Research summaries for autism therapy: complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

definition of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM): Diverse medical and health care practices, therapies, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional main-stream medicine. Examples include acupuncture and herbal remedies.
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Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Comparison of Chinese and Western Culture (Part A), Summarized Jun 18, 2009

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...

Electroacupuncture for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Pilot Study of 2 Cases, Summarized Feb 2, 2009

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...

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine Treatments for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Summarized Jan 26, 2009

Doctors and patients may benefit if doctors review the science behind complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments for autism.

The best therapies for autism are special education, speech therapy, social skills therapy, and applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy). This review article describes the common use of CAM treatments for autism and grades each one based upon the scientific research that has been done. Secretin has been well studied as a treatment for autism and it has been shown not to help. Music therapy, vitamin B6/magnesium, dimethylglycine, and others have been studied a little bit. There are no studies about whether yoga, folate, or probiotics are able to help with the symptoms of autism. Read more...

Use of Vitamin D in Clinical Practice, Summarized May 12, 2008

This review article describes the use of vitamin D therapy. The authors believe that people with autism should have vitamin D levels between 55 and 70 ng/mL year round. This is about twice the level commonly found during the winter in people living in the United States.... Read more...

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Synonyms for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) include: alternative medicine, alternative therapies, alternative therapy, alternative treatment, CAM, complementary, complementary therapies, complimentary and alternative medicine, complimentary medicine
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