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Antipsychotic safety

Movement checks for children on antipsychotics

A child with autism or intellectual disability on an antipsychotic should be checked for abnormal movements.

97% of the time this step is missed

The silent should: A child with autism or intellectual disability on an antipsychotic should be checked for abnormal movements.

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 97% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • My child takes an antipsychotic - can we check for any abnormal movements?
  • How will side effects be monitored?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

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