Medical treatment of autism spectrum disorders
- PMID: 20087181
- DOI: 10.1097/WCO.0b013e32833722fa
Medical treatment of autism spectrum disorders
Abstract
Purpose of review: There are several common medical conditions occurring in people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that can benefit from treatment and can in turn improve the health and quality of life of people with ASD. This review will primarily focus on these medical comorbidities, with a brief review of potential future treatments.
Recent findings: There continues to be disagreement regarding the exact prevalence and etiological significance of gastrointestinal conditions, epilepsy and other abnormal electroencephalographic findings, and sleep problems. It is not clear whether gastrointestinal conditions occur more frequently than in typically developing children, and whether there are distinct conditions that occur more often in ASD than in non-ASD populations. Abnormal electroencephalographic findings have been reported in up to 60% of children with ASD, and some believe that these abnormalities may be responsible for parts of the ASD phenotype. Sleep problems are reported more frequently than in the general population, and effective treatments are available. Future medical treatments for ASD may be directed at underlying core symptoms and have greater impact than today's symptomatic approach.
Summary: Further research in these areas is needed to better guide diagnosis and treatment of a variety of medical conditions experienced by people with ASD.
Similar articles
-
Healthcare for children with autism: the Autism Treatment Network.Curr Opin Pediatr. 2009 Dec;21(6):828-32. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0b013e328331eaaa. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2009. PMID: 19745738 Review.
-
Sleep problems in autism spectrum disorders: prevalence, nature, & possible biopsychosocial aetiologies.Sleep Med Rev. 2009 Dec;13(6):403-11. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2009.02.003. Epub 2009 Apr 24. Sleep Med Rev. 2009. PMID: 19398354 Review.
-
Autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and sleep disorders.Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2009 Nov;15(6):578-84. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0b013e3283319a9a. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2009. PMID: 19713848 Review.
-
[Sleep in neurodevelopmental disorders].Rev Neurol. 2009 Feb 27;48 Suppl 2:S13-6. Rev Neurol. 2009. PMID: 19280567 Spanish.
-
Care of the patient with an autism spectrum disorder by the general physician.Postgrad Med J. 2012 Aug;88(1042):472-81. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2011-130727. Epub 2012 Mar 16. Postgrad Med J. 2012. PMID: 22427366 Review.
Cited by
-
Parent and pediatrician perspectives regarding the primary care of children with autism spectrum disorders.J Autism Dev Disord. 2013 Apr;43(4):964-72. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1640-7. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013. PMID: 22948548
-
Perspectives of Health Care Providers Regarding Emergency Department Care of Children and Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.J Autism Dev Disord. 2016 May;46(5):1725-36. doi: 10.1007/s10803-016-2703-y. J Autism Dev Disord. 2016. PMID: 26780909
-
Diagnosing Autism in Individuals with Known Genetic Syndromes: Clinical Considerations and Implications for Intervention.Int Rev Res Dev Disabil. 2011;40:229-259. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-374478-4.00009-5. Int Rev Res Dev Disabil. 2011. PMID: 26269783 Free PMC article.
-
Autism spectrum disorders: is mesenchymal stem cell personalized therapy the future?J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012;2012:480289. doi: 10.1155/2012/480289. Epub 2012 Feb 13. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012. PMID: 22496609 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Autism and pediatric practice: toward a medical home.J Autism Dev Disord. 2012 Jun;42(6):1156-64. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1474-3. J Autism Dev Disord. 2012. PMID: 22411200 Review.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Research Materials
