Research: Complementary Alternative Medicine for Children with Autism: A Physician Survey

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Authored by Golnik, AE, and Ireland M. in Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Volume 39, Issue 7, p. 996-1005, (2009).

Article summary (posted Jan 8, 2010):

Some physicians may recommend complementary alternative medicine (CAM) therapies for children with autism.

A survey was offered to 3,100 pediatricians and family medicine practitioners, and about 1 out of 5 responded to the survey (539 physicians). The survey showed that 49% of the doctors encouraged multi-vitamin therapy for children with autism. And 19 to 25% of them encouraged essential fatty acids (EFAs), melatonin, and probiotics as therapy for autism. Physicians discouraged parents from using some therapies. Therapies that were discouraged include chelation (61%), anti-infection treatments (57%), and secretin (43%). Many of the doctors (76%) also urged immunizations according to the recommended schedule. The authors said that doctors may want to ask families about therapies that families might be using, even if the parents do not bring up the topic.

Links:

You can access the original abstract and the complete paper is sometimes available for free via Google Scholar (look for entries that say "PDF" or "HTML" on the right side of the page).
autism, chelation, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), essential fatty acids (EFA), melatonin, parent, probiotics, schedule, secretin, therapy, treatment, vitamin, vitamin therapy
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