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Autism Spectrum Explained
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  • Home
  • Introduction to Autism
    • Characteristics
    • Common Myths >
      • Negative Narrative >
        • Autism Controversies
  • How to Interact
    • Stigma & Discrimination
    • What to Avoid
  • Advice for Parents
    • Visual Supports
    • Autism Treatments
    • Explaining Autism to Kids
    • A Mother's Story
    • My Sibling Perspective
    • Autism Explained for Kids Site
  • All Kinds of Minds
    • Culture of Autism
    • Late Diagnosis
  • More
    • How to Assess Claims
    • What Causes Autism?
    • Additional Resources
    • Site Info & Feedback >
      • About the Website
      • ASE FAQ
      • Survey
      • Contact Us
      • Make a Submission
  • Our Blog
    • On Self-Advocacy
    • Trouble with Changes
    • Smoothing Transitions
    • Autism Speaks
    • Vaccines
    • Infantilization
    • Her Autism is Worsening
    • Stimming
  • Autism Tutoring

Evidence Based Information

It can be so very difficult to determine what treatments are effective for autistic people and which are not. You may hear from a mother in a support group, for instance, that they tried ____ treatment with their child and it helped them. But how do you know if that treatment is actually likely to help your child? If you don't have a background in research and science, all you can do is guess, and maybe consult Google. But Google is more likely to pull up blogs and testimonials than actual scientific evidence (unless, of course, you're using Google Scholar, which you totally should), and you still would have no way of truly knowing if a treatment is likely to help you or your child until you try it. Considering that can be expensive, time consuming, and occasionally downright dangerous, "try everything" is not really a good option.

I am not an autism professional, and my personal advice about these therapies and treatments is not valuable. However, what I can do and have done is link to some of the most reputable sources of evidence in the world. I put up links to some of the most well-known therapies, both mainstream and alternative, and medications, as reviewed from the American Speech and Hearing Association (a highly reputable association which guides American speech pathologists and audiologists) and the Cochrane Review database (which is pretty much the gold standard of medical reviews). These do not necessarily present my own personal views; they present the evidence that science has to offer. With that said, click on any treatment name to learn more.

Therapies

Picture

PARTIAL List of Therapies found to be effective

Behavioral Interventions (such as ABA)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Denver Model
Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention

LEAP
Milieu Teaching
Music Therapy
Parent-Delivered Early Intervention

Peer Mediated Intervention
Pivotal Response Training (PRT)
Positive Behavior Support
Social Skills Groups

Social Stories
TEACCH

Video Modeling

For more interventions, visit ASHA's Evidence Maps

Therapies Not Fully Supported By Evidence

DIR/Floortime
Relationship Development Intervention
Son-Rise

Therapies Found to Be Ineffective

Auditory Integration Therapy

Comparison Studies

Titles are HIGHLY oversimplified
PRT > ABA
LEAP = TEACCH (More or less)
ABA = TEACCH
Video Modeling > Live Modeling

Communication Methods

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Facilitated Communication
Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
Sign Language

Medications

Risperidone
Aripiprazole
SSRIs
Tricyclic Antidepressants

Supplements

Omega 3
Secretin
Vitamin B6 and Magnesium

Diets

Gluten and Casein Free

Other Treatments

Acupuncture

Read More:

Though they are not article reviews, the Autism Science Foundation has a good page of non-evidence based treatments for autism, most of which are treatments that can prove harmful, or even deadly. To read their list and be warned as to which treatments are not evidence based, click here.
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