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Medication use among children with autism spectrum disorders
Donald P Oswald1, Neil A Sonenklar
1Department of Psychiatry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298-0489, USA. doswald@vcw.edu
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
|July 17, 2007
Summary
Most children and youth with autism-spectrum disorders (ASD) use psychoactive medications annually. Antidepressants, stimulants, and antipsychotics were most common, even for symptoms linked to other conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
- Psychoactive medication use in pediatric populations with ASD requires characterization.
- Understanding treatment patterns is crucial for optimizing care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the patterns of psychoactive medication utilization in children and youth diagnosed with autism-spectrum disorders over one year.
- To identify the most frequently prescribed drug classes for this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of prescription claims data for a cohort of children and youth with ASD.
- Categorization of psychoactive drugs into therapeutic classes.
- Examination of medication use in relation to age and co-occurring diagnoses.
Main Results:
- Eighty-three percent of the study sample had at least one psychoactive medication claim within the year.
- Prescriptions spanned 125 therapeutic classes, with antidepressants, stimulants, and tranquilizers/antipsychotics being most frequent.
- Approximately 70% of children with ASD aged 8 and older received psychoactive medication annually.
- Medications were prescribed for symptoms often associated with other mental disorders, despite the primary ASD diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Psychoactive medication is widely used in children and youth with ASD.
- The broad range of prescribed medications suggests off-label use or treatment for co-occurring conditions.
- Further research is needed to clarify the efficacy and appropriateness of these treatments in the context of ASD.
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