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Many Young Children with Autism Who Use Psychotropic Medication Do Not Receive Behavior Therapy: A Multisite

Lisa D Wiggins1, Cy Nadler2, Steven Rosenberg3

  • 1National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.

The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 25, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Many preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) use psychotropic medication, but over half do not receive behavior therapy. Attention problems and study site were linked to medication use in young children with ASD.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Background:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects preschool-aged children, with increasing attention to treatment modalities.
  • Psychotropic medication use and behavior therapy are common interventions for managing symptoms in children with ASD.
  • Understanding factors influencing treatment choices is crucial for optimizing care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication use in preschool-aged children with ASD.
  • To identify child and geographic factors associated with psychotropic medication use.
  • To assess the utilization of behavior therapy among children with ASD who use psychotropic medication.

Main Methods:

  • A multisite case-control study enrolled 763 children aged 2-5 years diagnosed with ASD between 2012 and 2016.
  • Caregiver questionnaires collected data on psychotropic medication use, behavior therapy receipt, and child characteristics.
  • Statistical analyses identified factors associated with medication use and the proportion receiving behavior therapy.

Main Results:

  • 8.1% of preschool children with ASD used psychotropic medication; 3.7% started medication at age 3 or younger.
  • Attention problems (aOR, 7.65) and study site (aOR, 2.62) were significantly associated with psychotropic medication use.
  • Over half (59.7%) of children using psychotropic medication never received behavior therapy.

Conclusions:

  • A significant proportion of preschool children with ASD treated with psychotropic medication do not receive behavior therapy.
  • Pediatricians play a key role in facilitating behavioral treatment for children with ASD.
  • Integrating medication management with behavioral interventions is essential for comprehensive care.
Abstract

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