At two-and-a-half, Carrie was diagnosed with autism.

Lynn Vigo made a video about the baby she calls her dream girl.

Carrie was a typically developing bright beautiful baby. But after her first birthday her mother saw a gradual change.

"She stopped responding to her name. She lost interest in her toys, and in her family," said Lynn.

At two-and-a-half, Carrie was diagnosed with autism. Early on, her parents tried a range of treatments, including changes in diet, supplements.

"Speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy," said Lynn.

Those interventions have helped many children with autism, but not Carrie.

"She's 10 years old, she's nonverbal. She really doesn't have a reliable system of communication. She's not yet toilet trained," said Lynn.

And Carrie is tormented by hypersensitivity to sounds, tastes, and even the slightest pain. Early on her anxiety became extreme. Her mother couldn't comfort her. 

"She still continued to tantrum for hours on end and wake up in the wee hours of the morning," said Lynn.

After thoughtful discussions, Carrie's doctor recommended an antipsychotic medication called Risperdal.

Dr. Bryan King, Director of Child Psychiatry at Seattle's Children's Hospital, says a number of drugs show promise in treating children with autism.

"We're really looking at the entire class of what we call psychotropic medications.  These are drugs that have an effect on the way we feel, think or behave," said Dr. King.

He says antidepressants, stimulants, and sleep aids have also helped children with autism.

Carrie's mom saw changes quickly.

"Within a week of being on medication she slept through the night for the first time. She was able to calm herself before she escalated to the point of being out of control," said Lynn.

"We celebrate the fact that we find a success, but we certainly don't fold up the tent at that point," said Dr. King.

That's because drugs can eventually become ineffective. It happened to Carrie, and she's recently switched to a second antipsychotic, Seroquel.

"We're taking two steps forward, and maybe only one back," said Lynn.

 Dr. King says more research is needed to predict which medications will work best and are safest for children with autism.

The drugs can however have a secondary benefit for children profoundly affected by autism. They may allow them to continue living at home with their families, even attend school.