Table 2.
Treatment Options and Definitions
| Treatment | Definition | Research Category* |
|---|---|---|
| Medical treatment | Treatment advised/prescribed by a medical practitioner. | Established |
| Speech-language Therapy | Treatment prescribed by a licensed Speech Therapist. | Established |
| Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy | Therapy based on the science of learning and behavior. | Established |
| Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) | A type of therapy in which negative patterns of thought about the self and the world are challenged in order to alter unwanted behavior patterns. | Established |
| Parent Mediated Therapy | Therapeutic intervention in which parents are trained by professionals to implement specific therapies to their own child. | Established |
| Social Stories/Social Thinking | Individualized instruction based on stories or other curricular components designed to address social situations that a person with autism may encounter. | Established |
| Music Therapy | Therapy provided by a certified music therapist in which music is purposefully utilized to support development, health, and well-being. | Emerging |
| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | A psychological treatment that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies along with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Occupational Therapy | Treatment prescribed by a licensed Occupational Therapist. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Physical Therapy | Treatment prescribed by a licensed Physical Therapist. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Nutritional Therapy | Treatment based on nutrition. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Facilitated Communication | Treatment to support non-vocal learners in which a facilitator provides physical support to the individual to type on a keyboard or other device. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Dolphin-Assisted Therapy | A sensory therapy in which the individual is provided an aquatic experience with dolphins. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Art Therapy | A form of therapy which encourages self-expression through painting, drawing, or other forms of art. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Pet- Facilitated Therapy | Treatment utilizing dogs or other animals to improve the physical and/or mental health of patients. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Sensory Integration Therapy | Treatment prescribed in which individuals are exposed to sensory stimulation in a structured way to improve the organization of sensory information from the environment. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Chelation | A method utilized to remove certain heavy metals from the bloodstream. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Craniosacral Therapy | A system of alternative medicine intended to relieve pain and tension by gentle manipulations of the skull regarded as harmonizing with a natural rhythm in the central nervous system. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| Auditory Integration Training | A type of sound therapy that aims to reduce sensitivity to sounds or problems with how sounds are processed. | Unestablished or not listed in the NSP2 as a treatment for autism |
| No therapy recommended | n/a | n/a |
*Research categorical designations were gathered from National Autism Center, 2015