Autism "Treatment"
There is a vast array of autism therapies, some untruthful, unscientific, and disproved. Steroids, cod liver oil, cranial manipulation, chelation therapy, sonar depuration, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, injection of filtered urine, camel's milk, pig whipworm eggs, and restrictive diets are some of the strategies not only disproven to 'cure' autism (autism cannot be cured), but may actually cause harm to an autistic person. Defeat Autism Now (DAN), created by the Autism Research Institute, spread the idea that autism was caused by heavy metals in vaccines, and that chelation therapy, largely used as a pseudoscience, was utilized. As well as this, the Judge Rotenberg Center has used electroshock as a therapy as well as a punishment for autistic children, as well as many deaths from restraint.
Upon research, I have read the stories of several people with autism. I note here that most perspectives that view autism as something to be ashamed of or as the effect of an external factor after birth comes from the perspective of a parent of a child with autism and anti-vaccine advocates, while stories celebrating autism and neurodiversity come from those with autism themselves, mostly adults. However, parents of those with children with autism who don't necessarily have the means or ability to speak out for themselves are also vocal in a fight for false cures. Emma Dalmayne (pictured), for example, fights against bogus autism treatments and cures, as well as other adults with autism speaking out. What do the extreme measures some parents and physicians take to treat and 'cure' autism say about how we as a society perceive autism? As well as this, what does an increase in adult diagnosis of autism say about the stigma of having an autistic child?
Offit, P. A. (2008). Autism’s false prophets: Bad science, risky medicine, and the search for a cure. Columbia University Press.
website, N. (n.d.). Treatments that are not recommended for autism. Nhs.Uk. Retrieved March 1, 2024, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/autism-and-everyday-life/treatments-that-are-not-recommended-for-autism/
Office of the Commissioner. (n.d.). Be Aware of Potentially Dangerous Products and Therapies that Claim to Treat Autism. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved March 1, 2024, from https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/be-aware-potentially-dangerous-products-and-therapies-claim-treat-autism
Zadrozny, B., & Silva, D. (2019, May 21). Parents are poisoning their children with bleach to “cure” autism. These moms are trying to stop it. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/moms-go-undercover-fight-fake-autism-cures-private-facebook-groups-n1007871
Health misinformation survivor stories. (n.d.). Avaaz. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/misinfo_survivor_stories/