4 Treatment Strategies

The following are 4 take home strategies for SLPs and OTs in considering CAMs.

1. Become familiar with commonly prescribed medications that are used for children with autism to affect their arousal, mood, and sleep. While medications are considered a traditional approach in treatment, many children with ASD may be using them while trying other CAMs. Refer to this website for a listing of medications and adverse reactions:
http://www.autism.com/ari/adverse_reactions.html
Refer to this website for a listing of parent ratings of behavioral effects of biomedical interventions.
http://www.autism.com/treatable/form34qr.htm

Rationale: knowing what medications a child is taking, for what reason, and the side effects, will enable the therapist to monitor for side effects, and the effectiveness of the medication during therapy.

2. Keep up on CAMs, the evidence for or against it, in order to provide accurate and current information to families who may ask questions.

Rationale: Your knowledge presented in a non-judgemental manner may help the families make an informed decision.

3. Create a list of support groups or network of professionals who provide CAMs in your area.
Refer to this website in near future, they will have a provider directory online that will list a variety of professionals by state and city www.devdelay.org

Rationale: Having this information prepared ahead of time, will enable you to provide the information to families should they ask.

4. Become trained in an intervention that addresses sensory difficulties; ex. sensory integration therapy, brain gym, and auditory interventions. Refer to this website for a quick explanation of different auditory interventions.
http://www.vitallinks.net/auditory.shtml

Rationale: Expanding your knowledge base with additional treatment strategies will provide the therapist with a range of tools that can be used to help the child with autism.