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Can medications be used to subdue sexual behaviors in an adolescent child?

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Sexual behaviors in any child must not be suppressed through medication, and importantly medications cannot directly impact sexual tendencies and compulsions. Instead the child must be trained to masturbate in private. Sexual behaviors cannot be ‘corrected’ by medication. Sexual feelings are a natural part of the development process, and mere suppression cannot be the solution.  If a child is on drugs that subdue aggression, which in turn makes him/her sexually less aggressive, then this isn’t indicative of the drug having an effect on correcting the sexual behavior per se. The child is naturally calmer owing to the drug that directly impacts his moods and thus his sexual behavior is subdued indirectly. But medicating the child to lower his anxiety as a way to subdue his sexual behavior is a wrong approach.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

Should medications be used to manage mood swings and anger issues in a child with Autism?

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Mood swings and anger are common problems seen in teenagers and young adults. If these mood shifts are occurring in the context of Autism it should be approached through behavior therapy first. If behavior therapy fails and distinct maladaptive behaviors persist (self-destructive, aggressive behaviors) in such situations medications would help. Unprovoked aggression and self-mutilation are some common challenges seen in kids between ages 9-12. In these situations using medications does help. However, only for a few months as these medicines have far reaching side effects if taken on a long term basis. After 2-3 months the child must be taken back to behavior therapy to understand the challenges the child is facing. By understanding what is causing the maladaptive behaviour that are self destructive is very essential to determine the course of action for its management. Medication cannot be a permanent solution.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this guide is for information purposes only. Please consult a qualified health practitioner for safe management.

If you have questions about Autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, or other intellectual disabilities, or have concerns about developmental delays in a child, the Nayi Disha team is here to help. For any questions or queries, please contact our FREE Helpline at 844-844-8996. You can call or what’s app us. Our counselors speak different languages including English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, and Bengali.

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