Our Commitment to Your Child
At our pediatric practice, we are deeply committed to providing care that is safe, effective, and based on strong scientific evidence. We understand that families of children on the autism spectrum are eager to explore every possible option to support their child’s growth and well-being.
What Is Leucovorin?
Leucovorin (also known as folinic acid) is a prescription form of folate, a B vitamin. It is an established treatment for specific medical conditions such as:
- Counteracting certain chemotherapy side effects
- Treating specific types of anemia (folate deficiency)
Why Families Hear About Leucovorin for Autism
A few small studies have explored whether leucovorin could help with speech or social development in some children with autism, especially those with certain folate metabolism issues (such as the “folate receptor alpha autoantibody” condition). However:
- The research results are inconsistent and preliminary.
- The existing research is limited, inconsistent, and preliminary since it has not been replicated in large, well-designed clinical studies.
- The studies vary significantly in design, dosing, and outcome measures and include small sample sizes.
- Neither the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) nor the American Psychiatric Association (APA) currently recommends leucovorin or other folate derivatives as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Our Concern: Safety and Evidence
Although leucovorin is generally safe when used appropriately for approved medical indications, our concerns are:
- Unproven benefit for autism-related symptoms.
- Reported side effects in some children include hyperactivity, irritability, stomach upset and sleep disturbance.
- Cost and burden for families when used without clear evidence of effectiveness.
Our practice follows evidence-based medical guidelines. Due to these factors, our practice does not prescribe leucovorin as an autism treatment at this time. Without clear evidence of consistent benefit, we do not believe its use for autism is justified.
What We Do Recommend
Our approach follows proven, supportive therapies supported by the guidelines set forth by the AAP and APA, focusing on interventions that have demonstrated benefit for children with autism, including:
- Evidence-based behavioral and developmental therapies (such as Applied Behavior Analysis, speech therapy, occupational therapy)
- Family education, coaching, and support services
- Individualized medical care to address co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, sleep issues, or gastrointestinal concerns
We continue to monitor ongoing research and will adjust our recommendations if high-quality evidence supports the use of leucovorin or other new approaches to the treatment of autism.
Our Shared Goal
We understand that parenting a child with autism can be challenging and recognize that parents want the best care possible to help their children reach their full potential. Our promise is to:
- Listen to your concerns with respect and empathy.
- Provide guidance rooted in sound science and clinical safety.
- Partner with you to support your child’s development and well-being.
If you have questions about leucovorin or any other supplement or therapy, please bring your questions to your child’s provider—we are always open to conversation.
