Catatonia is being increasingly recognized in autism spectrum and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Several studies show that 12–20% of adolescents with autism have comorbid catatonia, which may be an underestimate of true prevalence (Mormando and Francis
2020). Catatonia may be under-recognized, as repetitive speech and behavior, purposeless agitation, and stereotyped self-injury are misinterpreted as intrinsic signs of ASD or other neurodevelopmental disorders (Wachtel et al.
2018; Mormando and Francis
2020). A recent research and clinical focus has led to viewing some repetitious movements, intractable self-injurious behavior, and purposeless agitation as recognizable signs of catatonia that may respond to benzodiazepines or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) (Wachtel et al.
2018). …
