Dear Ms. Grasswill:
I watched “I Am Jack” on Australian Story (October 6, 2014) and read your article, “Hope for autistic teens: How Applied Behaviour Analysis helped Ian Rogerson’s son Jack overturn bleak prognosis,” with great interest. You have done well in capturing the poignant moment when a family learns that their child may never live a normal life. And too, how many families refuse to accept the dismal sentence, and forge their own solution.
The Rogersons are a sterling example of both the commitment and resolve of the family, the level of challenge they needed to overcome, and the rewards that they could attain. They were fortunate to find information that led them to develop applied behavior analysis (ABA) – based treatments from among the many alternatives.
Your reporting stands out in giving an accurate picture of the process of ABA, from the pragmatic starting point to the natural and generalized culmination of treatment. It was also insightful to outline the effective options for teenagers, in addition to the prime value of early intervention.
I hope that the Rogerson’s story proves to be an inspiration to policy makers and that the potential of ABA is opened up for more families. As Ms. Rogerson said, “Unless the Government makes a genuine investment in this area, so many children are not going to reach their best outcome and I think that’s a tragedy.”
Our congratulations to the family and to all who assisted them in their journey.
The Association for Science in Autism Treatment stands forth to help families learn of science-based solutions for their children, and dispel the myths that surround many unhelpful treatments. More information can be found at: https://asatonline.org.
Eric Larsson, PhD, BCBA-D
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
