Two pharmacologic interventions also show promise, but concerns about adverse effects should lead to judicious use.70 First, antipsychotic medications reduce irritability and aggression in children.70–72 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two medications, risperidone and aripiprazole, for the treatment of irritability and aggression in autism. Although autism is not strongly associated with conduct problems, data leading to FDA approval for these indications broadly inform clinicians regarding the use of these agents in children. Other data show efficacy in youth conduct problems occurring in other contexts, but the usefulness of the drugs is limited by short-term adverse effects, such as sedation, and long-term adverse effects from disrupted metabolic and neurologic functions.
