, and factors for parents to consider in deciding whether to medicate their child.

Her talk was the first in a series of Family Workshops on Autism Spectrum Disorders being given at the NYU Child Study Center in the winter and spring of 2012. The workshops are free and open to the public. Check the CSC’s website, http://www.aboutourkids.org, for more information.

Dr. Nishawala is the Medical Director of the Autism Clinical and Research Program, and an Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the NYU Child Study Center, part of NYU Langone Medical Center.

[quote from the YouTube page]