Teach, Treat and Be Merry :)

Honestly, should we really be surprised that we can't get it together when it comes to treating Autism?

Here's a quick list of possible therapies and treatments (obviously I know not all of these therapies have 'scientifically acceptable' evidence behind them but the growing list speaks to a community looking for variation when treating their child): Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) protocol, socialization, Pamela Wolfburg and playgroups, Auditory Integration Therapy, Lovaas and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), early intervention, home-based, school-based, residential care, TEACCH, Boston’s Higashi School, special diets, promises of a cure, vitamin B-12, swimming with dolphins, acupuncture, play therapies, The Son-Rise Program, Relationship Development Intervention, Floortime, physical therapy, music therapy, equestrian therapy, and Intensive Multi-Treatment Intervention (IMTI). Source (http://www.autismfile.com/treatment-therapy/moving-toward-a-multi-treatment-approach-to-autism-the-whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts).
These treatments have been developed over the years by psychologists, doctors, academics, parents etc.  All well meaning folks, but the system from within they operate is antiquated and slow.

As a parent I find the developers and proponents of these treatments exhausting, and needlessly competitive. Time for a wake up call.  YOUR SYSTEM IS TOO SLOW TO KEEP UP!!!!!!!

Just like the obsolescence that new computers seem to have within a week, "evidence-based" treatments seem to be light years behind current research.  Why is it that the medical system is so slow to react to change and so quick to reject something new? Why does something have to turn up in a medical journal before it is taken seriously? If you want to find out if something works, ask the true experts in the autism game: the parents.  I understand the scientific method and the process that should be followed before something gets the stamp of approval. Have they put protection of the process/bureaucracy over protection of the patient's rights? Probably...

The truth I see is that every one of the therapy and treatment options listed above probably has the ability to help our children to varying degrees of success. The job of education and medicine is to evaluate each child and determine what is best for them on an individual basis. Pick treatment and therapy from the menu and dive in with both feet.  Don't "treat by legislation". There is no cookie cutter treatment that will work for every child with ASD. Stop focusing on protecting the sanctity of your "evidence based" approach, and the bureaucracy. The opportunities for success are staring you in the face. They are two, three and four year old faces, just itching to learn from you. Allow the professional educators and the therapists on the front lines to evaluate each child and TEACH, TREAT and be MERRY!!!