Children and adolescents with autism may display many forms of repetitive behaviours. These include the following:

• Stereotypy: purposeless movement, such as hand flapping or body rocking.
• Compulsive behaviours: following certain rules that must be applied rigidly, such as arranging objects in a certain way.
• Sameness or resistance to change: for example, insisting that furniture not be moved, wearing the same clothes or shoes, eating the same food, or refusing to change activity.
• Rituals and routines: performance of daily activities in the same way each time, such as routines around mealtime or bedtime.
• Restricted behaviour: limited range of interests, such as preoccupation with a particular television program or character.
• Self-injury: actions that injure oneself, such as biting and head-banging.

These behaviours can cause problems at home, at school, and interfere with your child's ability to learn and interact socially.

Fluoxetine belongs to a class of medications known as the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) which are thought to help in treating repetitive behaviours. Over the last decade, the use of Fluoxetine and other SSRIs in children with autism has become increasingly common, both in Australia and overseas. It is therefore important for us to know that Fluoxetine is effective in treating repetitive behaviours in children with autism.

This study is a nation-wide Randomised Control Trial that aims to investigate the use of low dose Fluoxetine for the treatment of repetitive behaviours in children and adolescents with autism.

Who can participate?
•    Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
•    Aged 8 to 18 years.
•    Not currently taking Fluoxetine of or other psychotropic medication.

If you would like to participate, or find out more about this study, please contact Jo Granich using our online enquiry form
Phone number: 9489 7749

Investigators: Dinah Reddihough Catherine Marraffa, Roshan Virasinghe, Philip Hazell, Michael Kohn, John Wray, Katherine Lee, Paramala Santosh, Sue Reid, David Dossetor, Natalie Silove, John Carlin, Andrew Whitehouse.