A Parent's Journey with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Part 6
Exploring Therapies and Interventions to Find the Right Approach for Your Child.
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Cassandra Oldham, Director of Autism Programs at the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI), shares her experiences as a mother of two children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Gareth, currently 20, and Korlan, currently 18.
In this monthly Q&A series, Cassandra discusses the emotional and practical aspects of selecting therapies and interventions for her sons, highlighting what has been most effective for their unique needs.
Casandra is open to receiving questions and concerns of parents who are struggling with similar issues, especially as youngsters with autism age into adulthood. TLI also invites readers to submit topics they would like to see covered throughout this blog series.
With the launch of the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG), parents, physicians, researchers and scientists can access a centralized hub consolidating over 40,000 peer-reviewed research articles on autism-related medical care.
Q: Cassandra, how did you decide which therapies and interventions to pursue for your children?
A: When my middle son was diagnosed with autism in May 2007, I felt completely overwhelmed by the vast number of therapy options available. I didn’t know where to begin, so I started reading everything I could and reaching out to parents who had already been through this journey.
At that time, I wasn’t on Facebook, and local parent support groups took breaks during the summer, meaning I had to wait until September to attend any meetings. Instead, I turned to moms in my community—playgroups, my gym’s childcare and church members—anyone who might know other parents of children with autism. I wanted to hear firsthand what therapies had worked for them.
Through parent networking and my research, I quickly learned that applied behavior analysis (ABA) was considered the standard of care. I kept hearing phrases like “Time is of the essence!”, “There is a critical window of opportunity!” and “Early intervention is key!”—which only increased my sense of urgency. I felt like my child was slipping away more and more because of my ignorance of his condition and every day that passed without therapy felt like I was losing valuable time. The fear of not acting quickly enough consumed me and I became almost manic in my pursuit of services.
Within three weeks of my son’s diagnosis, we had a home ABA program up and running at 25 hours per week—the only reason it wasn’t more was because we couldn’t find enough therapists to fill all the hours. That feeling of panic, of needing to take immediate action, is something I’ll never forget.
Q: What therapies have been most beneficial for your children?
A: Without a doubt, ABA has been the most impactful. Some people criticize ABA, but I believe this is due to bad providers, not the therapy itself. When a child is confused about the world and struggles to understand spoken language, ABA provides structured guidance using positive reinforcement. A good ABA provider makes learning fun by incorporating motivational rewards, whether that’s edibles, activities or toys.
People often compare ABA to how we train dogs or dolphins—because animals also don’t initially understand language—but the fundamental principle is about creating associations and teaching meaningful skills. Thanks to ABA, my boys learned joint attention, some sign language, how to complete tasks, follow commands and establish routines. If it weren’t for ABA, both of my sons would likely still be in diapers today.
Other therapies became essential after we had a better understanding of my boys’ needs. I always encourage parents to conduct full evaluations before choosing therapies. This means getting reports from a developmental pediatrician, physical therapist, speech-language pathologist (SLP), occupational therapist (OT) and doing a complete medical workup with a medical academy of pediatric special needs (MAPS) physician.
Once you have a clear picture of your child’s needs, therapy choices become more straightforward, you simply treat the deficits identified in the evaluations. Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means no two children require the exact same therapies. For example, my sons had significant sensory needs, so occupational therapy (OT) was essential for them. However, not all autistic children require OT. Evaluations help pinpoint what’s truly necessary.
Q: What additional therapies or treatments have made a significant impact?
A: Beyond ABA and OT, medical interventions were crucial. My boys needed a full medical workup to identify underlying conditions affecting their progress. They required mitochondrial cocktail supplements three times a day, seizure medications, a specialized diet and IVIG (intravenous immunoglobulin therapy)—which was life-changing for them.
More recently, we’ve introduced spelling as a communication tool. Since my boys still have significant verbal communication challenges, spelling has opened a new world of expression. It’s incredible to see thoughts and ideas emerge that I didn’t realize they were aware of. They’re much more intelligent than people assume and I’m eager to continue this journey with them.
Q: Where can parents find reliable information about therapies?
A: I found the TACA (The Autism Community in Action) Journey Guide and website to be invaluable resources. They provide an overview of different therapy options and explain what each one targets, making it easier for parents to determine whether a therapy might benefit their child.
Additionally, the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) is an excellent resource for parents seeking scientific validation for therapies. When I searched the platform, I found:
· 178 articles on ABA
· 18 on speech-language pathology (SLP)
· 3,450 on speech therapy
· 373 on OT
· 3,751 on sensory integration dysfunction
· 31 on IVIG
· 1,018 on mitochondrial cocktail treatments
· 847 on seizures
· 1,232 on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
There is so much valuable research available and as the AI-driven component of the AKG continues to evolve, it will become an even greater asset to our entire community.
Q: What advice would you give to parents trying to determine the best therapies for their child?
A: Here’s what I’ve learned:
· Get full evaluations. Before choosing therapies, understand your child’s unique strengths and challenges through assessments by developmental specialists, therapists and medical professionals.
· Don’t be swayed by urgency alone. While early intervention is important, don’t let panic drive you into therapies without research. Thoughtful decisions lead to the best outcomes.
· Recognize that therapy needs to change over time. What works at age three may not be needed at age seven. Stay open to reassessing your child’s needs.
· Medical interventions matter. Sometimes, addressing underlying medical issues—like mitochondrial dysfunction, gut health or seizures—can make therapies more effective.
· Use credible resources. Platforms like the Autism Knowledge Gateway (AKG) and TACA provide scientifically backed information to guide therapy choices.
Q: Looking back, what has been the most rewarding part of this journey?
A: The most rewarding part is watching my boys grow and thrive. Seeing them engage with the world, develop new skills and communicate in ways I never thought were possible makes every challenge worth it. I’m grateful for the therapies and medical interventions that have supported their journey and I’m excited for what the future holds as we continue discovering new ways to help them succeed.
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Casandra's experience is the primary driver behind the Autism Knowledge Gateway, a project designed to ensure peer-reviewed medical interventions reach autistic people and those who care for them. Learn more about how to get involved with AKG.