Management of Pediatric Patients With Autistic Spectrum Disorders in the Emergency Department

Children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorders present a special challenge in the emergency department setting due to highly individualized emotional-behavioral and communicative characteristics. When an autistic patient presents with agitated behavior, the emergency care provider must consider both emotional and somatic etiologies as well as which treatment modalities best serve the patient. Effective communication with parents, caretakers, and outpatient providers provides useful insights into likely etiologies of agitation as well as effective management strategies.