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I didn't know that the Westminster Commission on Autism …https://westminsterautismcommission.wordpress.com/about-2/ (Parliamentary MPs and related groups) was co-founded by this ABA organisation.
https://thegivingtreefoundation.co.uk/what-we-do/west-minster-autism-commision
The parent who set up the ABA organisation describes their child's autism dx as/
https://thegivingtreefoundation.co.uk/what-we-do/west-minster-autism-commision
The parent who set up the ABA organisation describes their child's autism dx as/
...absolutely devastating. That they were determined to rescue their child from their own self contained universe.
They claim that ABA causes 4 out of every 10 autistic children to become 'indistinguishable from their peers" and quotes a study by Hayward & team, (2009)/
They claim that ABA causes 4 out of every 10 autistic children to become 'indistinguishable from their peers" and quotes a study by Hayward & team, (2009)/
I assume they mean this one:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361309340029
which noted that a small group of autistic children aged 2-3.5 had more skills a year later.
Just about all children do. It's called 'growing up'.
The study had no alternative treatment nor a
no-treatment control group/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361309340029
which noted that a small group of autistic children aged 2-3.5 had more skills a year later.
Just about all children do. It's called 'growing up'.
The study had no alternative treatment nor a
no-treatment control group/
There were only 23 children in the main study, so not enough to prove anything.
Nearly all also had an intellectual disability, as well as being autistic.
Only four girls in the main study.
The Vineland score normally goes up when a child gets older./
Nearly all also had an intellectual disability, as well as being autistic.
Only four girls in the main study.
The Vineland score normally goes up when a child gets older./
This paper makes no mention of 40% of the children becoming indistinguishable from their peers.
Perhaps they don't mean that paper at all. But we don't know, because it doesn't say. Which is curious, given the mother has high academic qualifications.
It's very strange, eh.
Perhaps they don't mean that paper at all. But we don't know, because it doesn't say. Which is curious, given the mother has high academic qualifications.
It's very strange, eh.
The scoring on the Vineland system had barely changed, over the year. From 63.5 to 69.9 for example. Vineland questions include standard ones where children naturally learn new skills anyway. It also has questions that worry me a lot. Let's look:
"Is overly dependent". Well, the children were as young as 2 yrs old. What did they expect?
"Prefers to be alone". Mmm, we social differently to ensure we don't have a brain overload and can stay within comfortable autism brain-operating-range/
"Prefers to be alone". Mmm, we social differently to ensure we don't have a brain overload and can stay within comfortable autism brain-operating-range/
"Has eating difficulties". Often sensory based. Pretending we don't have them &/or being forced to eat things that hurt is a sure way to lead to actual eating disorders.
"Has sleep difficulties" For sure if you make a child do enforcement activity 30-50 hrs/wk, they get tired/
"Has sleep difficulties" For sure if you make a child do enforcement activity 30-50 hrs/wk, they get tired/
...and then it might well look like they are sleeping 'better'. Mmm.
"Refuses to go to school..." So, forcing the child to go to school using behaviour enforcement will help because....?
"Is overly anxious" So disguising this rather than helping is helpful because...?/
"Refuses to go to school..." So, forcing the child to go to school using behaviour enforcement will help because....?
"Is overly anxious" So disguising this rather than helping is helpful because...?/
"Cries or laughs too easily" Well, we sure can shut them up and make sure they Don't Laugh Too Much, eh?
(Sigh).
"Has poor eye contact". So, we force them to use non-autistic eye-staring, leading to brain overload and inability to hear (in many cases), because it helps who?/
(Sigh).
"Has poor eye contact". So, we force them to use non-autistic eye-staring, leading to brain overload and inability to hear (in many cases), because it helps who?/
"Is sad for no clear reason" So we'll make them look happy. Er..
"Avoids social interaction" So we'll force them to, even if it's overwhelming and terrifying. Tick.
"Lacks energy or interest in life" So we'll make them look more interesting for their parents.
There are more/
"Avoids social interaction" So we'll force them to, even if it's overwhelming and terrifying. Tick.
"Lacks energy or interest in life" So we'll make them look more interesting for their parents.
There are more/
"Sucks thumb". They're two. They're two years old. Lots stop by age 3, or 4, don't they? Was that ABA that did that?
Onwards...
Acts "overfamiliar" - e.g. Holds hand with strangers. They're two-three years old!/
Onwards...
Acts "overfamiliar" - e.g. Holds hand with strangers. They're two-three years old!/
"Obsessed" with objects. In other words, learning in the normal way for autistic children. So we make them learn in a way that is much harder for them and call that a win.../
"Bizarre speech" which is scored as them repeating words to learn them. They're 2-3 yrs old! /
"Bizarre speech" which is scored as them repeating words to learn them. They're 2-3 yrs old! /
This, my friends, is the scoring system used to 'prove' that ABA can 'normalise' your autistic child.
It's pretty monstrous.
Are you a Politician who was told this worked?
A reminder where to find actual modern research: https://annsautism.blogspot.com/2019/01/autism-some-vital-research-links.html
It's pretty monstrous.
Are you a Politician who was told this worked?
A reminder where to find actual modern research: https://annsautism.blogspot.com/2019/01/autism-some-vital-research-links.html
Goodness me, I wish more of those in charge of the country would ask some actual autistic researchers whether what they're being told is accurate.
It would help a lot.
It would save a lot of broken autistic people, later in life, for a start.
It would help a lot.
It would save a lot of broken autistic people, later in life, for a start.
