Zoloft--How Long Does it Take?

My 13-year-old son has Down Syndrome and has some obsessive-compulsive (and impulsive) behaviors that seriously interfere with his daily functioning.  We have been seeing a developmental pediatrician who has prescribed Clonidine (helps him sleep--this has been a blessing!) and Zoloft.  He has been on 100mg per day of Zoloft for 3 months now and there has been no decrease in his compulsive behaviors.  I have read information that Zoloft takes 6-8 weeks to work but since then have also heard that it can take several months.  Should I continue to be patient and wait for it to work?  I can't help feeling that we are wasting time if it isn't going to work and something else might.  Are all medications like Zoloft similar or might a different one work if Zoloft doesn't?  Do you know of any resources that could help me with a behavior management program for him.  Thank you for your time.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Several months affords plenty of time to witness the benefit of a medication like Zoloft. It is not unusual for a higher dose to be necessary to alleviate compulsive behaviors, if indeed the medication is useful at all. There are other medications in the same family (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) that can be tried, but since your son is already on Zoloft a logical next step would be to try a higher dose. Also, if your son does not experience any cardiac-related side effects from the Clonidine, one or two small doses during the day can also be useful. On the behavior front, consult Lynn Clark's book titled SOS: Help for Parents. While written for use with school-age children, the management strategy he describes would be useful for your son.