Biologically Based Interventions

Medication

There is currently no medical treatment for the core features of autism. Medications are used to treat the symptoms and co-morbid disorders of autism such as anxiety and ADHD, as well as to increase the likelihood that children will benefit from concurrent interventions. Symptoms most responsive to medication include hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, anxiety, self-injurious and obsessive/compulsive behaviours. No biological treatment has yet been demonstrated to change the core characteristics of autism. At the present time, there is no drug that is licensed for specific use with children or individuals with autism.