This Section of The Autism Sourcebook was the most difficult so far. It was about making the right decisions on treatment options. I am not sure why it was so confusing, it wasn't like it was all about the specific options but it seemed to navigate awkwardly and there was a lot of scientific data on early intervention that was a bit all over the place and in some areas she seemed to be addressing the what ifs rather than the facts. I don't know but the conclusion was that Early Intervention is best...which I already knew...
The part that I did find VERY helpful was "Knowing what to ask in your search for Treatments"
This is my condensed version of her section about asking questions.
1. Ask the Professional to explain the treatment in simple terms
2. Ask if you can observe a session
3. Ask what kind of results they have gotten from this treatment
4. Ask if there is a scientific study backing this treatment, make sure it was a controlled study done by real scientists and it was done by an outside agency
5. Make sure your child's whole "Team"(doctors, therapists and specialists) is on the same page and believe that all the treatments will work together.
6. Ask about your involvement level in the treatment (it should be pretty high, if they do not want you involved much you may question it)
7. How do they measure your child's progress, how often do they re-evaluate.
The last part of the section I skipped because it was about choosing a special school for your child. Which I will most likely not be doing for our son. If we do end up going that route at some point I will look back at that info.
I will share that we have stuck to mostly "natural" diet change treatments thus far and seen some improvements in his appetite and behaviors.(see my "Caring 4 Him" page) And we always know when he has had gluten or been without his "special juice" because his behaviors rear their ugly head more often then what has become "normal" for us.
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