A Targeted Combined Pharmacotherapy Approach for Aggressive Behavior in a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Predisposing factors include preterm birth and low birth weight that are associated with increased rates of ASD, ADHD, and problems with self-regulation and impulse control. ASD, like other neurodevelopmental disorders, can present with a variety of symptoms and severities across patients, making individual treatment important and also challenging. V. was an 11-year-old girl with a history of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and a complex medical history that includes pulmonary atresia (PA), chronic lung disease, atrial septal defect, precocious puberty, and seizure disorder, who was initially referred by pediatric neurology for psychiatric evaluation of maladaptive behaviors and impaired sleep. Studies of children with oppositional defiant or conduct symptoms in the context of ASD and ADHD have demonstrated that disruptive behaviors may respond more fully to dual therapy with methylphenidate and clonidine than monotherapy (Connor et al., [4]; Kollins et al., [8]). [Extracted from the article]