Medicine for My Big Brother

When Max was four, he was diagnosed with something called PDD-NOS—pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified. His parents thought the news couldn’t get any worse. But six years later, Max was rediagnosed with autism. He is low functioning and barely verbal, and when he becomes frustrated or overwhelmed—which happens often—he hurts himself or others. For his younger brother, Justin, this can be hard to understand. But Justin loves his brother and wants to understand him better. Written with children in mind, Medicine for My Big Brother explores the impact of autism from a sibling’s perspective, especially focusing on the use and effects of psychotropic medication. Based on dozens of intensive interviews with parents and clinicians, Medicine for My Big Brother is the story of a modern struggle with a universal theme: a brother’s love.