When it comes to selecting the best therapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is no one-size-fits-all answer. At Heartlinks, we are frequently asked what the best autism therapies are. The truth is, the answer is never clear-cut.
However, it is evident that autism therapy for children is most beneficial when it’s intensive, begins as soon as possible after diagnosis, actively engages the child, has clear and measurable goals, and is grounded in robust research.
Fortunately, due to increased awareness and understanding of autism, a variety of therapeutic options are now available. These range from behavioral and developmental therapies to speech and occupational therapy, each designed to meet the diverse needs of children with ASD. The key is to find a therapy that not only aligns with the child’s specific needs but also fits within the family’s resources and circumstances.
In the following sections, we will explore the different types of therapies available for children with autism, highlighting their unique benefits and considerations to help families make informed decisions.
What Are the Best Therapies for Autistic Children?
The recommended therapy for your autistic child may vary from another’s, and that’s not cause for concern. Autism affects and impacts the brain of each child differently. That’s why a young person’s age, range of abilities, specific needs, and personality will dictate the type of therapy suggested.
Many of the autism therapies listed below overlap regarding the subjects they address or skills they teach children on the spectrum. That’s okay.
One child might learn about personal hygiene more effectively through occupational rather than ABA therapy. The crucial element is that both children have a treatment that meets their needs and is available.
Occupational Therapy
One of the best therapies for autism is occupational therapy (OT). Administered by a licensed occupational therapist, this treatment focuses on learning strategies, play skills, sensory issues, and self-care. An occupational therapist will begin with a thorough evaluation of their young client’s ability level and how they do the following:
- Plays
- Learns
- Interact with their surroundings
- Care for themselves
With the evaluation complete, the occupational therapist will identify goals and the necessary steps to reach them. Some of these objectives might include one or more of the following:
- Using the bathroom independently
- Eating
- Getting dressed by oneself
- Fine motor skills such as coloring, using scissors, and writing
- Self-grooming (i.e., brushing teeth and hair, applying deodorant).
Occupational therapy aims to improve the child’s regular skills, which are part of their daily activities, to become more independent and live fuller lives.
Social Skills Therapy
Most neurotypical children learn social skills through experiences and observation. They understand what works and what doesn’t through trial and error. Children with autism do not learn their social skills in the same way. It is challenging for them to feel empathy and imagine what someone else might feel like.
This is why structured social skills training is necessary for autistic children. Whether administered by a therapist, social worker, or behavior analyst, this therapy teaches autistic children the skills to support their interactions with others.
Though the goals of social skills therapy will vary depending on the needs and abilities of the child, some of the areas that could be addressed include
- Sharing and taking turns
- Asking for help from a stranger
- Appropriately expressing feelings
- Understanding someone else’s point of view
- Attending a social activity
- Sharing personal information in an acceptable way
- Saying “no” in different situations
- Learning to work with others (i.e., teamwork or group project)
Play Therapy
The goal of play therapy for autistic children is to engage them in fun activities that interest them and are of their choosing. This therapy is designed for those kids on the spectrum who typically play in repetitive patterns or alone, where there isn’t much chance for them to explore and learn.
Often, autistic children cannot “pretend play” with a doll like a neurotypical child would. They are completely self-absorbed in their activities. Play therapy can show them how to pretend play, providing a beautiful opportunity for shared interaction.
There are many different types of play therapy, such as floortime therapy. This therapy technique is designed to help an autistic child develop social and communication skills and relationships with others.
Equestrian Therapy
Equestrian therapy has several names, including therapeutic horseback riding and hippotherapy. This is one of the best autism therapies available for children on the spectrum.
Working with an animal can help an autistic child’s confidence, improve social skills, and build physical strength. It can also help by reducing a child’s hyperactivity and irritability, and it’s a great way to deal with a child’s understimulation, which is common with autism.
Typically, children ride the horses in a non-threatening and safe environment during an equestrian therapy session. The therapist who conducts the session is certified in equestrian therapy. Children are taught not only to ride the horses but also how to care for them.
Music Therapy
Several types of music therapy fall under the umbrella of autism therapy services. Music therapy was first used in the United States in the early to mid-1900s. It is used to develop the communication and social interaction skills of autistic children.
Whether it’s singing, playing an instrument, listening to music, or songwriting, there are several ways of engaging autistic children. Whatever the child chooses, involving them in music promotes skills such as direct eye contact, taking turns, and attention sharing. Music therapy can be a fun summer activity for your child to enjoy outdoors or something they attend weekly year-round.
Typically, a registered music therapist practices music therapy with an autistic child. Generally, a session will last between 20-50 minutes and will occur once a week. The length and intensity of this autism spectrum therapy can vary depending on the child’s needs.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy for autism can treat a variety of language and speech challenges an autistic child might encounter. Whether they’re non-verbal, have delayed speech, or are high-functioning and unable to recognize sarcasm or jokes, the speech therapist can help.
What is critical with speech therapy is that it’s best to get help when the child is young. The earlier a diagnosis, the better a speech-language therapist can help their young client overcome challenges.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT, whether performed in a group setting or individually, is used to help people with autism identify and subsequently change their thoughts and behaviors. The foundation of cognitive behavioral therapy is the belief that our thoughts and behaviors influence our feelings. Therefore, changing how we think about and react to a situation will make us feel better.
CBT is especially effective for autistic children to reduce anxiety and improve their behavior. Researchers discovered that after a mere three months of therapy, 78% of autistic children saw an improvement in their condition.
The benefits of CBT for autistic children include:
- It can help them cope with stress, anxiety, and similar emotional issues
- It can assist them in overcoming fear, making it easier to face fearful situations
- They can substitute irrational or negative thoughts with positive ones.
- It can improve social skills and communication with peers.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical behavioral therapy is a more specific form of CBT. It focuses on helping children or teens with autism who experience extreme emotional reactions interact with others and their environment more healthily.
Originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), DBT can help autistic children in several ways including:
- Self-acceptance
- Accepting the world around them
- Identifying, regulating, and controlling their internal feelings
- Creating a plan when their emotions become overwhelming.
By combining aspects of CBT, dialectical philosophy, and mindfulness practices, DBT provides autistic patients with structured skills training to help them cope and improve their quality of life.
Early Denver Start Model (EDSM)
The Early Start Denver Model is a play-based therapy model for children ages 12-48 months. Based on the principles of ABA, it aims to develop a child’s social and communication skills, cognitive abilities, and developmental outcomes.
The EDSM is designed to be implemented in naturalistic settings, including the child’s home, therapy center, and daycare. This is done to ensure their learning extends beyond traditional therapy sessions.
Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT)
The pivotal response treatment helps autistic children build the social skills and abilities to interact with others. PRT is initiated by the child and is play-based therapy targeting fundamental areas of a child’s development rather than working on one specific behavior.
PRT encourages parents and other caregivers to participate actively in the therapy and provides them with strategies to support their child’s learning in daily life. It also includes regular assessments and rigorous data collection to monitor the child’s progress and adjust the therapy as needed.
Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)
Relationship development intervention targets an autistic child’s skills related to understanding and responding to emotional and social cues, including problem-solving, mental flexibility, and shared experiences. Once a child receives an autism diagnosis, a therapist develops an individualized program for the child but trains the parent to implement it.
The program comprises techniques and teaching strategies that parents are instructed to use daily with their children. In essence, RDI becomes a part of you and your child’s daily routine.
Advocates for this therapy indicate that it can improve an autistic child’s life in the following ways:
- Learn to cope with setbacks and disappointments
- Understand how to solve problems in flexible and creative ways
- Be able to share feelings, plans, ideas, and memories with others
Nutritional Therapy
Ensuring a balanced, whole-food diet is fundamental to good health. However, it can be particularly challenging to feed children with autism who often have restrictive eating patterns due to their need for rigid routines, sensory sensitivities, or difficulty assessing their level of hunger. That’s where nutritional therapy can help by ensuring your child gets the nutrients they need to grow and develop.
Nutritional therapy involves working with a registered dietitian familiar with autism. They can design a diet or treatment plan to ensure your child gets the right foods while navigating their unique aversions and preferences. It usually starts with the dietician reviewing your child’s eating habits, aversions, and preferences. From there, they will develop a personalized nutrition plan based on the assessment. Finally, the dietitian will educate you and your child about the importance of the food plan and provide ongoing support as you implement it.
Medication Therapy
Though there is no specific medication that explicitly treats autism, there are ones that can help control some of the symptoms. Medicines for treating autism symptoms are most effective when used in tandem with autism therapies.
There is a wide range of different medications, including the following:
- Antipsychotics can help curb irritability, aggression, and repetitive behaviors.
- Stimulants can help control the hyperactivity or impulsivity that are common symptoms of autism.
- Melatonin is a hormone that can aid your child in falling asleep.
- Gabapentin can alleviate the sensory hypersensitivity or anxiety your child suffers.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
Widely regarded as the most effective treatment for autism, ABA or applied behavior analysis is the most commonly used therapy. Its popularity lies in the fact that it can be personalized to suit the unique needs of each child.
Some of the most common objectives of ABA therapy include the following:
- Learning about sharing behaviors when playing with others
- Understanding the importance of self-care and personal hygiene
- Reducing unwanted or aggressive behaviors
- Increasing social skills
- Ameliorating language and communication skills.
ABA offers a number of different types of autism therapy for children, including:
- Discrete trial training (DTT)
- Natural Environment Teaching
- Scripting
- Prompting and Fading
How to Choose the Right Therapy for a Child with Autism
When we’re asked at Heartlinks what is the best treatment for autism, our answer is always, “It depends on your child.” That might sound vague, but each child on the spectrum is different, including their symptoms.
Making the correct choice should begin with your child’s assessment to identify their strengths and weaknesses as well as your goals. This will provide the foundation for their treatment. Depending on the evaluation, the following therapies might be recommended:
- Speech or language therapy is recommended if your child struggles with articulating, social communication, or language development.
- Sensory integration therapy is recommended using several methods, including sensory toys, if your child has sensory processing difficulties.
- Daily living skills therapy is recommended to help your child learn independent tasks like dressing, showering, or eating.
- If your child needs help curbing unwanted behaviors or improving their academic performance, ABA therapy might be suggested.
What Is The Most Effective Therapy for Autism?
Of all the autism spectrum therapies available today, ABA is widely regarded as the most comprehensive and practical. Yet many of our parents at Heartlinks ask us why ABA therapy is so widely used.
First, let’s take a look at the numbers.
Dr. Ivar Lovaas, the grandfather of ABA therapy, proved through his work in 1987 that 90% of children he studied made tremendous improvements when using applied behavior analysis. Additionally, Dr. Lovaas concluded that 47% of the children in his study had become “indistinguishable” from their peers after receiving intensive ABA therapy.
One of the most appealing principles of ABA therapy is that a clinician must develop an individualized program created uniquely for their client. No two programs are the same. This program must incorporate various behavioral strategies agreed upon by the child’s support network (i.e., parents, doctors, therapists, and educators). The program should break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable steps.
The therapist uses positive reinforcement to help the autistic child fully grasp the skill, and as they work together, data and information are collected to monitor their progress. Additionally, parents and other caregivers can learn ABA techniques to use at home.
Unlike other therapies, ABA has substantially more scientific research proving its benefits in treating autism.
Autism Therapies to Avoid
When shopping for different autism therapies, avoiding methods lacking scientific support is essential. Instead, look for treatments that are not only supported by extensive scientific research and clinical trials but also conducted by experienced and licensed professionals and tailored to your child’s needs.
- Chelation therapy, or removing heavy metals from the body using a medication, is not a scientifically supported therapy, and in some cases, it can be hazardous.
- Bleaching (MMS Enemas) has been falsely marketed as a medical treatment to cure autism. Supporters claim that administering bleach enemas expels parasitic worms, which are, in reality, portions of the child’s damaged intestinal epithelium (a type of tissue).
- Detoxing Baths are part of a larger group of therapies that claim to either remove toxins or “cure” autism. In this instance, a child with autism is placed in a bath of Epsom salts to detoxify their skin of metals and improve or altogether remove the child’s symptoms.
- Antifungal Agent Therapy involves using antifungal medications to treat the symptoms of autism. The idea is there’s a connection between fungal or yeast overgrowth in the gut and behavioral symptoms associated with autism.
Does Autism Get Better With Therapy?
There are many unanswered questions with regard to autism, including what causes autism. Yet we do know that, yes, autism does get better with therapy. Not only can it improve a child’s quality of life, but it can also reduce their symptoms.
It’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for autism. Instead, the goal of therapy, regardless of the one you choose, is to maximize your child’s capacity to function by supporting their development and learning.
Find the Best Autism Therapy at Heartlinks.
Whether your child needs help with aggressive behavior, has a sensory processing disorder, or self-harms, ABA therapy can help. Yet, ABA therapy can be combined with other therapeutic approaches such as speech, equestrian, or music therapy. It doesn’t have to be a stand-alone treatment. It is versatile.
As leaders in the field of ABA therapy in-home or at one of our locations, we at Heartlinks have the experience and expertise to guide you and your child through the treatment process. We offer a number of different ABA therapy services and we can also coordinate other treatments like those mentioned above to help your child.
Get in touch for more information about how Heartlinks ABA therapy can help your child.