Evaluation of high doses of pyridoxine and magnesium in a 10-week double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 10 patients (mean age 6 years) having autism concluded that the high doses used were ineffective in ameliorating autistic behaviors. (DB)

Use of the psychostimulant methylphenidate (MPH) to treat selected symptoms of autistic disorder was evaluated with 10 children, ages 7 to 11. The double-blind crossover study using a placebo and two MPH doses found modest but statistically significant improvement on hyperactivity in subjects receiving the MPH rather than the placebo. No…

Results of evaluating effects of fenfluramine on 21 maladaptive behaviors in 20 autistic individuals (from 9 to 30 years old) over a 9-month period using a double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled design indicated no significant reductions in maladaptive behaviors and the presence of negative side effects. (Author/DB)

The study assessed the effects of redesigning the classroom physical environment to minimize stimulation on the occurrence of self-stimulation, on-task behavior, inappropriate behavior, and inactivity with 3 autistic males (16, 16, and 26 years old). Self-stimulation and inactivity decreased and on-task behavior increased. (Author/DB)

Twenty children with autism received either an imitative or contingently responsive interaction with an adult. The contingency condition appeared to be the more effective way to facilitate a distal social behavior (attention), whereas the imitative condition was a more effective way to facilitate a proximal social behavior (touching). (Contains…

Fifty-six children with either autism or pervasive developmental disorders not otherwise specified received one injection of secretin, a gastrointestinal hormone. Re-evaluation 3-6 weeks later found minimal but potentially significant improvements, including changes in gastrointestinal symptoms, expressive and/or receptive language function, and…

The effectiveness of fenfluramine with hyperserotonergic autistic individuals (n=28 and ages 6-30) was evaluated. Evaluation of videotape recordings of individual behaviors suggested that fenfluramine failed to increase communicative behaviors or decrease stereotypic behaviors and inappropriate behaviors although a serotonergic effect was found in…

The report describes the successful treatment of trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling) in a mentally retarded 11-year-old boy with autism and severe mental retardation. Administration of haloperidol resulted in complete cessation of hair pulling which reappeared when the dosage was decreased and ceased again when dosage was reestablished. (DB)

This case study of a toddler with autism whose parents had videotaped her development from birth showed that the child's behavior and development were essentially normal for the first year but that she then became withdrawn in only a few months. It is suggested that early communicative screening tests might have identified the child's earliest…

Clozapine, a neuroleptic drug, was used to complete a 93-week double-blind crossover trial with a 40-year-old male having profound mental retardation and sensory impairments and displaying self-injurious behavior (SIB) patterns. Findings suggest that clozapine could be an effective pharmacological intervention for some cases of SIB. (DB)

The Behavior Summarized Evaluation (BSE) measures changes in behavioral parameters in autistic children over time and treatments. Tests of reliability and validity suggest that the BSE is an acceptable tool for the assessment of autistic behaviors, is easy to handle, and is accessible to both professional and paraprofessional medicoeducative…

This study of teaching methods in language interventions with three preschool children with autism found greater improvements in responding and considerably less disruptive behavior during the natural language (using functional stimuli and natural reinforcers) teaching condition compared to the traditional language condition. (Author/DB)

Eighty children, ages 3 to 17, with autism or Asperger's syndrome and mild to severe distress in the presence of some sounds received either auditory training or a control condition of listening to the same music. Significant improvements in behavior, severity of autism, and IQ were achieved and maintained for 12 months by both groups. (Author/DB)