Therapies for autistic children: a guide for parents

What are the main types of therapies for autistic children?

These are the main types of therapies and supports for autistic children:

behavioural
developmental
‘combined’ or naturalistic developmental behavioural interventions (NDBIs)
family-based
therapy-based supports
medical
alternative
other.

This is just one way to categorise therapies and supports. Some therapies and supports belong in more than one category or combine elements from several categories.

The therapies and supports you choose will depend on your child’s individual needs. Ideally, professionals will work with you to find an approach that builds on your child’s strengths and the way they do things. This personalised approach can help your child learn, develop and thrive.

Behavioural therapies and supports for autistic children

Behavioural therapies and supports focus on encouraging positive behaviour in autistic children. They do this by reinforcing or rewarding positive behaviour so that it’s more likely to happen again. Behavioural therapies also aim to reduce behaviour that might interfere with children’s learning or social interactions.

Behavioural therapies often involve structured, repeated activities that help children learn specific skills and navigate specific situations.

Examples of behavioural therapies and supports

Developmental therapies and supports for autistic children

Developmental therapies and supports help autistic children learn skills in the order they typically occur in childhood. This might include communication, thinking, daily living or social skills.

Often these therapies are child led, which means that children’s interests and motivations guide the learning process

These therapies also use back-and-forth interactions and meaningful relationships to support learning. This means parents might learn how to model skills or respond to their child’s communication during daily interactions.

Examples of developmental therapies and supports

Combined or NDBI therapies and supports for autistic children

Some therapies and supports combine elements from behavioural and developmental therapies. These approaches are sometimes called naturalistic developmental behavioural interventions or NDBIs.

These therapies focus on helping autistic children learn during everyday activities that are fun, interesting or meaningful to them, like play.

Combined therapies are often child led.

Examples of combined therapies and supports

Family-based therapies and supports for autistic children

Family-based therapies acknowledge the important role that families play in autistic children’s development. They’re based on the idea that autistic children do best when both they and their families are supported.

These therapies aim to empower families by establishing partnerships between them and the professionals who work with their children.

Also, these therapies often involve training parents to use special techniques during daily interactions with their children. This might include techniques for:

understanding and responding to their child’s communication
modelling skills and behaviour
using specific instructions.

Because they focus on families, these therapies can help children learn and develop in their homes and communities.

Many types of therapies take a family-based approach.

All therapies and supports work best when parents and carers work together with health professionals to help their child.

Therapy-based supports for autistic children

Therapy-based supports focus on skills or difficulties in specific areas of development and wellbeing. They’re often used in combination with more general behavioural or developmental therapies and supports.

Examples of therapy-based supports

Speech pathology – this therapy focuses on language development and social communication skills. It might include help with social skills, Functional Communication Training (FCT), or augmentative and alternative communication.
Occupational therapy and physiotherapy – these therapies focus on developing movement skills for daily life. Occupational therapy helps with fine motor skills, sensory processing and daily living activities. Physiotherapy helps with gross motor skills and physical movements like walking and coordination.
Psychological or psychiatric therapy – these therapies can help children manage mental health problems like anxiety or depression. Psychological therapies include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy. Psychiatric support might include medicines.

If you’re considering these types of therapies, it’s important to choose therapists who are experienced in working with autistic children. These therapists will better understand your child’s individual needs and how to meet them.

Medical therapies and supports for autistic children

Medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor can sometimes help autistic children, particularly when children have behaviour, emotional and learning challenges that interfere with their:

health and wellbeing
ability to learn and progress
daily life and the daily lives of their family.

Medicines might be prescribed to help with specific difficulties, including:

Medicines should always be part of a broader, individualised treatment plan that includes other therapeutic supports.

Examples of medical therapies and medicines

It’s important to talk with health professionals about the potential benefits and risks of medicines for your child.

Alternative therapies and supports for autistic children

Alternative therapies and supports for autistic children include a broad range of therapies that mainstream health and autism professionals don’t use.

This is because there’s little or no evidence to say that alternative therapies help autistic children. In fact, a lot of evidence shows that some of these therapies:

have no effect – for example, Auditory Integration Training and secretin
might harm children – for example, Ayurveda and chelation.

These therapies and supports – even the ones that do no direct harm – also use time, energy and sometimes money that families could otherwise spend on established therapies that do help autistic children.

Other examples of alternative therapies and supports

Other therapies and supports for autistic children

This category includes therapies and supports that don’t fit into the categories listed above. These therapies vary in how effective they are for helping autistic children.