Treatment Options

It is important to remember first that autism is on a spectrum. As such, there is no one size-fits-all autism treatment, therapy, intervention or coping strategy. There are many therapies for autism and as you do your research you will see that there is also a significant amount of funding for research, development, and implementation of these therapies. Unfortunately, it often is unclear whether some of these therapies are meaningfully helping autistic people. 

Therapies and interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement. The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies, interventions and coping strategies that meet the specific individual needs of children and adults.

Most health care professionals agree that when possible, the earlier the intervention, the better.  That being said, not everyone is diagnosed at an early age and not all early interventions are beneficial for each person. Also, many people, especially those who would have qualified for an Asperger syndrome diagnosis under the DSM-IV and who did not have early speech delays, may not be diagnosed until later in life. As this is a lifelong condition, there is an opportunity to learn and implement lifelong strategies.

Educational and Behavioral Interventions: There are a variety of strategies and interventions that fall into this category. Some include speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and social skills classes.

Therapists, teachers and clinicians use a variety of structured skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills. Counseling for autistic children as well as family counseling for the parents and siblings of children on the autism spectrum often helps families cope with various challenges they will face.

Medications and supplements: There is no cure for autism and no medication to treat it but some medicines and vitamin supplements may help with related symptoms. Do your due diligence here to understand when and if a medication can be beneficial and read in advance for potential side-effects such as mood changes, insomnia or weight gain.

Doctors may prescribe medications for treatment of specific autism-related symptoms or co-conditions such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Antipsychotic medications may be used to treat severe behavioral problems. Seizures can be treated with one or more anticonvulsant drugs. Supplements or medication used to treat people with trouble focusing or attention deficit disorder can be often used effectively to help decrease impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Other therapies: There are a number of controversial therapies or interventions available, but few, if any, are supported by scientific studies. Parents should use caution before adopting any unproven treatments. Although dietary interventions have been helpful in some children, parents should be careful that their child’s nutritional status is carefully followed.

To find a categorized listing and description of providers who serve the autism community, please visit our Spectrum Life Resource Directory. (will open in a separate window at our sister site, SpectrumLife.org)

Reference:

With funding from the ICDL and the WITH Foundation, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network recently published a White Paper called, For Whose Benefit? Evidence, Ethics and Effectiveness of Autism Interventions.

“There are many therapies for autism, along with a significant amount of funding for research, development, and implementation of these therapies. However, it often remains unclear whether these therapies actually help autistic people. Autistic people rarely have a voice in creating and shaping these therapies, and there is very little ethical guidance for people who practice autism therapies that accounts for the needs, experiences, and perspectives of autistic people. Autistic people should have the ultimate say in what autism services focus on. ASAN’s white paper, “For Whose Benefit?: Evidence, Ethics, and Effectiveness of Autism Interventions,” aims to help close this gap.”

Disclaimer: Autism Empowerment provides this information for reference as a free service to help you expand your knowledge. It is not a replacement to consulting trained professionals.  It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis or to recommend or reject a specific form of treatment. Please perform due diligence as you explore potential therapies, coping strategies or interventions. Thank you!