| Tx | Author, year | N, age, % male | ASD type and DSM Dx | Tx info | Tx dose, duration | Control | Results |
| Massage | Field et al. 1997 [77] | 22, M = 4.5 54% | AD/Y | Given by staff at school | 30 min/wk, 4 wks | Attention (games) | ASD1 Repetitive behavior4 Social5 | | | | | | | | Escalona et al. 2001 [78] | 20, 3–6 54% | AD/Y | Parent massage at bedtime | 15 min/day, 4 wks | Reading at bedtime | ADHD1,2,4 Repetitive behavior4 Social4 Improved sleep: sig∗ ∗ | | | | | | | | Silva et al. 2007 [79] | 15, 3–6 87% | AD/Y | Therapist 2x/wk Parent: daily
| 15 min/day 5 months | WL | Sensory2 ASD2: ns Social2 Language2: ns | | | | | | | | Silva et al. 2009 [80] | 46. 3–6 80% | AD/N (eligible for AD services) | Therapist 2x/wk Parent: daily | 15 min/day 5 months | WL | Social/commication1,2 ASD2 Sensory2 | | | | | | | | Piravej et al. 2009 [81] | 60, 3–10 82% | AD/Y | SI Tx + massage by therapist | 2 hrs/week 8 wks | SI Tx only | ADHD1,2: ns Disruptive behavior: ns1, Sleep2: ns Anxiety2 |
| | Allam et al. 2008 [83] | 20, 4–7 60% | AD/Y | Scalp acup + speech Tx | 2x/wk speech 40 min/wk acup 9 months | Speech Tx only | ADHD3 Receptive language , ns5 Expressive langauge5: ns | | | | | | | | | Acupuncture | Wong and Sun 2010 [84] | 50, 3–11 88% | AD/Y | Tongue acup | 5x/wk 8 wks | Sham | Social2,5: ns Language2,4,5: ns Sensory4: ns Cognitive: ns5, sig3∗ ∗ Adaptive: sig3∗ ∗ | | | | | | | | | | Wong et al. 2010 [85] | 55; 3–18 85% | ASD/Y | Electro acup | 3x/wk 4 wks | Sham | Social: ns2,3, Sensory2: ns Communication2,3,5: ns Receptive language2,3: Repetitive behavior2: ns Cognitive2: ns Overall function2 |
| Animal assist | Bass et al., 2009 [105] | 34, 4–10, 85% | ASD/Y | Equine Tx | 1 hour/wk 12 wks | WL | Sensory2 ASD2 |
| Music therapy | Buday, 1995 [99] | 10, 4–9 80% | AD/unk | Structured | 5 sessions | Rhythm therapy | Communication4 sig (in Tx session) | | | | | | | | Kim et al. 2008 [100]/Kim et al. 2009 [101] | 20, 3–6 100% | AD/Y | Music therapy Improv music therapy | 30 min/wk 12 wks | Play with toys | Social: ns2,3, Social4 (in Tx session) Comply4: (in Tx session) |
| Neurofeedback | Pineda et al. 2008 [109] Study 1 | 8, 7–17 100% | ASD/N (clinical dx) | ↑ Mu suppression | 90 min/wk 10 wks | Sham | ADHD5 Sensory2 sig∗ ∗ Social2: ns∗ ∗ Communication2: ns∗ ∗ | | | | | | | | Pineda et al. 2008 [109] Study 2 | 19, 7–17 84% | ASD/N (ADOS; ADI-R) | ↑ Mu suppression | 90 min/wk 10 wks | Sham | Improvement in ADHD5, social2, and communcation2; not stated if significant∗ ∗; sensory not improved | | | | | | | | Kouijzer et al. 2010 [110] | 20, 8–12 85% | ASD/Y | Excess ↓ theta | 40 txs, 6 months | No Tx | ASD: ns1, ns2, Communication: ns1, |
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Note: AD: Autistic Disorder, ASD: Autism Spectrum Disorder; DSM Dx: Y: yes (children diagnosed according to DSM-III or DSM-IV symptoms of ASD) and N: no (children not specifically diagnosed by DSM criteria; diagnosis method listed in parentheses); Tx: treatment; dx: diagnosis; ADOS: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; ADI-R: Autism Diagnostic Interview Revised; wk: week; SI: sensory integration; acup: acupuncture; WL: Wait List; ns: nonsignificant; results superscripts indicate the method of assessment: 1teacher/staff, 2parent, 3therapist/clinician, 4observation, 5psychometric/standardized testing; **significance values not included in the text. M: mean.
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