Retrospective study of quetiapine in children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders.
Small chart review says quetiapine may calm autism-related behavior, but firmer trials are still needed.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors looked back at ten kids and teens with autism who took quetiapine.
They checked charts to see if behavior got better after about five months on the drug.
No control group, no random pills—just real-world clinic notes.
What they found
Six out of ten youths acted calmer, less hyper, and more focused.
Average dose was 477 mg each day.
Side effects were mild—mostly sleepiness and small weight gain.
How this fits with other research
Scahill et al. (2012) planned a strict citalopram pill test for the same group.
Their plan shows the field wants RCT proof, not only chart reviews.
Kahng et al. (1999) also used case stories, but with adults in hospitals—same weak design, same need for better data.
Together these papers say: early pill reports look good, but we still need controlled trials.
Why it matters
If parents ask about quetiapine, you can say small studies show possible help for irritability, yet strong proof is missing. Track behavior yourself with ABC sheets before and after starting. Share data with the prescribing doctor so any future RCT can use real-world targets.
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Start an ABC log on any client beginning quetiapine—share baseline and trend with the prescriber.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
A retrospective study was conducted in a clinic specialized in treating individuals with developmental disabilities to examine the effectiveness and tolerability of quetiapine in children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders. Ten consecutive outpatients (age = 12.0 +/- 5.1 years) treated with quetiapine (dose = 477 +/- 212 mg, duration = 22.0 +/- 10.1 weeks) were identified and six were judged to be responders based on impressions from chart review and Conners Parent Scale (CPS). Improvements were observed in the conduct, inattention, and hyperactivity subscales of the CPS. Adverse events were mild with sedation being the most common, and no patient required treatment termination. Quetiapine may be beneficial in children and adolescents with pervasive developmental disorders, however open-label and double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are warranted.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2005 · doi:10.1007/s10803-005-3306-1