Effects of fenfluramine on social behavior in autistic children.

Sievert et al. (1988) gave autistic children the drug fenfluramine every day. They watched if the kids talked, played, or looked at people more often.

Seven children joined. The team scored social acts before, during, and after the pills.

Results were all over the map. Some kids briefly played more, others showed no change.

Two children seemed to stop responding after a while, hinting at tolerance.

Emmelkamp et al. (1986) tested the same drug one year earlier. They saw zero gains in talking or pointing, backing up the weak picture.

Scahill et al. (2013) later ran large gold-standard trials with risperidone. They found steady, medium-size drops in social withdrawal, showing a different drug can work.

Mandelberg et al. (2014) skipped pills and taught parents social-skills lessons. Three years later the kids still scored higher on play-date invites, proving behavior plans can outlast any pill.

Fenfluramine is too shaky for social goals. Risperidone or parent training gives clearer, longer gains. When families ask about meds for interaction, show them the risperidone data and start a parent group. Save your data sheets for tracking real gains.