Long Acting Risperidone in an Adolescent with Conduct Disorder: A Case Report

Adolescent conduct disorder (CD) is generally hard to manage clinically, as this population often refuses to take oral medications. Families and acquaintances of these adolescents usually suffer from extreme psychological, financial and social difficulties. Oral antipsychotics are the primary drugs of choice clinically, after behavioral treatments. Here we report a case with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder who refuses to take any medications, was not eligible for behavioral treatments and was treated successfully with long acting risperidone. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2011;44(3):69-72

Drug Induced Mania in a Boy with High Functioning Autism

Drug induced mania is sometimes associated with drug that are primarily not used for central nervous system effects. Here we report a manic episode during the treatment of leukemia with various agents in an adolescent with diagnosis of high functioning autism. In this case, most likely candidates to induce a manic episode were dexamethazone, a corticosteroid used in the treatment of T-ALL, cyclophosphamide and cotrimoxazole. Although literature on mood disorders associated with corticosteroids exceeds that of cyclophosphamide and cotrimoxazole, an absolute causal drug cannot be stated. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 2010; 43(2):82-85

Complementary and Alternative Treatments of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric conditions estimated to affect 5-10% of the children. It is a chronic condition and frequently persists into adulthood. Approved pharmacological agents for the treatment of ADHD include psychostimulants and atomoxetine. However, non-pharmacological treatment seeking and the use of complementary and alternative medicine are on the rise. Here, the most common complementary and alternative treatments of ADHD will be reviewed. (Archives of Neuropsychiatry 2011; 48: 94-102

Assessment of suicidality in children and adolescents with diagnosis of high functioning autism spectrum disorder in a Turkish clinical sample

Objectives: Considering that suicide is one of the most common reasons of adolescent death worldwide, there is a lack of clinical awareness on suicidal behaviors of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study aims to assess the rate of suicidality (suicidal ideation, behaviors and attempts) and associated risk factors for suicidality in high functioning ASD

Asperger's disorder and Williams syndrome: a case report

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder caused by the hemizygous microdeletion in chromosome 7q11.23. It is characterized by dysmorphic face, cardiovascular disease, idiopathic hypercalcemia, mental retardation, and an uneven profile of cognitive-linguistic abilities and deficits. The presence of autistic features in individuals with WS is a controversial issue. While there are reports that describe them as overly friendly with excessive sociability and good empathic skills, some recent studies focus more on the qualitative impairment of their social abilities. Here, we report the clinical presentation and follow-up of an eight-year-old boy with WS and clear problems in his social interaction, non-verbal communication and circumscribed interests. To our knowledge, this is the first case report on the coexistence of WS and Asperger's disorder. It also differs from previous papers on the comorbidity of WS and autism spectrum disorders, by depicting a highly verbal, non-retarded child followed for seven years through adolescence

Characteristics of Children Who Lost the Diagnosis of Autism: A Sample from Istanbul, Turkey

Aim. The aim of this study was to describe a group of children who lost a diagnosis of autism following participation in early educational programs. Method. This is a descriptive study reporting the characteristics of children (n: 39) who lost their diagnosis of autism and explaining the educational programs that these children followed. The data were collected by reviewing the participants' files and through examinations. Results. All of the children were placed at regular psychiatric follow-ups. The mean age at referral was 2.39±0.75 years, whereas the mean age at the time of optimal outcome reported was 5.11 ± 1.95 years. Two of the children were in early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), and the rest were in a comprehensive naturalistic behavioral program. The childhood autism rating scale (CARS) total scores at baseline and final were 32.75 ± 3.15 and 18.01 ± 1.76, respectively. The mean IQ of the group at final examination was 116.70 ± 18.88. Conclusion. It could be concluded that a group of children with an autism diagnosis could lose the diagnosis of autism upon early intervention. High IQ and the development of communicative and language skills at an early age could be the most powerful factors contributing to an optimal outcome

Characteristics of Children Who Lost the Diagnosis of Autism: A Sample from Istanbul, Turkey

Aim. The aim of this study was to describe a group of children who lost a diagnosis of autism following participation in early educational programs. Method. This is a descriptive study reporting the characteristics of children (n: 39) who lost their diagnosis of autism and explaining the educational programs that these children followed. The data were collected by reviewing the participants’ files and through examinations. Results. All of the children were placed at regular psychiatric follow-ups. The mean age at referral was 2.39±0.75 years, whereas the mean age at the time of optimal outcome reported was 5.11±1.95 years. Two of the children were in early intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI), and the rest were in a comprehensive naturalistic behavioral program. The childhood autism rating scale (CARS) total scores at baseline and final were 32.75±3.15 and 18.01±1.76, respectively. The mean IQ of the group at final examination was 116.70±18.88. Conclusion. It could be concluded that a group of children with an autism diagnosis could lose the diagnosis of autism upon early intervention. High IQ and the development of communicative and language skills at an early age could be the most powerful factors contributing to an optimal outcome

Effects of Atomoxetine in Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Low-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder

Objectives: This naturalistic, retrospective study investigated the effects of atomoxetine (ATX) on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and autistic features in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and intellectual disability (ID)