scholarly journals Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review for Parents and Clinicians

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-173
Author(s):  
M.A. Zhukova ◽  
O.I. Talantseva ◽  
T.I. Logvinenko ◽  
O.S. Titova ◽  
E.L. Grigorenko
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Alternative Treatments ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Therapy ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Pubmed Database ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Complementary and alternative therapy (CAT) methods for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are widespread in European countries and the Russian Federation; however, their efficacy and safety is not routinely considered by parents and clinicians when recommended or used. The current narrative review presents the most widely known CAT interventions for children with ASD synthesizing data from meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials obtained from the PubMed database based on the safety-efficacy model. We have found that, of the reviewed CATs, only the melatonin intervention can be considered safe and effective for children with ASD with comorbid sleep problems. The methods that were classified as safe but had inconclusive efficacy are recommended to be implemented only when they do not interfere with front line treatment for ASD, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Methods with the lack of current evidence for the efficacy such as auditory integration therapies, bioacoustic correction, sensory integration therapy, micropolarization, animal assisted therapy, and dietary interventions should not be recommended as alternative treatments and can only be used as complimentary to ABA-based interventions. We advise against the use of chelation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and holding therapy due their documented harmful psychological and physical effects. When considering CAT for ASD we recommend parents and clinicians use the criteria suggested by Lofthouse and colleagues [59]: only the therapies that are safe, easy, cheap, and sensible can be recommended and used, as opposed to therapies that are risky, unrealistic, difficult, or expensive that should not be recommended or utilized.

scholarly journals Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Gut Microbiota

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Fattorusso ◽  
Lorenza Di Genova ◽  
Giovanni Dell’Isola ◽  
Elisabetta Mencaroni ◽  
Susanna Esposito
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Gut Dysbiosis ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

In recent years, there has been an emerging interest in the possible role of the gut microbiota as a co-factor in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), as many studies have highlighted the bidirectional communication between the gut and brain (the so-called “gut-brain axis”). Accumulating evidence has shown a link between alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota and both gastrointestinal and neurobehavioural symptoms in children with ASD. The aim of this narrative review was to analyse the current knowledge about dysbiosis and gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in ASD and assess the current evidence for the role of probiotics and other non-pharmacological approaches in the treatment of children with ASD. Analysis of the literature showed that gut dysbiosis in ASD has been widely demonstrated; however, there is no single distinctive profile of the composition of the microbiota in people with ASD. Gut dysbiosis could contribute to the low-grade systemic inflammatory state reported in patients with GI comorbidities. The administration of probiotics (mostly a mixture of Bifidobacteria, Streptococci and Lactobacilli) is the most promising treatment for neurobehavioural symptoms and bowel dysfunction, but clinical trials are still limited and heterogeneous. Well-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials are required to validate the effectiveness of probiotics in the treatment of ASD and to identify the appropriate strains, dose, and timing of treatment.

scholarly journals A Review of Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Lofthouse ◽  
Robert Hendren ◽  
Elizabeth Hurt ◽  
L. Eugene Arnold ◽  
Eric Butter
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Alternative Treatments ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Treatments ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Health Need ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Given the severe and chronic problems associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the limitations of available treatments, there exists a large public health need for additional interventions. As more parents are inquiring about complementary and alternative treatments (CATs), both parents and practitioners require up-to-date information about them and whether and how to integrate them into treatment. After presenting data on CAT usage patterns for ASD, we review 13 ingestible (i.e., orally administered) and 6 noningestible (i.e., externally administered) CATs for ASD. For each CAT we briefly describe its definition; rationale for use; current research support, limitations, and future directions; safety issues; and whether we currently recommend, not recommend, or find it acceptable for the treatment of ASD. We conclude this paper with recommendations for future research and ten clinical recommendations for practitioners.

scholarly journals Sleep problems in preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders are associated with sensory sensitivities and thalamocortical overconnectivity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.C. Linke ◽  
B. Chen ◽  
L. Olson ◽  
C. Ibarra ◽  
C. Fong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Auditory Cortex ◽  
Sleep Problems ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Sleep Regulation ◽  
Natural Sleep ◽  
Sensory Sensitivities ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

AbstractProjections between the thalamus and sensory cortices are established early in development and play an important role in sleep regulation as well as in relaying sensory information to cortex. Atypical thalamocortical functional connectivity frequently observed in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) might therefore be linked to sensory and sleep problems common in ASD. Here we investigated the relationship between auditory-thalamic functional connectivity measured during natural sleep fMRI, sleep problems, and sound sensitivities in 70 toddlers and preschoolers (1.5 to 5-year-olds) with ASD compared to a matched group of 46 typically developing (TD) children. In children with ASD, sleep problems and sensory sensitivities were positively correlated, and increased sleep latency was associated with overconnectivity between the thalamus and auditory cortex in a subsample with high quality MRI data (n=29). Additionally, auditory cortex BOLD signal amplitude was elevated in children with ASD, potentially reflecting reduced sensory gating or a lack of auditory habituation during natural sleep. These findings indicate that atypical thalamocortical functional connectivity can be detected early in development and may play a crucial role in sleep problems and sensory sensitivities in ASD.

Disfluency Characteristics Observed in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Report

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura W. Plexico ◽  
Julie E. Cleary ◽  
Ashlynn McAlpine ◽  
Allison M. Plumb
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Young Children With Autism ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Developmental Stuttering

This descriptive study evaluates the speech disfluencies of 8 verbal children between 3 and 5 years of age with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Speech samples were collected for each child during standardized interactions. Percentage and types of disfluencies observed during speech samples are discussed. Although they did not have a clinical diagnosis of stuttering, all of the young children with ASD in this study produced disfluencies. In addition to stuttering-like disfluencies and other typical disfluencies, the children with ASD also produced atypical disfluencies, which usually are not observed in children with typically developing speech or developmental stuttering. (Yairi & Ambrose, 2005).

scholarly journals Oral Health and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Unique Collaboration between Dentistry and Occupational Therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 135
Author(s):  
Dominique H. Como ◽  
Leah I. Stein Duker ◽  
José C. Polido ◽  
Sharon A. Cermak
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Occupational Therapists ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Clinic Visit ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
Spectrum Disorders

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are at risk for oral health disparities. With the dramatic rise in ASD prevalence to 1 in 54 children, it is likely that an increasing number of dental practitioners will encounter or be asked to treat children with ASD. This paper reviews explanations related to the increasing prevalence of ASD, provides reasons why children with ASD are at increased risk for poor oral health, and discusses unique interprofessional collaborations between dental practitioners and occupational therapists. Occupational therapists and dentists can work together to plan modifications to the dental environment or adapt dental protocols to reduce some of the barriers encountered by those with ASD, provide desensitization strategies before the clinic visit, or help a child with emotional regulation during clinical treatments.

scholarly journals Increased Serum Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha, Resistin, and Visfatin in the Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Case-Control Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Ali Ghaffari ◽  
Elham Mousavinejad ◽  
Forough Riahi ◽  
Masoumeh Mousavinejad ◽  
Mohammad Reza Afsharmanesh
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Tumor Necrosis Factor ◽  
Tumor Necrosis ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Factor Alpha ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Necrosis Factor

Background. Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are complex disorders where the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Several proinflammatory and immunoinflammatory disturbances have been observed in the etiology of ASD. There is, however, limited knowledge on variations of adipokines in ASD. The present study aimed to analyze the serum levels of resistin, visfatin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in children with ASD in relation to body weight, gender, and ASD severity level. Method. In total, 30 children with ASD (mean age: 7.72±2.65 y; range; 4–12 y) and 30 healthy children (mean age: 8.4±2.66 y; range: 4–12 y), including males and females, were matched for age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). Serum samples were collected, and visfatin, resistin, and TNF-α serum levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Result. Serum visfatin, resistin, and TNF-α levels in children with ASD were significantly higher than that in the healthy patients (p<0.05). Two significant correlations were found: a correlation between resistin and visfatin with TNF-α in children with ASD (R = 0.8 and R = 0.62, resp.) and a correlation between resistin and visfatin in children with ASD (R = 0.66). Conclusion. Higher TNF-α, resistin, and visfatin levels were found in children with ASD in comparison with controls, suggesting that elevated levels of serum proinflammatory agents may be implicated in the pathophysiology of ASD.

Handedness in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S214-S214 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kobylinska ◽  
C.G. Anghel ◽  
I. Mihailescu ◽  
F. Rad ◽  
I. Dobrescu
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Hand Preference ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Left Handedness ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Hand Laterality ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Competing Interest

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have a less definitive hand preference for certain actions as opposed to neurotypical children. Moreover, left-handedness in children with ASD has been associated with more echolalia. The objective was to conduct a screening of potential risk and associated features for autism spectrum disorders, among which the hand preference of the child. The current aim is to compare the perceived handedness of children with autism spectrum disorders with that of children with other psychiatric pathologies.MethodsEight hundred and forty-two parents completed our risk and associated features screening questionnaire. Out of these, 494 answered the question regarding handedness (209 had children diagnosed with ASD). This asked the parents to state how they perceived their child's handedness. An ADOS assessment has been conducted for 170 of the children whose parents were included in the study, based on clinical relevance for the case. The data were analysed using Excel and SPSS 22.0. For the comparisons, Chi2 and the Kruskal–Wallis test were used.ResultsChildren with ASD had more left-handedness (χ2(2) = 12.54, P = 0.002). There were no differences between boys and girls in terms of perceived handedness in any of the groups. There were no differences in the ADOS scores according to the perceived hand laterality (χ2(2) = 0.58, P = 0.74).ConclusionRightward-asymmetry in regions of corpus callosum has been reported to correlate with symptoms severity in ASD. The finding of different perceived handedness in children with ASD versus children with other psychiatric pathologies is useful for designing appropriate, individualized training programs for motor therapy.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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