Res Dev Disabil. 2006 Jan-Feb;27(1):70-84.
Internet survey of treatments used by parents of children with autism.
Green VA, Pituch KA, Itchon J, Choi A, O'reilly M, Sigafoos J.
Department of Educational Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, D5300, Austin, TX 78712-1290, USA.
We developed an Internet survey to identify treatments used by parents of children with autism. The survey listed 111 treatments and was distributed via colleagues and through chapters of the Autism Society of America and Autism Organizations Worldwide. A total of 552 parents submitted usable returns during the 3-month survey period. On average the parents reported using seven different treatments. The number of treatments used varied as a function of the child's age and type/severity of disability within the autism spectrum. Speech therapy was the most commonly reported intervention, followed by visual schedules, sensory integration, and applied behavior analysis. In addition, 52% of parents were currently using at least one medication to treat their child, 27% were implementing special diets, and 43% were using vitamin supplements. Because parents were using a large number of treatments, many of which lack empirical support, future research should focus on understanding the decision-making processes that underlie treatment selection by parents of children with autism.
PMID: 15919178
"Speech therapy was the most commonly reported intervention, followed by visual schedules, sensory integration, and applied behavior analysis. In addition, 52% of parents were currently using at least one medication to treat their child, 27% were implementing special diets, and 43% were using vitamin supplements."
The top 3 are encouraging in that they are non-invasive, and we do not hear reports of them being used abusively. Unlike ABA which is munber four. Visual schedules must mean the PECS system or similar.
It would be interesting to know what the medications were, as there is not a specific 'autism medicine', yet over half are using medications to treat their child.
Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2006 Jan;15(1):161-75.
An update on pharmacologic treatments for autism spectrum disorders.
King BH, Bostic JQ.
Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
Increasingly recognized over the past 20 years, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are heterogeneous. Medication treatments remain fundamentally ameliorative, so prioritizing symptoms and matching medications to the patient's constellation of symptoms remains the psychopharmacologic approach to ASD. Atypical antipsychotic medications and glutamatergic agents are receiving increased attention, and antidepressants are being examined for specific symptoms and for younger patients who have autism. Large multisite networks (Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology; Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment) have been constructed to expedite studies to elucidate effective treatments for ASD. Findings from these networks are coupled with those from recent independent trials.
PMID: 16321729 [PubMed - in process]
I am going to endeavour to translate parts of the article in order to understand it better, as some of the medical terms are unfamiliar.
1. also het·er·og·e·nous (ht-rj-ns) Consisting of dissimilar elements or parts; not homogeneous. See Synonyms at miscellaneous.
2. Completely different; incongruous.
1.a·mel·io·rate Audio pronunciation of "ameliorate" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (-mly-rt)
tr. & intr.v. a·me·lio·rat·ed, a·me·lio·rat·ing, a·me·lio·rates
1.expediate
To make or become better; improve
I take both a low daily dose of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine fumarate, and two sorts of antidepressants - fluoxetine and mirtazapine - to maintain a reasonable quality of life.
The quetiapine helps me deal with overwhelming social anxiety, and is very effective. I do not feel "drugged," drowsy, or sedated, and the only side effect in my case is slight dryness of the mouth. It has helped me enonormously, and I wish I could have started it before (Quetiapine is more often employed in much larger doses for the management of schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder). Like all such medications, it is not without dangers, but I feel the risk versus benefit ratio is very much in my favour.
Visual schedules must mean the PECS system or similar.
Visual schedules use simple pictures to represent the activities of the child. For example marker time might have a simple picture of some markers and the words "Marker Time" at the bottom. The pictures are laminated and have velcro on their backs and are arranged on velcro strips on a notebook. This helps the child know what to expect during the day and reduces anxiety. My child uses one at school. The first thing she does when she arrives at school is she rearranges the pictures so they are evenly spaced on the velcro strips. But she keeps the activities in order.
Those visual schedules sound like a very good idea and could be used (perhaps in a slightly modified form) even for older children and adults with autism.
Many of us have what is caused executive dysfunction, meaning we find it hard to prioritise tasks and manage time. Anything that is non-invasive but helps with this area is to be commended.
My daughter can read now, but for some reason, the pictures make it easier for her to see her day mapped out. We have a magnetic calendar with magnetic pictures of activities at home, and she enjoys setting it up each month with activities she knows will happen on certain days. I would be lost without my calendar, which has notes scribbled all over it to remind me of appointments.
I must buy myself a small notebook to write "to do" lists in as I'm forever forgetting to do things.