Best way to track medication effects in autism

Dec 7

The best way to track medication effects in autism is to record a daily behavior rating (Bad, Okay, or Good) alongside your medication timeline (when doses started, changed, or stopped). This lets you compare behavior averages across different medication periods and give your psychiatrist objective data instead of relying on memory.

The method you choose depends on how much detail you need and how much time you have.

Why Tracking Medication Effects Is Hard

Autism medications—especially those for irritability, aggression, or anxiety—take weeks to show their full effect. During that time, behavior fluctuates due to sleep, illness, school stress, and dozens of other variables.

Without tracking, you're left with impressions: "I think it's helping?" or "It felt like a bad month." These impressions are often skewed by recency bias (one terrible day overshadows two good weeks) or confirmation bias (you see what you expect to see).

Doctors need more than impressions. They need to know: Did the bad days actually decrease? Did side effects appear? When exactly did things shift?

Method 1: Simple Spreadsheet (Low Effort, Good Results)

A basic spreadsheet is the most practical DIY approach. It takes 10 seconds per day and gives you data you can actually analyze.

  
    Setup

      Date
      Rating
      Notes
    
      12/1
      Bad
      Meltdown after school
    
      12/2
      Okay
      
      12/3
      Good
      Calm morning
    
Medication log (separate tab or section)

      Medication
      Dose
      Start Date
      End Date
    
      Risperidone
      0.25mg
      Nov 1
      Nov 15
    
      Risperidone
      0.5mg
      Nov 15
      ongoing

How to use it:

Before appointments, filter by date range and count: "12 Bad, 10 Okay, 8 Good"
Compare periods: "On 0.25mg we averaged 60% Bad days; on 0.5mg we're at 40%"
Look for side effect patterns: "Bad days cluster in the evenings—possible medication crash?"

Pros: Free, simple, you control it, works on phone via Google Sheets Cons: Only captures what you remember to write; hard to spot why days were bad; no pattern detection

Method 2: Paper Log or Printed Template

Some families prefer paper—it's visible on the fridge and doesn't require opening an app.

Setup: Print a monthly calendar grid. Each day, write one letter: B (bad), O (okay), G (good). Keep a separate note with medication changes.

Pros: No screen time, highly visible, very simple Cons: Hard to aggregate across months; you'll need to manually count before appointments; can't search or filter

Method 3: AI-Powered Voice Journaling (VillageMetrics)

If you want deeper insights without more effort, VillageMetrics captures the full context—not just a rating—and analyzes it automatically.

How it works:

Each day, record a quick voice note: "Rough morning—he was aggressive at breakfast, but calmed down after school. Seemed tired, maybe the med is making him drowsy."
The AI automatically scores behavior goals, tags concepts like #Aggression or #SideEffects, and logs it against your medication timeline
Before appointments, ask: "How has behavior changed since we increased the dose?" and get a real answer

What you get that spreadsheets can't provide:

Automatic pattern detection: "Aggression incidents dropped 40% since the dose change, but sleep issues increased"
Context you forgot you mentioned: The AI remembers you said "seemed drowsy" three times last week—even if you didn't think to track "drowsiness" as a category
Correlation insights: "Bad days are 3x more likely when you mention 'didn't sleep well' the night before"
Sharable with your care team: Therapists, school, and co-parents can all contribute observations

Pros: Captures more detail with less effort; finds patterns you'd miss; doctor-ready summaries Cons: Subscription cost; requires trusting an app with sensitive information

Which Method Should You Choose?

  
      If you...
      Use this
    
      Want the simplest possible system
      Paper calendar with B/O/G
    
      Want data you can analyze
      Simple spreadsheet
    
      Want insights without extra work
      VillageMetrics
    
      Are managing dangerous behaviors and need detailed tracking
      VillageMetrics (captures frequency, duration, context automatically)

Most families start with a spreadsheet. If you find yourself wishing you knew why the bad days happen—or you're too exhausted to even maintain a spreadsheet—that's when tools like VillageMetrics become worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I track before deciding if a medication works?

At least 3-4 weeks for medications that build up in the system (like antipsychotics or SSRIs). Stimulants work faster—you may see effects within days. Track long enough to see patterns, not just a few data points. Your doctor can advise on the specific medication.

Should I track side effects separately from behavior?

You can, but it's not required. If you're using a spreadsheet, a "Notes" column works fine for jotting down side effects ("seemed tired," "less appetite"). If you're using VillageMetrics, just mention side effects in your voice note and the AI will track them automatically.

What if my child is on multiple medications?

Track them all in your medication log with start/end dates for each. When analyzing, look at the combination: "Things improved when we added Medication B to Medication A." This is where AI tools like VillageMetrics help—correlating multiple variables across time is hard to do manually.

Ready to stop flying blind? VillageMetrics turns your daily voice notes into the data doctors need to help your child.

George Dilorenzo