While there’s no cure for autism, there are many approaches that can help both children and adults manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that impacts the way a person behaves, socializes, or interacts with others. While it’s now called autism spectrum disorder, many people still use the term “autism.”
There’s no cure for autism, but several approaches can help to improve social functioning, learning, and quality of life for both children and adults with autism. Remember that autism is a spectrum-based condition. Some people may need little to no support, while others may require intensive therapy.
It’s also important to keep in mind that a lot of the research related to support for autism focuses on children. This is largely because existing
Read on to learn more about the different approaches to treating autism.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is one of the most widely used options for adults and children. It refers to a series of techniques that encourage positive behaviors using a reward system.
There are several types of ABA, including:
- Discrete trial training. This technique uses a series of trials to encourage step-by-step learning. Correct behaviors and answers are rewarded for reinforcement, while mistakes are corrected.
- Early intensive behavioral intervention. Children, generally under the age of five, work one-on-one with a therapist or in a small group. It’s usually done over several years to help a child develop communication skills and reduce problematic behaviors, including aggression or self-harm.
- Pivotal response training. This strategy, which is used in someone’s everyday environment, teaches pivotal skills, such as the motivation to learn or initiate communication.
- Verbal behavior intervention. A therapist works with someone to help them understand why and how humans use language to communicate and get things they need.
- Positive behavior support. This involves making environmental changes to the home or classroom to make good behavior feel more rewarding.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that can be effective in helping children and adults. During CBT sessions, people learn about the connections between feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. This may help to identify the thoughts and feelings that trigger negative behaviors.
A 2019 trial suggests that CBT is particularly beneficial in helping autistic people manage anxiety. It can also help them to better recognize emotions in others and cope better in social situations.
Social skills training (SST) is a way for people, especially children, to develop social skills. Interacting with others is very difficult for some autistic people, which can lead to many challenges over time.
Someone undergoing SST learns basic social skills, including how to converse, understand humor, and read emotional cues. While it’s generally used in children, a 2023 study suggests that it can benefit autistic adults as well, especially when combined with other approaches, like CBT.
Autistic people may be unusually affected by sensory input, such as sight, sound, or smell. Social integration therapy is based on the theory that having some of your senses amplified makes it hard to learn and display positive behaviors.
SIT tries to even out a person’s response to sensory stimulation. It’s usually done by an occupational therapist and relies on play, such as drawing in sand or jumping rope.
Occupational therapy (OT) is a field of healthcare that focuses on teaching children and adults the fundamental skills they need in everyday life. This often includes teaching fine motor skills, handwriting skills, and self-care skills for children.
For adults, OT focuses on developing independent living skills, such as cooking, cleaning, and handling money.
Speech therapy teaches verbal skills that can help autistic people communicate better. It’s usually done with either a speech-language pathologist or an occupational therapist.
It can help children improve the rate and rhythm of their speech and use words correctly. It can also help adults improve how they communicate thoughts and feelings.
There aren’t any medications specifically designed to treat autism. However, several medications used for other conditions that may occur with autism might help with certain symptoms.
Medications used to help manage autism fall into a few main categories:
- Antipsychotics. Some newer antipsychotic medications may help with aggression, self-harm, and behavioral problems in both children and adults with autism. The FDA approved the use of risperidone (Risperdal) and aripiprazole (Abilify) to treat symptoms of autism.
- Antidepressants. While there’s been some debate about the effectiveness of antidepressants for autism symptoms, a 2022 systematic review found they may be beneficial, especially for adults with mild symptoms.
- Stimulants. Stimulants, such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), are generally used to treat ADHD, which can co-occur alongside autism. Some doctors may prescribe stimulants for those with both autism and ADHD. However, a 2019 review notes that the limitations of existing research make it difficult to determine how effective this approach is.
- Anticonvulsants. Some autistic also have epilepsy, so antiseizure medications are sometimes prescribed.
People try countless alternative options. However, there isn’t much conclusive research backing up these methods, and it’s unclear whether they’re effective. Some of them, such as chelation therapy, may also do more harm than good.
Still, autism is a wide-ranging condition that causes a variety of symptoms. Just because something doesn’t work for one person doesn’t mean it won’t help another. Work closely with a healthcare professional when looking into alternative options. They can help you navigate the research surrounding these options and avoid potentially harmful methods that aren’t backed by science.
If you don’t feel comfortable discussing alternative remedies with your doctor, consider looking for another medical professional to help you find the right support.
Autism is a complex condition without a cure. However, there are a variety of therapeutic approaches and medications that can help to manage its symptoms. Work with your doctor to determine the most effective support plan for you or your child.
