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Risperidone in the treatment of autistic Thai children under 4 years of age
Vitharon Boon-Yasidhi1, Jariya Tarugsa, Chomyong Suwanwattana
1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Insights
Risperidone effectively reduced problem behaviors like hyperactivity and aggression in very young children with autistic disorder. The medication was well-tolerated, showing promise for early intervention in autism spectrum disorder.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Psychology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Autistic disorder (AD) presents significant challenges in very young children, impacting behavior and social development.
- Comprehensive intervention is crucial for managing symptoms in early childhood autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
- Risperidone is an antipsychotic medication with potential applications in managing behavioral disturbances in pediatric populations.
Observation:
- Five children aged 2.1-3.7 years with autistic disorder received risperidone (0.25-0.5 mg/day) as part of their intervention.
- Treatment outcomes were assessed based on changes in problem behaviors and social relatedness.
- Medication tolerance and adverse effects were closely monitored throughout the study period.
Findings:
- Risperidone treatment was associated with significant reductions in hyperactivity, irritability, and aggressiveness.
- Improvements were noted in social relatedness and cooperation with developmental therapies.
- All children tolerated risperidone well, with no reported adverse effects.
Implications:
- Risperidone demonstrates potential efficacy and safety for treating severe behavioral problems in very young children with autistic disorder.
- These findings support further investigation into risperidone as an early intervention for specific symptoms of ASD.
- Controlled clinical trials are necessary to validate these preliminary observations and establish definitive treatment guidelines.
Abstract:
The authors report five cases of very young children with autistic disorder, aged 2.1-3.7 years, treated with risperidone, as part of the comprehensive intervention. Treatment with risperidone 0.25-0.5 mg per day was associated with clinically meaningful decreases in problem behaviors including hyperactivity, irritability, and aggressiveness. There were also improvements in social relatedness and cooperation with developmental treatment. All of the children tolerated the medication well and experienced no untoward effects. The efficacy of risperidone in the treatment of very young children with autistic disorder reported here is consistent with findings in the limited number of cases previously reported in the literature. Controlled studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of risperidone in the treatment of these children.
