What Does Helpful vs. Harmful Therapy Look Like?
by Unstrange Mind
About a month ago, I wrote about the types of therapies used with Autistic children. I mentioned the sorts of practices that are not advisable and what to look for to see if the therapy your kid is getting is helpful or harmful. I was thrilled to hear from lots of parents whose children are getting great therapy that builds them up in many ways. I am so happy that there are professionals out there who understand autism and work to help kids grow up to be their happiest, most productive Autistic selves instead of training them to pretend to be someone they aren’t.
Many other people asked for something more specific than the words I wrote. Some people gave me links to videos and asked me to comment on them. Others asked me if I had videos that showed good or bad therapy practices. That’s what this post is all about. READ MORE
by Unstrange Mind
About a month ago, I wrote about the types of therapies used with Autistic children. I mentioned the sorts of practices that are not advisable and what to look for to see if the therapy your kid is getting is helpful or harmful. I was thrilled to hear from lots of parents whose children are getting great therapy that builds them up in many ways. I am so happy that there are professionals out there who understand autism and work to help kids grow up to be their happiest, most productive Autistic selves instead of training them to pretend to be someone they aren’t.
Many other people asked for something more specific than the words I wrote. Some people gave me links to videos and asked me to comment on them. Others asked me if I had videos that showed good or bad therapy practices. That’s what this post is all about. READ MORE
The Miracle Therapy - Time
by Diary of a Mom
How did we do this? What was this cutting edge therapy we had found, this latest in scientific development? It was plain old being ready. Time.
Susan Senator, The Autism Therapy That Worked For Us: Time
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This is why I tell you not to give up.
This is why I insist on redefining what does and does not constitute functional behavior.
This is why I ball my fists and stamp my feet and refuse to succumb to the tyranny of made-up deadlines.
This is why I say this …
Our children deserve to have childhoods. Happy ones. Comfortable ones. Playful and play-filled ones. Stimmy, squealy joyous ones. Ones in which they learn and grow and discover the world in their own ways. READ MORE
by Diary of a Mom
How did we do this? What was this cutting edge therapy we had found, this latest in scientific development? It was plain old being ready. Time.
Susan Senator, The Autism Therapy That Worked For Us: Time
-
This is why I tell you not to give up.
This is why I insist on redefining what does and does not constitute functional behavior.
This is why I ball my fists and stamp my feet and refuse to succumb to the tyranny of made-up deadlines.
This is why I say this …
Our children deserve to have childhoods. Happy ones. Comfortable ones. Playful and play-filled ones. Stimmy, squealy joyous ones. Ones in which they learn and grow and discover the world in their own ways. READ MORE
Claims about Autism Interventions
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
Claims of miracle interventions for autistic people are wide-reaching and a veritable conversation opener for any autistic person or parent of a child on the spectrum when they reveal the diagnosis. The interaction typically goes like this.
"I am/my child is autistic."
"Oh, really? I'm so sorry! Have you tried [fill in the blank therapy/medication]?"*
Ignoring the part where the assumption is made that being autistic is something to be pitied, it can be very bewildering for autistic people and parents to sort through these many interventions. Whether motivated by legitimate interest in the intervention or interest in ensuring the speaker is not spreading an inappropriate intervention, when you're constantly confronted by questions such as these, it's important to have a resource to turn to about these claims.
You see, there are high stakes at play here. Yes, some interventions are helpful, and can even be life changing. But far too many are ineffective or, worse yet, actually cause harm to the very people they claim to help.
That's why we need such a resource. And, thankfully, this morning I found one. From effectiveness to potential harm, they've categorized a long list of interventions on this page. If you're interested in interventions, or just interested in making sure others don't recommend harmful ones, I recommend reading.
Check it out here:
http://www.researchautism.net/autism-interventions/our-evaluations-interventions
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
Claims of miracle interventions for autistic people are wide-reaching and a veritable conversation opener for any autistic person or parent of a child on the spectrum when they reveal the diagnosis. The interaction typically goes like this.
"I am/my child is autistic."
"Oh, really? I'm so sorry! Have you tried [fill in the blank therapy/medication]?"*
Ignoring the part where the assumption is made that being autistic is something to be pitied, it can be very bewildering for autistic people and parents to sort through these many interventions. Whether motivated by legitimate interest in the intervention or interest in ensuring the speaker is not spreading an inappropriate intervention, when you're constantly confronted by questions such as these, it's important to have a resource to turn to about these claims.
You see, there are high stakes at play here. Yes, some interventions are helpful, and can even be life changing. But far too many are ineffective or, worse yet, actually cause harm to the very people they claim to help.
That's why we need such a resource. And, thankfully, this morning I found one. From effectiveness to potential harm, they've categorized a long list of interventions on this page. If you're interested in interventions, or just interested in making sure others don't recommend harmful ones, I recommend reading.
Check it out here:
http://www.researchautism.net/autism-interventions/our-evaluations-interventions
Early Intervention
by Emma's Hope Book
Last week I wrote a post, Autism “Experts” about how I used to attribute any action or sentence uttered by my daughter as evidence that whatever therapy or treatment we were employing at the time was “working.” It was my way of staving off the persistent fear that if we were not intimately involved in a constant barrage of therapies, she would make no progress or whatever progress she made would be less, than if we devoted every waking hour to constant involvement and interaction. Suddenly every waking moment became a moment we must engage, interact, teach and push for more. READ MORE
by Emma's Hope Book
Last week I wrote a post, Autism “Experts” about how I used to attribute any action or sentence uttered by my daughter as evidence that whatever therapy or treatment we were employing at the time was “working.” It was my way of staving off the persistent fear that if we were not intimately involved in a constant barrage of therapies, she would make no progress or whatever progress she made would be less, than if we devoted every waking hour to constant involvement and interaction. Suddenly every waking moment became a moment we must engage, interact, teach and push for more. READ MORE
Absolute Acceptance Zone - What Therapy Should Be
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
I can think of a place where Caley and I, both elementary schoolers, played spontaneous ring around the rosy with other children who were complete strangers. A place of absolute acceptance. A place of fun and love and warmth and understanding.
That place, for us, was therapy. Yes, that same place many kids complain - or even scream - about having to attend, and where most siblings beg not to be dragged along. We loved it. Not every aspect, of course. No matter what a therapist does, handwriting practice is still handwriting practice. But at therapy Caley and I could hang out with other kids with no fear of teasing or bullying. Our five best friends there had diagnoses ranging from autism to intellectual handicaps to cerebral palsy to just plain old neurotypical (another sibling who'd been brought along). But we didn't distinguish between any of them. We were all just kids, plain and simple.
In that waiting room, there was no such thing as disability, not in the social construct context. No one was teased for being weird or made fun of for...well, anything at all. Caley's first words to our friend V were, in fact, "I like your boots." Which were not boots at all, V explained, giggling. Turns out they were actually orthotic braces (which, I still remember, had the coolest pictures of fish on them). But at therapy we didn't think of these as marks of difference. We saw them as just part of being, which sometimes looked pretty cool.
I've written about it before and I know I'll write about it again, because it was just SUCH a life-changing experience, the sort I wish for for everyone, the sort that helped inspire me to pursue a career as a therapist myself.
Eventually insurance kicked Caley (and one of our other friends) out of therapy, but I will always remember how the beauty of the absolute acceptance there, and seek to recreate it wherever I go. Because every child deserves a space like that.
by Creigh at Autism Spectrum Explained
I can think of a place where Caley and I, both elementary schoolers, played spontaneous ring around the rosy with other children who were complete strangers. A place of absolute acceptance. A place of fun and love and warmth and understanding.
That place, for us, was therapy. Yes, that same place many kids complain - or even scream - about having to attend, and where most siblings beg not to be dragged along. We loved it. Not every aspect, of course. No matter what a therapist does, handwriting practice is still handwriting practice. But at therapy Caley and I could hang out with other kids with no fear of teasing or bullying. Our five best friends there had diagnoses ranging from autism to intellectual handicaps to cerebral palsy to just plain old neurotypical (another sibling who'd been brought along). But we didn't distinguish between any of them. We were all just kids, plain and simple.
In that waiting room, there was no such thing as disability, not in the social construct context. No one was teased for being weird or made fun of for...well, anything at all. Caley's first words to our friend V were, in fact, "I like your boots." Which were not boots at all, V explained, giggling. Turns out they were actually orthotic braces (which, I still remember, had the coolest pictures of fish on them). But at therapy we didn't think of these as marks of difference. We saw them as just part of being, which sometimes looked pretty cool.
I've written about it before and I know I'll write about it again, because it was just SUCH a life-changing experience, the sort I wish for for everyone, the sort that helped inspire me to pursue a career as a therapist myself.
Eventually insurance kicked Caley (and one of our other friends) out of therapy, but I will always remember how the beauty of the absolute acceptance there, and seek to recreate it wherever I go. Because every child deserves a space like that.
