Internet survey of treatments used by parents of children with autism.
Open accessAbstract
We developed an Internet survey to identify treatments used by parents of children with autism. The survey listed 111 treatments and was distributed via colleagues and through chapters of the Autism Society of America and Autism Organizations Worldwide. A total of 552 parents submitted usable returns during the 3-month survey period. On average the parents reported using seven different treatments. The number of treatments used varied as a function of the child's age and type/severity of disability within the autism spectrum. Speech therapy was the most commonly reported intervention, followed by visual schedules, sensory integration, and applied behavior analysis. In addition, 52% of parents were currently using at least one medication to treat their child, 27% were implementing special diets, and 43% were using vitamin supplements. Because parents were using a large number of treatments, many of which lack empirical support, future research should focus on understanding the decision-making processes that underlie treatment selection by parents of children with autism.
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Estimates that 30% to 50% of patients with ASD have been treated with at least 1 medication may be unreliable because the underlying studies depended primarily on patient surveys, have not been replicated after shifts in ASD diagnostic criteria, and/or predate the Affordable Care Act and other significant changes to prescription drug coverage.
“However, these estimates may be unreliable because they were derived from studies that depended primarily on patient surveys; have not been replicated after shifts in diagnostic criteria for ASD; and/or predate the establishment of the Affordable Care Act and other significant changes to prescription drug coverage.”
From Medication use in the management of comorbidities among individuals with autism spectrum disorder from a large nationwide insurance database (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Some studies have estimated that 30% to 50% of patients with ASD have been treated with at least 1 medication.
“Some studies22,23,24,25,26 have estimated that 30% to 50% of patients with ASD have been treated with at least 1 medication.”
From Medication use in the management of comorbidities among individuals with autism spectrum disorder from a large nationwide insurance database (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
Previous studies of co-occurring conditions and use of psychotropic medication in individuals with ASD have been limited to smaller, regional study populations.
“Previous studies of co-occurring conditions and use of psychotropic medication in individuals with ASD,20,22,23,26 though informative, have been limited to smaller, regional study populations.”
From Medication use in the management of comorbidities among individuals with autism spectrum disorder from a large nationwide insurance database (2021) · cites this paper as [22]
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- Authors
- Green, V. A., Pituch, K. A., Itchon, J., Choi, A., O’Reilly, M., & Sigafoos, J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- Corresponding author
- Green, Vanessa A.
- Venue
- Research in Developmental Disabilities
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 70-84
- ISSN
- 0891-4222 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2011126385
- Semantic Scholar
- ed638a48ac6a8c96d6a828ec1538b34fb7abc113
- Cited by
- 617
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 51 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 60 · 2013: 52 · 2012: 39
- FWCI
- 7.08
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Research in Developmental Disabilities (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UTAS Research Repository (acceptedVersion)
- eCite Digital Repository (University of Tasmania) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, complementary therapy, speech therapy, visual schedules, sensory integration, applied behavior analysis, special diets, vitamin supplements, treatment selection decision-making
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Autistic Disorder, Child, Humans, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Internet
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