“The Evidence I Need Is Change in a Child” Healthcare Provider Perspectives on Acupuncture Therapy for Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): An Interpretive Description

Background While parents of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (autism) frequently seek complementary medicine to address health and functional concerns commonly experienced by their children, little is known about how conventional healthcare providers view acupuncture. Objective To explore healthcare professionals’ (1) knowledge and views about acupuncture, including laser acupuncture, and (2) perceived reasons for recommending or not recommending acupuncture for children with autism. Design This interpretive descriptive study involved semi-structured interviews. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit conventional healthcare providers who work with children with autism, including physicians and therapists. Data were coded and analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Results 13 healthcare providers were interviewed. Four themes were identified: (1) “Interesting, tell me more”: a lack of familiarity, but interest, in acupuncture for children with autism; (2) “I think we need to explore all avenues”: openness to integrative practices for a complex condition; (3) “The evidence I need is change in a child”: both empirical evidence and clinical experience are important to inform clinical decisions; and (4) Practical considerations to recommending acupuncture. Conclusions Acupuncture is a modality that many professionals working with children with autism have not considered recommending due to lack of awareness and knowledge. Yet, the attitudes of our participants toward acupuncture as an adjunct therapy were generally positive. They were curious and open about exploring the evidence, and potential to meet gaps not currently met by conventional therapies. Laser acupuncture generated more interest than needle-based acupuncture. There were a number of barriers to recommending acupuncture, including limited knowledge and cost burden to families.