An April announcement from the Centers for Disease Control, which examined school and medical records of eight-year-olds, found that one in 59 children may have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These rates show that autism is much more common than was thought a few decades ago when it was believed that only 1 in 125 children had the disorder. The dramatic increase in autism rates can be attributed to improved diagnostic tools, increased awareness by parents and providers, and changes made by the American Psychiatric Association to broaden the definition of ASD. For example, understanding the relationship between learning art and asd children can be beneficial.
Researchers continue to study the causes of this alarming trend. The Cleveland Clinic estimates that it costs $90 billion a year to treat and care for people with autism. ASD costs are expected to rise to $300 billion over the next 10 years. ASD is difficult for those developing or seeking new treatments to treat. The causes of autism are unknown. Many factors may be involved. Researchers have stepped up their efforts to find a cure, including drug development. However, they also work with other medical professionals. It can be a challenge to keep up with new treatments for autism, given the ever-changing understanding of ASD, as well as the many new treatments being developed. Here are some of the new treatments for ASD that caught the attention of clinicians and families in 2021.
Learning Art
Learning art has been proven to support children with an autism spectrum disorder in many ways. It’s known that creating art has a huge potential to cope with complex issues dealing with their multi-sensory nature and relational approach. Moreover, learning an art can help them support and develop their psychomotor regulation. It includes brushing in some sizes and grips. It’s worth mentioning that their sensory regulation can also be enhanced by learning art.
As we know, learning art always deals with our sensory receptors. It also occurs to them. Although they have sensory integration dysfunction, learning art can help them cope with this issue. This is as many varieties of textures, colors, smells, and tastes of art materials have an inherent capacity to inhibit their emotional and sensory responses. Finally, learning an art can help children with ASD to have better communication and expression skills. Don’t let them learning art alone. You need to ask them to learn the art with their friends or simply with you as a parent.
Balovaptan
The FDA has approved several drugs to treat the symptoms and signs of autism. According to the journal Pharmacy and Therapeutics, the FDA has approved two drugs to treat autism. However, they are approved by the FDA to treat irritability. Families of people with ASD continue to seek effective treatments from pharmaceutical companies.
Many people with autism have become interested in Balovaptan, a treatment developed by Roche that has received a rare breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA. This allows it to move quickly for further studies and approvals. The FDA could approve Balovaptan if the 300-person national trial is successful. This would allow the treatment to address one of the three main symptoms identified by the advocacy and education group Autism Speaks.
Silicon Valley
ASD specialists, such as speech and behavior therapists, are just a few of the many professionals involved in ASD care. However, developers of apps like TouchChat and Proloquo2go are taking their work to the next level with their use. These tools allow people with ASD to better communicate with others and have been adopted by the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Autism Center to give people with ASD a voice.
The Cleveland Clinic promotes this collaborative approach by hosting workshops that bring together families of ASD and others involved in their treatment. Sometimes it is necessary to take a closer look at a drug used for treatment for some time, but it has not been fully studied to develop an effective treatment tool. The legalization of medical marijuana has already been implemented in 31 states.
Cannabis
Considering the growing support for marijuana legalization and the increased awareness of the many conditions it can treat, the change is not surprising. New York is one of the states that have legalized medical marijuana. The Department of Health’s website lists more than a dozen qualifying diseases and symptoms. Some are now investigating whether CBD (the non-psychoactive component of marijuana) might be helpful for ASD patients suffering from certain symptoms.
Dr. JoQueta Handy states that ASD patients often suffer from inflammation in the brain and stomach. Handy mentions CBD in these cases as part of a holistic approach to treatment. “Because they have an inflammatory response, they may experience pain and exhibit behaviors associated with their pain response. They have symptoms of anxiety because their nervous system is constantly in flux.