Most of the children I see in my clinic each week have a diagnosis of autism. Over half of the children we see we are able to mainstream, but it is apparent to everyone that these children will never be completely normal. Parents of these higher functioning children with autism will be able to lead a semi-normal life. For parents of children with moderate to severe autism are not as fortunate. In a recent Schafer Report (January 23, 2009), two articles discuss how having a child with autism "wrecks a parents' life." Furthermore, Dr. Fitzpatrick, author of Defeating Autism: A Damaging Delusion argues that various biomedical treatments that promise to defeat autism now are offering a "false promise" to "grieving " parents.
In my experience, biomedical treatments have not lived up to their promise and multiple disciplines-speech, occupational therapy for fine motor deficits, ABA, and for some kids medication are the only effective therapies. While these therapies can make life better for the child and the parents they do not come anywhere close to curing autism. Certainly, having a child with autism can wreck a parents' life, but getting competent services can help.
