Anyone tried alternative therapies for ASD, SID and Dyspraxia?

[Flowertots]

FINALLY got a diagnosis of ASD, with possibility of Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Dyspraxia.

Got pointed in the direction of alternative therapies because in the process of getting a statement and PCT services are rubbish. No charities will fund any service that they believe the LEA or PCT should fund like OT with Sensory Integration.

Anyway, 2 therapies have been suggested. ABA and Audio Integration Therapy. The Sound Learning Centre in London do AIT but have read really mixed reviews and am now unsure if it is just a cowboy outfit taking advantage of desperate parents with bogus treatments.

Anyone ever heard of these, or better still, actually tried them????

We're coming to the end of a 18 week Therapeutic Listening program. It's been amazing and DD2 (2yr) has been transformed. I actually don't think she has many (if any) sensory issues now. I'm uncertain of the visual processing, but her tactile/auditory/vestibular etc seem great. We will need to see what skills she retains after the program but I can thoroughly recommend it for sensory integration. We got this through our OT, I'm sure you'd be able to do this privately if you wanted to. There are other listening programs too, not sure of the pros and cons, but this is what our OT offered, and I've always thought she was great and really 'got' DD2.

As for her GDD, she now just has DD which I'm pleased about. She has caught up in 2 areas now according to Portage guidelines and I really believe this is down to TLP. We still have a way to go, she is a long way behind with her mobility but other areas are catching up now.

DD2 also has cranial osteopathy which has also helped a lot. This costs us £33/half hour.

DD2 doesn't have a dx yet but she definately shows Dyspraxic and ASD traits. Since doing the Listening, her motor planning has improved greatly. HTH

Caudwell children will fund alternative therapies if you qualify. Tried cranial osteopathy which was great and really effective.

We have had fantastic success with Sound Learning Centre. They are definitely not a cowboy outfit.

We have done the auditory integration treatment and are doing the retained reflexes therapy. DS is a different boy. It was money well spent and I would recommend it to everyone on this board.

ABA, in it's many forms, has the best evidence base for it, so that would be a good place to start.

Cranial osteopathy/craniosacral therapy has an extremely unconvincing evidence base and very little in the way of biological plausibility.
As a result, it can't be recommended.

You may find the NHS page on treatments for ASD useful.

Sorry, meant to mention therapeutic listening in previous post.

Evidence for this is of poor quality and fairly mixed.
However, it does edge towards the positive and certainly is plausible.

The majority of people I have contact with who have tried it are positive about it but easily a third of them don't feel it makes any difference beyond what they would expect anyway (often those with prior relative experience).

I'm sorry there is nothing more concrete information to share.