Efectividad del uso de Terapias Complementarias sobre parámetros de la comunicación social en niños con Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA)

Introduction: autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized mainly by deficits in communication and social interaction, being a barrier for these people when relating to their social and/or family environment. Among the best-known therapies to treat this disorder, conventional therapies stand out (i.e. cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacological therapy) and complementary therapies that are becoming increasingly prevalent among the population. Objective: analyze the effectiveness of complementary therapies in the communication of children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methodology: narrative review study, a literature search was carried out based on alternative therapies for ASD: “animal assisted therapy” (TAA) and “music therapy”. The search was carried out in SCOPUS, EBSCO and PUBMED. A total of 228 articles were found, of which 8 studies (n in the 8 studies = 569) met the search criteria. Results: five music therapy studies (n in the 5 studies=481) and three TAA studies (n in the 3 studies = 88) were found. Music therapy and TAA are the most frequently mentioned therapies in the literature, the latter being the one that has reported more and greater benefits from a qualitative perspective, mainly by caregivers of children with ASD. Some of the outstanding behaviors are: the increase in soft skills, improvement in communication and social interaction, and decrease in disruptive behaviors. Conclusion: of the eight studies that were analyzed, five of them reported significant benefits under a clinical qualitative criterion and by the families of the user who was participating in these therapies. Three of the music therapy studies did not show changes in the communication of the users, while one study highlighted the user-therapist relationship as a determining factor in the success or failure of the therapy.