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Risperidone in the treatment of two very young children with autism
D J Posey1, K H Walsh, G A Wilson
1Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, USA.
Insights
Risperidone effectively reduced aggression and improved social relatedness in two young children with autistic disorder. Careful consideration of medication use is advised for very young children with autism.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Psychiatry
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Autistic disorder often presents with severe behavioral challenges, including aggression and irritability.
- Limited treatment options exist for aggression in very young children with autism.
- Previous interventions had not been effective for the patients described.
Observation:
- Two very young boys (29 and 23 months) with autistic disorder exhibited severe aggression and irritability.
- Risperidone was administered to manage these challenging symptoms.
- Treatment outcomes were monitored for behavioral changes and adverse effects.
Findings:
- Risperidone significantly decreased aggressive behaviors in both children.
- Improvements in social relatedness were observed following risperidone treatment.
- One patient experienced dose-related tachycardia and QTc interval prolongation.
Implications:
- Risperidone may be a viable option for managing severe aggression in very young autistic children unresponsive to other treatments.
- Close monitoring for cardiac side effects, such as tachycardia and QTc prolongation, is crucial during risperidone therapy in this population.
- The findings highlight the need for individualized treatment approaches and careful risk-benefit assessment when using antipsychotics in early childhood autism.
Abstract:
This report describes the use of risperidone in the treatment of two very young children with autistic disorder, a 29-month-old boy and a 23-month-old boy, respectively. These children presented with severe and persistent symptoms of aggression and irritability that had not responded to previous treatment. In both cases, risperidone significantly reduced aggression and improved social relatedness. One patient's treatment with risperidone was complicated by persistent tachycardia and QTc interval prolongation that was dose-related. Consideration should be given to the appropriate use of medication in the treatment of very young children with autism when other interventions do not prove helpful.