Treatments for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don't aim to cure it, but they can make a person's life better by helping them socialize and communicate, function at school and in their community, and learn adaptive skills.
There are many ways to treat autism, and each one is based on the needs and strengths of the child. It can be hard to figure out which method will work best for your child, but it may be worth your time to look into all of them.
Medication can be used to help people with autism deal with symptoms that are hard to treat with behavioral and psychological changes. Some of these are being too active, hurting themselves, and getting angry. Mood stabilizers are another type of drug that works by changing the levels of these same neurotransmitters in the brain. They can help kids who have ASD or other conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety.
Most of the time, antidepressants are used to treat autism. SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants are the most common types (TCAs). These medicines work by preventing the reuptake of two neurotransmitters—serotonin and norepinephrine—that can cause symptoms like anxiety and depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of talk therapy, is often used as a psychological treatment for autism. People with autism can use these sessions to learn new skills, boost their self-esteem, and stop doing bad things. Adults with autism may also benefit from CBT because it helps them understand how their thoughts and feelings affect how they act. It can also show them how to spot and change negative thought patterns that lead to bad behavior.
Behavior therapy can help people with autism stop or get rid of their bad habits and help them communicate better and use their skills more effectively. They can also help people learn how to get along with others and take care of themselves, improve their daily lives, and become more independent.
Applied behavior analysis is a common method used in behavioral treatments (ABA). Using a set of methods, this approach tries to figure out why children do certain things, teach them new skills, and make changes that encourage good behaviors.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches people how to deal with stressful and anxious situations. It also helps them change their minds and think better thoughts instead of bad ones. In this type of therapy, the therapist works with the child one-on-one and uses rewards to get the child to act in the way the therapist wants. If a child wants to touch his or her nose, for example, the therapist might give the child a sticker, a goldfish cracker, or verbal praise.
ABA is the most common and well-studied kind of behavior therapy for people with autism. Studies have shown that long-term, intensive ABA therapy can make a big difference in how well a person learns language, thinks, and gets along with others.
Many people with autism use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to improve their health or lessen their symptoms. They might include dietary supplements, massage therapy, acupuncture, and music therapy. Most of the time, these treatments are based on theories about what causes autism and other mental disorders. Sometimes, they are just meant to relieve symptoms.
Most of the time, diet and supplements, cranial-sacral therapy, neurofeedback, and homeopathic medicines are used to treat autism. Most of the time, these are low-risk and cheap ways to improve the quality of life for people with autism.
They can help with things like anxiety, depression, and having trouble sleeping. Most of the time, though, they are part of a bigger treatment plan. Some CAM methods may cause harm, so it's important to talk to your child's doctor about this.
There are many ways to treat autism, and each one is based on the needs and strengths of the child. It can be hard to figure out which method will work best for your child, but it may be worth your time to look into all of them.
Medication can be used to help people with autism deal with symptoms that are hard to treat with behavioral and psychological changes. Some of these are being too active, hurting themselves, and getting angry. Mood stabilizers are another type of drug that works by changing the levels of these same neurotransmitters in the brain. They can help kids who have ASD or other conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety.
Most of the time, antidepressants are used to treat autism. SSRIs and tricyclic antidepressants are the most common types (TCAs). These medicines work by preventing the reuptake of two neurotransmitters—serotonin and norepinephrine—that can cause symptoms like anxiety and depression.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is a type of talk therapy, is often used as a psychological treatment for autism. People with autism can use these sessions to learn new skills, boost their self-esteem, and stop doing bad things. Adults with autism may also benefit from CBT because it helps them understand how their thoughts and feelings affect how they act. It can also show them how to spot and change negative thought patterns that lead to bad behavior.
Behavior therapy can help people with autism stop or get rid of their bad habits and help them communicate better and use their skills more effectively. They can also help people learn how to get along with others and take care of themselves, improve their daily lives, and become more independent.
Applied behavior analysis is a common method used in behavioral treatments (ABA). Using a set of methods, this approach tries to figure out why children do certain things, teach them new skills, and make changes that encourage good behaviors.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) teaches people how to deal with stressful and anxious situations. It also helps them change their minds and think better thoughts instead of bad ones. In this type of therapy, the therapist works with the child one-on-one and uses rewards to get the child to act in the way the therapist wants. If a child wants to touch his or her nose, for example, the therapist might give the child a sticker, a goldfish cracker, or verbal praise.
ABA is the most common and well-studied kind of behavior therapy for people with autism. Studies have shown that long-term, intensive ABA therapy can make a big difference in how well a person learns language, thinks, and gets along with others.
Many people with autism use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies to improve their health or lessen their symptoms. They might include dietary supplements, massage therapy, acupuncture, and music therapy. Most of the time, these treatments are based on theories about what causes autism and other mental disorders. Sometimes, they are just meant to relieve symptoms.
Most of the time, diet and supplements, cranial-sacral therapy, neurofeedback, and homeopathic medicines are used to treat autism. Most of the time, these are low-risk and cheap ways to improve the quality of life for people with autism.
They can help with things like anxiety, depression, and having trouble sleeping. Most of the time, though, they are part of a bigger treatment plan. Some CAM methods may cause harm, so it's important to talk to your child's doctor about this.