Drugs don't cure autism, but many autistic suffer from multiple problems such as depression or seizures, and the drugs can help with those secondary problems. The drugs most commonly prescribed are: Anti psychotics (Mellaril, Haldol, Thorazine) - used to treat severe aggression, self-injurous behavior, agitation or insomnia. Anticonvulsants (Tegretol, Depakote, Dilantin) - used to control seizures. Anti anxiety (Valium, Librium) Anti depression (Lithium, Depakote) - used for bipolar manic depression. Anti depression (Prozac, Anafranil, Paxil, Zoloft, Luvox) - used for regular depression or compulsive behaviors. Beta Blockers (Nadolol, Buspirone)-used to decrease aggression or hyperactivity. Opiate Blockers (Naltrexone/Trexan) - control self injurious behaviors. Sedatives (Chloral Hydrate, Noctec, and Benadryl) - for difficulty sleeping Stimulants (Ritalin, Dexedrine)-for hyperactivity and attention or concentration problems. Some of them have side effects.
Some of them have side effects.
Dimethylglycine (DMG), is a food substance and is most often used Vitamin/Mineral Therapy. DMG is found, in small amounts, in brown rice and liver. Its chemical make-up resembles that of water soluble vitamins, specifically vitamin B15. DMG does not require a prescription, and it can be purchased at many health food stores. There are no apparent side effects.
Use 1/2 of a 125 mg tablet at breakfast for a few days. May be necessary to go up to one to four tablets a day if the results are positive.
Reports from parents giving their child DMG indicate improvements in the areas of speech, eye contact, social behavior, and attention span.
Two weeks after starting on the DMG, B6 and magnesium can be added. Studies have shown that vitamin B6 may help control hyperactivity, and improve overall behavior. Although improvements vary considerably among individuals, other possible improvements are: speech improvements, improved sleeping patterns, lessened irritability, increased attention span, decrease in self stimulation, and overall improvement in general health.
There are some evidence that candida albicans may cause or exacerbate behavior and health problems in autistic individuals. The only physical symptoms are vaginal yeast infections and thrush (white patches in mouth).
An overgrowth of candida albicans causes toxins to be released into the body which are known to impair the central nervous system and the immune system. Some of the behaviors related to this are, confusion, hyperactivity, short attention span, lethargy, irritability, and aggression. Reported health problems can include headaches, intestinal problems,(constipation, diarrhea, flatulence), distended stomach, excessive genital touching in infants and young children, cravings for carbohydrates, fruits and sweets. Unpleasant odor of hair and feet, acetone smell from mouth, and skin rashes.
Candida overgrowth is often attributed to long term antibiotic treatments. It has been reported that some children whose autistic tendencies surfaced at 18- 24 months had been continuously treated with antibiotics to control chronic ear infections. The treatment doesn't cure autism, but is helpful for some autistic children.
CONTACTS:
American Academy of Environmental Medicine, PO Box 16106, Denver CO 80216
Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, Martin Lee & Stephen Barrie, Associates, 18a Regent Park Boulevard, Asheville, NC 28806 +(704) 253-0621 Can provide kit for stool analysis used for determining yeast overgrowth.
In allergy induced Autism, the symptoms usually become apparent during the first three years of life. Some children have autism that appears to have been triggered by intolerance to many foods and/or chemicals, the main offenders being wheat, cow's milk, corn, sugar and citrus fruits, although each child may be affected by different substances. The children also have many almost unnoticeable physical problems, namely excessive thirst, excessive sweating, especially at night, low blood sugar, diarrhea, bloating, rhinitis, inability to control temperature, red face and/or ears and dark circles under the eyes. It has been reported that a high percentage of autistic children had a "mutant" protein in their urine that was created by eating gluten (found in wheat, oats, barley and rye grains) and/or casein (milk protein) containing food. The mutant protein was the gluten and casein protein bound to a morphine like substance. It's believed that this was what was causing the kids to become spacey and addicted to these foods. It won't cure autism, but may help with some secondary problems.
Auditory training can be considered a form of sensory integration in which stimulation may sensitize or desensitize one or more senses. Theoretically speaking, if one or more senses are impaired in an individual, he or she may develop a distorted perception of the environment. There has been much research in the past 15 years to indicate that many autistic individuals have sensory dysfunction in one or more areas. There are two main types of auditory training methods, the Berard approach, lasting 10 to 12 days, and the Tomatis approach, lasting 6 to 12 months.The Berard training is accomplished by a device which randomly selects high and low frequencies from a music source and then sends those sounds via headphones to the trainee. Filtering peaks are optional for the developmentally disabled population. The music is, in all cases, modulated throughout the 10 hours of listening, whether or not peaks are filtered.
We do not know what percentage of autistic children may be helped by auditory training, if any at all, nor how much they may be helped. The treatment is safe, but expensive.
Includes singing, movement to music, and playing instruments. Supposed to be a good medium for kids with developmental disabilities because it requires no verbal interaction, music is by nature structured, facilitates play, can aid in socialization and influence behavior.
Carl Delacatto wrote a book called "The Ultimate Stranger". He had a few interesting points about "sensoryisms", a terrifying sensations or distortions to senses. The distortions can be hypersensitivity (too much stimulas entering the nervous system), hyposensitivity (too little stimulus entering the nervous system) or white noise (internal static that disrupts input from external stimuli).
Delacto Method are brain stimulation activities for brain injured children developed by Glenn Doman and Carl Delacatto. It involves cross patterning, patterning and sensory exercises developed to enhance memory and processing.
The delacato team evaluate a child and tailor a program to suit his/her needs. Programs are working on senses in order to normalize them and are devised for parents to carry out at home.They include massage for tactility, auditory and visual work, and tasks for smell and taste, mobility and development. All tasks are fitted into 2 to 5 minute slots so that the child does not become bored, and are repeated as necessary.
Doctors who manipulate the bones of the cranium. We do not recommend this treatment!
Holding therapy gained wide-spread attention when Dr Martha Welch, a child psychiatrist from New York, began using it as a means of working with children with autism. Her work is written in the book, Holding Time.
During holding therapy the parent attempts to make contact with the child in various ways. This may mean simply comforting a distressed child, but often the parent may hold the child for periods of time, even if the child is fighting against the embrace. The child sits or lies face to face with the parent, who tries to establish eye contact, as well as to share feelings verbally throughout the holding session. The parent remains calm and in control and offers comfort when the child stops resisting.
Many people feel this is a variant of SIT (sensory integration therapy), which helps the child adjust to and overcome sensory overload, and are holding therapy's advocates. Some high functioning autistic people have protested that this treatment is too traumatic.
A person is trained to deal with sensory sensitivities. The goal is to reduce that anxiety through repeated exposure.
Developed by Temple Grandin. Supposed to reduce hyperactivity and tactile defensiveness. Gives the autistic control over the amount of pressure exerted.
Lovaas therapy refers to the treatment model developed by Ivar Lovaas, Ph.D., at the UCLA Clinic for the Behavioral Treatment of Children, and is mostly behavior modification program. Dr. Lovaas has worked with autistic children for over 30 years, and studies show it helped some kids, but requires one-on-one with a trainer for 40 hours a week.
Barry Neil and Samahria Kaufman "cured" their autistic son, Raun, and then proceeded to write a book about it "Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues". They also founded the Option Institute and Fellowship in Sheffield, MA. The Institute offers training for families wishing to create home based Son-Rise Programs for their children. At present, no formal studies or evaluations have validated the effectiveness of the Son-Rise Program as a treatment for children with autism (we do not know if Raun was ever formally diagnosed as autistic), and we do not recommend the program.
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) was developed as augmentative/ alternative training package that allows nonverbal children and adults with autism and other communication deficits to initiate communication. It was created with educators, residential care providers and families in mind, and so it is readily used in a variety of settings. Verba prompts are not used, thus building immediate initiation and avoiding prompt dependency. The system goes on to teach discrimination of symbols and then puts them all together in simple "sentences." Children are also taught to comment and answer direct questions.
The PECS Training Manual, is written by Lori Frost, MS, CCC/SLP and Dr. Andrew Bondy. The manual provides all of the necessary information to implement PECS effectively. It guides readers through the six phases of training and provides examples, helpful hints, and templates for data and progress reporting.
Daily Life Therapy, pioneered by Dr Kiyo Kitahara at the Higashi School in Japan, provides an education and emphasizes vigorous physical education and the arts. The school is open to students 3-22, who are Autistic, Autistic like, or Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and do not serve Multi-Handicapped (physically disabled), Severe/Profound Mental Retardation, Emotionally Disturbed, Character Disorder, or Uncontrolled Seizure Disorder.
A method is developed in Japan and imported into the USA. It includes elements normally found in the education of autistic children, but places unusual attention to physical exercise. Upon entering high school, all students participate in community work and ultimately employment. Areas of employment opportunities include clerical, custodial, stocking, food service and landscaping. All vocational students are paid employees.
We do not recommend this program for higher functioning children who can be taught to eventually lead a relatively normal life. While I believe that Autism/PDD are biological in nature, environmental factors play a major role in the child ability to compensate for the disorder and to better, more normal functioning. For more information about TEACCH go to
It is recognised that autistic children have difficulties with language, but it is clear that traditional approaches emphasising mastery of the formal properties of language are largely inappropriate: training children to speak is not going to bring about a transformation of their behaviour. The autistic child needs to learn not so much how to speak as how to use language socially to communicate. That includes knowing how to hold a conversation, thinking about what the other person in a conversation understands and believes, and tuning in to the meta-linguistic signals of the other person, such as facial expression, tone of voice and body language. It is important to remember that communication is as much nonverbal as it is verbal, and autistic people have great difficulty understanding nonverbal language.
A speech pathologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of language problems and speech disorders can help a person learn how to more effectively communicate. Speech therapists working with a nonverbal autistic individuals, may consider alternatives to the spoken word such as signing, typing, or a picture board with words.
Commonly focuses on improving fine motor skills, or sensory motor skills that include balance (vestibular system), awareness of body position (proprioceptive system), and touch (tactile system).
After the therapist identifies a specific problem, therapy may include sensory integration activities such as: massage, firm touch, swinging, and bouncing.
