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Published on: August 15, 2017
Electroconvulsive therapy in an adolescent with autism and bipolar I disorder
Matthew Siegel1, Briana Milligan, Douglas Robbins
1Spring Harbor Hospital, Westbrook, ME, USA. siegem@springharbor.org
Objectives:
We report a positive response to electroconvulsive therapy in a severely functionally impaired adolescent with autistic disorder and classic bipolar I disorder, including an episodic pattern of decreased need for sleep, hypersexuality, expansive and agitated affect, aggression, self-injury, and property destruction.
Methods:
After ineffective trials of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics as well as inability to sustain a positive response to lithium due to medication noncompliance, a course of acute and maintenance electroconvulsive therapy was attempted.
Results:
A marked and sustained improvement across all symptom categories, as measured by directly observed frequency counts of target behaviors in an inpatient setting, was obtained.
Conclusions:
Electroconvulsive therapy should be considered a potentially useful intervention in cases of children with autistic disorder and a severe comorbid affective disorder.
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