Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Hanson, Ellen; Kalish, Leslie A.; Bunce, Emily; Curtis, Christine; McDaniel, Samuel; Ware, Janice; Petry, Judith J.

doi:10.1007/s10803-006-0192-0

Cited by 258 publications

(234 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…It is estimated, however, that 50 -70% of children with ASD undergo complementary and alternative medicinal therapies to treat their symptoms. [115][116][117][118] These therapies include the use of probiotics, anti-infectives, and dietary augmentation. 119 The clinical trials aimed at testing therapies that modulate the immune response in children with ASD often involve very few patients and lack appropriate controls.…”

Section: Immune Therapiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immune Dysfunction in Autism: A Pathway to Treatment

2010

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Summary: Autism is a complex and clinically heterogeneous disorder with a spectrum of symptoms. Clinicians, schools, and service agencies worldwide have reported a dramatic increase in the number of children identified with autism. Despite expanding research, the etiology and underlying biological processes of autism remain poorly understood, and the relative contribution from genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors remains unclear. Although autism affects primarily brain function (especially affect, social functioning, and cognition), it is unknown to what extent other organs and systems are disrupted. Published findings have identified widespread changes in the immune systems of children with autism, at both systemic and cellular levels. Brain specimens from autism subjects exhibit signs of active, ongoing inflammation, as well as alterations in gene pathways associated with immune signaling and immune function. Moreover, many genetic studies have indicated a link between autism and genes that are relevant to both the nervous system and the immune system. Alterations in these pathways can affect function in both systems. Together, these reports suggest that autism may in fact be a systemic disorder with connections to abnormal immune responses. Such immune system dysfunction may represent novel targets for treatment. A better understanding of the involvement of the immune response in autism, and of how early brain development is altered, may have important therapeutic implications.

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Section: Immune Therapiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immune Dysfunction in Autism: A Pathway to Treatment

2010

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“…3,24 Prevalence of CAM use in children with ASD is among the highest of any population, with reported use between 52% and 95%. 1,9,25,26 CAM use for children with ASD has been reported to be elevated in families with higher socioeconomic status, especially when at least one parent has completed a 4-year college degree. 9,21 Families of children with ASD choose many types of CAM treatments, with studies reporting that 50%-70% of children receive biologically based CAM.…”

Section: Prevalence Of Cam Usage In Asdmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9,21 Families of children with ASD choose many types of CAM treatments, with studies reporting that 50%-70% of children receive biologically based CAM. 1,9 Why do families choose CAM?…”

Section: Prevalence Of Cam Usage In Asdmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used by families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), 1 and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends discussion of CAM with the family of every patient. 2 The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) defines CAM as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine" (http://ww.nccam.nih.gov).…”

Section: Introduction and Definitionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Autism: An Evidence-Based Approach to Negotiating Safe and Efficacious Interventions with Families

2010

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Summary: This review focuses on helping clinicians identify resources and develop strategies they may use to effectively negotiate safe and effective use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments with families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), as well as other neurodevelopmental disorders. Since new types of CAM continue to be introduced into the autism community, emphasis is placed on providing clinicians with tools to help families negotiate the myriad of available treatments and make decisions based on current safety and efficacy data, while remaining mindful of the reasons families may be considering these treatments.We familiarize readers with high-quality, evidence-based resources that providers and families may use to ascertain current information about specific types of CAM, verify the content of biologically-based treatments, identify ongoing CAM research and obtain toolkits designed to help healthcare providers raise the topic of CAM usage and facilitate disclosure and discussion of CAM use with patients and their families. Key Words: Complementary and alternative medicine, autism, integrative medicine, gluten-free casein-free diet, melatonin, chelation, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, evidence-based medicine.

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“…The urgency to find an effective intervention after a child has been diagnosed with autism can lead parents and professionals to implement so-called "alternative" therapies that are not yet supported by science (GoinKochel, Myers, & Mackintosh, 2007;Hanson et al, 2007;Wong & Smith, 2006). For example, some physicians have begun to prescribe various medical treatments, such as chelation therapy, dietary restrictions, and large doses of vitamins, based solely on anecdotal information or uncontrolled case studies (Jacobson et al;Simpson, 2005).…”

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confidence: 99%

Using Behavior Analysis to Examine the Outcomes of Unproven Therapies: An Evaluation of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Children with Autism

Lerman

Sansbury

Hovanetz

et al. 2008

Behav Analysis Practice

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It has become increasingly common for parents of children with autism to supplement behavior analytic interventions with therapies that have not yet been subjected to adequate scientific scrutiny. When caregivers elect to use unproven therapies despite advice to the contrary, practitioners should employ the methods of applied behavior analysis to experimentally evaluate the outcomes. Controlled evaluations of unproven therapies can be challenging, however, particularly when ongoing behavioral services are supplemented with biomedical interventions. This paper describes the methods and results of a behavior analytic evaluation of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, an unproven intervention that has been growing in popularity over the past several years. Three young children with autism participated. No benefits of the therapy were evident beyond those obtained through the behavioral intervention alone. Considerations for conducting this type of research are highlighted, along with suggestions for practitioners. Descriptors: Autism, biomedical interventions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, unproven therapies ABSTRACT T

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Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cited by 258 publications

References 23 publications

Immune Dysfunction in Autism: A Pathway to Treatment

Immune Dysfunction in Autism: A Pathway to Treatment

Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Autism: An Evidence-Based Approach to Negotiating Safe and Efficacious Interventions with Families

Using Behavior Analysis to Examine the Outcomes of Unproven Therapies: An Evaluation of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Children with Autism

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