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Psychotropic Medications as Treatments for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

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Handbook of Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Part of the book series: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series ((ACPS))

Abstract

Two drugs, risperidone (Risperdal®) and aripiprazole (Abilify®), are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating “irritability” in young people with autism and are often used for that purpose. Several other drugs also are commonly prescribed in the hope of improving behavior. This chapter overviews the use of behavior-change drugs in people with autism. Topics that are considered include the prevalence of drug use, the rationale for drug use, research findings, and steps that can be taken to ensure that medications are used wisely and effectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, 49008, USA

    Alan Poling, Kristal Ehrhardt & Anita Li

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  1. Alan Poling
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  2. Kristal Ehrhardt
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  3. Anita Li
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Correspondence to Alan Poling .

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  1. Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

    Johnny L. Matson

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Poling, A., Ehrhardt, K., Li, A. (2017). Psychotropic Medications as Treatments for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In: Matson, J. (eds) Handbook of Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorder . Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61738-1_25

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