Conventional medical wisdom says the best thing parents can do with children with autism is to cope. But many are starting to challenge this long-standing recommendation by turning to alternative medicine.

Alternative medicine doesn’t offer the families of autistic children a 100% cure rate. But there are some encouraging news.

M. Cissy Majebe, founder and director of The Chinese Acupuncture and Herbology Clinic, began treating children with autism in 1989. She reported one-third of the about 30 children she treated exhibited excellent results. Improvements were seen in another third, but the treatments didn’t work for the rest of her patients.

Western and Eastern Approach to autism differ. Majebe says while Western medicine looks for a cause, Chinese medicine believes it’s a multi-faceted problem. “We’re not treating a disease or disorder,” Majebe said. “We’re treating a child who has that."

Traditional Chinese medicine isn’t the only option available for parents. Another alternative approach is environmental medicine practice.

Dr. John L. Wilson from the Great Smokies Medical Center, zooms in on nutritional health and detoxification. Wilson believes mercury compounds found in immunizations contributes to the disorder’s development. He also said children with autism have an overgrowth of yeast and bacteria in the gut and food allergies.

He said about six of the children he’s treated have “moved out of the spectrum.”

Steven R. Love, with the Asheville TEACCH Center, said not enough research has been completed to confirm whether alternative medicine works for children with autism. Although he thinks holistic approaches to the disorder could be effective, he cautions parents seeking alternative help. He says if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

But Lori Lesley, a mother who has a six-year old son with autism said “Some of the stuff you try, it does sound kind of crazy but I encourage people to keep looking, trying, to keep fighting for the child.”