Outcome of early intervention for children with autism

Since 1980, 12 peer-reviewed outcome studies (nine on behavior analytic programs, one on Project TEACCH, and two on Colorado Health Sciences) have focused on early intervention for children with autism. Mean IQ gains of 7-28 points were reported in studies of behavior analytic programs, and 3-9 in studies on TEACCH and Colorado. Gains were also reported on other measures in some studies. Individual children varied greatly in treatment responsivity. No fully randomized studies have been published, and studies with features such as large sample sites and blind examiners have been rare. Further progress is likely to require more rigorous clinical trials, more comprehensive pretreatment and follow-up assessments, and greater attention to brain-behavior relationships.