Autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses have increased in recent decades. And, although there is still no cure, many treatment options are currently available. Learn how new therapy methods are helping parents of children with autism or ASD improve their quality of life.


Following multiple tests, a lawsuit, and an open-ended search for some kind of reasonable explanation, Barbara and Ken Coppo finally had a diagnosis for their son, Kenny. According to physicians, he had “acquired autism from post-pertussis encephalitis with a chronic seizure disorder.” Of course, this wasn’t what the Coppos wanted to hear, but a sense of satisfaction came from receiving an actual diagnosis.

Barbara Coppo first heard the word “autistic” in reference to Kenny in 1979. “Autism was not as well understood back in the ’70s because there wasn’t as much information on how to treat it then,” Coppo says. “I found myself hitting a brick wall,” she recalls, and remembers feeling that all she wanted was “to have [her] healthy, happy child back.”

In The Boy in the Window: A journey through an unexpected tragedy (Morgan James, 2007), Coppo describes the experience of raising Kenny – the brain damage, the seizures, the aggressive and increasingly bizarre behavior, the confusion, pain, and more.

Professionals encouraged institutionalization for Kenny, but the Coppos refused. Instead, Barbara and her husband embarked on the journey to understand their son’s condition, which she passionately depicts in The Boy in the Window.

Coppo received numerous suggestions on how to treat her son. For instance, some encouraged her to put Kenny in special-needs or behavior-modification classes. Coppo says that she also conducted a lot of research on her own to learn out about different treatment options and programs available.

Since there weren’t as many options for parents raising autistic children in the ’70s as there are today, Coppo says that one of the hardest aspects of raising Kenny was finding the right program for him. And, she often imagines what Kenny’s life would've looked like if some of today’s treatments were applied to him earlier. She muses that these innovations would have likely led to greater improvements in her son.

Reality Check

Today, as many as one in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. Although there is currently no cure for the disorder, many treatment options are offering patients and families an increased quality of life.

With the right services and supports, people with autism can live full, healthy, meaningful lives. Some of these treatment options include: drug treatment, anti-yeast therapy, auditory training, the Doman/Delacato method, osteopathy/craniosacral therapy, the Son-Rise Program, daily life therapy, vitamin and mineral therapy, flexyx therapy, chelation therapy, listening therapy, among other methods.

In addition, one option that’s benefiting children with ASDs is sensory integration therapy. According to a new study from Philadelphia-based Temple University researchers, children with ASDs who underwent sensory integration therapy exhibited fewer autistic mannerisms compared to children who received standard treatments.

The children assigned to the sensory integration intervention group reached more goals specified by their parents and therapists, say study authors Beth Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, and Moya Kinnealey, PhD, OTR/L, from the occupational therapy department in Temple University’s College of Health Professions.
 
“It’s been heavily documented that children on the autistic spectrum have differences in the way they process sensory information and respond motorically,” says Pfeiffer.

Such mannerisms may include repetitive hand movements or actions, making noises, jumping, or having highly restricted interests, and often interfere with paying attention and learning.

Sensory integration therapy has helped many children live more independently. For instance, daily activities, such as dressing, washing, and classroom activities that require touch, are more manageable with this type of therapeutic approach. Because of its positive results, more families are seeking to engage their children in sensory integration therapy.

A Parent's Challenge

Determining the appropriate treatment for an autistic child is an ongoing challenge for both families and healthcare professionals because of the wide variety of therapy options available.

To Camille Seyer, this concept is all too familiar. When her 16-month-old son, Josh, was diagnosed with autism in 2001, she wanted to learn all she could about his condition. Just like Coppo, Seyer researched it heavily, scanning bookshelves at the local library, reading medical reports on the Internet – basically, looking for any relevant information concerning autism and treatment options.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, early intervention is crucial for those diagnosed with autism or ASD.  Although the symptoms of autism or ASD may last throughout a person’s lifetime, early intervention can change the course of the disorder.

One of the first methods that the Seyer tried was putting Josh on a  casein/gluten-free diet. (See “The Wheat-free Family” sidebar for more information.)

“Three days after I put Josh on the diet, he started to respond,” says Seyer. For instance, she says Josh appeared more attentive to the family, and "he didn’t have the usual ‘blank stare’ on his face,"  which she believes was a positive start in the treatment process. However, she didn’t stop there.

In the following years, Seyer continued to research different methods, classes, and/or therapies for Josh. She tried speech therapy, occupational therapy, listening therapy, music therapy, and physical therapy. Since she observed that certain sounds hurt Josh's ears, listening therapy particularly benefited him. He responded to music – classical was his favorite.

Seyer also noticed that Josh's gait improved, leading her to cite the potential effectiveness of physical therapy.

However, Josh's condition still presents an uphill battle for his family. “It’s difficult – Josh will get something in his head and he just can’t stop,” says Seyer. For instance, Josh, who is now 7 years old, still has tantrums, says Seyer – throwing himself around when he gets obsessive or frustrated about [toys, DVD papers, etc.] not lining up a certain way. 

Josh was also involved in a number of programs and classes, such as early intervention classes, and the Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) program. “We saw the [most] improvement from the ABA teaching,” Seyer says.  Other therapies Seyer has been incorporating into Josh’s daily routine include antivirals, chelation, and vitamin therapies.

Seyer has learned that together, parents and therapists can work as a team. And, together, they can assess whether the child is responding positively or negatively to one approach and consider revising the current method. Also, they may have similar questions as they discover new treatment options.

For instance, therapists may hear parents say, “Some say this works, and others say it doesn’t – What is the best solution?” It’s important for parents and professionals to collaborate and stay up-to-date on innovations in autism therapy as well as keep open lines of communication about revisions in treatment options.

— Haley K. Jestice is a staff writer for Therapy Times. Questions and comments can be directed to hjestice@therapytimes.com.