Sunday, January 12, 2014

Autism: Researchers Watch Families Using Alternative Therapies

By Heather Callaghan

With autism rates exploding in recent years and little to no effective mainstream treatments, families have turned to alternative treatments. So it was only a matter of time before researchers caught on to study them.

There are no FDA-approved treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. The researchers, as many mainstream pundits do, claim that the causes are unknown and have no cures. With so little help and often complete denial from mainstream medicine, it stands to reason parents would seek any help available for stressful autism symptoms like irritability, lack of responsiveness, hyperactivity, gastrointestinal problems and sleep disorders.

So why are researchers eager to study families who either completely seek alternative therapies for autism or in addition to conventional treatment? Is it to actually find solutions? Find newer drugs? Or to put a crimp on natural help?