Can Your Child Be Treated for Autism?
What Parents Want to Know:
It’s the first question that comes to any parent’s mind when their child is diagnosed with autism, ADD, ADHD, or any other behavioral or developmental disorders: can my child be treated for this? Fortunately, there are a handful of different therapies used for the treatment of autism in children. These range from prescription medicines, to behavioral and development programs, to educational programs, even to alternative homeopathic treatments.
It’s important to remember that there were and are many famous people with autism who are living successful lives despite their disorder. Before 1944, no one knew what autism was, so no one could be diagnosed with it. Those who expressed autistic symptoms were simply considered insane. Even so, you may be surprised that these famous people would – in the modern day – be considered autistic.
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Mozart is said to have had repetitive facial expressions, and constantly be moving his hands and feet. His hearing was also very sensitive, which is a common sign of autism. Although he expressed symptoms of autism, he went on to be one of the most well-known and successful musicians of all time.
• Tim Burton: The wife of famous director and producer Tim Burton believes that he has Asperger’s Syndrome. He is extremely intelligent though lacking in social skills, which are two symptoms of high functioning autism. When he and his wife Helena Bonham Carter were watching a documentary on autism, he stated that many of the symptoms portrayed were exactly what he experienced as a child. Though he may have autism, he is extremely artistic and has created over twenty strange and unique films that are loved all over the world.
• Albert Einstein: Einstein had extreme difficulty with social interactions, expressing himself verbally, and had trouble learning and focusing in school. He loved his children, although could not stand to be touched by them. Many autistic people are bothered by the touch of others. Even so, he was extremely successful and intelligent and went on to develop the general theory of relativity.
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, it’s important to know that through proper treatment they too can live successful lives, even if they don’t go on to be the next Mozart or Einstein. There are professionals who are specifically trained for working with autistic children, and are able to tweak the child’s education to meld perfectly with the way that the autistic mind works.
So, what is the Treatment?
Plenty of resources for autism are available right in your area. Your family doctor can help recommend other professionals in the area who are able to help your child, and those professionals can recommend support groups or alternative treatments for Autism. While there is currently no particular autism test, there are licensed professionals who are able to make a correct diagnosis and suggest a proper treatment plan.
What treatments are available? It depends on which type of treatment you are looking for.
Mainstream Autism Treatment Options
- Many different programs are available for the different types of autism for children of any age. For children under the age of five, Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) is available for 20-40 hours a week. EIBI provides individualized instruction at home and at school, and can help improve learning, communication, and social skills.
- Behavior and development programs focus on attention span, social skills, and reducing anxiety. Education and learning programs tend to be offered in schools, and focus on learning techniques and reasoning skills that help the child learn despite their disability. Music therapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, sensory integration therapy, and physical therapy are all available to treat specific symptoms.
- Those with severe autistic symptoms may be prescribed a certain medication, such as an anti psychotic, antidepressant, or stimulant depending on their own unique symptoms. Since there are a wide variety of mainstream treatments available, you should speak with a doctor as well as your child’s teachers in order to determine which method will be the most effective.
Alternative Treatment Options for your Autistic Child…
If you don’t like the thought of giving your child prescription medicine or simply want a different treatment option, alternative therapies are available.
• Applied Kinesiology: Kinesiology is the study of body movement, while applied kinesiology is known as muscle strength testing. Applied kinesiology is a method of diagnosis and treatment that is based on the belief that particular muscles are linked to particular organs and glands. Weakness in specific muscles can signify a problem in other parts of the body. This can also be used to determine whether a specific food strengthens or weakens the body, or to check emotional responses to specific situations or people. For children with Autism, an alternative therapy called BodyTalk is available; this therapy uses aspects of applied kinesiology, Chinese medicine, yoga and more to bring the body back to homeostasis.
• Nutritional Supplements and Dietary Changes: Many autistic children have been placed on a gluten-free casein-free diet. This excludes gluten, wheat protein, and milk protein. Since many children with autism have gastrointestinal issues, these dietary changes may improve digestion. Some autistic children with sleep disorders take melatonin supplements, while others take Omega-3 fatty acids to help with brain function and development. Since some studies have shown that autistic symptoms may rise with nutrient deficiencies, many parents will give their children multivitamins or specific supplements to counteract the deficiency.
•Homeopathy: Homeopathy works on the principle that the same substance that causes symptoms can be used in a diluted form to actually treat those same symptoms. By treating autistic children with homeopathy, practitioners can get a detailed history of behavioral and physical problems that the child has had. Instead of using conventional medicine to suppress symptoms, homeopathy uses small doses of medicines to stimulate the body’s natural healing system.
It’s important to remember that every child with autism differs from others with the same disorder. Since autism is a spectrum disorder – meaning that it affects everyone in a different way – there are a wide variety of treatment options available. One treatment may work for one and not another, and some children may only respond to a couple of treatments together. Whether you choose one or many, mainstream or alternative, there is a treatment available. Take a look at the autistic resources available to you in your own area; there are options for those suffering from classic autism, ADD or ADHD symptoms, a mix of autism and anxiety disorder, and more.
Click here for what is Autism
We cover the rarer types of autism here
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