Can Light Therapy Help Children with Autism? A New Study Says Yes

Based on the study:
Transcranial photobiomodulation in children aged 2–6 years: a randomized sham-controlled clinical trial assessing safety, efficacy, and impact on autism spectrum disorder symptoms and brain electrophysiology
Fradkin Y, De Taboada L, Naeser M, Saltmarche A, Snyder W, Steingold E (2024)
Published: April 26, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1221193
Trial registration: NCT04660552

Why This Study Matters

If you’re raising a young child with autism, chances are you’ve been through countless appointments, therapies, and online searches—trying to find something that truly helps. You may have seen progress in some areas, but still feel like a piece is missing—especially when it comes to sleep, emotional regulation, or connecting more deeply with your child.

This recent study offers something new—and surprisingly gentle. It explores a light-based therapy called transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), and the results offer real hope for families.

In this blog, we’ll walk through what the researchers did, what they found, why it matters for your child, and how we apply this kind of insight in our care here at Flourishing Brains.

What the Researchers Did

This gold-standard randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial included 30 children aged 2–6 years with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Children received twice-weekly sessions for 8 weeks using a non-invasive near-infrared light device (Cognilum™). The device delivered 850 nm light pulsed at 40 Hz to specific regions of the brain known to be involved in ASD-related challenges, including social communication, sleep, and emotional regulation.

Importantly, the study design was rigorous—parents, clinicians, and researchers didn’t know who was receiving the real treatment versus the placebo (sham) version, ensuring high-quality results.

What They Found

Children who received the active treatment showed significantly greater improvements than those in the placebo group:

• CARS Scores (Childhood Autism Rating Scale):
  The Active group improved by 9.88 points, compared to 2.64 points in the Sham group—a 7.23-point differencethat was statistically and clinically significant (p = 0.01).

• Meaningful improvement:
  87% of children in the Active group achieved at least a 4.5-point reduction (considered clinically meaningful), compared to 35% in the Sham group.

• Parental reports noted gains in:
  – Communication
  – Sleep
  – Eye contact
  – Emotional regulation

• Brain changes (EEG data):
  The Active group showed an increase in theta wave power and a decrease in delta wave power, both of which correlated with symptom improvements—suggesting that real changes were occurring at a brain level.

Was It Safe?

Yes.
There were no moderate or severe side effects. A few children in the Active group experienced mild and temporary symptoms, such as headaches, overexcitement, or a brief increase in tics—but all resolved without medical intervention. These effects were not significantly more frequent than in the Sham group.

Why It’s Relevant for Families

This study offers something rare: real, measurable outcomes from a gentle, non-invasive, brain-based therapy in very young children.

That’s powerful—because the earlier we support the brain to regulate, connect, and develop, the more potential we unlock for future growth.

Many of the improvements reported in this study—better sleep, improved communication, emotional balance—are the exact struggles families bring to us at Flourishing Brains. And while no single intervention is a magic fix, studies like this remind us that the brain is always capable of change, given the right support.

How I Use This Insight at Flourishing Brains

While this study focused specifically on transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), it strongly reflects what I see in practice: when we support the brain’s ability to regulate, connect, and grow, children begin to thrive—often in ways parents had nearly given up hoping for.

This is why laser therapy is such a foundational tool in the work we do at Flourishing Brains.

The laser delivers light energy that helps cells function better, supporting neuroplasticity and healing from the inside out.
No energy = no change.
Without that cellular support, the brain can’t rewire the way it needs to. For many families, this becomes the missing piece—the spark that helps everything else start to click into place.

We use this technology thoughtfully, as part of a broader brain-based care plan that’s personalised, child-led, and grounded in the science of nervous system development.

Want to Keep Learning?

If this kind of brain-based support resonates with you, I share research like this regularly—always through the lens of what’s helpful and practical for families.

You can join our newsletter or book a Discovery Call if you’d like to explore what’s possible for your child.