Psychotropic Medication Use by Children with Autism Served in Publicly Funded Mental Health Settings.
Barbara Caplan, Colby Chlebowski, Gina May and 3 others
PMID 34855690WHAT IT FOUND
Nearly half of children with autism in public mental health services took psychotropic medication, with 17% on three or more.
Stimulants were most common. Non-Hispanic White ethnicity, lower cognitive functioning, and ADHD diagnosis were linked to higher medication use.
Key findings
0149.5% of the sample used at least one psychotropic medication, and 17.0% of those users took three or more.
02Any psychotropic medication use was more likely for Non-Hispanic White children, children with lower cognitive functioning, and children with an ADHD diagnosis.
03Stimulant use was significantly more likely for children with lower autism severity, greater intensity of behavior problems, and an ADHD diagnosis.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study relies on caregiver report for medication use, which may not accurately capture precise doses or timing. The sample was drawn from publicly funded mental health services in California, so findings may not generalize to children with private insurance or those not accessing mental health services. The sample size was not large enough to detect smaller differences in medication use patterns. The study did not examine provider factors or decision-making processes that influence prescribing.
Declared interests
The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these associations as evidence that specific medications cause better outcomes or that prescribing patterns are optimal. This is a descriptive study of current practice, not a trial of efficacy. The lack of factors associated with antipsychotic use or polypharmacy suggests variability in practice rather than a clear clinical indication.