Researchers have suggested that as per their new findings a video game based digital medicine could help treat kids with autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.
The study report, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders has confirmed the feasibility and effectiveness of a tool called 'Project: EVO' and they claimed that this interactive video game will deliver sensory and motor stimuli through for autism victims.
It should be noted that more than 50 percent of the children suffering from autism spectrum disorder used to have some kind of ADHD symptoms, and out of this, around 30 percent receive a secondary diagnosis of ADHD. As medications of ADHD are less effective among children with both disorders, scientists are now trying to figure out alternative treatment methods.
Children with both ADHD and autism have impaired cognitive function, and they often fail to focus on tasks by avoiding distractions. In the early days of childhood, these issues related to cognitive disability will not create many problems, but as time passes by, these children will face huge set back in life, as they fail to achieve goals, and they will also find it hard to meet their day to day demands.
During the study, researchers analyzed the behavioural pattern of 19 kids, aged between 9-13 who suffer from both autism and ADHD symptoms. Participants who took part in this study were either given Project: EVO or an activity that involves recognizing patterns. Further analysis revealed that children who engaged in Project: EVO showed improvement in attention. As per parent reports, the symptoms of ADHD were also reduced among these children.
"Our study showed that children engaged with the Project: EVO treatment for the recommended amount of time, and that parents and children reported high rates of satisfaction with the treatment. Based on the promising study results, we look forward to continuing to evaluate the potential for Project: EVO as a new treatment option for children with ASD and ADHD," said Benjamin Yerys, a child psychologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), prnewswire.com reports.
Even though the sample size of the participants in this study is pretty small, experts believe that this research report is a giant leap to combat symptoms of ADHD and autism among children.
