Early intervention for toddlers with autism spectrum disorder helps improve their intellectual ability and reduces autism symptoms years after originally getting treatment, a new study shows.
The study is the first in more than 20 years to look at long-term outcomes after early intensive autism intervention. The therapy began when children were 18 to 30 months of age and involved therapists and parents working with the toddlers in their homes for more than 15 hours each week for two years.
The study will appear in the July issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and is published early online.
"When you intervene early in a child's life, you can make a big difference," said lead author Annette Estes, director of the University of Washington Autism Center. "We hope this translates to a higher quality of life for people with autism spectrum disorder."
[For more of this story, written by Michelle Ma, go to http://medicalxpress.com/news/...tcomes-children.html]
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