Autism treatment

The text is presented for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor. Recommended reading: “Why not self-medicate?”. Autism treatment is a combination of various methods aimed at correcting the disease. There is no single standard of care or recommended drug. And although at present there are no practices indicating that autism is curable, timely medical and pedagogical intervention, corrective measures taken on time, as well as a comfortable psychological environment in the family, to a large extent contribute to the improvement of the patient’s development, increase his quality of life and help you realize your potential. No, autism does not go away, but certain ways to help the patient allow him to live a normal life, excluding negative consequences.

The goal of any technique in the treatment of autism is to teach children certain communication and behavior skills, improve their communication skills and improve self-care skills.

For this, many different types of influence are used, which can be conditionally divided into four broad categories: behavioral therapy, drug treatment, biomedical methods of correction and alternative alternative medicine. In the proposed article, we will consider in more detail some of the most popular autism therapy programs included in each of these categories.

ABA therapy

ABA therapy is a technique related to one of the types of behavioral therapy. Its main goal is to form the necessary social set of knowledge and skills of a child with autism through the scientific principles of behavior. An important role in ABA therapy is played by the encouragement and motivation system of patients. Thus, by rewarding a child for correct behavior, one can force him to act in the same way in the future. ABA is rightfully considered one of the most effective behavioral methods for correcting disorders, showing good results in the treatment of autism in both children and adults.

Using the technique, you can teach the patient almost everything: speech skills, social interaction, school subjects, household skills, professional activities, and even cycling.

Looping, vocalization and repetitive actions are significantly reduced after such therapy.

Ergotherapy

Occupational therapy is a new, effective and modern direction in behavioral therapy that promotes the adaptation of an autistic child in the surrounding space. The purpose of such therapy is to acquire and develop in the patient the skills necessary for a full daily life. Trained professionals have specialized training in sensory integration to help people with autism spectrum disorders overcome hypersensitivity to light, sound, touch, and other areas of perception.

Ergotherapy allows you to create certain comfortable conditions for the development of skills in autistic children that contribute to their success in everyday affairs, both among relatives and friends, and in building social relationships in society.

Correctional and pedagogical methodology

Correctional and pedagogical therapy is complex and is carried out by a group of various specialists: teachers, psychologists, neuropathologists, psychiatrists and speech pathologists. Thanks to her, a child with autism is quite capable of mastering various communication skills, increasing adaptation in everyday conditions, and also mastering some educational methods.

The most common and popular practices in this methodology are operant education and the program “Education and upbringing of children with autism and concomitant developmental disorders” (English abbreviation TEACCH).

Operant training is the creation of such conditions for a child suffering from autism that will help him acquire the desired behavior in various respects:

• mastering educational skills;
• development of speech function;
• social sphere;
• acquisition of professional knowledge and skills.

The TEACCH program is based on teaching children with autism through non-verbal communication techniques, with an emphasis on visualization using a variety of visual aids. Its supporters believe that efforts should be directed in this disease to create such living conditions for the child that will fully correspond to its specific characteristics. At the same time, teaching such children speech is not mandatory, just like the acquisition of professional and educational skills. It is considered appropriate to educate children with an IQ coefficient in excess of fifty percent. The goal of this therapy is to develop in patients intuitive and simple everyday skills, often formed through a clear schedule and visual instructions.

This program does not provide a sufficient level of adaptation of the child in the real world, but at the same time it helps to achieve significant success and sustainable changes in behavior, even in severe stages of autism.

Psychological help

There are many methods of psychological assistance for autism. This is an emotional-level approach, and art therapy, and behavioral therapy. Such assistance includes practices for the treatment of early childhood autism, aimed at alleviating sensory perception, emotional discomfort, and getting rid of pathological fears in a child. There are various psychological programs that help a child get rid of aggression, overcome negative behavior, teach them communication and interaction skills and form the behavior that the social sphere requires.

Such programs include:

• the program “Development of interpersonal relations” or “RMO”;
• the program “Game time”;
• sensory integrative therapy;
• developmental therapy;
• visual therapy.

Currently, medicine does not stand still, thanks to which there are modern methods of treating autistic disorder. One of these innovative methods is the creation of the humanoid robot “Russell”, which helps to defeat autism in children and adolescents by teaching them social skills and imitating their skills.

Do not forget that the qualified help of a psychologist is useful not only for a child with autism, but also for his parents. And the latter, often and to a greater extent. After all, many parents do not know what to do and how to deal with such a diagnosis. That is why psychological work in families where an autistic child is brought up is extremely important. Its main areas are:

• psychotherapy for all family members;
• familiarization of parents with the mental characteristics of a sick baby;
• drawing up an individual program for training and raising a child at home;
• teaching family members how to raise a child with autism.

The help of a psychologist is aimed at restoring a comfortable and cozy atmosphere in the family, at the parents’ acceptance of the fact that autism cannot be cured, but with the right approach to therapy, the child can reach a mild degree of disorder and live a normal life.

Diet therapy for this disease

The biomedical component of the treatment of this disease is also important, which is based on the cleansing of the environment and the life of an autist from harmful chemicals and toxic substances, diet and proper healthy nutrition, the use of purified water and organic food.

The principles of the biomedical approach to the treatment of autism include:

• adherence to an organic, gluten-free and casein-free diet;
• exclusion of allergic conditions;
• vitamins and mineral complexes;
• regulation of the body’s immune system;
• treatment of chronic and fungal infections;
• cleansing the body of toxins and heavy metals;
• treatment of intestinal dysbiosis.

Dietary nutrition for autism includes:

• refusal of food containing casein and gluten;
• refusal to use sugar;
• exclusion from the diet of foods with dyes and preservatives;
• heavy drinking;
• the predominance of protein foods;
• eating foods high in fiber.

Medication

Medical products (drugs, medicines, vitamins, medicines) are mentioned for informational purposes only. We do not recommend using them without a doctor’s prescription. Recommended reading: “Why can’t you take medications without a doctor’s prescription?”. There is no drug therapy for autism. As a rule, pills prescribed by a doctor are aimed at eliminating individual symptoms of the disease. When choosing a drug, one should be guided by the list of registered drugs approved for use in children, taking into account the age of the permitted use.

To stop aggression and auto-aggression, depressive states and obsessive-compulsive disorders, psychostimulants and antipsychotics are used.

Intestinal dysbacteriosis, which arose against the background of food refusal in autistic children, is treated with pro and prebiotics.

To restore the lack of vitamins and minerals, complex preparations containing vitamins B6, B12, C, E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus and other micro and macro elements are used.

Immunostimulatory therapy is also beneficial for autistic patients. Treatment with immunoglobulin or steroid drugs is carried out.

Hormone therapy can also improve the general condition of the patient. The most common treatments are secretin and oxytocin.

Stem Cell Efficiency

Clinical cases are known when stem cell treatment caused a response in autistic children. But direct evidence of such therapy does not yet exist. Although experts often suggest the use of stem cells and cord blood cells as a means for the rehabilitation of patients with autism.

Treatment of the disease in adults

Therapy of the disease in adults is primarily aimed at overcoming a person’s shyness in front of other people and the surrounding space and helping in his socialization. Comprehensive treatment is needed that will help stop the progression of the disease and minimize the frequency of attacks. You should know that the sooner you start therapy, the greater the results and improvements can be achieved.

Where is autism treated?

Treatment and rehabilitation of patients with autism, as a rule, does not require any specialized medical institution or clinic. All necessary procedures can be performed at home or on an outpatient basis. Sometimes I use sanatoriums to restore the health of children, and in some cases a stay in salt mines has a positive effect on recovery.

Many believe that autism treatment abroad is much more effective due to innovative methods. The vast majority of research on this disease is carried out in Israeli clinics. The best modern clinics for the treatment of autism are located there, and new and modern therapies are being developed. Germany and some other European countries have also proven themselves well in this matter.

Where to be treated – abroad or at home, a purely personal question. Everything rests only on the amount of money spent and the material capabilities of each patient.

Who to contact

If any signs of the disease are detected, it is urgent to contact a specialist. And then the question arises: which doctor should I contact? In a mandatory case, a psychiatrist should deal with such patients. Additionally, a team of specialists such as a pediatrician, a neurologist, a psychologist, a nutritionist, a speech therapist and a massage therapist are included in the treatment of autism.

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