Research summaries for autism therapy: medication

definition of medication: Another word for drug; chemical or medication that leads to change in the body, usually with the goal of improving health (in some cases drugs can be abused, as in illegal drugs). Includes medications prescribed by medical professionals, as well as over-the-counter (OTC) medicines.
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State Variation in Psychotropic Medication Use by Foster Care Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Summarized Feb 10, 2010

Children with autism in foster care may be more likely to take 3 or more medications than children with other disabilities.

This study looked at Medicaid claims of 43,406 children with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Children were 3 to 18 years old. The authors compared children with autism in foster care to children with other disabilities. Almost 1 out of 3 children in foster care took 3 or more medications, compared to about 1 out of 16 children with other disabilities.... Read more...

A Longitudinal Investigation of Psychotropic and Non-Psychotropic Medication Use Among Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Jan 18, 2010

Many (70 to 80%) of adolescents and adults with autism take medications.

This study followed a group of 286 teenagers and adults (10 to 48 years old) with autism for 41/2 years. The authors asked which, if any, medications the people in the study were taking. At the start of the study, 70% were taking some medication (57% of patients were taking brain-related medication; 37% of patients were taking other medication). The more common brain-related medications were antipsychotics and antidepressants.... Read more...

Memantine: A Comprehensive Review of Safety and Efficacy, Summarized Dec 21, 2009

Memantine may be helpful for people with moderate-to-severe autism disorders.

The glutamate pathway may be out of balance in brains of people with autism. Memantine is a medication that reduces certain brain activities by blocking glutamate receptors in the brain. Two clinical trials of memantine in people with autism had different results. One trial reported that memantine was helpful for improving language and social interactions in people with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).... Read more...

Parental Reports on the Efficacy of Treatments and Therapies for their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Dec 18, 2009

An Internet survey showed that most parents report that autism symptoms improve with drug, educational, and behavioral therapies.

This article reported results of an Internet-based survey of 479 parents of children with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS). Parents reported 50% to 80% of children improved with drug therapy for 9 categories of medication, while 0% to 25% reported their child became worse. The results were different for different medications. Several other therapies were discussed.... Read more...

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