Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Have New Options When Administering Medications

HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- PCCA received the Autism Hope Alliance's (AHA) Autism Approved (http://bit.ly/1382OkS) program seal for best practices in meeting needs in the autism community. The program highlights medical practices, materials and goods that meet strict criteria and are considered "autism-community friendly."

Children affected by autism often have unique physical or psychological challenges that can be exacerbated by ingredients found in food and medicine – for instance casein, soy, sugars, gluten, dyes, carbohydrates, and heavy metals (such as aluminum). Parents must manage their child's unique dietary restrictions, including the ingredients in the medications they take.

Because each child's body has its own unique needs, commercially available medications sometimes may not provide the appropriate dosage form or ingredients needed. For these children, compounded medications (http://bit.ly/whatiscomp) are a critical tool.

PCCA has several products that benefit the autism community, including:

• SuspendAll™: A suspension base for oral medications that is free of ingredients known to cause reactions in autistic children.
• Anhydrous Lipoderm^®: A quick-absorbing cream used to deliver medications transdermally. It does not use aluminum silicate – a common binding agent.
• Effervescent Powder™ Base: A powder base for oral medications that effervesces when mixed with water and is used to help make medications more palatable.

PCCA Pharmacy Consultant Tricia Heitman, PharmD, said, "Parents and practitioners working with children with autism must manage ingredients that can trigger reactions, such as hyperactivity, irritability, depression and acting-out, or serious gastrointestinal problems. As the largest supplier to compounding pharmacies in the U.S., we have a special obligation to develop unique products to serve the 1 in 68 children with autism."

Heitman continued, "Most compounded medications for children with autism are for younger kids who can be especially finicky and can't or won't take capsules or pills. Compounded medications in different dosage forms and flavors are often the only way to administer key ingredients such as melatonin, amino acid and vitamin mixtures that are crucial in managing autism."

SuspendAll, Anhydrous Lipoderm and Effervescent Powder Base are only available from independent PCCA-affiliated compounding pharmacies. To locate a nearby PCCA pharmacy, visit findacompounder.com.

About the Autism Hope Alliance
AHA provides hope and help for autism families today and was formed in 2009 by Tom Bohager, Founder of Enzymedica. Kristin Selby Gonzalez, joined Enzymedica in 2008 as Director of Autism Education. In 2012 she left her role at Enzymedica and was appointed President and Chairman of AHA. In addition to her training and certifications, Kristin brings her own experience as a mother of a child on the autism disorder spectrum to her role.

About PCCA
PCCA is an independent compounding pharmacy's complete resource for fine chemicals, devices, equipment, training and support. PCCA provides products, services and support to almost 4,000 pharmacist members throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. Serving compounding pharmacists since 1981, PCCA is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit pccarx.com.

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SOURCE PCCA

Related Links

http://www.autismhopealliance.org/