JaynaGirl Website

While exploring the treatment options available to help children with PDDNOS, parents and others may come across several therapies that can be used in conjunction with traditional ones. When considering one of these other therapies for a child, ask questions and carefully assess the program. It's important to ask for a written description of the program, including its length, the frequency of sessions, cost, and the rationale, philosophy, or purpose underlying the program. It's also important to investigate the credentials of the program director and staff and whether evidence exists to prove the effectiveness of the program, as well as the possible negative side effects.

Here are some alternative programs available:

Music therapy

Music therapy is a professional health discipline originating as a university degree program in 1944. Music therapists utilize interactive music approaches such as singing, rhythm, instruments, and movement as a means to attaining educational or developmental goals in areas such as communication and socialization. For children with pervasive developmental disorders, music therapy theory is based on the following rationale 1) research supports children on the autism spectrum show relative strengths in music processing, 2) music is an effective motivator thus increasing time on task, positive mood, and willingness to learn, 3) because music is a highly structured and patterned stimulus it is appealing to children who learn well by rote, and can act as a mnemonic/memory device for social/language scripts and academic skills. Music therapy services range from consultation and collaboration to direct music therapy sessions that occur as part of a comprehensive home or school program. The ultimate goal of this therapy is for the child to achieve functional outcomes and the ability to generalize skills learned through music. For research overviews and more detailed information, click here (http://www.coastmusictherapy.com/articles/diagnosisautism.html)

Facilitated communication

This is a method of encouraging people with communication impairments to express themselves. By providing physical assistance, a person, called a facilitator, helps the individual to spell words using a keyboard of a typewriter or computer or other letter display. Facilitation may involve hand-over-hand support or a simple touch on the shoulder. The individual with the impairment initiates the movement while the facilitator offers physical support.

Successful anecdotes of Facilitated Communication therapy have been reported and published over the past few years. They have also provoked considerable controversy, because generally they have not been supported by empirical research. It appears that Facilitated Communication has the potential for becoming a useful technique for some children with PDDNOS, particularly those who are precocious readers and good with other forms of communication such as computer and signs, but who also are severely impaired in verbal expression skills.

Auditory integration therapy (AIT).

AIT uses a device that randomly selects low and high frequencies from a music source (a cassette or CD player) and then sends these sounds through headphones to the child.

There are anecdotes about the positive effects from AIT. Some of the results that have been reported include diminished sensitivity to sounds, more spontaneous speech, more complex language development, answering questions on topic, more interaction with peers, and more appropriate social behavior. However, significant results from a well-designed treatment study have not been available. It is still unclear how AIT works and whether people benefit from it.

Sensory integration therapy.

Sensory integration is the nervous system's process of organizing sensory information for functional use. It refers to a normally occurring process in the brain that allows people to put sights, sounds, touch, taste, smells, and movements together to understand and interact with the world around them(Mailloux & Lacroix, 1992).

The Lovaas method.

This method (which is a type of Applied Behavior Analysis [ABA]), developed by psychologist Ivar Lovaas at UCLA, is an intensive intervention program originally designed for preschool-aged children with autism.

It uses behavioral techniques-- molding and rewarding desired behavior, and ignoring or discouraging undesirable actions -- to achieve its goals.

Generally, this method consists of 30 to 40 hours a week of basic language skills, behavior, and academic training. Therapy usually consists of 4 to 6 hours per day of one-on-one training, 5 to 7 days a week. Some research has shown remarkable progress in about 50% of the children receiving this therapy. The Lovaas Method is getting wide attention, but, as with other therapies, it needs more study.

Vitamin therapy.

Some anecdotal evidence has shown that Vitamin B6 and magnesium help children with autism and PDDNOS. The rationale for this is that Vitamin B6 helps the formation of neurotransmitters, which are thought to malfunction in such children (Dalldorf, 1995).

Dietary intervention.

Some individuals with PDDNOS have been found to have food sensitivities or food allergies. Some parents choose to have their children evaluated by allergists and, based on the testing results, may eliminate or decrease foods to which their child shows the most sensitivity. For example, some foods seem to increase hyperactivity and autistic-like behavior. Eliminating these from the child's diet has been found to help decrease negative behaviors.

Anti-yeast therapy.

Often the progression of autism and PDDNOS involves unusual behaviors and communication problems arising around the toddler stage, when many children are treated with antibiotics for problems such as middle ear infections. Antibiotics can upset the intestinal flora and possibly cause "yeast overgrowth." However, the existence of higher yeast levels in children with autism and PDDNOS could very well be coincidence (Dalldorf, 1995). Some parents have found that giving their child an anti-yeast medication decreases some negative behaviors. Some preliminary study findings support this type of treatment; however, the results are not conclusive.