Autism treatment: Can chelation therapy help?

Our son has autism. An acquaintance of ours told us his son's autism was cured with chelation therapy. Is this possible?

- No name / Colorado

Answer

There's no scientific evidence that chelation therapy is an effective autism treatment.

In recent years, some doctors and parents have recommended chelation therapy as a potential treatment for autism. Proponents believe that autism is caused by mercury exposure, such as from childhood vaccines. Chelation therapy supposedly removes mercury from the body, which cures autism.

But extensive studies have revealed no evidence of a link between mercury exposure and autism. In addition, chelation therapy is not approved as an autism treatment and can be associated with serious side effects, including liver and kidney damage that can result in death.

There is no cure for autism. As a result, unproven alternative therapies are often suggested to parents who — frustrated by the lack of effective medical treatment for autism — are desperate to find something that will help their children. However, in clinical studies, these alternative therapies are usually found to be ineffective and sometimes harmful. Talk to your son's doctor before starting any alternative autism treatment.

Although no cure for autism exists, early behavioral and educational interventions can help children with autism improve their communication and social skills.

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