By Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- More and more children are growing up with autism, and although many treatments and interventions are now available, clinical studies on the use of medications in teens and young adults are lacking, according to new research.

"The majority of (older) individuals with autism spectrum disorders appear to be taking medications that we have very little evidence for," said the study's lead author, Dr. Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, medical director of the Treatment and Research Institute for Autism Spectrum Disorders at the Vanderbilt Brain Institute in Nashville, Tenn.

"In the absence of sufficient evidence, parents and people with autism should find a clinician who tells you what's known and unknown about the potential benefits and risks of any medication," he said. "It should be a shared decision-making process."

Results of the study were published online on Sept. 24 in the journal Pediatrics.

Autism spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders that impair social development and communication. Autism spectrum disorders also may cause repetitive movements and even self-abusive behavior, such as head banging, according to the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

It is estimated that about one in 88 American children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder

As children with autism age, some do experience significant improvements, according to NINDS, but many do not. There is no cure for autism, although there are many treatments available, including education and behavioral interventions and medications.

Medications usually are used to treat some of the symptoms associated with autism, rather than the core symptoms of the condition, according to background information in the new study. For example, the medication risperidone (brand name Risperdal) may be used to treat behavioral symptoms associated with autism, such as aggression, outbursts and irritability, said Dr. Melissa Nishawala, medical director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical and Research Program at the NYU Child Study Center in New York City.

"Medications like risperidone and aripiprazole don't address the cause of autism, but they help calm down [people with autism]," Veenstra-VanderWeele said.

Read more here:
Research lacking on drugs for older children with autism