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.
|

Brief Report: Alternative Approaches to the Development of Effective Treatments for Autism, Summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article reviews the research supporting the use of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies for autism.

The first author of this article is a champion of the use of vitamin B6 to treat autism, so the article has a primary focus on CAM therapies involving supplements. There is little discussion of the scientific evidence that does not support the use of alternative therapies. The CAM therapies described here include: supplementation (especially B6 with magnesium), dietary changes (casein-, gluten-, additive- and yeast-free diets), and immune treatments. Finally, the author provides a chart of several of the physical problems faced by children with autism and the therapies that have been attempted in the treatment of each problem.
Read more...

Autism Spectrum Disorders: When Traditional Medicine is not Enough, Summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article gives an overview of research on alternative and complementary therapies for autism, and provides a chart containing guidelines for using such therapies. These guidelines include: make only one treatment change at a time; test the effect of a therapy by choosing a behavior that can be measured over time; learn about potential side effects; tell your childâ??s doctor(s) about the treatment you are trying out; and do no harm. Many parents of children with autism are interested in complementary and alternative medical therapies (CAM). The article describes the scientific evidence for and against the use of several supplements, and provides a chart outlining this evidence, which suggests that vitamins C and B6 may be therapeutic.... Read more...

A Preliminary Trial of Ascorbic Acid as Supplemental Therapy for Autism, Summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article shows that vitamin C can improve behavior in children with autism. In this well-controlled study, the authors test the idea that vitamin C may be a useful alternative therapy for children with autism. One group of 18 children with autism (6 to 19 years old) was split into two treatment groups with 9 children each. One group received vitamin C (8 g/70 kg/day or about 2 grams daily for a 40-pound child) for 20 weeks and placebo for 10 weeks, and the other group received the same dose of vitamin C for 10 weeks, placebo for 10 weeks, and vitamin C at the same dose for 10 more weeks.... Read more...

Pilot Study of a Moderate Dose Multivitamin/Mineral Supplement for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Summarized Oct 21, 2006

This article shows that sleep and digestion improved significantly when children with autism took a multivitamin supplement containing vitamins B6 and C, among other vitamins and minerals. Two common alternative therapies for autism are supplementation with vitamins B6 and C. This article tests the scientific basis for these alternative therapies. Interestingly, the authors report that 20 children with autism (3-8 years old) had B6 levels higher than those of controls, but that these same children had vitamin C levels lower than those of controls.... Read more...

Showing 25-28 of 29 results

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
|