Find a brand that works and stay with it. People with autism have very sensitive nervous systems. Some individuals may require much lower doses of medications than people with a normal nervous system. This will vary from individual to individual. If some individuals are given too high a dose of either an older tricyclic antidepressant or one of the newer medications, such as Prozac or Zoloft, there may be side effects.
Antidepressants have a dosage window.
Too little will not work and too much causes side effects. The first sign of too high a dose of an antidepressant is early morning awakening. This can usually be corrected by lowering the dose. If the excessive dosing continues, the person will escalate into insomnia, irritability, agitation and aggression. To determine the correct dose, you must be a good observer.