A follow-up study on the long-term effects of rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorders

BACKGROUND:Autism spectrum disorders are complex neurodevelopmental disorders. Early intervention training is a very important treatment strategy. Under the current background of rehabilitation supply in China, the long-term efficacy of intervention is unexplored. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term rehabilitation and related factors affecting the recovery of autistic children. METHODS: A total of 137 autistic children were followed up for 3 years. They received two neuropsychological assessments at the first visit and 3 years after referral. Assessments included Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Developmental Diagnostic Scale of Children Aged 0-6 Years. All children were asked to visit rehabilitation centers for rehabilitation training. In the study, 105 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) received rehabilitation training according to the physician's orders (the rehabilitation group), and 32 patients did not receive rehabilitation training (the nonrehabilitation group). RESULTS: The ABC, CARS, and developmental quotient scores of the rehabilitation group were statistically significant between initial assessment and reassessment. No significant difference was observed in the nonrehabilitation group. CONCLUSIONS: Rehabilitation training significantly improved the core symptoms and cognitive function in children with ASD, exerting a long-term rehabilitation effect. The initial language development quotient, children's training time, and parental participation time of autistic children significantly impacted the change in ABC.