Dear Ottawa Citizen,
First and foremost, we want to thank you for publishing the editorial by our colleague Beverley Sharpe, “A national strategy for autism would help save families and save taxpayers’ money. So where is it?”
What a powerful account of a mother’s journey to help her daughter with autism realize her fullest potential through applied behavior analysis (ABA), a therapy that enjoys several decades of scientific support published in peer reviewed journals. Although individuals with autism can learn and progress across their lifespan, it is widely understood that the earlier intensive behavior analytic therapy begins, the greater the potential for an optimal outcome. Your readers can learn more about the research basis for early intervention and read about its implementation even with children as young as 18 months.
Sadly, Ms. Sharpe’s account of the difficult decisions she was forced to make to secure therapy for her daughter is not unique. It is our understanding from our many Canadian members that your Medicare system is one of the defining features of what it means to be a Canadian. This failure to meet the needs of children with autism and their families appears to be a disconnect from the government’s commitment that none of its citizens would go bankrupt due to medical expenses.
The fact that adequate, high quality therapy funded early can save a tremendous amount of resources over an individual’s lifespan should guide the conversation when evaluating costs and benefits. It our hope that the next generation of Canadian families will not need to make the painful choices that Ms. Sharpe had to make just to provide her daughter with needed therapy.
Ms. Sharpe aptly quoted Mahatma Gandhi: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.” It is time for Canada to provide the very best that science has to offer, to fund it adequately, and to incorporate such treatment into Medicare across all of it provinces.
Sincerely,
David Celiberti, PhD, BCBA-D and Sabrina Freeman, PhD
Association for Science in Autism Treatment
