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World J Clin Pediatr. Jun 9, 2026; 15(2): 117274
Published online Jun 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i2.117274
Published online Jun 9, 2026. doi: 10.5409/wjcp.v15.i2.117274
Medical treatment of autism spectrum disorder in children: Current evidence, controversies, and clinical challenges
Yousif M Elbeltagi, Department of Medicine, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain, Busaiteen 15503, Muharraq, Bahrain
Ahmed Osama Abd Rab El Rasool, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Alghrabia, Egypt
Ahmed Mohammed Elkashlan, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Algharbia, Egypt
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31511, Algharbia, Egypt
Mohammed Al-Beltagi, Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 26671, Bahrain
Co-first authors: Yousif M Elbeltagi and Ahmed Osama Abd Rab El Rasool.
Author contributions: Elbeltagi YM contributed to the conceptualization of the study, executed the literature search, performed the formal analysis (including the meta-analytic calculations), and participated in writing the original draft of the manuscript; Elbeltagi YM and Elkashlan AM contributed to the data curation; Abd Rab El Rasool AO contributed to the methodology, assisted with data extraction and qualitative synthesis, and critically reviewed and edited sections of the manuscript, particularly those related to neuropsychiatry; Elkashlan AM contributed to validation of the extracted clinical data, participated in the writing of the original draft (specifically the sections on pharmacological agents); Elkashlan AM and Al-Beltagi M critically reviewed the final manuscript; Al-Beltagi M served as the senior author, providing conceptualization and overall supervision of the project, contributed significantly to the methodology design, provided critical intellectual revision, wrote, and edited the final manuscript, and is responsible for the final approval of the submitted version. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Corresponding author: Mohammed Al-Beltagi, MD, PhD, Professor, Senior Researcher, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, 1 Hassan Radwan Street, Tanta 31511, Algharbia, Egypt. mohamed.elbeltagi@med.tanta.edu.eg
Received: December 3, 2025
Revised: December 13, 2025
Accepted: February 24, 2026
Published online: June 9, 2026
Processing time: 161 Days and 12.6 Hours
Revised: December 13, 2025
Accepted: February 24, 2026
Published online: June 9, 2026
Processing time: 161 Days and 12.6 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The core finding of this systematic review is that the medical management of autism spectrum disorder is primarily focused on controlling debilitating comorbid symptoms (e.g., aggression, gastrointestinal distress) rather than improving core social deficits, for which no medication is approved. The field is rapidly transitioning from a broad, empirical treatment approach to one of precision medicine. This shift is driven by evidence that highly targeted interventions, such as microbiota transfer therapy for children with gastrointestinal abnormalities.