Common for families to use both alternative and traditional medicine to treat autism

Credit:  Microsoft

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is commonly used to treat autism, according to a study published 10 January.  Researchers from the UC Davis Mind Institute found that families turn to alternative medicine to help their children with autism and other developmental disorders.  Researchers also found that alternative medicine is used in addition to traditional medicine.

“In our Northern California study population, it does not appear that families use complementary and alternative treatments due to the lack of availability of conventional services, as has been suggested by other research,”said Dr. Robin Hansen, the leader of this study. “Rather, they use the treatments in addition to conventional approaches.”

Dr. Robin Hansen

The complementary medicines used by parents include:

• mind-body medicine (meditation/prayer)
• probiotics
• homeopathic medicine
• restricted diets
• chelation therapy
• vitamin B12 injections
• intravenous immunoglobulin

For the most part, the parents in this study group used "low risk" CAMs. There were, however, parents using alternative treatments "classified by the study as potentially unsafe, invasive or unproven, such as antifungal medications, chelation therapy and vitamin B-12 injections"

“Our study suggests that pediatricians and other providers need to ask about CAM use in the context of providing care for children with autism and other developmental disorders, and take a more active role in helping families make decisions about treatment options based on available information related to potential benefits and risks,” said Dr. Roger Scott Akins, lead author of the study.

Parents with high incomes and high levels of education are more likely to use both traditional and alternative medicine, according to the study.

The study is published in the Journal of Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics. 

©Mary M Conneely T/A Advocacy in Action