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Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in a Large Pediatric Autism Sample

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Abstract and Figures

Background and objective: Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), usually along with other medical care. This study aimed to determine associations of ASD diagnostic category, co-existing conditions, and use of medications with use of CAM. Methods: We used the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network patient registry, which collects information on CAM use, medical conditions, and psychotropic medication at enrollment. CAM was categorized as special diets versus "other" CAM; ASD was defined as autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), or Asperger's. Gastrointestinal symptoms, seizure disorders, sleep problems, and medication use were determined from parent report. Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores were used to measure behavioral symptoms. Logistic regression was used to determine associations of diagnostic category, other medical conditions, and medication use with CAM treatments, controlling for demographic characteristics. Results: Of 3413 subjects in the registry as of April 2011, 3173 had complete data on CAM use: 896 (28%) reported any use; 548 (17%), special diets; and 643 (20%), other CAM. Higher rates of CAM use were associated with gastrointestinal symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88), seizures (OR = 1.58), and CBCL total score >70 (OR = 1.29). Children with PDD (OR = 0.62), Asperger's (OR = 0.66), or using medications (0.69) had lower rates. Conclusions: Children with ASD use more CAM when they have co-existing gastrointestinal symptoms, seizure disorders, and behavior problems. This study suggests the importance of asking about CAM use in children with ASD, especially those with complex symptoms.
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Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in
a Large Pediatric Autism Sample
abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children and adolescents with autism
spectrum disorder (ASD) often use complementary and alternative med-
icine (CAM), usually along with other medical care. This study aimed
to determine associations of ASD diagnostic category, co-existing
conditions, and use of medications with use of CAM.
METHODS: We used the Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network pa-
tient registry, which collects information on CAM use, medical condi-
tions, and psychotropic medication at enrollment. CAM was categorized
as special diets versus otherCAM; ASD was dened as autism,
pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), or Aspergers. Gastrointes-
tinal symptoms, seizure disorders, sleep problems, and medication
use were determined from parent report. Child Behavior Checklist
(CBCL) scores were used to measure behavioral symptoms. Logistic
regression was used to determine associations of diagnostic cate-
gory, other medical conditions, and medication use with CAM treat-
ments, controlling for demographic characteristics.
RESULTS: Of 3413 subjects in the registry as of April 2011, 3173 had
complete data on CAM use: 896 (28%) reported any use; 548 (17%),
special diets; and 643 (20%), other CAM. Higher rates of CAM use were
associated with gastrointestinal symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88),
seizures (OR = 1.58), and CBCL total score .70 (OR = 1.29). Children
with PDD (OR = 0.62), Aspergers (OR = 0.66), or using medications
(0.69) had lower rates.
CONCLUSIONS: Children with ASD use more CAM when they have co-
existing gastrointestinal symptoms, seizure disorders, and behavior
problems. This study suggests the importance of asking about CAM
use in children with ASD, especially those with complex symptoms.
Pediatrics 2012;130:S77S82
AUTHORS: James M. Perrin, MD,
a
Daniel L. Coury, MD,
b
Susan L. Hyman, MD,
c
Lynn Cole, PNP,
c
Ann M. Reynolds,
MD,
d
and Traci Clemons, PhD
e
a
Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral
Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts;
b
Nationwide
Childrens Hospital, The Ohio State University School of Medicine,
Columbus, Ohio;
c
Golisano Childrens Hospital, University of
Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York;
d
Childrens
Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; and
e
EMMES Corporation, Rockville, Maryland
KEY WORDS
autism spectrum disorders, complementary and alternative
medicine
ABBREVIATIONS
ADOSAutism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
ASDautism spectrum disorder
ATNAutism Treatment Network
CAMcomplementary and alternative medicine
CBCLChild Behavior Checklist
CSHQChild Sleep Health Questionnaire
DSM-IVDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,
Fourth Edition
GIgastrointestinal
ORodds ratio
PDD-NOSpervasive developmental disorder not otherwise spec-
ied
www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2012-0900E
doi:10.1542/peds.2012-0900E
Accepted for publication Aug 8, 2012
Address correspondence to James M. Perrin, MD, Department of
Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, MassGeneral Hospital for
Children, 100 Cambridge St, #1542, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail:
jperrin@partners.org
PEDIATRICS (ISSN Numbers: Print, 0031-4005; Online, 1098-4275).
Copyright © 2012 by the American Academy of Pediatrics
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The authors have indicated they have
no nancial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.
PEDIATRICS Volume 130, Supplement 2, November 2012 S77
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Complementary and alternative medi-
cine (CAM) treatments are widely used
to promote health, often as adjuncts to
conventional medical treatment. CAM
may be dened as a group of diverse
medical and health care systems,
practices, and products that are not
generally considered part of conven-
tional medicine.
1
Parents often use
CAM in the care of children who have
autism spectrum disorder (ASD), most
typically in combination with conven-
tional medical treatments, a practice
sometimes labeled as integrative medi-
cine. Data from the National Health In-
terview Survey indicate that 38.3% of
US adults and 12% of US children use
CAM,
2
although a 2008 review indicated
higher rates, with 20% to 40% of chil-
dren using some CAM.
3
Use of CAM
is higher in children and adults who
have chronic health conditions. Among
families represented in the Interactive
Autism Network, more than one-half
of children and youth who have ASD
receive supplements. Families who
choose to use CAM for their children
who have ASD report an average of 7
CAM therapies.
4
At the time of a diag-
nostic visit for ASD, almost one-third of
children were already treated with a
dietary intervention.
5
Most previous work on CAM in children/
youth with autism has come from small
samples or large national data sets
lacking substantial clinical data. Ear-
lier work has associated increased
CAM use among children with chronic
conditions, higher socioeconomic
status, and parental use of CAM for
themselves.
3
Valicenti-McDermott et al
6
examined
the associations of CAM with parent
stress and clinical symptoms of gas-
trointestinal (GI), sleep, and behavioral
problems. They found higher use of
CAM among families of children with
ASD compared with children with
other developmental disabilities. Higher
rates of CAM use were associated with
higher parenting stress, reports of
food allergies, and child behavioral
problems.
We examined CAM use in a large and
diverse population of children who have
ASD for whom a clinical database
documented medical diagnosis and
care. Given previous work in this area,
we were particularly interested in the
associations of CAM use with diagnostic
categories of ASD, co-occurring con-
ditions including other mental health
conditions, and use of other treatments,
while controlling for child demographic
characteristics.
METHODS
This study was a cross-sectional anal-
ysis of data from a large multisite
registry of children and adolescents
with ASD involved in a North American
collaborative to improve health care for
children who have ASD. The Autism
Speaks Autism Treatment Network
(ATN), a collaboration among 17 aca-
demic health centers in the United
States and Canada, has developed
a common registry protocol for chil-
dren enrolled in all sites. Main registry
inclusion criteria are age 2 to 18 years
as well as an Autism Diagnostic Ob-
servation Schedule (ADOS) -supported
and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM-IV) diagnosis of ASD. Sites enroll
new patients and collect data on re-
turning patients who have continuing
care at the site. Enrollment (based
on the date of consent) for the reg-
istry began in December 2007. We
included all children enrolled in the
ATNregistryasoftheendofApril
2011.
Variables
CAM Usage
The medical history questionnaire com-
pleted by the parent at entry to the
registry includes a series of questions
about CAM use, addressing both special
diets and other CAM treatments. Parents
were queried as to whether their chil-
dren use various treatments such as
acupuncture, chelation, chiropractic, or
hyperbaric oxygen therapy; dietary sup-
plements (vitamin supplements, probiotics,
antifungal agents, digestive enzymes,
glutathione, sulfation, amino acids, or
essential fatty acids); and special diets
(classied as gluten free, casein free,
Feingold, no processed sugars, no sali-
cylates, or other). Because of the infre-
quentendorsementofmostoftheCAM
therapies, the variables were collapsed
into a primary outcome of any CAM use
versus no CAM use and 2 subgroup
outcomes of (1) special diets versus no
CAM use; and (2) otherCAM use versus
no CAM use.
Clinical Diagnosis
All children entered into the registry
had clinical diagnoses of ASD with
documentation of DSM-IV criteria and
completion of the ADOS. ADOS and DSM-
IV criteria scores were used to dene
categories of ASD (autism, pervasive
developmental disorder not otherwise
specied [PDD-NOS], or Aspergers).
Co-occurring Conditions
The initial medical history questionnaire
queriedGIsymptoms,specically con-
stipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and
GI allergy. We dichotomized children into
those with reported GI symptoms and
those without. To determine presence of
sleep disorders, the Child Sleep Health
Questionnaire (CSHQ), a 33-item parent
questionnaire, was used.
7
Insofar as the
CSHQ has been studied well only to age
10 years, we limited analyses of sleep
disorder associations with CAM use to
children ,11 years old.
8
Total CSHQ
scores .41 have been reported as a
sensitive cutoff for clinically signicant
sleep problems. Presence or absence
of seizures according to parent report
was also included. The Child Behavior
S78 PERRIN et al by guest on August 7, 2017Downloaded from
Checklist (CBCL) was used to determine
presence of co-existing mental health
symptoms, using cutoff scores of 70 on
the CBCL internalizing, externalizing, and
total scores denoting risk for behavioral
problems.
9
Finally, we used parent re-
port of use of medication, specically for
behavior problems.
Previous research has documented re-
lations of age, race, and parental edu-
cation with use of CAM.
3
Thus, these
variables were included as control vari-
ables in our analyses. We categorized
age as 2 to 5 years, 6 to 11 years, and 12
to 18 years. Maximum education level,
collected from the childs primary and
secondary caregivers, was grouped as
follows: high school graduate or less,
some college, college graduate, or post-
graduate work. Race and ethnicity came
from parent report. Race was categorized
as white, black, Asian-American, or other;
ethnicity was categorized as Hispanic
or non-Hispanic origin.
Analyses
We determined associations with the
use of any CAM through a 3-stage pro-
cess by using logistic regression (SAS
procedure LOGREG). In all analyses, use
of any CAM was compared with the
referent control group (no CAM usage).
In stage 1, each factor (diagnostic cat-
egory, co-occurring conditions, and use
of medications) was included sepa-
rately in bivariate analyses. Variables
associated with CAM use at a level of
P,.20 or less were retained as factors
for further analysis. Multilevel cate-
gorical variables were retained if any
of the comparisons (eg, high versus
low, top versus bottom) were signi-
cant. Parent education and race/ethnicity
were included as controls in the mul-
tivariable analyses.
In stage 2, all variables retained from
stage 1 analyses were entered as
a group into a multivariable model,
along with the control variables (age,
race/ethnicity, and parental education).
In stage 3, model simplication con-
sistent with x
2
tests of change in de-
viance was performed. Variables not
statistically signicant were excluded
from the model. Model simplication
continued until the reduced model
yielded a signicant (P#.05) worsen-
ing of t according to the likelihood
ratio criterion.
A similar staged modeling approach
was also used for the 2 subgroup
comparisons of interest: (1) any special
diet usage versus no CAM usage; and
(2) otherCAM usage versus no CAM
usage.
Prevalence odds ratios (ORs) and 95%
condence intervals, which describe
the association between use of any CAM,
special diets, or other CAM and the risk
factors, were computed relative to the
control group of no CAM usage.
RESULTS
A total of 3413 participants were en-
rolled in the ATN registry as of April 28,
2011. A total of 3173 had available data
on CAM usage. Children with no avail-
able CAM data were more likely to have
a diagnosis of autism (73% vs 67%; P=
.01) and be of Hispanic ethnicity (15%
vs 6%; P= .02). The demographic
characteristics of the 3173 partic-
ipants who were included in the anal-
ysis are shown in Table 1, grouped
according to usage of CAM (any CAM
usage versus no CAM usage). A total of
896 (28%) participants reported use of
any CAM; 548 (17%) reported use of
a special diet; and 643 (20%) reported
use of other CAM treatment (Table 2).
As with other research regarding CAM
use in children and adolescents,
3
wealthier households had higher rates
of reported CAM usage in their chil-
dren, as did white families compared
with African-American or Latino fami-
lies. ORs for each risk factor according
to the 3 outcomes from the stage 1 bi-
variate analyses are given in Table 3.
ORs signicant at P,.20 are noted.
The stage 3 reduced multivariable lo-
gistic regression model had acceptable
t. Estimated ORs and signicant asso-
ciations (P#.05) from the stage 3 nal
models are given in Table 4. We report
here associations that remained signif-
icant in multivariable analyses.
Differences in CAM Use by Autism
Diagnostic Category
Children and adolescents with a di-
agnosis of Aspergers or PDD-NOS had
signicantly decreased use of any CAM
compared with children with a di-
agnosis of autism (OR = 0.62 for
Aspergers and OR = 0.66 for PDD-NOS).
Those with PDD-NOS or Aspergershad
signicantly lower reports of use of
special diets than those with autism
(ORs = 0.44 and 0.65, respectively),
whereas those with PDD-NOS had sig-
nicantly lower reports of use of other
CAM than those with autism (OR = 0.67).
CAM Use and Co-occurring
Conditions
Parents of children in the ATN registry
reported signicantly higher rates of
CAM use when they also reported GI
problems (OR = 1.88 for CAM use in
general; OR = 2.38 for special diets; OR =
1.82 for other CAM). Similarly, children
whose parents reported a history of
seizures also reported higher CAM use
(OR = 1.58 for CAM use in general; OR =
1.97 for special diets; OR = 1.664 for
other CAM). We found no signicant
association of CAM use with presence
or absence of sleep problems.
CAM Use and CBCL Scores
Children with CBCL scores (interna-
lizing, externalizing, and total) above
the cutoff of 70 had signicantly higher
rates of CAM and special diet usage than
children with lower scores. After con-
trolling for other factors, this associa-
tion remained only for the CBCL total
problem score (OR = 1.29 for CAM; OR =
1.34 for special diets).
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Use of Psychotropic Medications
Children with reported psychotropic
medication use had signicantly lower
current use of special diets (OR = 0.69).
DISCUSSION
We found substantially higher rates of
CAM use in children who have classic
autism compared with children and
youth who have Aspergers or PDD-NOS.
Parents also reported higher rates of
CAM use if their child had certain co-
existing conditions, specically GI symp-
toms, seizures, or evidence of behavior
problems, although children taking psy-
chotropic medications had lower use of
special diets. This report extends pre-
vious work related to CAM usage among
children and adolescents who have ASD
46
by documenting associations of CAM
use with co-existing medical conditions.
The CAM use in this clinical population is
similar to that of children and adoles-
cents who have other chronic health
conditions, although the rates reported
are somewhat lower than in other
studies reporting on children with ASD.
4,5
Our ndings may better reect the
prevalence of CAM use in similar pop-
ulations because interest in the topic
may bias samples of volunteers for
online surveys. Furthermore, our sam-
ple is fairly young, with less exposure to
CAM. Kemper et al
3
reported rates
varying from 30% to 70% among chil-
dren who have chronic conditions. In
another study, 74% of 112 children with
ASD in a referral practice reportedly use
TABLE 1 Characteristics of ATN Participants According to CAM Usage
Characteristic No CAM Usage
a
Any CAM Usage Total
Age, y
25 1274 (56) 514 (57) 1788
611 765 (34) 297 (33) 1062
1218 238 (10) 85 (9) 323
Gender
Male 1924 (85) 747 (83) 2671
Female 353 (15) 149 (17) 502
ASD
Autism 1481 (65) 633 (71) 2114
Aspergers 215 (9) 74 (8) 289
PDD-NOS 581 (26) 189 (21) 770
Caregiver(s)highest level of education
High school graduate or less 360 (17) 69 (8) 429
Some college 619 (29) 197 (23) 816
College graduate 598 (28) 311 (36) 909
Postgraduate work 573 (27) 275 (32) 848
Missing ——171
Race
White 1738 (76) 732 (82) 2470
Black/African American 195 (9) 31 (3) 226
Asian 116 (5) 46 (5) 162
Other 228 (10) 87 (10) 315
Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino origin 243 (11) 64 (7) 307
Not of Hispanic or Latino origin 1984 (89) 811 (93) 2795
Missing ——71
Parent-reported GI problems
No 1151 (52) 305 (35) 1456
Yes 1064 (48) 568 (65) 1632
Missing ——85
Parent-reported sleep problems as measured
by using the CSHQ (age ,11 y)
No 566 (33) 219 (31) 924
Yes 1156 (67) 477 (69) 1882
Missing ——367
CBCL internalizing tscore
,70 1632 (76) 602 (71) 2234
$70 523 (24) 249 (29) 772
CBCL externalizing tscore
,70 1796 (83) 688 (81) 2484
$70 359 (17) 163 (19) 522
CBCL total score
,70 1488 (69) 538 (63) 2026
$70 667 (31) 313 (37) 980
Missing CBCL data ——167
Parent-reported history of seizures
No 1916 (85) 678 (76) 2594
Yes 336 (15) 206 (24) 545
Missing 34
Reported psychotropic medication usage
No 1387 (73) 547 (73) 1934
Yes 516 (27) 206 (27) 722
Missing ——517
Data are presented as number (%).
a
Percentages may not add to 100 due to rounding.
TABLE 2 Rates of Specic CAM Usage
Characteristic N
Any CAM 896
Special diets 548
Gluten-free diet 249
Casein-free diet 289
No processed sugars 69
No sugars or salicylates 28
Feingold diet 14
Other specied special diet 293
Other CAM 643
Other vitamin supplements 413
Probiotics 274
Essential fatty acids 171
Digestive enzymes 116
Higher dosing vitamin B
6
and magnesium 99
Chiropractic 77
Amino acids 59
Antifungals 58
Glutathione 33
Chelation 19
Hyperbaric oxygen 12
Acupuncture 10
Sulfation 7
Other specied CAM 173
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CAM, especially dietary supplements
and additions.
10
In 2 pediatric practices,
95% of children used CAM, mainly di-
etary treatments, melatonin, chiropractic
therapy, antifungal agents, and sensory
integration.
11
The initial medical his-
tory regarding CAM use did not specify
melatonin or sensory integration as
CAM treatments, thus leading to lower
rates of identication in this popula-
tion. More than 30% of 284 newly di-
agnosed children with ASD used CAM;
9% of them used potentially harmful
CAM, such as chelation, antibiotics, or
excessive amounts of vitamins.
5
In our
population, a small percentage reported
using CAM treatments that have been
identied as potentially harmful (chela-
tion reported in ,4% of children). In the
report by Levy et al, surprisingly, Latino
children had much higher rates of CAM
use than did white or African-American
children. Our ndings are similar to
those of Valicenti-McDermott et al,
6
in a
much smaller sample, in which reports
of food allergies and behavior problems
were associated with increased CAM
use.
How these clinical characteristics of
children affect the use of CAM is unclear,
and our data do not directly address
mechanisms underlying use. Parents of
children who have classic autism may
view their childs condition as more se-
vere and seek alternative treatments to
complement other care the child re-
ceives. Families seek to address prob-
lematic behaviors or symptoms by using
CAM; therefore, parents whose children
have GI symptoms may particularly try
both dietary changes and other CAM
treatments to improve their childsnu-
trition and symptoms. Dietary and nu-
tritional concerns are among the most
prominent questions that parents ask
about their children who have autism.
Families whose children experience the
feeding problems and food aversion that
are common among children with au-
tism might tend toward nutritional sup-
plementation either to compensate for
perceived dietary deciencies or as a
primary treatment. Why children who
have seizures have higher rates of CAM
use is unclear, although the presence of
seizures may also indicate more clinical
severity to parents, encouraging them
to seek alternative therapies. Parents
whose children use psychotropic medi-
cations, conversely, may feel that they
have active and somewhat effective
treatments and turn to alternative
treatments less than other families.
This study has several limitations. Es-
sentially all information comes from
parent report, without having conr-
matory information from other observ-
ers or measures of the childsndings or
health status. The registry questions
TABLE 3 Associations (ORs) Between Use of Any CAM and Subgroup Categories of Special Diets and OtherCAM
Factor Exposure Any CAM
(n= 896)
Special Diets
(n= 548)
a
Other CAM
(n= 643)
a
A Versus B
Gender Male Female 0.92 0.96 0.88
ASD Aspergers Autism 0.81* 0.51* 0.91
PDD-NOS Autism 0.76* 0.70* 0.77*
Parent-reported GI problems Yes No 2.01* 2.46* 1.91*
Parent-reported sleep problems
as measured by using the CSHQ
Yes No 1.07 1.08 0.96
Parent-reported history of seizures Yes No 1.76* 2.16* 1.71*
CBCL internalizing T score Yes No 1.29* 1.39* 1.19*
CBCL externalizing T score Yes No 1.19* 1.29* 1.01
CBCL total score Yes No 1.30* 1.42* 1.14*
Reported psychotropic
medication usage
Yes No 1.01 0.79* 1.14
a
Compared with the no CAM usage group.
* Nominally signicant, P,.20.
TABLE 4 Multivariable Associations (ORs) Between Use of Any CAM, Special Diets, or Other CAM
Factor Exposure Any CAM
a
(n= 896) Special Diets
a,b
(n= 548) Other CAM
a,b
(n= 643)
A Versus B
ASD Aspergers Autism 0.62 (0.460.84) 0.44 (0.280.69) 0.72 (0.521.00)
PDD-NOS Autism 0.66 (0.540.82) 0.65 (0.490.85) 0.67 (0.530.84)
Parent-reported GI problems Yes No 1.88 (1.572.25) 2.38 (1.863.05) 1.82 (1.502.22)
CBCL total score Yes No 1.29 (1.061.56) 1.34 (1.041.72) NS
c
Parent-reported history of seizures Yes No 1.58 (1.271.96) 1.97 (1.502.59) 1.66 (1.302.10)
Reported psychotropic medication usage Yes No NS
c
0.69 (0.520.91) NS
c
a
ORs (95% condence intervals) from stage 3 model, comparing the outcome with no CAM usage.
b
Compared with the no CAM usage group.
c
Non signicant differences.
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regarding CAM did not include a num-
ber of commonly used CAM therapies,
such as melatonin, herbal remedies,
massage, or sensory integration. Thus,
this study may have underestimated
CAM use. Families participating in the
ATN registry represent a population with
generally more access to large medical
centers in large metropolitan areas and
may not be as representative as those
with transportation barriers to re-
ceiving care. Families participating in
the ATN registry may also represent
a group more willing to participate in
clinical research and more oriented to-
ward conventional medicine, which may
not be as representative of CAM users in
general. Several of the measures used
indicate symptoms rather than provide
actual indicators of specic conditions
(eg, the GI symptom questionnaire and
the CBCL). As a cross-sectional study, the
data do not allow any determination of
cause and effect. For example, the study
cannot determine whether GI symptoms
in children led to higher rates of CAM
use or alternatively whether higher
rates of CAM use caused more GI
symptoms. It will help to develop better
longitudinal measures that will allow
determination of the effects of CAM use
on key child outcomes.
This study provides strong evidence
associating certain medical conditions
with differential use of CAM among
families raising children with ASD. As
with other CAM use, it will help to de-
termine more about the potential
synergistic effects of CAM with medical
treatments as well as ways that CAM
use may interfere with improvement
in medical conditions. The review by
Huffman et al
12
also documents the
need for substantially more study of the
efcacy of CAM among children who
have neurodevelopmental disabilities.
The common CAM treatments (ie, spe-
cial diets, vitamin and nutrient supple-
ments) have the potential to affect
conventional treatments recommended
by practitioners operating in the medi-
cal home model, and primary care
providers should inquire about and be
aware of CAM use in their patients and
families.
13
The American Academy of
Pediatrics has called for pediatricians
to establish a dialogue with families
surrounding CAM, encouraged education
of both consumers and clinicians re-
garding CAM, and sought better evidence
of CAM treatments to guide clinical
practice.
14
Our study points out the im-
portance of understanding more about
parentsmotivations to use CAM and es-
pecially how their childrens other health
conditions inuence those motivations.
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... Los datos de una encuesta nacional estadounidense indican que el 38.3% de adultos y el 12% de niños sanos usan TAC, y que lo hacen por múltiples motivos, aunque una revisión en 2008 indicó tasas más altas de 20 a 40% en niños sin condiciones crónicas de salud que usan TAC 6,10 . ...
... Encontraron un mayor uso entre familias con hijos con TEA comparados con niños con otros trastornos del desarrollo 10 . Las preocupaciones acerca de la dieta y la nutrición están entre las predominantes de los padres con hijos con TEA, dado que los problemas de alimentación y la aversión alimentaria son frecuentes 6 . Algunos estudios reportan mayor uso de TAC en niños con diagnóstico comórbido de TEA y epilepsia. ...
... f) Propósitos Múltiple: Acupuntura; no vacunar e inmunizar. El tipo de TAC más frecuentemente utilizado en TEA son las dietas especiales y los suplementos dietarios (incluyendo las vitaminas) 2,5,6,10,16,17 . ...
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Tratamientos alternativos con TEA 139 INTRODUCCION El Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) es una condición que afecta el neurodesarrollo y está ca-racterizada por presentar, como manifestaciones centrales, alteraciones en la comunicación y en las interacciones sociales, con dificultad para compren-der las perspectivas o intenciones de los demás, y comportamientos repetitivos, restringidos, estereo-tipados; afectando el funcionamiento del individuo a lo largo de su vida. Las características de las per-sonas con TEA varían según las etapas evolutivas y los contextos 1. AVANCE, TENDENCIAS Y CONTROVERSIAS RESUMEN El Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) es una condición que afecta el neurodesarrollo caracterizada por presentar alteracio-nes en la comunicación, conducta y en las interacciones socia-les, y que afecta el funcionamiento del individuo a lo largo de su vida. Los tratamientos recomendados por la evidencia científica incluyen un enfoque interdisciplinario que combina intervencio-nes educativas, terapias psicológicas/conductuales, terapia del habla y el lenguaje, terapia ocupacional/física y tratamientos mé-dicos. Para muchas familias, barreras económicas y geográficas limitan el acceso a los tratamientos específicos. Este y otros motivos llevan a incorporar tratamientos alternativos y/o com-plementarios. El Centro Nacional de Medicina Complementaria y Alternativa (NIH-EEUU) define los Tratamientos Alternativos Complementarios (TAC) como "un grupo de diversos sistemas médicos y de cuidados de la salud; prácticas y productos que generalmente no son considerados parte de la medicina con-vencional". La prevalencia del uso de TAC en personas con TEA está entre las más altas respecto a otras patologías y a otros trastornos del desarrollo, con porcentajes entre 52% y 95%. Su uso debe ser preguntado en las consultas de seguimiento, y debe discutirse sobre riesgos, beneficios y costos. La cantidad y el tipo de intervención que reciben niños, niñas, adolescentes (NNyA) y adultos con TEA varían enormemente en todo el mun-do e incluso dentro de un mismo país y región. El pronóstico del TEA es mejorado cuando el diagnóstico es oportuno y temprano y el abordaje educativo terapéutico es iniciado y orientado a as-pectos funcionales y centrados en la familia. ABSTRACT Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by alterations in communication, behavior, and social interactions that affect the individual's functioning throughout life. Evidence-based treatments include an inter-disciplinary approach that combines educational interventions, psychological/behavioral therapies, speech and language therapy , occupational/physical therapy, and medical treatments. For many families, economic and geographic barriers limit access to specific treatments. This and other reasons have led to the incorporation of alternative and/or complementary treatments. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH-USA) defines complementary alternative medicine (CAM) as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine". The prevalence of the use of CAM in people with ASD is among the highest compared to other diseases and developmental disorders, with percentages ranging from 52% to 95%. Their use should be considered in follow-up visits, and risks, benefits, and costs should be discussed. The amount and type of intervention received by children, adolescents, and adults with ASD varies greatly around the world and even within the same country and region. The prognosis of ASD is improved with timely diagnosis and early, family-centered and functionally oriented educational and therapeutic approaches.
... Numerous studies have employed the SSP [39]. The Auditory Integration Training AIT was conducted in accordance with a published technique previously used by our team [40]. ...
... There is remarkable contrast between the rate of use of CAM by families with autistic children and the lack of scientific outcomes of alternative treatments. One probable cause for this difference is that CAM remedies are generally considered as "natural", with an optimum safety profile and fewer or the absence of side effects when compared to those of conventional drugs [40]. In recent years, complementary alternative medicine (CAM) treatments received increased attention from the scientific community: numerous studies have been conducted in order to examine the effectiveness and safety of CAMs in ASD. ...
... There is remarkable contrast between the rate of use of CAM by families with autistic children and the lack of scientific outcomes of alternative treatments. One probable cause for this difference is that CAM remedies are generally considered as "natural", with an optimum safety profile and fewer or the absence of side effects when compared to those of conventional drugs [40]. ...
Article
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Considerable disturbances in post-translational protein phosphorylation have recently been discovered in multiple neurological disorders. Casein kinase-2 (CK2) is a tetrameric Ser/Thr protein kinase that phosphorylates a large number of substrates and contributes in several cellular physiological and pathological processes. CK2 is highly expressed in the mammalian brain and catalyzes the phosphorylation of a large number of substrates that are crucial in neuronal or glial homeostasis and inflammatory signaling processes across synapses. In this study, we investigated the impact of auditory integration therapy (AIT) for the treatment of sensory processing abnormalities in autism on plasma CK2 levels. A total of 25 ASD children, aged between 5 and 12 years, were enrolled and participated in the present research study. AIT was performed for two weeks, for a period of 30 min, twice a day, with a 3 h interval between sessions. Before and after AIT, the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Short Sensory Profile (SSP) scores were calculated, and plasma CK2 levels were assayed using an ELISA test. The CARS and SRS indices of autism severity improved as a result of AIT, which could be related to the decreased level of plasma CK2. However, the mean value of the SSP scores was not significantly increased after AIT. The relationship between CK2 downregulation and glutamate excitotoxicity, neuro-inflammation, and leaky gut, as etiological mechanisms in ASD, was proposed and discussed. Further research, conducted on a larger scale and with a longer study duration, are required to assess whether the cognitive improvement in ASD children after AIT is related to the downregulation of CK2.
... In our sample, individuals with co-occurring DSM-5 conditions, lower IQ, and/or fewer child autistic features were more likely to receive alternative therapies. These findings align with previous research that indicated that those with more mental health concerns or feeding problems were more likely to engage in complementary and alternative medicine use (Perrin et al., 2012). Individuals with lower IQ may also be more likely to participate in alternative therapies, as there are relatively limited options for evidence-based practices for individuals with ID (Man & Kangas, 2020), and caregivers may engage in any therapies they can obtain. ...
... Individuals with lower IQ may also be more likely to participate in alternative therapies, as there are relatively limited options for evidence-based practices for individuals with ID (Man & Kangas, 2020), and caregivers may engage in any therapies they can obtain. Findings that fewer child autistic features predicted more alternative therapies are seemingly in contrast to previous studies that found those with more clear-cut ASD diagnoses (i.e., ASD diagnosis, rather than PDD-NOS) were more likely to employ as many available treatment options as possible (e.g., Perrin et al., 2012). The current sample may be unique as not all children with rare genetic variants meet criteria for an ASD diagnosis, even when elevated child autistic features are present (Arnett et al., 2020). ...
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Specialized multidisciplinary supports are important for long-term outcomes for autistic youth. Although family and child factors predict service utilization in autism, little is known with respect to youth with rare, autism-associated genetic variants, who frequently have increased psychiatric, developmental, and behavioral needs. We investigate the impact of family factors on service utilization to determine whether caregiver (autistic features, education, income) and child (autistic features, sex, age, IQ, co-occurring conditions) factors predicted service type (e.g., speech, occupational, behavioral) and intensity (hours/year) among children with autism-associated variants (N = 125), some of whom also had a confirmed ASD diagnosis. Analyses revealed variability in the types of services used across a range of child demographic, behavioral, and mental health characteristics. Speech therapy was the most received service (87.2%). Importantly, behavior therapy was the least received service and post-hoc analyses revealed that use of this therapy was uniquely predicted by ASD diagnosis. However, once children received a particular service, there was largely comparable intensity of services, independent of caregiver and child factors. Findings suggest that demographic and clinical factors impact families’ ability to obtain services, with less impact on the intensity of services received. The low receipt of therapies that specifically address core support needs in autism (i.e., behavior therapy) indicates more research is needed on the availability of these services for youth with autism-associated variants, particularly for those who do not meet criteria for an ASD diagnosis but do demonstrate elevated and impactful child autistic features as compared to the general population.
... Although less is known about Latino parents' CHA use (cf. Zuckerman et al., 2017), parents generally may choose CHA for their autistic children when they feel that conventional care does not adequately address their concerns, for example, children's sleep problems or self-injurious behavior; because they deem CHA safer than prescription drugs; or because CHA is congruent with their personal or cultural beliefs (Lindly et al., 2017b(Lindly et al., , 2018Perrin et al., 2012). ...
... Broder-Fingert et al., 2017). One early study found that Latino ethnicity was associated with CHA use (Levy et al., 2003), but subsequent studies have found that higherincome, non-Latino, formally educated, US-born mothers are most likely to use CHA for their autistic children (Lindly et al., 2018;Perrin et al., 2012;Valicenti-McDermott et al., 2014). It could be that Latino parents (of different societal and educational backgrounds) come to CHA for different reasons than their non-Latino counterparts. ...
Article
Despite documented healthcare disparities among Latino autistic children, little is known about how their families experience the autism “diagnostic odyssey.” Pediatricians have a critical role in the “diagnostic odyssey,” but when it becomes arduous, parents may also use complementary health approaches, particularly when conventional care does not adequately address their concerns. Shared decision-making is important in healthcare for autistic children, especially when parents also choose complementary health approaches; but little is known about shared decision-making among Latino parents of autistic children. We conducted a 12-month ethnography with 12 bicultural/bilingual Latino families of autistic children to understand their healthcare experiences (conventional and complementary health approaches) for their children, focusing on shared decision-making. Thematic analysis revealed: (1) most pediatricians were involved early in the “diagnostic odyssey” but were largely uninvolved thereafter; (2) conventional healthcare was satisfactory to the parents for physical health, but not developmental issues; and (3) parents who used complementary health approaches were more frustrated about a lack of autism information from pediatricians than those who did not. Finally, (4) we describe two exemplars of successful shared decision-making between Latino parents and pediatricians. Increasing pediatricians’ autism knowledge and ability to discuss complementary health approaches may facilitate shared decision-making and reduce healthcare disparities for Latino autistic children. Lay Abstract Latino parents may choose to use complementary health approaches, such as vitamins, supplements, and special diets, for their autistic children. However, they might not tell their pediatrician about their complementary health approach use if they worry that the pediatrician will disapprove or judge them. This fear, along with pediatricians’ lack of autism knowledge, creates barriers to “shared decision-making” between parents and pediatricians. Shared decision-making is a process where families and healthcare providers collaborate and exchange information in order to come to an agreement about treatment options. In our qualitative study with 12 bilingual Latino families of autistic children, we interviewed and observed families to learn about their experiences with both conventional healthcare (their pediatrician) and complementary health approaches. Our study results describe the parents’ different pathways to an autism assessment, a process that is sometimes called the “diagnostic odyssey.” The parents reported that conventional healthcare met their needs for their child’s physical health but not for their child’s developmental challenges. The parents who used complementary health approaches for their autistic children were more frustrated about a lack of autism information from pediatricians than those who did not use complementary health approaches. Finally, we describe two examples of successful shared decision-making between parents and pediatricians. We conclude that pediatricians who are able to talk about complementary health approaches with Latino families may help to facilitate shared decision-making and reduce healthcare disparities for Latino autistic children.
... So, an intervention for them requires finding and learning alternative modes of communication. Children and adolescents with ASD often use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), usually along with other medical care [2]. This paper presents a case of Pediatric Autism Disorder in a boy, in which case Yoga Prana Vidya (YPV) played a crucial role as complementary medicine in helping the patient achieve faster progress while undergoing other therapy named the Sonrise programme® (SRP). ...
Article
Full-text available
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex formative condition, described by tenacious difficulties in social cooperation and correspondence and confined and dreary behavior. There is no solution for Autism and a few treatments are accessible as well as certain drugs to further develop life for impacted youngsters and grown-ups. This paper presents a case of a boy who was treated from the age of 8 years with Yoga Prana Vidya (YPV) healing complementarily to other therapies achieving positive progress. This study uses the case study method by going through the patient’s medical records, the healer’s records, and the patient’s mother’s feedback. YPV healing was applied as a long-term intervention spanning 3 years, complementary to home-based “Son-Rise” program therapy. Within the first 15 days of YPV healing, the boy’s improvements were noticeable, and progress began after a stagnant condition over the previous 2 years. After 3 months of YPV intervention, the boy became more receptive to faster learning. After a year of healing, the boy’s condition improved from Grade 1 to Grade 2 of the “Son-Rise” gradation. At the end of the 3rd year, the boy achieved most of the Grade 3. YPV healing is being continued further. The integrated and holistic system of YPV healing therapy was successfully applied to the autism case as a complementary therapy, achieving the patient’s faster progress, and enabling parents to overcome social stigma. Further research is recommended on the application of YPV healing therapy in the treatment of ASD.
... They may include various forms of medications and therapies which would help improve areas where there are deficiencies such as improved speech and behaviour and some other medications to help manage any condition related to ASM [2]. Various treatment methods have been utilized to treat ASM, the pharmaceutical medications use besides the complementary utilize of alternative modalities (CAM) which has been widely utilized by parents. ...
... The authors found that the diet was effective in improving the behaviors of children with ASD showing gastrointestinal symptoms (in particular, constipation and diarrhea) compared to children without GID, suggesting that children predisposed to gastrointestinal abnormalities could benefit from a GFCF dietary intervention. In addition, Perrin et al. [79] explored the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in children with ASD. Parents of children were asked if their children received acupuncture, chelation, chiropractic, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, food supplements (vitamins, probiotics, antifungal agents, digestive enzymes, glutathione, sulfation, amino acids, or essential fatty acids), and special diets (classified as gluten-free or casein-free, and which do not involve the use of processed sugars). ...
Article
Full-text available
Autisms Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by core symptoms (social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors) and related comorbidities, including sensory anomalies, feeding issues, and challenging behaviors. Children with ASD experience significantly more feeding problems than their peers. In fact, parents and clinicians have to manage daily the burden of various dysfunctional behaviors of children at mealtimes (food refusal, limited variety of food, single food intake, or liquid diet). These dysfunctional behaviors at mealtime depend on different factors that are either medical/sensorial or behavioral. Consequently, a correct assessment is necessary in order to program an effective clinical intervention. The aim of this study is to provide clinicians with a guideline regarding food selectivity concerning possible explanations of the phenomenon, along with a direct/indirect assessment gathering detailed and useful information about target feeding behaviors. Finally, a description of evidence-based sensorial and behavioral strategies useful also for parent-mediated intervention is reported addressing food selectivity in children with ASD.
... To determine the exact effect of omega-3 fatty acids on the symptoms of ASD, more detailed researches are needed. Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation appears to be generally well-tolerated, so there is probably no reason to actively discourage parents who give it to their children as an adjunct to therapy (Perrin et al., 2012;Mazahery et al., 2017). ...
Article
Full-text available
Introduction Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of disorders that are manifested primarily by difficulties in interpersonal contact. Moreover, children with ASD have specific food habits, which can disturb their proper development. Nowadays, it is suggested that appropriate dietary interventions could help in the treatment of ASD. We will consider how effective a diet could be in this role. Aim This review aims to estimate the effectiveness of dietary interventions used in children with ASD based on scientific research. Material and method This article was created on the basis of a systematic review. Articles were searched using PubMed. The applied terms were: ‘diet in ASD’, ‘dietary interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder’, ‘Autism Spectrum Disorder’, ‘therapies in ASD’. We searched for studies that were published in less than the last 5 years, but older references were also obtained from analyzed articles. Results We received a total of 227 results. After selection, It was decided to use 21 studies with dietetic interventions. Conclusions The most commonly performed interventions are the ketogenic diet, the gluten-free caseinfree diet, and probiotic supplementation. Most studies do not have enough evidence that would allow drawing definite conclusions. Currently, modifying the diet does not appear to have a significant impact on ASD symptoms.
Article
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 0.6%-1.7% of children. The etiology of autism is hypothesized to include both biological and environmental factors (Watts, 2008). In addition to the core symptoms of social-communication delay and restricted, repetitive interests, co-occurring irritability/aggression, hyperactivity, and insomnia negatively impact adaptive functioning and quality of life of patients and families. Despite years of effort, no pharmacologic agent has been found that targets the core symptoms of ASD. The only FDA-approved agents are risperidone and aripiprazole for agitation and irritability in ASD, not for core symptoms. Though they effectively reduce irritability/violence, they do so at the expense of problematic side effects: metabolic syndrome, elevated liver enzymes, and extrapyramidal side effects. Thus, it is not surprising that many families of children with ASD turn to nonallopathic treatment, including dietary interventions, vitamins, and immunomodulatory agents subsumed under complementary-integrative medicine (CIM). Per recent studies, 27% to 88% of families report using a CIM treatment. In an extensive population-based survey of CIM, families of children with more severe ASD, comorbid irritability, GI symptoms, food allergies, seizures, and higher parental education tend to use CIM at higher rates. The perceived safety of CIM treatments as "natural treatment" over allopathic medication increases parental comfort in using these agents. The most frequently used CIM treatments include multivitamins, an elimination diet, and Methyl B12 injections. Those perceived most effective are sensory integration, melatonin, and antifungals. Practitioners working with these families should improve their knowledge about CIM as parents currently perceive little interest in and poor knowledge of CIM by physicians. This article reviews the most popular complementary treatments preferred by families with children with autism. With many of them having limited or poor quality data, clinical recommendations about the efficacy and safety of each treatment are discussed using the SECS versus RUDE criteria.
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Study Objectives To present psychometric data on a comprehensive, parent-report sleep screening instrument designed for school-aged children, the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). The CSHQ yields both a total score and eight subscale scores, reflecting key sleep domains that encompass the major medical and behavioral sleep disorders in this age group. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Three elementary schools in New England, a pediatric sleep disorders clinic in a children's teaching hospital. Participants Parents of 469 school-aged children, aged 4 through 10 years (community sample), and parents of 154 patients diagnosed with sleep disorders in a pediatric sleep clinic completed the CSHQ. Interventions N/A Measurements and Results The CSHQ showed adequate internal consistency for both the community sample (=0.68) and the clinical sample (=0.78); alpha coefficients for the various subscales of the CSHQ ranged from 0.36 (Parasomnias) to 0.70 (Bedtime Resistance) for the community sample, and from 0.56 (Parasomnias) to 0.93 (Sleep-Disordered Breathing) for the sleep clinic group. Test-retest reliability was acceptable (range 0.62 to 0.79). CSHQ individual items, as well as the subscale and total scores were able to consistently differentiate the community group from the sleep-disordered group, demonstrating validity. A cut-off total CSHQ score of 41 generated by analysis of the Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (ROC) correctly yielded a sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.72. Conclusions The CSHQ appears to be a useful sleep screening instrument to identify both behaviorally based and medically-based sleep problems in school-aged children.
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This report presents selected estimates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among U.S. adults and children, using data from the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Trends in adult use were assessed by comparing data from the 2007 and 2002 NHIS. Estimates were derived from the Complementary and Alternative Medicine supplements and Core components of the 2007 and 2002 NHIS. Estimates were generated and comparisons conducted using the SUDAAN statistical package to account for the complex sample design. In 2007, almost 4 out of 10 adults had used CAM therapy in the past 12 months, with the most commonly used therapies being nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (17.7%) and deep breathing exercises (12.7%). American Indian or Alaska Native adults (50.3%) and white adults (43.1%) were more likely to use CAM than Asian adults (39.9%) or black adults (25.5%). Results from the 2007 NHIS found that approximately one in nine children (11.8%) used CAM therapy in the past 12 months, with the most commonly used therapies being nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (3.9%) and chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (2.8%). Children whose parent used CAM were almost five times as likely (23.9%) to use CAM as children whose parent did not use CAM (5.1%). For both adults and children in 2007, when worry about cost delayed receipt of conventional care, individuals were more likely to use CAM than when the cost of conventional care was not a worry. Between 2002 and 2007 increased use was seen among adults for acupuncture, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, meditation, naturopathy, and yoga. CAM use for head or chest colds showed a marked decrease from 2002 to 2007 (9.5% to 2.0%).
Article
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To present psychometric data on a comprehensive, parent-report sleep screening instrument designed for school-aged children, the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). The CSHQ yields both a total score and eight subscale scores, reflecting key sleep domains that encompass the major medical and behavioral sleep disorders in this age group. Cross-sectional survey. Three elementary schools in New England, a pediatric sleep disorders clinic in a children's teaching hospital. Parents of 469 school-aged children, aged 4 through 10 years (community sample), and parents of 154 patients diagnosed with sleep disorders in a pediatric sleep clinic completed the CSHQ. N/A. The CSHQ showed adequate internal consistency for both the community sample (p=0.68) and the clinical sample (p=0.78); alpha coefficients for the various subscales of the CSHQ ranged from 0.36 (Parasomnias) to 0.70 (Bedtime Resistance) for the community sample, and from 0.56 (Parasomnias) to 0.93 (Sleep-Disordered Breathing) for the sleep clinic group. Test-retest reliability was acceptable (range 0.62 to 0.79). CSHQ individual items, as well as the subscale and total scores were able to consistently differentiate the community group from the sleep-disordered group, demonstrating validity. A cut-off total CSHQ score of 41 generated by analysis of the Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (ROC) correctly yielded a sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.72. The CSHQ appears to be a useful sleep screening instrument to identify both behaviorally based and medically-based sleep problems in school-aged children.
Chapter
SynonymsASEBA; CBCLDescriptionThe Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (ASEBA) comprises a family of forms for rating behavioral/emotional problems and adaptive characteristics. For ages 1½ to 90+ years, developmentally appropriate forms are designed to be completed by collaterals who know the person who is being assessed. These forms include versions of the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), completed by parent figures for 1½- to 5-year-olds and for 6- to 18-year-olds; the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form (C-TRF) for ages 1½–5, completed by daycare providers and preschool teachers; the Teacher’s Report Form (TRF) for ages 6–18, completed by teachers and other school personnel; the Adult Behavior Checklist (ABCL) for ages 18–59, completed by spouses, partners, family members, friends, therapists, and other collaterals; and the Older Adult Behavior Checklist (OABCL) for ages 60 and older, completed by caregivers as well as by collaterals.The ASEBA also includes ...
Conference Paper
Background: Families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) frequently engage in the use of complementary and alternative Medicine(CAM). Little information is available about frequency/types of CAM used in an inner city, ethnically diverse population and associations with specific child co-morbid symptoms or parental stress. Objectives: To examine the use of CAM therapy in a group of families of children with ASD and to assess the relationship of CAM with feeding, gastrointestinal, sleeping and behavioral problems and parent stress. Methods: Cross sectional study with structured interview in 50 children with ASD and 50 children with other developmental disabilities(DD), matched by age and gender. Interview included: CAM questionnaire, Gastrointestinal (GI) Questionnaire, Child's Sleep Habits Questionnaire, Aberrant Behavior Checklist and Parenting Stress Index. Statistical analysis included chi-square, t test, and Logistic Regression. Results: To date we have recruited 50 children with ASD and 30 children with other DD, 15% White, 44% Hispanic and 24% African American, mean age 8+/-3 yr. CAM use was reported in 67% of the ASD group including supplements (44%) and gluten-casein free diet (29%). The number of CAM therapies used ranged from 0 to 8. CAM usage was more prevalent in families of children with ASD (67% vs.28% p=0.001) and these families used more types of CAM (2+/-2 vs. 0.3+/-0.6 p<0.001) than families of children with other DD. Children with ASD presented more co-morbid symptoms such as GI (66% vs.40% p=0.04), sleeping (78% vs.33% p<0.001)and behavioral problems (78% vs.33% p<0.001) and their parents reported greater stress (45% vs.20% p=0.03).CAM use was associated with child irritability (73% vs.44% p=0.01), and parental stress (70% vs.40% p=0.04). The association between CAM use and ASD diagnosis persisted after adjusting for child-comorbidities, parental stress and level of maternal education (OR 4.7 95%CI 1.7-13.6). Compared to White mothers, Hispanic mothers used fewer types of CAM therapies (0.7+/-1 vs. 2.9+/-3 p=0.01). No association was observed between CAM use and feeding, GI or sleeping problems. Conclusions: Families of children with ASD were more likely to utilize CAM than families of children with other DD. Hispanic families used fewer types of CAM therapies. CAM use seems to be related to child irritability and parental stress.
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Discusses the Child Behavior Checklist, a standardized instrument for assessing behavioral and emotional problems and competencies. Its use to derive syndromal constructs from patterns of problems that are found in both genders across multiple developmental periods is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Article
Natural health products (NHPs) (known as dietary supplements in the United States) are a popular form of self-care, yet many patients do not disclose their use to clinicians. NHP-drug interactions are known to occur and can harm patients and affect the efficacy of conventional treatment. Using the example of an HIV-positive adolescent who had been responding well to antiretroviral therapy but then experienced a sudden unexplained deterioration in her condition, we review (1) clinicians' obligation to inquire about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use when assessing, treating, and monitoring patients, (2) how clinicians' duty to warn about risks associated with treatment has evolved and expanded, and (3) patients' and parents' responsibility to disclose CAM use. It also addresses the responsibility of hospitals and health facilities to ensure that the reality of widespread CAM/NHP use is taken into account in patient care to effectively protect patients from harm.
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In the care of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), medical treatment is typically considered an adjunct to educational and behavioral interventions. Nonetheless, large proportions of children with ASD are managed medically and receive both pharmacologic and complementary-alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. Although many medical treatments have been studied in children with ASD, studies vary widely in terms of the sample, sample size, research design, purposes of treatment, and measurements of change. Surprisingly, comprehensive reviews of the options for medical management in ASD are lacking, particularly reviews that address both pharmacologic and CAM treatments. Furthermore, reviews to date tend to emphasize general effects of medication; this perspective contradicts medical practice, which targets particular symptoms during treatment selection and monitoring. This review of 115 studies adds to the ASD treatment literature by (1) including studies of individuals 0 to 22 years of age; (2) aggregating studies of pharmacologic treatments and CAM treatments; and importantly, (3) organizing treatment response by ASD symptoms, differentiating core and associated symptoms.
Article
The American Academy of Pediatrics is dedicated to optimizing the well-being of children and advancing family-centered health care. Related to these goals, the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes the increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine in children and, as a result, the need to provide information and support for pediatricians. From 2000 to 2002, the American Academy of Pediatrics convened and charged the Task Force on Complementary and Alternative Medicine to address issues related to the use of complementary and alternative medicine in children and to develop resources to educate physicians, patients, and families. One of these resources is this report describing complementary and alternative medicine services, current levels of utilization and financial expenditures, and associated legal and ethical considerations. The subject of complementary and alternative medicine is large and diverse, and consequently, an in-depth discussion of each method of complementary and alternative medicine is beyond the scope of this report. Instead, this report will define terms; describe epidemiology; outline common types of complementary and alternative medicine therapies; review medicolegal, ethical, and research implications; review education and training for complementary and alternative medicine providers; provide resources for learning more about complementary and alternative medicine; and suggest communication strategies to use when discussing complementary and alternative medicine with patients and families.