Autism training for parents improves children’s social skills, study suggests

A study conducted by the University of Manchester and published in the Lancet, has shown that giving parents the skills to better communicate and bond with their children can improve their child’s autism.

The research involved a trial of 152 families which began soon after the children were diagnosed with the condition at around the age of three.

Parents were recorded playing with their children and were then replayed the film to show easily-missed moments where the child attempted to communicate. Meanwhile a therapist provided a commentary on the actions to help the parents better communicate with their child.

Half of the 152 families were given the usual therapies and the other half were given the new ‘super parenting’ training.

In the first group 50 per cent were severely autistic at the beginning and that percentage predictably increased to 63 per cent after six years.

However, in the second group 55 per cent of the children were severely autistic at the beginning and only 46 per cent after six years.

Dr Catherine Aldred, a consultant speech and language therapist with Stockport NHS Trust, highlighted that it was not about blaming the parents.

She said: ”We're taking the parent's interaction with the child and taking it to a 'super' level, these children need more than 'good enough', they need something exceptional.”

Prof Jonathan Green, lead author of the report, maintained that while the results were indeed ‘extraordinary’, ‘the training is not a 'cure', in the sense that the children who demonstrated improvements will still show remaining symptoms.’

Dr James Cusack, the director of science at the charity Autistica, said: "Parents commonly tell us that they fight for a diagnosis, but when they finally get it, the cupboard is bare, with little information or tailored support available to them.

"Too often, parents fall victim to the false claims of charlatans who prey on desperate families.

"These results look promising for the many thousands of parents who want to find early interventions for their children based on solid science.”