No trials reported serious adverse events .
Subgroup analysis by dose did not identify any significant differences in effect on our primary outcomes between low- , medium- or high-dose ranges .
We found that short-term use of methylpheni date might improve symptoms of hyperactivity and possibly inattention in children with ASD who are tolerant of the medication , although the low quality of evidence means that we can not be certain of the true magnitude of any effect .
There was no evidence that methylpheni date has a negative impact on the core symptoms of ASD , or that it improves social interaction , stereotypical behaviours , or overall ASD .
BACKGROUND Children with autistic spectrum disorder ( ASD ) frequently present with inattention , impulsivity and hyperactivity , which are the cardinal symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) .
The effectiveness of methylpheni date , a commonly used ADHD treatment , is therefore of interest in these children .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of methylpheni date for symptoms of ADHD ( inattention , impulsivity and hyperactivity ) and ASD ( impairments in social interaction and communication , and repetitive , restricted or stereotypical behaviours ) in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years with ASD .
Use of methylphenidate in the treatment of children with autistic disorder
The use of psychostimulants in autistic disorder has not received extensive evaluation . Furthermore , their use for the symptomatic control of autistic disorder has been felt to be contraindicated . This study investigates the use of methylpheni date ( MPH ) for the treatment of selected symptoms of autistic disorder . Ten children , ages 7–11 , with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of autistic disorder participated in a double-blind crossover study using placebo and two MPH doses ( 10 mg or 20 mg bid ) . Subjects showed modest but statistically significant improvement on MPH over placebo . No significant side effects including worsening stereotypic movements occurred on either dose . Improvement in hyperactivity and lack of adverse effects suggest that MPH may be useful in the treatment of hyperactive autistic children
No trials reported serious adverse events .
Subgroup analysis by dose did not identify any significant differences in effect on our primary outcomes between low- , medium- or high-dose ranges .
We found that short-term use of methylpheni date might improve symptoms of hyperactivity and possibly inattention in children with ASD who are tolerant of the medication , although the low quality of evidence means that we can not be certain of the true magnitude of any effect .
There was no evidence that methylpheni date has a negative impact on the core symptoms of ASD , or that it improves social interaction , stereotypical behaviours , or overall ASD .
BACKGROUND Children with autistic spectrum disorder ( ASD ) frequently present with inattention , impulsivity and hyperactivity , which are the cardinal symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) .
The effectiveness of methylpheni date , a commonly used ADHD treatment , is therefore of interest in these children .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of methylpheni date for symptoms of ADHD ( inattention , impulsivity and hyperactivity ) and ASD ( impairments in social interaction and communication , and repetitive , restricted or stereotypical behaviours ) in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years with ASD .