“Your child is autistic.” No parent wants to hear those words. But if they do, treating their child’s autism becomes paramount. Some parents, including advocate and actress Jenny McCarthy, claim to have cured their children’s autism through natural methods. But others insist we should be more focused on managing the disorder than pursuing something elusive. When it comes to autism, what’s the real diagnosis?
Dr. David Celiberti, President
As explained above, some children seem to fully recover from their autism. Other children may appear to fully recover but as they get older, and the academic and social demands of school become more intensified, they may show some regression in specific areas. Still other children may not fully recover, but they demonstrate incredible and impressive progress nonetheless. Again, a significant drawback to using the term “cure,” (i.e., you are either cured or not cured) when discussing response to treatment, is that it may diminish recognition (and celebration) of the outcomes that fall along a continuum of recovery. Take for instance:
• A 5 year old girl with autism who does not speak learns to use sign language to get basic needs met. As a result, self-injurious behaviors decline.
• A 4 year old boy with autism learns to share toys with his siblings independently. His mother proudly looks on from the kitchen recalling a time when she never dreamed that such play would even be possible.
• A 4th student is able to meaningfully participate in regular education with the support of a paraprofessional who has learned when to step in to promote appropriate contact with classmates, to help the student stay focused on the teacher, and to redirect the student when necessary.
• An adolescent with autism learns to safely ride the bus to the store and understands how to interact with cashiers, bus drivers and other members of the community.
• A young woman with autism maintains a full-time job in a department store, performs her job duties with great detail and quality, and develops a friendship with several co-workers. Her supervisor says she is among the store’s best employees.
If we believe for a moment that anything less than a complete cure is a treatment “failure,” then we may lose sight of the ultimate goal in helping the individual realize his or her fullest potential whatever that may be.
Again, it is the knowledge and techniques developed from hundreds of published articles that pave the way for the outcomes described above. There are numerous journals that publish research that focuses on many of the skill areas and behaviors described above. There peer reviewed journals should be viewed as a much more credible source of information than self-published books, blogs, and newsletters.
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