Autism-World

Q:Does anyone have a child who has recovered (or is functioning normally…whatever you want to call) it? What kind of therapy did you do, at what age, for how long, for how many hrs/wk? At what age did they really begin talking?

Answer:

Despite what you may read on the internet, there is not a recovery from autism. You’ll find that those who claim there is conveniently have something to sell you. They prey on a parent’s desperation to sell their snake oil. Don’t be suckered – or led blindly into a treatment. If you look at both sides, you’ll almost always find there is no scientific data to back up any of their claims – only some convincing testimonials. Often their treatment is touted as “cutting edge” or “radical”. This is their way out of providing any proof to back up anything they claim.

We’ve only been dealing with a diagnosis for 7 years now but I can tell you that just when I thought I’ve seen it all, something else comes out as the “miracle cure” for autism. It never is because there is no miracle cure. Autism is a lifelong condition. It is at the core of the person and dictates every perception, every sensation, and every action of the individual. It is their essence. With time as your child grows, you will begin to understand this.

It is not the end of the world. It’s actually quite liberating to come to grips with what you’re dealing with and stop chasing rainbows. When you get to this point and have a clear head, real progress can be made. You will understand how your child learns, what works and what doesn’t. Through much trial and error, you’ll learn what external conditions are required for your child to thrive.

Your child will probably need services that have been proven to be effective (speech/OT) in helping the child get more out of their education. These services do not claim to “recover” a child for good reason. They are there to help the child function in a world that is not built to accomodate them – that is all. Along the way, you’ll find other ways that help your child learn and function in our world – but going about it with a “cure” mentality is a recipe for disappointment and frustration.

I’m not saying autism is peachy – but I’m also not saying it is somthing horrible that must be eliminated or that my child should be “recovered”. It is a difference of being. It is a difference that requires many special accomodations. With age and maturity and a supportive environment, there is a good chance your child will surpass many or your expectations. When they are very young, it is hard to see the forest for the trees and things are overwhelming. This leads to dispair and desperation.

That’s where these vultures touting “revovery” swoop in promising just what you’re looking for. When you ask for scientific proof or studies that support their claims, they have nothing – at least nothing that has been reviewed by peers and deemed credible by those in the field of ausim research.

I’m just telling you to set your BS-ometer to it’s highest setting and you’ll see these scams for what they are. Good Luck.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 9:35 pm and is filed under Ask and answer.