tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post4955384913419633630..comments2023-12-02T09:37:08.472-05:00Comments on Autism Jabberwocky: Michelle Dawson writes a letterM.J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12033918835169823548noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-68347566065512171622019-02-18T19:44:13.497-05:002019-02-18T19:44:13.497-05:00I would like to ask a question to all the people b...I would like to ask a question to all the people bashing Michelle Dawson for speaking out against ABA. You say it is evidence based but that can only mean,in this case that on the surface it produces. a more 'normal' child. How do you know that there is any soulful substance to their more socially acceptable behavior? All ABA does is train the Autistic child to copy and pastse 'normal' behavior despite their lack of understanding of it's significance. ABA trains the Autistic child to hide their pain. ABA advocates may say that they are teaching the child to express their pain and discomfort in a more appropriate way but that may be difficult for someone who is a rigid mono thinker. It is not by choice that they think in mono. It is how their brains are wired. 'Holding therapy ' or 'electric shock therapy' is evidence based on the surface. The child is forced to give the desired responses and be more compliant but at what cost? The irony of all this is that it is Autistics who are believed to lack empathy.Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03654761342618618754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-62501827831875959422010-03-19T22:44:34.032-04:002010-03-19T22:44:34.032-04:00Hi again, Glasers, friendly greetings to you.
I ...Hi again, Glasers, friendly greetings to you. <br /><br />I think the reason why no long-term studies of the results of ABA don't exist is because - they know the results would be dismal. It doesn't work very well for most autistic kids. Any program that involves parents or adults getting down on the floor (so to speak) with their children, and attempting to experience what the child experiences, is bound to be more efficacious.Clayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09424036357963352399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-66750707291583998002010-03-19T22:36:39.513-04:002010-03-19T22:36:39.513-04:00Thanks MJ.
There is a lot of studies of adults wi...Thanks MJ.<br /><br />There is a lot of studies of adults with autism, some of whom would have been ABA kids and some not. The long term is not good (12 to 15 percent are employed, and much less are independent or have relationships and friendships). ABA has been around much longer than any other therapy, and I was hoping somebody would have checked into the long-term outcomes by now.<br /><br />RDI had been awesome for my daughter, especially considering we only started it 3 years ago when she was turning 18 yo! The whole neural plasticity bug-a-boo is not the end of the world . . .<br /><br />THANKS!walkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05046468024103932112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-89493748601149473982010-03-19T20:11:15.756-04:002010-03-19T20:11:15.756-04:00I don't think there have been many studies tha...I don't think there have been many studies that have looked at the outcomes for any treatment in adulthood, let alone ABA. <br /><br />I am glad that you had a good experience with RDI with your daughter. As you say, RDI doesn't have as much evidence behind it but that doesn't mean it can't work. <br /><br />There isn't a single type of therapy that will work for every person, you have to find what works for your particular circumstances.M.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12033918835169823548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-44302227410221517122010-03-18T12:57:40.458-04:002010-03-18T12:57:40.458-04:00Are there any studies that have followed graduates...Are there any studies that have followed graduates of ABA into adulthood? Do they have meaningful work? Can they have a conversation that is not scripted and meanders from one thread to another? Do they have friends? Are they able to live independent lives?<br /><br />My autie daughter is 20yo and she is not severely autistic (but was severely aphasiac for many years). She is not high functioning enough to attend college. But, we do see her ability to interact with people blooming thanks to RDI. There are not enough studies to back RDI yet because it is an emerging therapy. I can see with my own eyes (biased, yes, but observant) how much she has grown in the past three years!walkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05046468024103932112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-28177105058535420422010-03-05T18:29:53.433-05:002010-03-05T18:29:53.433-05:00Well, I hope you and Jonboy enjoyed it. I know I d...Well, I hope you and Jonboy enjoyed it. I know <b>I</b> did! ;-)<br /><br />It'll be on my blog, soon enough.Clayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09424036357963352399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-37758096705951144782010-03-05T17:21:19.755-05:002010-03-05T17:21:19.755-05:00Clay,
You are more than welcome to leave relevan...Clay, <br /><br />You are more than welcome to leave relevant comments (or even slightly irrelevant ones). However, I will remove comments that are purely derogatory - especially when they are set to song lyrics.M.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12033918835169823548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-76080025400516593832010-03-05T16:48:30.402-05:002010-03-05T16:48:30.402-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Clayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09424036357963352399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-48370341655977954512010-03-04T18:58:24.929-05:002010-03-04T18:58:24.929-05:00Jonathan, you are indeed correct that Michelle Daw...Jonathan, you are indeed correct that Michelle Dawson didn't write this letter alone. I am not as familiar with Morton Gernsbacher's work so I refrained from commenting about her involvement.<br /><br />But from what you and Harold pointed out, it seems that Gernsbacher hold very similar view's to Michelle Dawson.<br /><br />I wish I could understand why people like this feel the need to bash treatments like ABA - is isn't perfect but it does help.M.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12033918835169823548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-55478307516456394592010-03-04T13:05:06.559-05:002010-03-04T13:05:06.559-05:00Brett,
I am deleting your comments because they d...Brett,<br /><br />I am deleting your comments because they don't seem to be related to the post and seem to be more like spam.M.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12033918835169823548noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-18625725134391843492010-03-04T07:42:11.907-05:002010-03-04T07:42:11.907-05:00Excellent post. Michelle Dawson has actively oppo...Excellent post. Michelle Dawson has actively opposed Canadian parents seeking government funded ABA services for their own autistic children for many years. As you point out Ms Dawson does not appear to understand the "evidence based" concept or the negative implications of rejecting the most evidence based intervention available to help autistic children.<br /><br />The Gernsbacher connection mentioned by Jonathan is also interesting in respect of the ABA issue. Professor Edward K. Morris of the University of Kansas has published a scathing critque of Professor Gernsbacher's anti-ABA ideology and the harm it has caused in "A Case Study in the Misrepresentation of Applied Behavior Analysis in Autism: The Gernsbacher Lecture" which can be accessed at:<br /><br />http://paulcoynephd.typepad.com/files/a-case-study-in-the-misreprensentation-of-applied-behavior-analysis-in-autim--the-gernsabacher-lectures.pdfAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05838571980003579163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-76962447897288754762010-03-04T03:32:00.006-05:002010-03-04T03:32:00.006-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.bretthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14083685843974034714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1892134081049774386.post-54665569262744590292010-03-04T01:32:38.557-05:002010-03-04T01:32:38.557-05:00MJ Michelle Dawson did not write this letter alone...MJ Michelle Dawson did not write this letter alone. You also note Morton Gernsbacher's name on the letter with michelle Dawson's. <br /><br />Morton Gernsbacher is someone who has also written a piece claiming autism is not harmful entitled autism:common heritable but not harmful which was coauthored with michelle dawson and Laurent Mottron. <br /><br />Gernsbacher has also written that severely autistic persons have made great contributions to arts and sciences in her essay entitled autistics need acceptance not cure.jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972394536850151087noreply@blogger.com