Autism-spectrum-disorder - Articles

CLINICAL UPDATE

Using Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

October 18, 2021

Anja Kriegeskotten, MD, Peter Parry, MBBS, and Renee Sievert, RN, MFT,

Anja Kriegeskotten, MD Psychiatrist in Australia, accredited equine therapist. Peter Parry, MBBS, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and senior lecturer at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. Renee Sievert, RN, MFT, certified equine therapist, CA. Dr. Kriegeskotten, Dr. Parry, and Ms. Sievert have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Equine therapy is becoming popular for a variety of child and adolescent mental health problems, from ADHD, anxiety disorders and PTSD to developmental challenges. In this article our experts describe the nuts and bolts of equine assisted psychotherapy, covering the research and the practicalities of these approaches.

Genetic Testing: What You Need to Know in 2021

June 29, 2021

John Nurnberger, MD, PhD

John Nurnberger, MD, PhD

Vice Chair for Preclinical Research, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Nurnberger has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Is genetic testing ready for clinical practice? It depends on which test we’re talking about. In this interview John Nurnberger details the tests to pay attention to on a genetic panel and describes how to use whole exome sequencing (WES) to identify genetic causes of autism and intellectual disability.

Does Prozac Treat Repetitive and Stereotypical Behaviors in Children With Autism?

August 5, 2020

Pavan Madan, MD.

Pavan Madan, MD. Dr. Madan has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Repetitive behaviors are part and parcel of the everyday challenges in autism spectrum disorders. The apparent similarly of these behaviors with obsessive compulsive disorders begs for trials of SSRIs such as fluoxetine (Prozac). But does this strategy work with any clear reliability? This research reviews addresses that question, with interesting results that impact everyday practice.

Exploring the Potential Neurotoxicity of Antipsychotics in Younger Populations

November 21, 2019

With all the existing concerns about use of antipsychotic medications, particularly in off label situations, should we be also concerned about the potential for neurotoxicity? In this article we break down the topic and make suggestions for thoughtful patient care.

Managing Irritability in Autism

November 21, 2019

Lauren Brookman-Frazee, PhD

Lauren Brookman-Frazee, PhD

Professor of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, Research Director at the Autism Discovery Institute at Rady Children’s Hospital, and Associate Director of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center

Dr. Brookman-Frazee has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

What can child psychiatrists do to sort out irritability in children and teens with Autism? This article helps you to go beyond singular derivative symptoms such as ‘irritability’ to help clinicians arrive at a more nuanced understanding that can lead to more specific and effective management.

Engage Those Infants: Maternal Interaction and Autism

November 21, 2019

Pavan Madan, MD

Pavan Madan, MD Dr. Madan has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

More and more research points to the central importance of supporting better caregiver-child relationships in the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Read this article to hear about the impact of maternal efforts to engage high and low risk infants.

Weight Gain From Aripiprazole Same as Risperidone

November 21, 2019

Pavan Madan, MD

Pavan Madan, MD Dr. Madan has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Weight gain is a common side effect of antipsychotic treatment in children and adolescents. Is one medication less problematic than another? This article reports on a comparison between risperidone and aripiprazole. The results might surprise you.

Micronutrients in Mental Health

November 15, 2019

Julia Rucklidge, PhD

Julia Rucklidge, PhD

Professor, University of Canterbury, New Zealand Dr. Rucklidge has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Vitamins like B12 and folate have mental benefits, but what happens when you combine dozens of vitamins and nutrients in a single pill? We were skeptical, but the studies were positive, so we invited Julia Rucklidge to explain how these “micronutrients” work in ADHD, depression, autism, and general mental health.

Note From the Editor-in-Chief

June 21, 2018

Welcome to the autism issue! We interviewed Dr. Serena Wieder on evidence-based developmental approaches for kids with ASD, ones that bring the humanity back into autism treatment by returning our focus to the nurturing relationships between parents and children, building on children’s ideas to improve communication and learning.

Prescribing Antipsychotics in Aggressive Children With ADHD

June 21, 2018

Candace Good, MD

Candace Good, MD Child & adolescent psychiatrist, SunPointe Health, State College, PA Dr. Good has disclosed that she has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

It’s a vexing question: At what point do you consider prescribing antipsychotics for aggressive children? The potential side effects—weight gain, sedation, possible movement side effects, and metabolic abnormalities—encourage us to think long and hard about this, and there are few good evidence-based guidelines.