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Making the Decision
This section provides you with some tools and resources that may help you when you are deciding which autism interventions (treatments, therapies and services), if any, to use.
Taking Charge
Ultimately, you will be making the decision about which interventions to use. A number of things you can do to take charge of the decision-making are:
- Do some research - find out what the scientific evidence says about the therapy, including whether it works or not.
- Become an informed consumer - find out how much the intervention really costs, how much time it takes, and if there are any potential hazards.
- Choose the practitioner or programme carefully - especially if you are thinking of using a practitioner or a programme that is unregulated.
- Tell your practitioner about all of the interventions you are receiving. Giving them a full picture of what you are doing will help them to ensure you receive co-ordinated and safe care.
- Remember that you have rights - whether you are a patient, a parent or a customer. Make sure you get answers to your questions.
Tools
- Principles: A set of key principles that we believe any intervention should follow
- Intervention questions: A set of key questions you may like to ask about any intervention. Includes a list of red flags (signs that an intervention or programme is not what it seems)
- Study questions: A list of key questions you may like to ask about research papers
- Guidance on Interventions: A select list of publications on interventions.
- Making decision research studies: A select list of research studies on how people decide which interventions to use.
Resources
- Choosing Autism Interventions: A Research-Based Guide An accessible, evidence-based overview of the most commonly used interventions for children and adults on the autism spectrum.
- Our Evaluations: Our evaluations of some of the most commoly used interventions for individuals on the autism spectrum based on the research literature.
- Clinical Guidance. A number of organisations have produced clinical guidance covering interventions, treatments and therapies for people on the autism spectrum.
- Literature Reviews. There are numerous literature reviews on different aspects of autism, including many which look at interventions, treatments and therapies.
Please remember that these tools and resources can only guide you, they can't tell you what you should or should not do. And bear in mind that each person on the autism spectrum is a unique individual, with different needs and abilities. What works for one person on the autism spectrum may not work for another.
Related Pages
- Updated
- 03 May 2022