Depression in Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

CME Educational Objectives 1. Know how to accurately diagnose depression in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when presentation is impeded by overlap in symptoms between depression and ASD. 2. Understand that signs and symptoms that can be seen in ASD during depression include many of the usual signs of depression, as well as an increase in self-injurious behavior, exacerbated compulsiveness, and increased stereotypic behavior. 3. Know when to apply pharmacologic treatment for depression in autism and to monitor tolerance of and compliance with treatment. The patient is a 15-year-old white male who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 7 years. His mother says that although he met his early developmental milestones mostly on time, he did not start speaking until age 3 years and still did not use the words “I” and “me” appropriately. He did not join kindergarten classmates in play, preferring to play by himself with particular toys, specifically those with rolling parts such as trains and cars; his mother was not able to draw his attention to other toys.