Anxiety in Autism: Exposing a New Treatment Method

Anxiety in Autism: Exposing a New Treatment Method

Roughly three weeks ago, I received a lengthy message in my Inbox. I subscribe to a lot of autism groups on Facebook so every now and then I'll receive an e-blast or newsletter from one of them. This one message in particular was a suitable candidate for the junk mail folder; it began with the greeting, "What will you learn this year? I hope it will change your life," followed by a promotion for a paid service supplied with a link containing an oddly written web address. Usually, I discard these on the spot, but upon reading "90-Day Anxiety Treatment for Autism" directly above the link, my curiosity led me to do otherwise. I once suffered from high anxiety myself, surprisingly in the later years of my life and not when I had autism, so I decided to take a glance.

Praying I wouldn't download a computer virus, I clicked the link and was transferred to a site promoting a very peculiar way of treating children with autism called The 90-Day Anxiety Treatment for Autism. This treatment was established by neuroscientist Claudie Gordon-Pomares, who developed a unique form of treatment called "Multisensory Therapy" that combats mental disorders through a series of exercises and activities which involve stimulating areas in the brain to restore and regulate the two best known cranial hormones; serotonin and dopamine. This form of therapy doesn't include any form of medication, or psychotherapy. It simply consists of "gentle and short daily sensory exercises". The same procedures are implemented in the 90-day autism treatment program and according to the site's introductory video, are designed for homeschooled children with Asperger's syndrome.

I imagine that many families with autism must have their own anxiety problems if Ms. Gordon-Pomares is charging them a minimum of $87 per month for her services. Still questioning the site's legitimacy, I did some additional research. People diagnosed with Asperger's and related disorders display a lack of social skills, which may be linked to high levels of anxiety. This is often classified as a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and is caused by a large deficiency of the serotonin hormone in the brain.

According to a study conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, and overseen by physiology research assistant professor Georgianna Gould from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, serotonin deficiency is a factor in roughly thirty percent of autism cases. Doses of the antidepressant buspirone, an anti-anxiety medication that increases serotonin transmissions between neurons, were given to lab mice which were then placed in a chamber with a mouse they never met before. The mice that received the drug spent more time interacting with the "stranger" mouse than the mice that didn't. "'No animal model is completely characteristic of humans, and we're far from saying that buspirone is a treatment for behaviors of autistic people," Dr. Gould said. "But this does offer further proof that serotonin is involved in a significant proportion of autism cases," (medicalnewstoday.com/articles/217556.php).

Although this study provides evidence that anxiety plays an important role within the autism spectrum and can determine the level of deficiency in social interaction, it does little or nothing to support the efficacy and validity of Goron-Pomares's unusual treatment program. Could a series of gentle exercises and activities involving the human senses over the course of 12 weeks, without the presence of medication like buspirone, be truly effective at treating autism?

The site provides a lot of information and is well-crafted, featuring testimonials, an in-depth tutorial video, and even a money-back guarantee to cover the cost of treatment if the customer isn't completely satisfied. It presents itself like a sixty-minute infomercial, minus Billy Mays. The hefty monthly subscription fee at the bottom of the home page will drive away a fair portion of its audience as well. I've seen a lot of sites structured in this fashion, most of them scams, which usually promote a breakthrough product and charge an unrealistic price by pushing "package options". I'm not condemning the site; if it really works, families that sign up may very well benefit from it. I'm not about to try it for myself, though. I'd rather save my $261 and find a more flexible way to thoroughly research this alternate form of autism treatment.

References:

http://www.autismanxietytreatment.com

http://www.multisensorytherapy.org

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/217556.php

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