Earlier this year, the journal Pediatrics published a special supplement on medical, mental health and behavioral issues commonly associated with autism. The issue provides important autism-specific practice guidelines for the nation‚Äôs pediatricians.  Like the journal‚Äôs first autism supplement in 2012, the work was conducted primarily through the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN) serving as the federally funded Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P).*

The new and much-expanded supplement includes treatment recommendations for such autism-associated health issues as:

• anxiety
• depression
• disturbed sleep
• severe irritability and problem behaviors

It also includes much-needed guidance on:

• the special needs of adopted children who have autism
• transition plans for teenagers with autism as they move from pediatric to adult healthcare systems
• autism-tailored hospital care plans 
• autism-sensitive emergency room procedures

Readers can access links to summaries of the articles on the Pediatrics website here.