National Autism Center Releases Groundbreaking Report on Autism ...( ...),Health

RANDOLPH, Mass., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Autism Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), today released its National Standards Report, the most comprehensive analysis of treatments for children and adolescents with ASD ever published.

"This report cuts through the confusing and often conflicting information about the myriad treatments available for ASD," said Susan M. Wilczynski, Ph.D., BCBA, Executive Director of the National Autism Center. "It is designed to serve as a single, authoritative source of guidance for parents, caregivers, educators, and service providers as they make informed treatment decisions."

The report is the culmination of the National Standards Project, a multi-year project that began with more than 6,400 research abstracts about autism treatments and concluded with a comprehensive National Standards Report. Forty-five nationally recognized scholars, researchers, experts in autism, and other leaders representing diverse fields of study were involved in the project. The report includes, among other findings, 11 "established" treatments that produce beneficial outcomes and are known to be effective for individuals (under 22) on the autism spectrum.

"The National Standards Report covers a broad range of applied treatments and identifies the levels of scientific evidence available for each one," continued Dr. Wilczynski. "These treatments target the core symptoms of autism, as well as many other challenges that individuals on the autism spectrum face."

In addition to 11 established treatments, the report identifies 22 "emerging" treatments that have some evidence of effectiveness, but still require more research, and five "unestablished" treatments that have little or no evidence of effectiveness. Nearly 90% of the established
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