The views and knowledge of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder on a range of treatments

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe, lifelong neurodevelopmental condition without a cure. In a plethora of available and new treatments there is no exclusively accepted treatment. The variability and severity of symptoms differ widely between children with ASD, and over time, treatments advised by professionals have varied. Therefore, it is imperative that parents collaborate with health professionals to select and design treatment programmes. Parents of children with ASD can provide significant data on the effects of a wide variety of treatments. Parents need accurate knowledge of the treatments, as they play a vital role in selecting and implementing them. This is done by the health professionals who provide counselling and information to the parents about available and evidence-based treatments. In this study, treatment was defined as any medical or therapeutic intervention for children with ASD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV was used to describe the characteristics and diagnostic criteria of the children in this study. [1] Two overlapping categories of treatment were used in this study. The first grouping is in accordance with the National Standards Report, which was in operation at the time of the study, where treatment is classified according to its evidence basis as established, emerging or unestablished. [2] Established treatments are treatments for which there is evidence of a beneficial effect. [2] Examples of established treatments include pivotal response training, discrete trial instruction, functional communication training and social stories. Emerging treatments are those supported by one or more studies that suggest the intervention may produce positive outcomes; however, not enough studies have consistently shown these benefits. [2] Treatments such as augmentative and alternative communication, picture exchange communication system (PECS), and developmental, individual differences and relationship-based model (DIR)/floortime, are classified as emerging treatments. As there is no evidence to support the success of the aforementioned treatments, they are referred to as unestablished treatments. Studies do not report ineffective or harmful treatments as researchers tend to change the focus of their studies to treatments which may be effective as soon as they suspect a treatment to be harmful or ineffective. [2] The second category of ASD treatments comprised developmental approaches, naturalistic behavioural approaches and controversial and alternative medicines. Developmental approaches comprise a combination of features, such as focusing interventions on the impairments associated with ASD, e.g. impairments in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and behaviour. Other features focus on including the family in decision-making and ensuring that interventions are based on the family's requirements, concerns and priorities, ensuring that intervention occurs within natural environments and providing intervention through natural methods. [3] Examp...

Experiences of families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in World Health Organization Afro‐Regions: A scoping review

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Sustainable implementation of early intervention for autism spectrum disorder through caregiver coaching: South African perspectives on barriers and facilitators

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To raise a child with autism spectrum disorder: A qualitative, comparative study of parental experiences in the United States and Senegal

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