ABA is backed by the strongest scientific support of any autism treatment, mostly based on Lovass’s original 1987 study in which he cited a 47 percent recovery rate. However, no other study has replicated Lovaas’s results. ABA is recognized for its effectiveness in helping children learn language and cognitive skills, but critics charge that the rigid structure does not build social skills and that children tend to become more robotic in their responses and less spontaneous in adapting to real-world situations."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Pivotal reponse therapy","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "PRT is an approach based on the ABA method but is considered to be more naturalistic, meaning that instruction takes place in a relaxed environment and the teaching is child-centered, or guided by the child’s interests, motivations and favorite activities. Researchers believe that “pivotal behaviors” affect a range of responses in children with autism. Because these behaviors influence a diverse area of functions, positive changes can have a ripple effect on other behaviors. In PRT therapy, instructions and rewards are more varied than with traditional ABA. PRT is offered through clinics and school programs."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","TEACCH","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children is an approach developed in 1964 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The classroom-based program evolved from the theory that children with autism have strong visual skills and respond well to visual cues and symbols. Instead of using rewards for behavior modification, TEACCH emphasizes picture systems to develop organizational skills and help children better understand what is expected of them. TEACCH is based on brain research that suggests people with autism have more difficulty switching their attention from one task to another. The approach focuses on helping children transition more smoothly from one activity to the next. The program generally works better with children who have more severe symptoms of autism, researchers say."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","DIR Floortime","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Developed by Drs. Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder, Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based Floortime is an alternative behavorial approach focused on helping children build fundamental skills needed for communication and relationships. It is primarily a home-based technique that enlists professional helpers to work alongside parents and their children. The adults get down on the floor with the child and follow the child’s natural interests, according to Greenspan.
Some critics say there is not enough scientific research supporting the effectiveness of DIR Floortime and that children with more severe autism may not be well-served by such a child-centered program. However, the Floortime Foundation claims that in a review of 200 children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorders who were treated intensively with DIR Floortime for up to six years, more than 50 percent have \"become warm, engaged and loving.\""; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","SUPPLEMENTAL THERAPIES","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Music therapy ","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Many people with autism respond favorably to music as a form of therapy. For example, in the Tomatis method, which is named for the French doctor who developed it, a loop of music is played for several hours a day with the goal of improving a child’s attention and concentration."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Language therapy","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "A delay in language and communication skills is one of the core symptoms of autism – often the problem that leads a parent to have a child evaluated for the disorder. Speech and language therapy should be a strong part of the child's educational program. Language therapy can be adapted to focus on a child’s specific needs, such as articulation, word repetition or volume control."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","DIETARY TREATMENTS","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Gluten-free/casein-free diets","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Doctors in the \"Defeat Autism Now!\" biomedical movement support special diets for children with autism, including the removal of gluten and casein. The theory behind dietary interventions is that a high percentage of children with autism suffer from chronic gastro-intestinal problems including troubling reactions to foods such as wheat, soy or milk. By eliminating gluten (found in wheat, starches and other grains) and the milk protein casein (found in cheese, butter, milk, yogurt and ice cream), the children feel better and are able to function more normally, advocates of this approach say.
Before beginning the diet, doctors following the DAN! program perform blood, urine and stool tests to determine whether the child has any sensitivity to gluten and casein. Advocates recommend following the diet for at least six months to a year, but other autism experts note that there is little evidence supporting the effectiveness of these diets."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Vitamin B6 ","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Mega-doses of vitamin B6, often given with magnesium, may result in behavioral improvements for some children, researchers say. Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute cites 18 studies supporting vitamin B6 as a treatment for autistic children. The MIND Institute at the University of California at Davis has begun a new study to carefully test the effectiveness of vitamin B6 on autistic children, according to Dr. Robert Hendren, professor of child psychiatry and executive director of the Institute."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","MEDICAL TREATMENTS","","","","", "sub", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Chelation","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Some parents believe that the use of vaccines containing thimerosal, a form of mercury once used as a preservative in vaccines, is a culprit in autism. While no study directly supports the link between vaccines and autism, chelation, or heavy metal detoxification, has been used to treat many autistic children. One of the most controversial therapies, chelation involves injecting an amino acid into the blood to improve the body’s metabolic functioning. Used to treat children with high exposure to lead, chelation is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for removing mercury from autistic children. Because there are associated risks – the process removes important vitamins and minerals from the body – doctors say chelation should only be performed if a tissue test shows high levels of mercury or lead in a child’s system. According to Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute, in a survey of 183 parents of children with autism, 73 percent said that heavy metal detoxification brought considerable improvement in their children’s behavior."; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Serotonin reuptake inhibitors","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "Medications may be prescribed to treat certain behavioral problems in autistic children, such as self-injury or severe tantrums. For instance, antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs known as SSRIs, such as Prozac, are sometimes prescribed for obsessive-compulsive behavior. "; Autism_TreatmentGuide[i++] = new Array("","Resperidone","","","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); Autism_TreatmentGuide[i-1].body = "A newer anti-psychotic drug, Resperidone has been shown to be effective in treating some of the most severe behavioral problems associated with autism in children between the ages of 5 and 12. Side effects include weight gain and sleepiness."; // END editorial data