MDXX drugs: A promising new therapy for autism spectrum disorder. A new review in the peer-reviewed journal Psychedelic Medicine describes the complex pharmacology of methylenedioxy amphetamine analogs, or MDXX drugs, and how they may help treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Jasim and team (2023) take a medicalised look at the ways in which autistic people relax and regulate ourselves, preferring to describe these as a “core deficit” that “may interfere with wellbeing and functioning” or which may appear to be “aimless”, and which need “intervention”.
The most effective interventions available are behavioral therapies based on applied behavioral analysis (ABA). There are many different types of ABA to choose from based on your child's strengths and needs.
There are three levels of autism. Level 1 is considered more high functioning and independent, level 3 is the most debilitating form of the disorder, and level 2 is somewhere in between.
Treatment for high-functioning autism
Occupational therapy, physical therapy, and talk therapy are all alternatives for autism treatment. However, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is commonly regarded as the "gold standard" of autism therapy.
So, why are the rates of autism increasing? Greater awareness. The primary reason that the rates of autism have increased is greater awareness of autism.
Genetics. Several different genes appear to be involved in autism spectrum disorder. For some children, autism spectrum disorder can be associated with a genetic disorder, such as Rett syndrome or fragile X syndrome. For other children, genetic changes (mutations) may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder.
Autism prevalence has increased 178% since 2000. The country with the highest rate of diagnosed autism in the world is Qatar, and the country with the lowest rate is France. Around 4 times as many boys have autism as girls. The rate of autism in the U.S. went from 1 in 150 in 2000 to 1 in 100 in 2022.
Although the exact cause of autism is still unknown, there is evidence to suggest that genetics play a significant role. Since autism is less prevalent in females, autism was always thought to be passed down from the mother. However, research suggests that autism genes are usually inherited from the father.
Siblings with autism share about 66 percent of their genetic material from their father and only about 30 percent from their mother. However, this was a surprising finding with many potential explanations including the complex interaction of parental DNA.
In conclusion, there are many factors that can make autism worse. Sensory overload, changes in routine, social isolation, co-occurring conditions, and lack of support can all exacerbate the symptoms of autism.
Parents of children with autism can apply for two payments, one that's means-tested and one that isn't. Once you receive your child's diagnosis it is worth calling Centrelink and asking what you are entitled to.
There is not just one cause of ASD. There are many different factors that have been identified that may make a child more likely to have ASD, including environmental, biologic, and genetic factors.
Autism is not an illness
It means your brain works in a different way from other people. It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life.
Untreated autism causes changes in brain function that make it more difficult for the person to control impulsive behavior or think rationally about their actions before they act on them. This can lead to situations where ASD adults are unable to live alone and take care of themselves without assistance.
We respond by avoiding the distressing stimuli—avoidance being another core feature of PTSD. All of this hints at a complex and poorly understood relationship between autism and PTSD. While autism is never caused by trauma, there may be something about living with autism that is inherently traumatic.
Long-term research that involved following a group of individuals with autism for two decades indicates that the average life expectancy for some autistic people is about 39 years. Furthermore, this population generally succumbed to health complications about 20 years earlier than individuals who do not have autism.
Risperdal is an antipsychotic medication given to kids who have extreme behavior problems like being very aggressive or angry. It's sometimes used for kids with autism, ADHD or ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) who are acting out in dangerous ways.
Luvox, Prozac, and Celexa belong to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Decisions about these drugs should be made on "a case-by-case" basis for obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety in adults with autism, the Cochrane reviewers concluded.
Nonetheless, medicines such as risperidone and aripiprazole can be beneficial in ways that can ease these core symptoms, because relieving irritability often improves sociability while reducing tantrums, aggressive outbursts and self-injurious behaviors.
Having a family health history of ASD makes you more likely to have a child with ASD, or to have ASD yourself. If you have a child with ASD, you are more likely to have another child with ASD, especially if you have a daughter with ASD or more than one child with ASD.