Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Study: Early intervention makes a big difference



A study published online in Pediatrics found that very early intervention programs for children with autism raise IQ scores, reinforcing the idea that earlier treatment is better.

The study, which involved 48 children ages 18 months to 30 months at the Early Start Denver program, found that intensive therapy increased the IQ of the children by 18 points, compared with 7 IQ points in children who got more standard therapy. The intensive therapy included 20 hours a week at home with a trained therapist and additional time working with parents.

Experts say the study reinforces the notion that it’s important for children to undergo routine evaluations between 18 and 24 months and for parents to get them treated right away.

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