A Review of Complementary and Alternative Treatments for Autism Spectrum Disorders

Table 4

Complementary and alternative treatments for autism spectrum disorders either without positive effects in randomized control trials (RCTs) or without sufficient evidence to evaluate (listed alphabetically).

Without positive effects in RCTs
Auditory integration therapy [111]; Facilitated communication [112]; Gluten/Casein-Free Diet [36]; Hyperbaric oxygen therapy [113, 114]; Secretin [115]
Without sufficient evidence to evaluate
Allithiamine; Antibiotics and antifungals; Atkins diet; Betaine; Bethanechol; Bolles Sensory Learning Method; Calcium; Colostrum; Craniosacral therapy; Cysteine; Daily life therapy; Dairy/milk-free diet; Deep pressure therapy; Dimethylglycine; Doman-Delacato Patterning; Fast ForWord; Feingold diet; Flexyx Neuropathy System; Fluconazole	Gentle teaching; Giant steps; Glutathione; Homeopathic treatments; Integrated movement therapy; Interactive metronome; Irlen method/lenses; Ketogenic diet; L-Glutamine; Lindamood-bell learning processes; Miller method; Movement/dance therapy; Neural therapy; Osteopathic manipulation; Prayer*; Psalms*; Reduced L-glutathione; Rhythmic entrainment; Rolfing/structural integration; Selenium	Sensory integration therapy; Specific carbohydrate diet; Spiritual practices*; Sporanox; St. John’s Wort; Transfer factor; Urecholine; Vagal nerve stimulation; Vision therapy; Vitamin A; Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol); Vivitrol; Watsu; Weighted blanket/vest; Yeast-free diet; Zinc

Note: (1) List of CATs from Medline/PsychINFO reviews and Interactive Autism Network (IAN) research online parent questionnaire of treatments utilized for child with ASD http://www.iancommunity.org/cs/ian_research_questions/treatment_list.
(2) Although included in the IAN study, the following were not included in our CAT review because they are in the realm of conventional treatments such as speech, special education, and cognitive and behavior therapy: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Floortime (from Difference, Relationship-based approach), Discrete Trial Training, Language Preschool, Lifeskills and Education for Students with Autism and other Pervasive Behavioral Challenges (LEAP), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Pivotal Response Training (PRT), Rapid Prompting Method, Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SINIS), Social Stories, Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication-Handicapped Children (TEACCH), Toilet Training, and Visual Schedules.
(3) Some of CATs in the table have evidence of positive effects in other disorders, but not for ASD. This does not necessarily mean they are without merit, just that there is not enough current evidence of a positive effect for ASD.
(4) Due to ethical/safety issues we do not recommend packing therapy or faradic skin shock.
* Although we respect individual’s religious views, prayer, psalms, and spiritual practices, which were identified by parents as utilized treatments in the IAN survey, these approaches do not currently have any scientific evidence of a positive effect for ASD symptoms.