Journal Article

Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Ware, Janice, Bunce, Emily, Hanson, Ellen, Kalish, Leslie A., Petry, Judith, Curtis, Christine, McDaniel, Samuel

2007

Overview

This study examined the prevalence of the use of different types of conventional, complementary and alternative therapies by children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Of 112 families surveyed, 74% were using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their child with ASD. CAM use was most strongly associated with parent report of child's diagnosis. Most CAM was reported by families to be either helpful or without effect, but not harmful. The main reasons for choosing CAM were related to concerns with the safety and side effects of prescribed medications. Conventional health care providers should be aware of the high prevalence of use among children with ASD and be prepared to discuss the use of CAM with families.

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Alternative medicine / Applied Behavior Analysis / Autism / Autism Spectrum Disorders / Autistic children / Autistic Disorder - diagnosis / Autistic Disorder - epidemiology / Autistic Disorder - therapy / Autistic spectrum disorders / Behavioral Science Research / Beliefs / Biological and medical sciences / Boston / Child / Child clinical studies / Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - diagnosis / Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - epidemiology / Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - therapy / Child, Preschool / Children / Clinical Diagnosis / Complementary Therapies - utilization / Consumer Behavior / Developmental Disabilities - diagnosis / Developmental Disabilities - epidemiology / Developmental Disabilities - therapy / Developmental disorders / Drug effects / Drug Therapy / Families & family life / Family (Sociological Unit) / Female / Health care / Health care industry / Health services / Humans / Incidence / Infantile autism / Intellectual Disability - diagnosis / Intellectual Disability - epidemiology / Intellectual Disability - therapy / Learning Disorders - diagnosis / Learning Disorders - epidemiology / Learning Disorders - therapy / Male / Medical diagnosis / Medical personnel / Medical sciences / Medicine / Motivation / Parent Attitudes / Parent-child relations / Parents / Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychopathology. Psychiatry / Psychotropic Drugs - adverse effects / Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use / Public Schools / Safety / Sensory Integration / Side effects / Social Support Groups / Statistics as Topic / Surveys / Teaching Methods / Treatment methods / Treatment Outcome / Utilization Review - statistics & numerical data