Parental use of conventional and complementary therapy for autism in Jordan

•There is inadequate use of conventional therapy to treat comorbidities in children with ASD.•CAM use is not uncommon.•Parents are mainly using multivitamins and fish oil.•Parents consult the internet, a finding that may guide future directions towards better ways for counselling and education. We investigated parental use of conventional therapies and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for children with autism in Jordan. This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2018 through December 2018 at the paediatric neurology clinics of three tertiary referral hospitals in Jordan. The accompanying parent was interviewed to complete a structured questionnaire. 274 parents were interviewed. The most common medications used were those to treat hyperactivity (150; 54.7 %), anticonvulsants (60; 21.9 %), and sleep aids (6; 2.1 %). CAM was used by 129 parents (47.0 %). A casein-free diet was the most commonly used dietary modification (24; 8.7 %), while fish oil (Omega-3) was the most common supplement used (96; 35.0 %). Hyperbaric oxygen, chelation therapy, and antifungal treatment were also occasionally used. Higher parental education levels and access to rehabilitation services correlated with higher CAM use (p < 0.05).