Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown aetiology.
There is presently no cure for ASD and conventional treatments for the management of its
symptoms have varied efficacy. Many parents of autistic children turn to Complementary and
Alternative Medicines (CAM) in attempt to improve their child’s symptoms. The evidence
behind the use of many CAM treatments is limited. PubMed has published several systematic
reviews, in the last five years, on the efficacy of such treatments, including chelation therapy,
acupuncture, Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, gluten and casein free diet, and music
therapy. Music therapy was reported to have multiple beneficial effects on the children studied,
particularly in the areas of social communication and interaction. The other therapies reviewed
had limited and insufficient evidence supporting their use in treating ASD; more research needs
to be conducted on these therapies before any recommendations can be made in their regard.
Therefore, music therapy is currently the best evidenced CAM in improving the symptoms of
ASD, and its use may be recommended above the other reviewed CAM treatments.