What Is Evidence-Based Autism Treatment?

Last updated 9 months ago

Mother and her little daughter sing into microphone

Finding the right treatment for a child with autism can be difficult, because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Different autism therapies work for different people, and there is little way to figure out which treatment will be most effective for a child with autism aside from trial and error. One thing you can do, however, is be sure that every treatment you try for your child is evidence-based. Non-evidence-based autism treatments can not only be a waste of time, but they can also be dangerous.

Evidence-based treatments for autism have been tested in controlled scientific experiments and been shown to be effective and safe. These treatments have been tested in objective studies and have been reported in medical journals so that other doctors and scientists can scrutinize the testing methods and repeat the tests to see if they get the same results. In short, an evidence-based treatment is one that is safe and has been shown to help improve the condition in some children with autism.

There are a variety of evidence-based autism treatments doctors and families can try, including behavioral training and management, medication for depression and compulsive behaviors, and parent training to make parenting a child with autism easier. Specialized therapies to address specific symptoms, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, may also help.

Before you embark on any autism treatment, ask your doctor to discuss the evidence of its effectiveness. Ask whether the treatment is based on studies that have been published in medical journals, if there is a known success rate for the particular treatment, and why doctors think the treatment works for children with autism. An evidence-based treatment will have been tested by the medical community and have a record of success.

At STAR California, we only use evidence-based treatments to support children with autism. Call (805) 624-6982 to learn more about our treatments and how we can support your whole family as you face treatment for your child with autism.