| Introduction History of Autism
What is Autism?
Definitions of autism
What are the symptoms?
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autistic?
What causes autism?
Is there a cure for autism?
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for autism
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What is
the treatment for autism?
Parents of a person with autism must constantly educate
themselves about new treaments. There is more
misinformation about autism than any other disorder. As
the parent of an autistic child, you will be constantly
bombarded by people who claim to cure autism. Yet, there
is only one treatment that has passed the test of time
and is effective for all children, autistic or normal,
i.e., structural educational programs geared to a persons
developmental level of functioning. Other treatments
might be helpful at different points in an autistic
person's life. You should always keep an open mind and
educate yourself regarding new treatments as they become
available. However, the majority of other treatments we
hear about for autistic people have yet to be
scientifically proven. It is imperative that parents
educate themselves before making a treatment decision,
remembering that what is right for one child may not be
right for another. Treatment decisions should always be
made individually after an assessment and based on what
is appropriate for your child and family. Remember, you
as a parent know your child better than anyone and also
the type of program that is best going to help him/her.
How do
I know if a treatment program is appropriate?
This is a difficult question to answer. Table I shows
some general guidelines for evaluation of various
treatment approaches.
Table I.
Principles of New Evaluating Treatment of Autism
- Approach
new treatment with hopeful skepticism. Remember
the goal of any treatment should be to help the
person with Autism become a fully functional
member of society.
- Beware
of any program or technique that is touted as
effective or desirable for every person with
autism.
- Beware
of any program that thwarts individualization and
potentially results in harmful program decisions.
- Be
aware that any treatment represents one of
several options for a person with autism.
- Be
aware that treatment should always depend on
individual assessment information that points to
it as an appropriate choice for a particular
child.
- Be
aware that no new treatment should be implemented
until its proponents can specify assessment
procedures necessary to determine whether it will
be appropriate for an individual with autism.
- Be
aware that debate over use of various techniques
are often reduced to superficial arguments over
who is right, moral and ethical and who is a true
advocate for the children. This can lead to
results that are directly opposite to those
intended including impediments to maximizing
programs.
- Be
aware that often new treatments have not been
validated scientifically.
Table 2.
Questions to ask Regarding Specific Treatment
- Will
the treatment result in harm to the child?
- How
will failure of the treatment affect my child and
family?
- Has
the treatment been validated scientifically?
- Are
there assessment procedures specified?
- How
will the treatment be integrated into the child's
current program?
Do not
become so infatuated with a given treatment that
functional curriculum, vocational life and social skills
are ignored.
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