Treatment of autism often requires a team approach and it is helpful if all members of the team are informed about the many treatment options that are available.

This review article describes the behavior therapy and drug therapy that may be required for the treatment of autism. The authors note that people with autism can vary quite a bit in terms of how they can function on a daily basis. In some patients symptoms improve with age, in others, symptoms stay the same or decline with age. Treatments may need to address the core features of autism and also problems such as seizures, self-injurious behavior, and anxiety. Treatment success occurs when the patient is able to function at his or her best.