Autism study could lead to more effective treatments

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Autism study could lead to more effective treatments

Healthcare News

22/03/2011

A study has examined the link between playing with toys and the effectiveness of

treatments.

Young children with autism who show less interest in playing with toys than

others may be more responsive to certain types of treatment for the condition, a

report has claimed.

The study, from the University of Washington Autism Centre, examined 62 children

using the Hanen's More Than Words programme, which uses toys to encourage

children to communicate.

Toddlers who played with fewer toys were found to show more improvement with

certain kinds of behavioural treatments than those who played with more.

" This report adds to our emerging knowledge about which interventions work for

which kids, " said Stone, director of the UW Autism Centre.

" It will help match children with the right intervention and not waste time

enrolling them in treatments that are not well-suited for them. "

Research conducted at the University of California at recently said that

symptoms of autism tend to emerge between six and twelve months of age.