Catatonia in a child with autistic disorder

Catatonia is a cluster of motor features that appears in many recognized psychiatric illnesses. It is being increasingly reported in individuals with autism, a disorder characterized by impaired reciprocal social interactions, aberrant language development and restricted behavioral repertoire. However, relatively little is known about the presentation and treatment of catatonia in children with autism. We describe herein an 11-year-old pediatric case with autism who developed catatonic symptoms and was treated effectively with lorazepam. The case reported here differs from previously reported cases in terms of age of onset and the display of all characteristics of catatonia as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed) (DSM-IV). In addition, although it was stated that catatonia in autism is commonly associated with impaired language and social passivity, our case is an active verbal individual.