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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause autism is an incurable disease, many parents seek out alternative therapies. Though some families have reported good results with special diets and other complementary approaches, researchers aren't sure how useful the treatments are. Some of the most common alternative therapies include:
- Creative therapies. Some parents choose to supplement educational and medical intervention with art therapy, music therapy or sensory integration, which focuses on reducing a child's sensitivity to touch or sound.
- Special diets. Several diet strategies have been suggested as possible treatments for autism, including restriction of food allergens; probiotics; a yeast-free diet; a gluten-free, casein-free diet; and dietary supplements such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and magnesium, folic acid, vitamin B-12, and omega-3 fatty acids. One popular diet eliminates gluten — a protein found in most grains, including wheat — and casein (a milk protein), but more research is necessary to see if the diet has any effect on autism signs and symptoms. To find out more, talk to a registered dietitian with special expertise in autism.
- Chelation therapy. This treatment is said to remove mercury and other heavy metals from the body. However, there's no known link between mercury and autism, and chelation therapy can be very dangerous. Chelation therapy can cause kidney failure. Some people who have participated in chelation therapy studies have died.
References
- Kogan MD, et al. Prevalence of parent-reported diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder among children in the U.S. 2007. Pediatrics. 2009;124:1395.
- Augustyn M. Clinical features of autism spectrum disorders. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed March 24, 2010.
- Autism and genes. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/autism_genes_2005.pdf. Accessed April 8, 2010.
- Bilder D, et al. Prenatal, perinatal and neonatal factors associated with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. 2009;123:1293.
- Baker JP. Mercury, vaccines, and autism: One controversy, three histories. American Journal of Public Health. 2008;98:244.
- Grether JK, et al. Risk of autism and increasing maternal and paternal age in a large North American population. American Journal of Epidemiology. 2009;170:1118.
- Bridgemohan C. Screening tools for autism spectrum disorders. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed March 24, 2010.
- Millward C, et al. Gluten- and casein-free diets for autism spectrum disorder. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD003498. http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab003498.html. Accessed March 24, 2010. .
- Augustyn M. Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed March 24, 2010.
- Johnson CP, et al. Identification and evaluation of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. 2007;120:1183.
- Myers SM, et al. Management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. 2007;120:1162.
- Greenspan SI, et al. Guidelines for early identification, screening, and clinical management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics. 2008;121:828.
- Spreckley M, et al. Efficacy of applied behavioral intervention in preschool children with autism for improving cognitive, language, and adaptive behavior: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Pediatrics. 2009;154:338.
- Buie T, et al. Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders in individuals with ASDs: A consensus report. 2010;125(suppl):1.
- Canitano R. Epilepsy in autism spectrum disorders. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2007;16:61.
- Golnik AE, et al. Complementary alternative medicine for children with autism: A physician survey. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2009;39:996.
- Wong VCN. Use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2009;39:454.
- If you're concerned — Act early. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html. Accessed April 8, 2010.
- Rice C. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorders — Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, United States, 2006. Mortality and Morbidity Weekly. 2009;58:1.
- Sinha Y, et al. Chelation therapy and autism. British Medical Journal. 2006;333:756.
- Autistic disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed May 11, 2010.
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