MEDICATIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Can medications help my child?
While medications will not change the fact that your child has ASD, they can be helpful when added to behavioral therapy. Medications may be prescribed for:
- Aggression
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Repetitive behaviors
- Self-injury
- Sleep difficulty
- Stimulants (hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention)
- Atypical antipsychotics (irritability/aggression)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, anxiety/depression)
- α-adrenergic agonists (hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention)
- Anticonvulsants (seizures)
Medications are not helpful for all children with ASD or for all problem behaviors. These medications are typically prescribed by a pediatrician or a specialist.
What should I do before my child begins medication?
Work with your doctor to decide if and when to begin a medication. Look for medical factors that may be increasing the intensity or occurrences of problem behaviors. For example, your child may have a hidden source of pain, such as an ear infection, that leads to self-harm. It’s possible that a change in routine at school or home is upsetting your child. Sometimes addressing these things will alleviate the need for these medications.
Discuss treatment options other than medication for your child. Often, behavioral strategies are the best way to decrease problem behavior. Medications are most often used in conjunction with behavioral strategies, not instead of them. Once in a while, medication alone may be necessary when the safety of the child or others is at risk.
Before starting a new medication, always tell your child’s doctor what other medications, including dietary supplements and other treatments, your child is taking.
What happens after my child starts a medication?
Before a medication is started, it is important to know the overall goal for the medication. Target behaviors should be listed and shared. Since any medication can have side effects, it’s important to know what they are and what to watch for. Your child’s pediatrician may ask you to fill out a checklist to help watch for behavioral changes or side effects. Your pediatrician may want teachers, therapists, and other caregivers to watch for behavioral changes in your child. With some medications, your child may need blood tests or heart monitoring to monitor for possible side effects.
Your child’s doctor may recommend changes in medication dosing depending on how well it is working and whether there are any side effects. The dosing may also change as your child grows.
How can we use medications safely?
Give medications exactly as prescribed. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what to do if you miss a dose.
Do not stop, restart, increase, or decrease medications without asking your child’s doctor first. Make sure your child is not refusing to take his medication without your knowledge (for example, hiding the medication in his cheek and throwing it away without swallowing it).
Keep all medicines out of reach of all children, and watch your child to make sure he swallows his medication properly. If your child takes too much medicine, call your child’s pediatrician or the Poison Control hotline (1-800-222-1222), or go to a hospital emergency department immediately.
Each medicine has a generic or chemical name. Generic medications usually cost less than brand-name ones. These have the same chemical formula, but they may not be exactly the same strength as brand-name medications. Ask your child’s pediatrician or pharmacist if your child should take a specific brand-name medication. Medications come in different forms including liquid, tablet, capsule, chewable, and patch. Discuss which options may be easiest for your child with his pediatrician. Some medications must be renewed each month. Make sure you have a system to keep track of your child’s medication so that you do not run out.
If you think your child may be using street drugs or alcohol, tell his doctor right away. If you think there is a chance your child may be pregnant, please tell the doctor right away. Pregnancy requires special care in the use of medicine.
Many medications used for children with ASD are not approved by the US FDA for use in children. This does not necessarily mean that the medication is dangerous or does not work.
Adapted from information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
AAP Feed run on: 9/14/2024 Article information last modified on: 9/14/2024
MEDICATIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
Can medications help my child?
While medications will not change the fact that your child has ASD, they can be helpful when added to behavioral therapy. Medications may be prescribed for:
- Aggression
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Repetitive behaviors
- Self-injury
- Sleep difficulty
- Stimulants (hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention)
- Atypical antipsychotics (irritability/aggression)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, anxiety/depression)
- α-adrenergic agonists (hyperactivity/impulsivity/inattention)
- Anticonvulsants (seizures)
Medications are not helpful for all children with ASD or for all problem behaviors. These medications are typically prescribed by a pediatrician or a specialist.
What should I do before my child begins medication?
Work with your doctor to decide if and when to begin a medication. Look for medical factors that may be increasing the intensity or occurrences of problem behaviors. For example, your child may have a hidden source of pain, such as an ear infection, that leads to self-harm. It’s possible that a change in routine at school or home is upsetting your child. Sometimes addressing these things will alleviate the need for these medications.
Discuss treatment options other than medication for your child. Often, behavioral strategies are the best way to decrease problem behavior. Medications are most often used in conjunction with behavioral strategies, not instead of them. Once in a while, medication alone may be necessary when the safety of the child or others is at risk.
Before starting a new medication, always tell your child’s doctor what other medications, including dietary supplements and other treatments, your child is taking.
What happens after my child starts a medication?
Before a medication is started, it is important to know the overall goal for the medication. Target behaviors should be listed and shared. Since any medication can have side effects, it’s important to know what they are and what to watch for. Your child’s pediatrician may ask you to fill out a checklist to help watch for behavioral changes or side effects. Your pediatrician may want teachers, therapists, and other caregivers to watch for behavioral changes in your child. With some medications, your child may need blood tests or heart monitoring to monitor for possible side effects.
Your child’s doctor may recommend changes in medication dosing depending on how well it is working and whether there are any side effects. The dosing may also change as your child grows.
How can we use medications safely?
Give medications exactly as prescribed. Ask your doctor or pharmacist what to do if you miss a dose.
Do not stop, restart, increase, or decrease medications without asking your child’s doctor first. Make sure your child is not refusing to take his medication without your knowledge (for example, hiding the medication in his cheek and throwing it away without swallowing it).
Keep all medicines out of reach of all children, and watch your child to make sure he swallows his medication properly. If your child takes too much medicine, call your child’s pediatrician or the Poison Control hotline (1-800-222-1222), or go to a hospital emergency department immediately.
Each medicine has a generic or chemical name. Generic medications usually cost less than brand-name ones. These have the same chemical formula, but they may not be exactly the same strength as brand-name medications. Ask your child’s pediatrician or pharmacist if your child should take a specific brand-name medication. Medications come in different forms including liquid, tablet, capsule, chewable, and patch. Discuss which options may be easiest for your child with his pediatrician. Some medications must be renewed each month. Make sure you have a system to keep track of your child’s medication so that you do not run out.
If you think your child may be using street drugs or alcohol, tell his doctor right away. If you think there is a chance your child may be pregnant, please tell the doctor right away. Pregnancy requires special care in the use of medicine.
Many medications used for children with ASD are not approved by the US FDA for use in children. This does not necessarily mean that the medication is dangerous or does not work.
Adapted from information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
AAP Feed run on: 9/14/2024 Article information last modified on: 9/14/2024
