Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a popular treatment option for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Unfortunately, there is very little data on the effectiveness of CAM in ASD. Therefore, before starting alternative or complementary therapy, it is recommended that you talk to your doctor to make sure that the treatment is safe and can be helpful.
However, in this article, we shall look into the benefits of some of the most important Biologically and Non-biologically based non-traditional spectrum supplement treatments and how they help ASD patients.
Benefits Of Alternative Treatment In Autism
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) treatment usually includes diet, vitamin supplements, and herbal remedies. Several important mechanisms may explain the biological effects of CAM.
Given below are some of the top treatments and their benefits:
Benefits Of Dietary Interventions
A gluten-free/casein-free diet removes all wheat protein (gluten) and milk protein (casein) from your diet. In addition, a special carbohydrate diet was developed for patients with intestinal diseases.
Many people with autism suffer from inflammatory bowel diseases, including colitis and Crohn’s disease.
Additionally, the ketogenic diet was first introduced as a therapeutic method to reduce the number of epileptic seizures and their intensity.
But it has been reported that it is useful for mental behavior and hyperactivity. Fats provide most energy, proteins are based on the minimum daily requirement, and carbohydrates are strictly limited.
Benefits Of Nutraceuticals
The use of foods or food products to prevent disease or promote health is a new trend that has given rise to the concept of “nutraceuticals.” The term nutraceutical was first coined by the American Foundation for Medical Innovation (FIS) in 1989.
The most common type of nutraceutical consists of nutritional supplements (such as vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and herbal substances).
The use of nutraceuticals in managing autism can create a model of successful integration with current treatments to achieve the desired results—evidence of its effectiveness in patients with autism and similar neurological complications.
Dietary supplements can significantly improve the management of autism, where treatment regimens have been hampered by the etiological complexity and limitations of previous interventions.
Benefits Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can significantly improve cognitive abilities in healthy older adults. There is a significant overlap between age-related symptoms (cognitive and motor impairment) and autism symptoms in children and adults.
In an HBOT treatment session, the patient enters a pressurized oxygen chamber where they breathe pure oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has shown great potential in treating or reducing cognitive and motor decline symptoms, such as autism and aging.
HBOT includes administering a mixture of pressure and a hyperbaric environment’s elevated oxygen levels, or hyperoxia. This controls oxygen- and pressure-sensitive genes that improve tissue metabolism.
Benefits Of Chelation
The idea of using chelation therapy as an adjunctive treatment for autism. It stems from the belief that the mercury-containing thimerosal (preservative) in vaccines is the direct cause of the rapid increase in autism spectrum diagnoses.
Therefore, chelation is the process of removing heavy metals from the body through the blood. In addition, drugs bind to metal ions, reducing the metal’s chemical reactivity.
Theorists believe that if mercury is the cause of autism, removing it from the body will cure autism. Chelation is administered by physicians in healthcare facilities when used correctly and appropriately.
Benefits Of Music Therapy
Hypothetically, because different regions of the brain process music or words, the use of music may help people with ASD understand emotions that are difficult to detect in words. This therapy’s use in treating patients with ASD has been tested in several studies.
Results indicated that music therapy helps children with ASD improve their skills in key outcome areas such as social interaction, verbal communication, behavior initiation, and social-emotional interaction. It also helps improve non-verbal communication skills in therapy.
AIT— A Training To Cure ASD
Auditory Integration Training (AIT) is a form of acoustic therapy similar to the Tomatis method. It is designed to reduce sensitivity to sound or other problems with how sound is processed.
AIT is sometimes used in children with autism with additional sensory problems, such as sensitive or very sensitive listening. However, there is no evidence of a deviation and language or main characteristics of autism.
No association was found between sensitive hearing and autism. However, children participating in AIT are encouraged to be assessed by a qualified healthcare professional at the beginning, middle and end of treatment.
