Peer-reviewed research, summarised in plain language — with the sample size, the method, and the limitations kept in rather than edited out. Every summary carries a visible trust tier, so you always know how solid the ground is.
18 results
GeneralSystematic reviewTier 1 · Strong research evidence
A 2025 systematic review of 20 antioxidant trials in autism found the L-carnosine studies contradictory and at high risk of bias, with no solid evidence of clinical benefit. The individual randomised trials mostly missed their main targets: no change in autism severity or irritability, with scattered improvements in single areas such as sleep quality or hyperactivity that no second trial has confirmed.
There are no published clinical trials of Autinorm in autistic children — none. The evidence its marketing gestures at belongs to leucovorin (folinic acid), a prescription medicine, and a major review states plainly that folinic acid is the only form of folate used to treat cerebral folate deficiency apart from a single case report. Autinorm contains methylfolate instead, at a dose far below what those studies used, and paediatric bodies say even leucovorin is not standard care for autism.
A meta-analysis of 41 studies found risperidone consistently reduced irritability, hyperactivity, lethargy, inappropriate speech and stereotypic behaviour in autistic children aged 2 to 17, over both short and longer periods. It also found a consistent link with weight gain and increased waist circumference. No study looked at the 0.5 mg dose or the Sizodone brand in isolation — 0.5 mg is simply a common starting or low maintenance dose.
Professional guidelines from AOTA, APTA and ASHA, along with hospital discharge policies, converge on three main reasons to end pediatric therapy: goals are met, therapy is no longer producing functional change, or the family decides to conclude care. Guidelines also describe stepping down to less frequent or consultative therapy rather than stopping outright, and treat therapy as something a child may return to at later stages. None of this comes from controlled trials of when to stop.
Somewhere between 40% and 80% of autistic children have significant sleep problems — several times the rate in other children — and part of the reason is biological, not behavioural: the body clock and melatonin signal often work differently. The good news is that this is one of the more treatable things in autism. Guidelines agree on the order: fix the routine and the bedroom first, and add melatonin only if that is not enough.
Somewhere between half and three-quarters of autistic people find everyday sounds harder to bear than most, and it often gets worse around the school years. There is no cure, but the research is clear about two things: the expensive listening programmes sold to parents do not work, and what does help is a mix of a hearing check, ear defenders used for specific noisy moments rather than all day, changes to the environment, and slow, gentle practice at the child's own pace.
CBT does have the strongest evidence of anything offered for sound sensitivity — it is the only approach that has been through a proper trial, and it worked. But 'best' claims more than the research can back. No trial has ever tested it in autistic children, nothing has compared it head-to-head with the alternatives, and for many children the things that help first are not therapy at all.
Parents are often told to start occupational therapy before ABA, or the other way round, but no study has actually tested one order against the other. The strongest recent evidence is a randomised trial that ran the two therapies separately and found both improved children's daily living skills and personal goals, which suggests the order matters far less than whether the therapies are coordinated and matched to your child's most pressing needs.
Sugar does not cause autism or ADHD, and the famous 'sugar makes kids hyperactive' belief has been repeatedly debunked. But the picture is more nuanced than a simple yes or no — high sugar intake, particularly from sweetened drinks, is associated with worse emotional regulation, executive function, and behaviour in autistic and ADHD children. The gut-brain axis may be the key mechanism.
Autism does not have a single cause. It emerges from a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental influences — mostly acting before birth. Genetics is the dominant driver, accounting for roughly half of the risk, but prenatal exposures, parental age, birth complications, and environmental toxins each contribute. None of these factors act in isolation.
Research consistently identifies five skill areas that have the greatest downstream impact for autistic children: communication, social skills, emotional regulation, play, and daily living independence. Evidence from multiple meta-analyses shows that early, targeted support in these areas — especially when caregivers are actively involved — leads to meaningful improvements across the board.
Sensory overload — when the brain receives more input than it can process — affects the majority of autistic children and is now recognised as a core feature of autism. Multiple systematic reviews confirm that sensory integration therapy can help, though evidence for specific techniques varies, and the most effective approach combines environmental adjustments with knowing your child's individual sensory profile.
