DEPRESSING news: treatments for autism spectrum disorders are largely ineffective, though a glimmer of hope remains for behavioural interventions, especially in young people. So concludes a set of comprehensive reviews this week.
The only drugs of any benefit were the antipsychotics risperidone and aripiprazole. They alleviate 鈥渃hallenging鈥� behaviour and hyperactivity, but have side effects which limit their use. Antidepressants didn鈥檛 help at all. 鈥淪trikingly little evidence exists to support benefit for most treatments,鈥� concludes a team led by of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
Behavioural interventions emerged with more credit. The team said these improved cognitive performance, language skills and adaptive behaviour skills in some young children (Pediatrics, ).
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, at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, says that the aim isn鈥檛 to treat autism, but to help children cope with their symptoms. 鈥淚t is the elbow grease of parents, teachers and therapists that is the basis of intervention for autism spectrum disorders,鈥� she says.
