Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders - Executive Summary | AHRQ Effective Health Care Program

Treatments Show Promise in Reducing Autism-related Behaviors, But Some Have Significant Side Effects

Some medical and behavioral treatments show promise for reducing certain behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), but more research is needed to assess the potential benefits and harms, according to a new AHRQ-funded report. The research results were published online in the journal Pediatrics. The comparative effectiveness report found that two commonly used medications – risperidone and aripiprazole – show benefit in reducing some behaviors, including emotional distress, aggression, hyperactivity and self-injury. However, these medicines are associated with significant side effects, such as rapid weight gain and drowsiness. The review found that no medications used for ASDs improved social behaviors or communication skills. The report, Comparative Effectiveness of Therapies for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, also found that several medications show promise and should be studied further, but that secretin, which has been studied extensively, has shown no effectiveness. Researchers at AHRQ’s Vanderbilt Evidence-based Practice Center noted that further research is needed to identify which children are likely to benefit from particular interventions. The authors also were critical of the fact that current studies contain few comparisons of medical interventions with behavioral interventions as well as combinations of the two, despite the fact that most children undergo multiple treatments at the same time.

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Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders - Executive Summary | AHRQ Effective Health Care Program


Treatments Show Promise in Reducing Autism-related Behaviors, but Some Have Significant Side Effects