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Media Watch Letters
Source Dear Ms. Brown, We appreciate your effort to spotlight interventions for children with autism. Unfortunately, this particular piece contains inaccuracies to the potential detriment of children with autism and their families. For example, in the article, Dr. Gabriels is quoted as saying that “Choosing the right therapy for an autistic child depends largely…
Source Mr. LaMendola, I read with great concern your article, “Castration Drug Given to Kids as Autism Therapy.” I commend you for reporting that such a treatment is controversial and for acknowledging that the medical establishment does not condone the use of Lupron. As you indicated, children with autism are often subjected to a…
Source Dear Ms. Tsouderos: In your recent article entitled, “FDA Warns Maker of Product Used as Alternative Autism Treatment” (June 23, 2010), you have once again provided a vital public service by informing readers about the shortcomings of pseudo-scientific treatments for autism, in this case OSR#1. As you mention in the article, the lead…
Source Mr. O’ Brien, Thank you for sharing this story and for informing your readers about the existing level of support for applied behavior analysis. Ireland’s Department of Education is making some dangerous and unfounded assumptions. Acting upon these assumptions will harm children, squelch progress, and lead to generations of soon-to-be-adults with autism who…
Source For a number of years now, scientific studies have confirmed that vaccines are not causally linked to autism. That is the good news. Despite this evidence, however, those in the anti-vaccination community continue to suggest otherwise, much to the detriment of parents of children with autism who are not trained to interpret and…
Source Dear Mr. Childs, Ms. Salahi, and Dr. Mazzeo, On behalf of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), we would like to thank and commend you for your article “A Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet No Remedy for Autism” (May 19, 2010). This is a time when families of children with autism are bombarded…
Source Dear Psychology Today, On behalf of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), we would like to thank you for continuing to host Dr. Bill Ahearn’s blog, “The Radical Behaviorist” on your website. Dr. Ahearn provides a much needed scientific perspective on the field of autism treatment and he does it in…
Source On behalf of the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT), we would like to commend Carla K. Johnson for her recent article entitled, “Evidence lacking for special diets in autism” (January 3, 2010). Parents of children with autism are presented with a bewildering number of treatment options, often to the point of…
Source Dear Ms. Berlinger: Twenty-five years ago, I read a book about the Son-Rise Program® as part of an undergraduate psychology course. It was a compelling story. To date, there has not been a single study documenting the effectiveness of this method. This is not unique to Son-Rise Program. Autism treatment has become a…
Source Dear Ms. Hjalmarson: Thank you sharing this important story with your readers. We applaud the Highlands Center for Autism for making such a commitment to these precious children and for relying on objective data to guide efforts to help them realize their fullest potential. Of the dozens of treatments for autism, applied behavior analysis…
Source Dear Ms. Kelland: The Lancet can retract the 1998 article authored by Dr. Wakefield. Unfortunately, what cannot be retracted is the impact this article has had on promulgating misinformation about the cause of autism, increasing the number of unvaccinated children, and creating a media frenzy that allowed celebrities to be accepted as experts…