Study: Many Parents Of Kids With Autism Turn To Alternative Or Unconventional Treatments.

The Time (1/11, Sifferlin) “Healthland” blog reported that a study published online Jan. 11 in the Journal of Behavioral and Developmental Pediatrics “found that among parents of 600 children between ages two and five with autism (453) and developmental delays (125), 40% reported using homeopathic remedies, mind-body medicine, melatonin and probiotics in an attempt to relieve some of their children’s symptoms and even prevent some of the condition’s behavioral problems from progressing.”

Medscape (1/12, Roach) reported that the study authors noted that “8.6% of the children with an autism spectrum disorder received complementary treatments that are invasive, disproven, or potentially unsafe (e.g., chelation, intravenous immunoglobulin, antifungal drugs, and vitamin B12 injections).” The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health, among others.

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— “Autism and Alternative Medicine: Getting Real About the Benefits and Risks, “Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, January 11, 2014.

Posted in In The News.