List of alternative therapies for developmental and learning disabilities

This list covers alternative therapies for developmental and learning disabilities. None of these therapies are supported by scientific evidence.

Bioenergy therapies

Bi-Aura therapy^[1]^[2]
Craniosacral therapy^[2]
Distant healing^[1]
Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Balancing Technique^[1]
magnetic field therapy^[2]
therapeutic touch (TT)^[2] According to the American medical association, therapeutic touch is "little more than quackery".^[3]
Thought Field Therapy (TFT)^[2]
[1] program practices for social development^[4]
Alexander technique^[1]
Chiropractic^[1]
Feldenkreis^[1]
Osteopathy^[1]
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy for learning disabilities^[1]
Pilates^[1]
Yoga^[1]
Zero Balancing^[1]

Dietary treatments

additive-free diets^[1]^[2]^[5]

Feingold Diet
food allergies, multiple chemical sensitivities (diet base)^[1]^[5]
Gluten-free, casein-free diet (GFCF)^[2]
glyconutritional supplement^[6]
herbal medicine^[1]^[2]^[5]^[6]
iron^[1]
lutein-free diet^[2]
megavitamins^[2]^[5]^[6]
refined sugar-free diet^[1]^[5]
secretin treatment^[2]
trace minerals, trace elements^[5]^[6]
vaccination (avoidance)^[2]
zinc^[1]

Eclectic approaches

Sunflower therapy^[7]

Hearing therapies

Auditory integration training (AIT), auditory processing training^[1]^[2]^[5]
Mozart Effect^[6]
music therapy^[1]
Spectral Activated Music of Optimal Natural Structure (SAMONAS)^[1]
The Tomatis Method^[1]

Holistic healing

Medical interventions

anti-motion sickness medication and other types for Vestibular Dysfunction^[5]

Movement-based therapies

Brushing technique^[1]
Developmental Exercise Programme (inhibition of primitive reflexes)^[6]
Doman method^[8]
(Psychomotor) patterning^[2]^[5]
Dance Movement Therapy
Physio-Neuro Therapy^[9]

Pedagogical approaches and policies

Full inclusion^[2]
Gentle Teaching^[2]
Person Centered Approach (PCA)^[2]

Psychosocial interventions

Stress management

Student profiling

Learning styles^[6]

Technological interventions

Several scientific studies have shown that facilitated communication is quackery by proving that what the Autistic patient "says" is influenced entirely by the facilitater.^[10]

Fast ForWord^[2]

Touch therapies

Training methods

Visual approaches

Asfedic Tuning (TintaVision)^[6]
Coloured overlays^[6]
Dunlop test^[1]
Harris Filters^[1]
Intuitive Colorimeter^[1]^[6]
Irlen Syndrome^[1]
Optim-Eyes^[6]
Prism glasses^[2]
Tinted lenses, ChromaGen lenses^[1]^[5]^[6]
Visual Tracking Magnifier^[1]

Emerging therapies

Dolphin Assisted Therapy^[1]
Hypnotherapy^[1]
Light and Colour Therapy^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax Chivers, Maria (2006). Dyslexia and Alternative Therapies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-84310-378-3.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag Jacobson, JW; Foxx M; Mulick JA (2005). Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities. New Jersey: Erlbaum. pp. 1–505. ISBN 0-8058-4192-X.
^ "Webglimpse.cgi | Quackwatch".
^ addressing challenging behavior
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Silver, Larry B (2003). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment For Health and Mental Health Professionals. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub inc. p. 247. ISBN 1-58562-131-5.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Reid, Gavin (2005). Dyslexia A Complete Guide for Parents (PDF). Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. p. 213. ISBN 0-470-86312-9.
^ Bull, L. (2007). "Sunflower therapy for children with specific learning difficulties (dyslexia): A randomised, controlled trial". Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 13 (1): 15–24. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2006.07.003. PMID 17210507.
^ American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Doman-Delacato treatment of neurologically handicapped children. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1968; 49:183-186.
^ American Health Journal
^ "Facilitated Communication | Quackwatch". 16 September 2004.

External links

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-autism-science-nov23,0,6519404,full.story

[Chivers-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag ^ah ^ai ^aj ^ak ^al ^am ^an ^ao ^ap ^aq ^ar ^as ^at ^au ^av ^aw ^ax Chivers, Maria (2006). Dyslexia and Alternative Therapies. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. p. 144. ISBN 978-1-84310-378-3.

[Jacobson-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag Jacobson, JW; Foxx M; Mulick JA (2005). Controversial Therapies for Developmental Disabilities. New Jersey: Erlbaum. pp. 1–505. ISBN 0-8058-4192-X.

[3] "Webglimpse.cgi | Quackwatch".

[4] ressing challenging behavior

[Silver-5] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Silver, Larry B (2003). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment For Health and Mental Health Professionals. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Pub inc. p. 247. ISBN 1-58562-131-5.

[Reid-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Reid, Gavin (2005). Dyslexia A Complete Guide for Parents (PDF). Chichester: John Wiley and Sons. p. 213. ISBN 0-470-86312-9.

[7] Bull, L. (2007). "Sunflower therapy for children with specific learning difficulties (dyslexia): A randomised, controlled trial". Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 13 (1): 15–24. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2006.07.003. PMID 17210507.

[8] American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Doman-Delacato treatment of neurologically handicapped children. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1968; 49:183-186.

[9] American Health Journal

[10] "Facilitated Communication | Quackwatch". 16 September 2004.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]