Critical Issues in Causation and Treatment of Autism: Why Fads Continue to Flourish |
| |
Authors: | Mary E. McDonald PhD Darra Pace EdD Elfreda Blue PhD Diane Schwartz EdD |
| |
Affiliation: | 1. Department of Counseling , Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation, Hofstra University , Hempstead , New York , USA Mary.E.McDonald@hofstra.edu;3. Department of Counseling , Research, Special Education, and Rehabilitation, Hofstra University , Hempstead , New York , USA |
| |
Abstract: | The increasing incidence of autism and the lack of specific answers regarding causation have given rise to unproven educational interventions and medical treatments. Parents of a newly diagnosed child can easily fall prey to interventions that promise cures. These interventions may be harmful and, thus, pose one of the critical issues in special education today. This article will discuss some of the suspect interventions that have been popularized through the media (i.e., celebrities, journalists, and professional organizations). The authors argue that using the scientific method is clearly the antidote for pseudoscience; the need for accurate research-based decision making is apparent. |
| |
Keywords: | autism spectrum disorders evidence-based practice diet intervention parent |
|
|