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Autism Anxiety Fear Propranolol

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dana91816
dana91816

Hi,

Our 8 year old child with ASD is currently taking 100mg of Zoloft for chronic anxiety. When I say anxiety I mean fear!

That is, he makes the Doctor turn pictures of his kids around so he cannot see them. He won't allow us to drive past the hairdresser salon because there is a pix of a woman with red hair and accentuated eyes. He is terrified of the toilet and the sounds it makes. He is naturally fearful of all other children. He will get frightened of a poster on a wall in a centre or inside a shop. And on and on ... He experiences sheer terror!

The paradox is, he loves horror movies and all the scary faces. He seeks them out. We try as we might to keep it away from him but he finds them.

This child is verbal and has conversations with us and has capacity to make it through life. But when the fear is triggered, he becomes all but mute, non responsive and you could say a totally different child with next to no prospects.

My question, will the addition of Propranolol help with alleviating the fear response he readily exhibits? He is not hyperactive and the Zoloft has helped with the OCD but not the fear and anxiety. Risperdal was a disaster and turned him into a zombie.

Can anyone relate?

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Ginagirl
    Ginagirl dana91816

    Posted

    Propanalol may help with his anxiety ..it works on the heart and calms and slows hyperactivity and palpatations of the heart. May help!  however not sure I would encourage Horror Movies.. god knows what that is doing to his little brain and how he may interpret other normal pictures when he sees them.. I take it for my heart its fine with the correct dosage ..When I dont take it I know and see feel the difference.
    • dana91816
      dana91816 Ginagirl

      Posted

      Thanks for the feedback.

      We definately don't encourage the horror movies and have put a stop to it.

      With the propranolol, the psych woudn't prescribe it and was more keen on raising the dosage of Zoloft. I can't see how this will bring down his fear but I see the propranolol helping to bring it down.

      Is it something you take throughout the day or is it a slow release type? Side effects? Can you see it helping someone overcome fears such as I've described?

    • Ginagirl
      Ginagirl dana91816

      Posted

      No I take it in the morning.. thats all and it has a calming effect..If I dont take it my heart races and I get anxious much more easily.. It does not make me sleepy. Is an old drug been used for years within the NHS.

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