Autism in children | Top 25 novel treatment findings

Can a diuretic be the key to unlocking better days for kids with autism?

Bumetanide improves autism symptoms in children

The treatment with bumetanide resulted in a significant reduction in the severity of ASD symptoms as measured by CARS and CGI-I scores, indicating clinical improvement in the children.

Study published: 2020-12-19

Unlocking Words: How a New Brain Hack is Helping Kids with Autism Speak Up!

Prefrontal Synthesis intervention improves language skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The test group showed a 1.7-fold improvement in receptive language scores and a 1.4-fold improvement in expressive language scores compared to the control group, indicating significant language acquisition improvements through PFS training.

Study published: 2020-10-02

Can talking to a therapist really calm the storm of anxiety for autistic teens?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy reduces anxiety in autistic youth.

The meta-analysis indicates that CBT for anxiety is effective in reducing anxiety symptoms in autistic individuals, with moderate certainty in parent- and clinician-reported outcomes. The strategies identified are generally feasible and acceptable, suggesting positive impacts on mental health care delivery for autistic CYP.

Study published: 2023-12-01

Can parents really be the superheroes in their autistic child's battle against anxiety? Discover the power of parent-led therapy!

A parent-led Cognitive Behavioral Therapy reduces anxiety in autistic children.

The intervention aims to improve coping strategies for autistic children, reduce anxiety, and promote acceptance of neurodiversity, leading to better mental health outcomes.

Study published: 2023-07-07

Unlocking Brilliance: How a Playful Approach is Boosting Brainpower in Kids with Autism!

The Early Start Denver Model improves cognitive skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The study identified three subgroups of children based on cognitive trajectories: High at Baseline (HB) showed no cognitive delay post-treatment, High Responders (HR) improved significantly in cognitive scores and adaptive skills, while Minimal Responders (MR) showed little to no change. Early response to intervention was a predictor of better outcomes.

Study published: 2021-04-07

Unlocking the Secrets: How Social Skills Training is Transforming Lives for Autistic Individuals with Unique Genetic Traits!

Social Skills Group Training improves social skills in autistic individuals with rare genetic variants.

Individuals with non-carrier status for rare variants showed greater improvements in social skills from standard care compared to those with variants. SSGT was highlighted as potentially more beneficial for individuals with rare variants.

Study published: 2021-05-22

Unlocking Calm: How RSA Biofeedback is the Secret Weapon Against Teen Stress!

RSA biofeedback reduces stress in adolescents

The study hypothesizes that the RSA biofeedback intervention will lead to increased cardiac vagal modulation, improved behavioral and physiological parameters, and enhanced emotional regulation in adolescents with ASD.

Study published: 2021-03-01

Unlocking Emotions: How a Fun Game is Helping Kids with Autism Read Feelings!

The charades-style mobile game improves emotion recognition in children with autism.

The new emotion classifier demonstrated superior performance in recognizing emotions compared to existing platforms, supporting the hypothesis that a model trained with a pediatric dataset would be more effective for children with ASD.

Study published: 2021-08-01

Unlocking Emotions: How Neurofeedback is Changing the Game for ASD!

Neurofeedback improves emotion regulation in ASD

Participants showed increases in resting activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and right inferior temporal gyrus, along with improvements in affective characteristics. Correlations were found between brain activation patterns and affective improvements, indicating a relationship between NF training and emotional regulation.

Study published: 2022-10-31

Unlocking the Mind: How Staring at Friends Can Boost Your Brain Power!

Social gaze training improves brain connectivity

Following the training, boys with FXS showed normalization of functional connectivity differences compared to boys with ASD, indicating an improvement in social gaze behavior and associated brain function.

Study published: 2022-06-30

Zap Your Sensitivity Away: How TMS is Changing the Game for Autistic Adults!

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation reduces tactile sensitivity in autistic adults.

The study aims to demonstrate that rTMS can safely reduce hyper-plasticity in the S1, potentially improving atypical tactile reactivity in autistic individuals.

Study published: 2024-05-27

Can feeling your feet help you stand tall? Discover how enhancing foot sensation boosts balance in kids with autism!

Enhancing foot tactile sensation improves balance in children with autism.

The study found a significant positive correlation between cutaneous tactile sensation and balance performance, indicating that improved tactile sensation may lead to better balance scores in children with ASD.

Study published: 2022-09-09

Unlocking the Secrets of Socializing: A Guide for Autistic Kids!

Social skills training for autistic children

Expected positive outcomes include significant improvements in social skills, adaptive functioning, emotional well-being, and overall psycho-social functioning, as measured by various assessments including the Contextual Assessment of Social Skills (CASS).

Study published: 2023-10-30

Can lithium be the key to unlocking brighter futures for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder?

Lithium treatment improves neurodevelopment in Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Lithium treatment showed potential in rescuing the downregulation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway and improving neurodevelopmental deficits associated with MARK2 variants in both cellular and tissue models.

Study published: 2024-04-25

Can a love hormone be the key to calming the chaos for autistic kids?

Chronic oxytocin treatment reduces stress in autistic children aged 8-12.

The study found that chronic oxytocin administration resulted in improved autonomic stress regulation and enhanced amygdala coupling to regions of the salience network, suggesting positive effects on social salience and emotional processing.

Study published: 2023-04-04

Sleep like a baby: How melatonin is changing the game for autistic kids!

Melatonin improves sleep in autistic children

86% of children experienced improvements in sleep onset, 54% in sleep duration, and 45% in night awakenings. Additionally, melatonin improved daytime behaviors in over 28% of the children.

Study published: 2023-06-20

Can't sleep? You're not alone! Discover how insomnia is driving up healthcare visits for those with ASD.

Insomnia increases healthcare use in ASD

Children with insomnia showed higher rates of healthcare utilization, including increased hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Treating insomnia may lead to improvements in sleep and a reduction in associated behavioral symptoms such as hyperactivity and irritability.

Study published: 2022-12-14

Unlocking Sweet Dreams: How Melatonin is Changing the Sleep Game for Autistic Individuals!

Melatonin improves sleep in autism

Approximately two-thirds of patients with ASD experienced improvement in sleep problems when treated with melatonin.

Study published: 2021-10-30

Could a natural supplement be the key to unlocking better days for those with autism?

Beta-glucan improves autism symptoms

There was a significant decrease in the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score in children receiving Nichi Glucan compared to the control group, indicating improvement in behavioral patterns. Additionally, plasma levels of alpha-synuclein were significantly higher in the Nichi Glucan group, suggesting a potential link between the supplement and neurobiological changes.

Study published: 2021-06-29

Unlocking the Power of Touch: How Traditional Thai Massage Can Boost Social Skills in Autistic Kids!

Parental Traditional Thai Massage improves social communication in autistic children

Improvements in heart rate variability, gait parameters, and reductions in parenting stress index, along with enhanced social communication and reduced stereotypic behaviors in children with autism.

Study published: 2021-12-24

Breathe Easy: How Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback is Helping Teens with Autism Chill Out!

Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback reduces stress in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The study found that supervised HRVB led to a late increase in cardiac vagal modulation and significantly lower self-reported symptoms of stress after the home-based training period, regardless of prior training type.

Study published: 2023-06-04

Is your love hormone working overtime? Discover how chronic oxytocin might just be your body's secret booster!

Chronic oxytocin boosts endogenous levels

Increased salivary oxytocin levels were observed 24 hours after treatment, along with reduced DNA methylation and improved feelings of secure attachment in children receiving oxytocin compared to placebo.

Study published: 2023-06-10

Can a little pill make a big difference? Discover how sertraline and fluoxetine are changing the game for depression in autistic individuals!

Sertraline and fluoxetine improve depression symptoms in autistic individuals

The study highlights that nearly half of the patients continued their prescribed medication at the final follow-up, indicating some level of effectiveness in managing depressive symptoms. However, it raises concerns about the overall effectiveness of standard pharmacological treatments for depression in individuals with ASD compared to neurotypical populations.

Study published: 2022-10-22

Unlocking the Mind: How Understanding Emotions Can Alleviate Depression in Autism!

Mentalization mediates autism-related depression

Improved mentalization and psychological flexibility can lead to reduced depressive symptoms and enhanced quality of life for individuals with autism.

Study published: 2024-07-12

Unlocking the Mind: How Tailored Mental Health Strategies are Revolutionizing Care for Autistic Adults!

Adapted mental health strategies improve care for autistic adults.

Most adaptations and bespoke interventions were found to be acceptable and feasible, with qualitative evidence indicating that specific adaptations (like visualization in CBT) were perceived as helpful by participants. The review suggests that many strategies can be readily implemented to improve mental health care for autistic individuals.

Study published: 2023-03-10