Scientifically Unsupported Therapies in the Treatment of Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Layperson Summary:

Many parents use scientifically unproven therapies to help their children with autism.

This article reviews a few therapies that are used to treat autism (vitamins, sensory integration therapy, facilitated communication, auditory integration therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and others). The author states that while some treatments can improve autism in many children, the above therapies have not been proven to work in research studies. Vitamin therapy includes vitamins A, C, B6-magnesium complex, folic acid, and B12. Sensory integration therapy is designed to help children learn to process the input from their senses. Facilitated communication involves having a person guide the child with autism as he or she talks through a computer.

Scientific Abstract