Autism: Treatment
The disorder that may first become evident in children ages one to three years old is Autism. Autism affects the way a child’s brain uses and transmits information. Autism is a lifelong disorder that interferes with the ability to understand what is seen, heard, and touched (Turkington).
When faced with a lifelong disorder such as autism that is showing up more and more in our society is very important to provide legit and useful treatment for autistic children. Autism is incurable and there is currently no answer to what is causing an increase number of cases seen in children.
With growing numbers of cases affecting American children 1 child in 150 to as few as 1 to 500 or fewer we need treatment options. When no cure is available treatment becomes the most important factor in treating the symptoms of the disorder. Regardless of the type of treatment used it should be personalized and include therapy. Personalization treatment is effective very direct to a child’s needs, helps with all areas a child may be experiencing symptoms and is a personalized therapy.
Each passing day caregivers, educators, therapists, parents and researchers come up with new and useful treatment ideas and options for an autistic child. Autism can severally affect a child or hardly affect them with symptoms or challenges in their daily living. Treatment options are very wide spread and work for some children and not for others, that’s why it’s very important to evaluate a child, find treatment options and personalize the treatment per child.
With no cure available for autism parents must find the appropriate treatment for their children. Treatment is aimed to treat specific symptoms and reduce issues caused by the disorder. “A child with autism can learn best with special teachers in a structured program that emphasizes individual instruction” (Turkington). Behavioral techniques are used to decrease symptoms and help the autistic child respond (Turkington). Behavioral treatment is very skill-oriented instructed and should be started as early as possible to provide positive results. “Behavioral therapies are used in conjunction with medications” (Turkington)
There may be no cure for Autism but many believe with proper treatment it can significantly impact a child and it may seem as one doesn’t necessarily suffer from such disorder.
With no cure being available treatment should be in place with each and every child suffering from autism. Some may believe treatment may be in place of a cure and have such an impact but in reality there is no cure. If one was to discontinue treatment it would be a for sure sign to show ones who believe treatment is a cure that it is very untrue.
Medication is used to treat many disorders, illnesses, pain, infection, etc. but when it comes to Autism no single medication have been studied and proven to be effective enough for the major symptoms associated with the disorder.
Alternative treatment is mentioned in the Encyclopedia of Medicine, Turkington, megavitamin therapy is the main one talked about. “However, not many health practitioners advocate its use in the treatment of autism, citing that the studies showing its benefit were flawed” (Turkington)
The P.L.A.Y. Project is just another form of therapy/treatment of autism. “According to the philosophy of play based therapy, parents must give up any ideas that they might have about what they would like to accomplish with their child” (The Exceptional Parent). When a autistic child is born and autism becomes known in the child it is important to get the parents input, the parent is with the child the most, can sense important signs in the child and know what’s best for them. In play-based therapy parents learn to come down to the child’s level joining them in their comfort zone for more one on one therapy.
Professionals think since they have all the education they have all the answers for serious disorders such as autism. When autism is affecting a child the parent knows what’s best but should work together with professionals to come up with a combined approach that will work best.
According to Dr. Robert L. Hendren (Director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco), when conventional approaches fail to help autistic children, parents who suggest alternative treatment should not be ignored. It is very important to involve parents in on treatment plans for their children suffering from autism. Parents have the ability to read their children a lot better than a professional or educator that isn’t with the child nearly enough to know what they need.
A special form of acupressure and kinesiology is used to desensitize children’s allergens to treat symptoms this process is called NAET. Reports show with this form of treatment the improvement in ones symptoms were life changing. “Twenty-three of the 30 autistic children in the NAET treatment group were able to return to regular school classes with their healthy, non-autistic peers after 1 year of treatment while all of the 30 children in the untreated control group continued to require special education”(Professional Services Close-Up). This treatment is shown to be very effective, safe and simple for autistic children with allergy based autism.
Things like gardening wouldn’t be something that someone would suggest to help with treatment in autistic children. Horticulture is widely used in schools, hospitals, correctional facilities and many additional places as a therapy. “Garden therapy has been adapted to almost every kind of medical situation and social service, including Alzheimer’s and autism” (Garden Therapy). There are many health benefits associated with gardening but according to Teresia Hazan a horticultural therapist in Oregon there are 4 main ones. Cognitive benefits, physical benefits, social benefits, and psychological benefits.
Ones that don’t introduce themselves to gardening or horticulture will never understand the benefits of gardening. When one experience changes ones aspect then such things as gardening open their eyes to new opportunity to help them deal with their own issues whether it be rehab for drugs or depression.
It may take a parent to experience the benefits of gardening to involve their autistic child in such an activity. Gardening should be available for kids suffering from any kind of issues in everyday living to help them cope and do something different.
Medication is a very popular treatment plan for American these generations, so many new creations to treat things from A to Z but to treat autism may be another question. According to studies there is a drug called Risperidone which was the first dug to receive US FDA approval for use in treatment of an autism-associated behavior (Brkanac, Zoran, Bryan H. King and Wendy H Raskind).
Medication sometimes can have many side effects and may not be worth even taking but you take that chance in being medicated. Medication can sometimes be a simple fix and other times have no benefits. Medication for autism treatment doesn’t seem to be all that’s needed if medication at all.
A team approach to treating autism is the most effective treatment for autistic symptoms. “Scientific studies have shown that applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the most effective method to teach children and adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities (Ladew, Stull). ABA is methodology that applies scientific interventions to decreased negative behavior and increase positive behavior and skills (Ladew, Stull). “ABA has been identified by the Surgeon General of the United States as the most effective way to treat autism” (Ladew, Stull).
Throughout autism research specific nutrients are very important when dealing with autism. Dietary modification to heal the gut and reduce exposure to external toxins, supplying nutritional supplements that boost the body’s antioxidant and other detoxification systems, eliminating known contamination with highly toxic substances such as mercury, while providing nutritional support during this biologically stressful process are the most important approaches when it comes to treatment of autism (Goepp).
“Evidence – based autism treatment must be intensive and individualized, with learning opportunities that are an integral part of educational and social interactions” (Hendren, Robert L). When it comes down to it every child needs different type of treatment along with effective personalized therapy. Regardless of the type of treatment used it should be personalized and include therapy. Personalization treatment is effective very direct to a child’s needs, helps with all areas a child may be experiencing symptoms and is a personalized therapy.
