Which autism therapies work for children?

Choosing the best therapy for a child with autism is one of the biggest challenges parents face.

There are literally thousands of options, from mainstream therapies such as speech therapy and Applied Behavior Analysis, to alternatives such as electroconvulsive therapy, hyperbaric chambers, and restricted diets.

Are there any shortcuts to help parents figure out which therapies work?

Yes, and a concept called "evidence-based" therapy is one of the most effective.

If a therapy is evidence-based, scientists have conducted studies to prove that it actually helps people who have a specific need.

Evidence-based therapy is used in many areas, but it is especially valuable in helping parents identify therapies that have been proven to help many kids with autism. Then parents can zero in on therapies that are best suited to their child's specific needs.

The basics

Understanding evidence-based therapy doesn't require an advanced degree. Basically, an evidence-based therapy for autism is one that scientists have studied and found to be effective and reliable.

How?

Scientists conduct research with a large enough number of people who experience significant, measurable improvements. The researchers use advanced statistical tools to demonstrate that study participants improved because of the therapy, rather than chance or unrelated factors.

There's another important step before a therapy is labeled as evidence-based. The experiment and its results are reviewed by a panel of experts from various fields and duplicated by other qualified researchers.

When you're looking for therapies that will help your child reach his or her full potential, it's best to start with therapies whose impact is backed by scientific proof.

Unproven therapies might help, but are they worth the time? Those hours could be spent on an evidence-based therapy that has been proven to help children with autism make progress.

How can you tell?

Figuring out whether an autism therapy is evidence-based can be fairly simple. Start by asking therapy providers the following questions:

1. Is this therapy evidence-based? This question is basic, but essential. If the answer is yes, you'll want to learn more about whether it's a good fit for your child. If the answer is no, you may want to wait until your child's treatment plan is established and see if there is time for another therapy.

2. How much research has been done on this therapy? Ideally, a therapy should be backed by at least five to 10 reputable studies. For context, a long-established evidence-based therapy such as Applied Behavior Analysis has been proven effective for children with autism in more than 600 studies.

3. What behaviors did the research address? Parents should look for studies that evaluate the effectiveness of an autism therapy on children with needs similar to their children.

Once you have this information, you may want to turn to other resources. The National Autism Center's 2015 report "The National Standards Project, Phase 2" is the largest review of autism research to date. It includes a list of agencies and groups that conduct systematic reviews of autism research, as well as a list of "unestablished interventions." (These are therapies that don't have enough evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness).

You may also want to talk to a teacher, speech-language pathologist, board-certified behavior analyst, or your pediatrician. They should be able to review the literature, answer questions and help point you toward the best evidence-based autism therapy for your child.

Be skeptical

Evidence-based therapy may be a valuable shortcut for identifying proven autism therapies, but parents should still use caution.

Some autism therapies say they are evidence-based, but are supported by only one or two studies. These studies are sometimes sponsored by a company that is selling the therapy, so the research might not be impartial or be conducted using accepted scientific standards.

Watch out for autism therapies that promise breakthrough results. The idea that your child might make so much progress is tempting, but major, fast transformations in children's behavior are rare and usually too good to be true.

Making the best choice

There is a constant flow of new ideas about how to help children with autism improve communication and behavior. Unfortunately, many of those ideas are untested. The challenge is figuring which therapies are proven and likely to help.

Ultimately, an educated decision is the best decision.

Evidence-based therapy is an excellent way for parents to cut through the clutter of thousands of possibilities. Armed with this knowledge, parents can make an educated decision about which therapies are most likely to help their child reach his or her full potential.

• Amber Rich is a board-certified behavior analyst who leads Chicago-based Autism Home Support Services' South Network. Autism Home Support Services, an Invo Company, is metro-Chicago's largest provider of in-home Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for autism. Amber can be reached at arich@autismhomesupport.com.