Illuminating New Paths: Efficacy of Photobiomodulation in the Treatment of Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder – An Integrative Review

Resumo

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, is manifested by communication impairments and repetitive, stereotyped behaviors. There is no cure for ASD, but some of the symptoms can be treated. In this sense, research has explored the application of low-power red light, through transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) and laserpuncture, as a safe and effective alternative for alleviating symptoms in children diagnosed with ASD. This integrative review, revisiting recent literature on the use of laserpuncture and tPBM, sought to analyze the effectiveness of using these therapies to treat symptoms in children with ASD. The bibliographic search was carried out in the PubMED, SciELo and Science Direct databases, using the combined keywords: Autism, Photobiomodulation, Low laser therapy, Intravascular irradiation of blood, Laserpuncture, Low-level light therapy, Laser therapy. As a result, 104 articles were obtained, 5 of which were chosen to make up the review. The inclusion criteria adopted were studies in English from July 2004 to July 2024, which explored the treatment of symptoms in children diagnosed with ASD using low-power light. All the studies  achieved positive results when using low-power light to treat the symptoms of children with ASD, and few side effects were reported. However, the small number of publications found and the size of the sample space, as well as the lack of standardization when it comes to the light-emitting device, time and exposure parameters are obstacles to a better understanding and degree of proof about the effectiveness of using this therapy in children with ASD.