Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

activities before bedtime and the use of bedtime routines also improved. Actigraphy data,
available for 12 children, illustrated a decrease in sleep latency in nine children with difficulty
initiating sleep (p=0.039); among all 12 children, time in bed also significantly improved
(p=0.039). Parental stress did not change significantly with the workshops.
KQ1. Effects of Treatment on Core and Commonly Associated Symptoms
in Children With ASDs: Educational Interventions
Most children with ASDs will receive some treatment in an educational setting. Educational
interventions have focused both on traditional areas of academic progression/achievement, but
also are often used to address core areas of social, cognitive, and behavioral vulnerability via
classroom or specialized instruction. Educational approaches vary in scope from specific
intervention techniques attempting to impart change in short periods of time to comprehensive
intervention programs aimed at improving many areas of development.
Within the context of this review we examine the available literature focusing on applications
of the TEACCH program, broad-based early intervention center- or classroom-based instruction,
and computer-based approaches to educational intervention. Table 14 summarizes critical
aspects of studies of educational interventions addressing key question KQ1, and Table 15
summarizes key outcomes of studies of good or fair quality.
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