Research summaries for autism therapy: acupuncture

definition of acupuncture: Chinese medicine practice of treating or changing the body by inserting needles into specific points in the body. Acupuncture is a complimentary and alternative therapy that is used in many countries to treat a variety of conditions and illnesses. Acupuncture has been used to treat some people with autism. One small study showed that acupuncture helped children with autism progress more in speech therapy than children who did not get acupuncture.

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In China, children with autism spectrum disorders may be more likely to receive acupuncture or herbal medicines than applied behavior analysis (ABA).

Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in China,but there are few resources for autism therapy for children these disorders. Therapies often included a mix of traditional medicines and acupuncture with sensory integration therapy. ABA was used less often. A Chinese study reported improvements in social and communication skills with acupuncture. There were very few scientific studies that evaluated the effectiveness of these therapies in China. The largest problem is the severe shortage of trained therapists to help children with autism in China. Few schools and hospitals are currently able to provide therapy services. Read more...

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) may be used less frequently for children with autism in Hong Kong than in the U.S. and Canada.

The author interviewed 430 Hong Kong mothers about use of CAM therapies for their children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Almost half of the mothers said they used CAM therapies. The three most common therapies were acupuncture, sensory integration, and Chinese medicine. Over half of mothers who used both CAM and traditional interventions did not report using CAM to their child's doctor. When compared to U.S. and Canadian families, a lower percentage of Hong Kong mothers reported using CAM. Read more...

A short (8 weeks) and intense (3 times a week) course of acupuncture may help relieve symptoms of autism.

Acupuncture has been practiced in China for many, many years. In Chinese acupuncture, 400 points on the body are believed to relate to certain body functions. This case study looked to see if acupuncture is a safe and helpful treatment for children with autism. The researchers used standard tests that look at global autism symptoms (ABC, RFRLS, WeeFIM, and CGI-I). The results of this study are being confirmed in a larger research study. Read more...

Children with autism have medical and therapy costs that are $4,110-6,200 more than children without autism.

This article reviews the autism research studies that were published in 2007. The most common drug therapy is risperidone, which may lessen irritability, repetition, and social withdrawal. Other drugs used as autism therapy include atypical antipsychotics, antibiotics, and memantine. One study found that acupuncture helped over half of the children with autism who received treatment. The article also reviewed massage therapy, robots, electroconvulsive therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), and music therapy. Read more...

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