There is no cure for autism but with the proper treatment and education, an autistic patient can learn and develop the language and social skills needed to function in his environment.

Early Intervention
Beginning treatments for autism early can reduce the challenges and obstacles that person will face in life. By reducing the severity and frequency of symptoms associated with autism, the occurrence of disruptive behaviors will lessen. Treatment is also useful in expanding a person’s independence by learning the skills required to perform basic tasks such as getting dressed or brushing one’s teeth; the need for caregivers is reduced. Occupational Therapy teaches these basic skills that promote independence. Physical Therapy such as exercise and getting massages is required to improve the autistic patient’s motor skills and movement.

Behavior Modification
We take for granted the basic skills necessary to function in our environment. We learned how to treat our peers, when to use inside voices, and that our parents telling us “No” does not make it OK to throw tantrums. Autistic patients have to learn what appropriate behavior is. Aggressive and repetitive behaviors are dealt with by rewarding appropriate behaviors and ignoring the behaviors the clinician or caregiver is trying to eliminate; a practice called, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Behavioral therapy requires intense one-on-one interactions and involvement by the caregiver in a controlled environment.

• Sensory Integration Therapy is used to cope with things that affect their senses. They are asked to feel a variety of textures or listen to different sounds.
• Play Therapy is used to make the individual more expressive with his feelings which can help social skills and improve the ability to learn. This is based on adult-child interaction. A caregiver might be taught to tell stories to their autistic child. With these stories, a child will learn that people have feelings, ideas, beliefs, and emotions of their own. He might also learn how to better understand his own feelings.

Communication Therapy
Many autistic individuals are not able to express themselves using verbal exchanges. Learning how to communicate can help reduce the frustration and confusion an autistic person experiences.

• Speech Therapy helps a person develop her language skills
• Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) are helpful when an autistic person has something to say but is unable to verbalize it. Using pictures which represent thoughts, activities or objects, the autistic person is able to express what she wants to say by handing someone a picture.

Dietary Modification
There is controversy surrounding the effectiveness and relation of diet to autism. The belief, for those who do agree with this, is that altering one’s diet and taking vitamins will help digestion and eliminate food intolerance or allergies. The reduction of allergies is said to decrease behavior problems in autistic people. The proteins gluten and casein affect how the brain works. Taking vitamin B, magnesium, or cod liver oil supplements can help behavior, eye contact, attention and improve the ability to learn. Vitamin C is believed to lessen seriousness of the symptoms and depression.

Medication
Medicine is NOT used to cure autism. Instead it’s used as a way to control symptoms of autism like anxiety or depression, and conditions related to autism such as epilepsy (some autistic patients experience seizures).

• Antidepressants are helpful in reducing depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Benzodiazepines help control behavioral problems
• Antipsychotic Drugs can help with behavior problems, hyperactivity, aggression, and alienation.
• Stimulants may improve focus and control urges and overactive behavior in high-functioning autistic people. However, these can lead to dependence on the drugs if taken for a long time.