Stimulants are fairly effective but tend to cause more side effects in autistic ADHD kids than in children with pure ADHD. Atomoxetine was only equivocally effective in one trial, and the immediate-release version of guanfacine was tested in a small open-label trial, resulting in improvement in about half the subjects.

The metabolic effects of atypical antipsychotics in children are well known, and carefully weighing the risk-benefit ratio of their use is a difficult ordeal for both parents and clinicians. The reality is that the use of these meds is necessary for some children, particularly those dealing with an autism spectrum disorder with serious behavioral problems.

Rates of autism diagnoses are on the rise. While no one knows for sure why, a new study explores whether the increased use of antidepressants during pregnancy might be one of the causes.

Getting meds just right is challenging in autism. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes it doesn't work out so well. No two people with Autism Spectrum Disorder are alike, meaning that our medication choices have to be individualized even more so than in most other psychiatric syndromes.

Let’s look at the three most important benchmarks in autism diagnosis history.

Autism is fairly common and is extremely hard to treat. A couple of antipsychotics (Risperdal, Abilify) can help decrease the agitation common in autism, and some behavior therapies can improve the ability to interact with others. But these behavioral techniques have only been studied in the short term—which is not very helpful, because autism is a long term problem.

There is disagreement about the causes of this increased incidence of autism. Debate has focused on whether the rise in cases is an artifact caused by increased diagnosis and reporting, or if there is some unknown pathogenic factor in the environment that is causing an actual increase in new cases. A new study out of Denmark provides support for the artifact argument.

A small study has shown promising results for the effectiveness of parental interventions for infants showing early signs of autism.

Abnormalities in the brains of autistic children can be traced back to the development of neurons in utero, according to a new study published in the March 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (Stoner R, N Engl J Med 2014; 370:1209–1219).

A group of researchers at Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital recently quantified the increased medical and educational costs that come with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).