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Autism/Speech delay in 19 month old son

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Expert: - 11/9/2007


Question
Hello,
I was wondering if taking prozac only 20mg during pregnancy can have an effect?
My 19 month old son is not speaking at all maybe a few words like baba for bottle & up, bye bye but that is about it. There are other concerns like not taking direction from us, pointing to objects, telling me what he wants, he only expresses himself by whining, and out of frustration he bites & pulls hair. I have to guess what he wants all the time.
I just don't know if it has been known to cause any problems in children. I was taking it for depression because I had major post partum after my daughter was born.

Thank you
Elaine

Answer
Hello, Elaine!

Drugs in pregnancy aren't my specialty here, so I turned to Google to do some research on the matter. A real doctor could tell you better than I could, but over and over again, I keep finding the same thing: Prozac is a fairly safe drug to take in the first trimester, and there have been studies that if taken for an extended period of time throughout pregnancy, there are few to no signs of developmental issues. What reports indicate some possible issues all point toward more physical than developmental and mental issues. Like any drug, there are probably risks, but all in all, it's a fairly safe one to take.

http://www.womens-health.co.uk/prozac.asp
http://www.babycenter.ca/pregnancy/isitsafeto/prozacexpert/
www.otispregnancy.org/pdf/prozac.pdf (This is a PDF, and not an HTML; be aware)

In other words, if you are kicking yourself over the possibility of this being 'your fault', I can assure you of one thing for certain: this is not something that you did. As a matter of fact, you did the best thing you *could* have done: you took care of yourself throughout the pregnancy and ensured that, when the time came, you would be able to handle what came. Commendable!

Developmental Disorders, unfortunately, can rarely be linked to any one, particular thing. The main indications at the moment link them to genetics, either spontaneous formation or inherited. About all I can suggest is, rather than trying to focus frantically on the 'why', focus more on the 'what'. Your child's pediatrician can be of help in getting you early intervention, if you feel it's a way you would like to go.

If you have any other questions, comments, information, or feedback on this, please feel free to get back in touch!

Trey

Autism

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Trey McGowan

Expertise

My primary expertise is in the area of the social, psychological, and mental development of Aspergers Syndrome and other high-functioning Autistic Spectrum Disorders. I am also very knowledgeable in the communication disorders and common co-existing issues. I'm well-read on most of these as well as having experienced it myself. Other aspects of autism, I can do fairly well at as well, from the oversensitivity to the recognition of it. Warning: I am *not* a medical professional, and while I can research answers through books and online, I can not give direct medical expertise.

Experience

I am 19 years diagnosed Asperger's Autistic, and have been reading up and studying it, as well as taking 'first hand accounts' for most of those 14 years. In addition, I have had three children, adopted elsewhere, all of whom are varying degrees of autistic from mid to high functioning. My mother has done some research on the subject as well, and passed some of it on to me.

Education/Credentials
I have completed grade school and most of high school, and achieved a GED. I've also received home schooling.

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