The search for the cure : exploring the mystery behind the importance of animal therapy, music therapy, and weighted vests on children who have autism

Includes bibliographical references.The number of people diagnosed with autism has been dramatically increasing over the last ten years. It is estimated that in the next decade there will be more than four million people on the autism spectrum. There is a mystery surrounding autism in the world today, and that is because the cause and cure remain unknown and the symptoms seen are variable. New treatment approaches have been created to alleviate the debilitating symptoms of autism, but many treatments lack scientific evidence. My goal for this project was to investigate autism and the recently popular therapy approaches attached with the condition. The main focus of this effort was on animal therapy, music therapy, and weighted jackets. Information was gathered via journal articles, books, and related literature. I also viewed videos to examine the different therapy approaches in action and to gain a better understanding on how autism appears differently in every child.B.S. (Bachelor of Science