Autism in Children, How to Help?

Of the various developmental disorders that affect children today, perhaps autism is the most prevalent. According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism is defined as a broad array of conditions that are characterized by repetitive behaviors, speech and non-verbal communication (along with impaired social skills). Although an autism diagnosis can definitely be worrisome and terrifying (as it can’t be treated), it doesn’t mean that it can be alleviated. Let’s look at the various ways for helping kids with autism.

Medications

The sad truth is that there are no medicines that can treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its main symptoms. However, there are a lot of ways for helping children with autism , and one of it is by employing the use of certain medications.

Today, there are medications that help autistic kids effectively manage anxiety and depression, behavioral reactivity, self-injury, seizures and inability to focus. Although the medicines may not affect autistic kids in the same way, with the help of a health care expert the child can be closely monitored with their progress and reactions.

Alternative Medical Treatments

To ease the many symptoms of autism, certain alternative autism therapy interventions can be done. For starters, the healthcare expert or alternative medicine practitioner can make use of specialized diets and dietary supplements (like chelation, which is a treatment for removing certain heavy metals from the body).

But since chelation has not yet been fully analyzed for its effectiveness, parents are first advised to consult with their physician or healthcare provider before undergoing any alternative medical intervention.

Dietary Approaches

Certain dietary approaches or interventions have been noted to offer hope when it comes to alleviating the harsh symptoms of autism. Some of these include changes in the child’s diet, like removing certain food items from their meals, or using vitamin and mineral supplements.

The various dietary approaches are often based on the assumption that the lack of vitamins or certain food allergies cause some of autism’s symptoms. Many parents have already attested to the efficacy of certain dietary approaches towards alleviating autism, as they’ve noted positive improvements in how their child acts or feels.

But, before employing any dietary approach for easing autism, parents are first advised to consult with their doctor, or with a registered dietitian, to ensure that the child’s diet still includes the vitamins and minerals needed for their normal growth and development.

Behavior and Communication Approaches

Another effective autism treatment Brisbane Southside intervention would be to adopt certain behavior and communication therapies. Among the most effective behavior and communication approaches includes Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), which experts say encourages positive behaviors to improve a wide array of skills.

Another effective approach is Pivotal response Training (PRT), which is aimed at increasing a child’s motivation to learn and monitor their own behavior, as well as encourage them to initiate communication with kids and other people.

Regardless of what medical approach or therapy parents wish to espouse to help their autistic child, early intervention is still hailed as the most effective way to speed up the child’s early development (and to considerably reduce autism’s negative symptoms over time).