When parentsreceive an autism diagnosisfor their child, one of their first steps should be to seek out early intervention care. Early intensive intervention, it is said, is the key to optimal outcomes for autistic kids.
Scientists have long known that the brain grows quickly between birth and age 3, which suggests that early intervention would be an ideal way to treat a childhood disorder. But what does the science say about the outcomes of early intervention for autistic children?
This article looks at why early intervention can make a difference. It answers some of the questions you may have about the role of early intervention programs for your autistic child.
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Can Early Intervention Cure Autism?
At least one study suggests that about 14% of autistic children who undergo two intensive years of a program called the Early Start Denver Model will improve radically. In fact, those children would no longer qualify for autism diagnoses if they were being evaluated at alater age.
Another program called LEAP appears to lead to similar outcomes. There is even some evidence that these programs can change the way the brain functions.
There are, however, a few caveats to this finding.
Autism With Low Support Needs
Do the Outcomes of Early Intervention Last Over Time?
Some studies suggest that certain types of intensive early intervention do make a difference for at least a couple of years following the treatment.To what degree such improvements will last past age 6 is, at present, unknown.
Is It Best to Get Into Therapy as Early as Possible?
While there are solid practical reasons for early intervention, there are few research studies that show that earlier intervention offers more hope of improvement than later intervention.
Six out of seven infants in the small study improved dramatically.
Infants and Early Intervention"For all we know, a child with a developmental delay may have a longer window of opportunity for growth," cautions Geraldine Dawson, director of the University of Washington Autism Center. “I’ve seen kids who start late and quickly catch up—a lot of kids with intensive early intervention who progressed slowly and then took off in elementary schools.”
Infants and Early Intervention
“For all we know, a child with a developmental delay may have a longer window of opportunity for growth,” cautions Geraldine Dawson, director of the University of Washington Autism Center. “I’ve seen kids who start late and quickly catch up—a lot of kids with intensive early intervention who progressed slowly and then took off in elementary schools.”
Why Early Intervention Makes Sense
But why wait?
It makes sense to treat an autistic child as early as possible. The reasons are both research-based and rooted in common sense. Among them:
How well does such therapy work? That depends on the child. As each autistic child has their own profile, abilities, and challenges, each has their own outcomes. But even a little progress is far better than none, especially when that progress comes in the form of new communication skills that allow a child to express desires and needs.
Summary
Early intervention for autistic children is a good idea. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain from getting an autistic child into age-appropriate therapy as early as is feasible.
Having said this, however, it is important to remember that early intervention is unlikely to wipe out autism traits. And even if your child’s traits improve significantly, there is a very good chance that otherbehavioral, developmental, and/or intellectual challenges may remain.
Check with your healthcare provider about the available options for early intervention. They can discuss with you the benefits (and near-absence of any drawbacks) with early intervention programs for your autistic child.
1 SourceVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Washington.Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism.Additional ReadingDawson G, Toth K, Abbott R, Osterling J, Munson J, Estes A, Liaw J. Early social attention impairments in autism: social orienting, joint attention, and attention to distress.Dev Psychol. 2004 Mar;40 (2):271-83.Dawson G, Zanolli K. Early intervention and brain plasticity in autism.Novartis Found Symp. 2003;251:266-74; discussion 274-80, 281-97.Estes et al. “Long-Term Outcomes of Early Intervention in 6-Year-Old Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. July 2015, Volume 54, Issue 7, Pages 580–587.Interview with Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Director of the University of Washington Autism Center. January 2007.Matson JL. Determining treatment outcome in early intervention programs for autism spectrum disorders: A critical analysis of measurement issues in learning based interventions.UC Davis. Intervention in 6-month-olds with autism ameliorates symptoms, alleviates developmental delay." September 8, 2014
1 Source
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Washington.Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism.Additional ReadingDawson G, Toth K, Abbott R, Osterling J, Munson J, Estes A, Liaw J. Early social attention impairments in autism: social orienting, joint attention, and attention to distress.Dev Psychol. 2004 Mar;40 (2):271-83.Dawson G, Zanolli K. Early intervention and brain plasticity in autism.Novartis Found Symp. 2003;251:266-74; discussion 274-80, 281-97.Estes et al. “Long-Term Outcomes of Early Intervention in 6-Year-Old Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. July 2015, Volume 54, Issue 7, Pages 580–587.Interview with Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Director of the University of Washington Autism Center. January 2007.Matson JL. Determining treatment outcome in early intervention programs for autism spectrum disorders: A critical analysis of measurement issues in learning based interventions.UC Davis. Intervention in 6-month-olds with autism ameliorates symptoms, alleviates developmental delay." September 8, 2014
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
University of Washington.Early intervention improves long-term outcomes for children with autism.
Dawson G, Toth K, Abbott R, Osterling J, Munson J, Estes A, Liaw J. Early social attention impairments in autism: social orienting, joint attention, and attention to distress.Dev Psychol. 2004 Mar;40 (2):271-83.Dawson G, Zanolli K. Early intervention and brain plasticity in autism.Novartis Found Symp. 2003;251:266-74; discussion 274-80, 281-97.Estes et al. “Long-Term Outcomes of Early Intervention in 6-Year-Old Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. July 2015, Volume 54, Issue 7, Pages 580–587.Interview with Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology and Director of the University of Washington Autism Center. January 2007.Matson JL. Determining treatment outcome in early intervention programs for autism spectrum disorders: A critical analysis of measurement issues in learning based interventions.UC Davis. Intervention in 6-month-olds with autism ameliorates symptoms, alleviates developmental delay." September 8, 2014
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