Checklist for Autism Treatment Selection
Checklist for Autism Treatment Selection
Green Flag: Every item below that you check off is an indication that you have chosen a treatment worthy of consideration (though it does not guarantee it will be effective). If you decide to pursue a treatment for which you cannot check off certain items below, seek further information on why this is the case.
- The treatment does not claim to cure autism.
- The treatment does not claim to be a quick solution.
- The treatment is individualized for each child.
- The treatment addresses all three of the developmental areas (i.e., communication, social skills, and repetitive/unusual behaviours) affected by autism.
- Therapy is said to help the symptoms and not the causes of autism.
- The service is regulated and/or endorsed by an overseeing professional body.
- The people supervising and delivering the therapy can present evidence of their qualifications, training related to the treatment, and on-going training and/or supervision.
- Published research on the effectiveness of the treatment is readily available in peer-reviewed journals.
- Ongoing research for the treatment is being conducted.
- Therapists allow parents to observe their child receiving the treatment.
- Parents are involved in the treatment.
- Parents are involved in the planning and goal setting.
- Goals set are based on observable behaviours.
- Baseline data are taken before treatment starts.
- Data are recorded and used to make clinical decisions.
- Regular assessments of progress/treatment effectiveness are made.
- Criteria exist for when to stop treatment._
- The providers of the treatment can demonstrate that positive behaviour changes are the direct result of their treatment.
- The treatment does not cause harm, injury, death, or have other negative side effects.
- Positive behaviour changes during treatment occur outside of the treatment setting or when the treatment is stopped.
- For bio-medical treatments, a family doctor has been consulted, recommends or prescribes the treatment, and provides monitoring on an ongoing basis.
Orange Flag: If any of the items below can be checked off, consider it a warning sign that a treatment may not be legitimate or effective. If you decide to pursue a treatment that has any orange flags, do so with caution while seeking further information regarding any checked items.
- The treatment claims to cure autism.
- The treatment promises rapid effects.
- High success rates are claimed.
- The treatment requires little training or expertise.
- Therapy is said to be effective for many different disorders.
- The treatment is promoted as “cutting edge”.
- Claims about the treatment seem too good to be true.
- Medical insurers or governments do not fund the treatment.
- The treatment only addresses one or two of the developmental areas (i.e.,
- communication, social skills, and repetitive/unusual behaviours) affected by autism, rather than all three.
- Professionals in the area of autism have never heard of the therapy.
- The promoters state that proven treatments are unnecessary or harmful.
- The promoters or researchers have a direct stake in the outcomes of the research study.
- i Research is only found within in-house publications.
- The treatment only has a few preliminary studies supporting it.
- The treatment described in research literature seems different from what is provided.
- Evidence about the treatment’s effectiveness differs greatly.
- The treatment is based on theories with no scientific support or on the theory of one “expert” only.
- The treatment only works when combined with a treatment known to be effective.
- Data are not collected on behaviours targeted by the treatment.
- Assessments are not made to determine where to start a treatment, evaluate its effects, or decide when to stop.
Red Flag: If even one of the items below can be checked off, consider it a warning sign that a treatment is not legitimate. It is recommended that you do not pursue any treatment that has a red flag.
- The treatment promises immediate effects.
- The treatment claims to work with all children with autism.
- The treatment is identical for all who purchase it.
- The treatment claims to address the causes of autism.
- The treatment claims to impact something other than the behaviour deficits/excesses associated with autism.
- There is evidence that the treatment may cause harm, injury, or death.
- The treatment uses aversive verbal or physical techniques as the primary method of instruction.
- The treatment could potentially interfere with a proven effective treatment.
- The risks of the treatment outweigh the benefits.
- The treatment is required for life.
- Promoters or providers of the treatment areworkingoutside of their area of expertise.
- Promoters of the treatment use celebrities or catchy slogans to sell their product.
- Testimonies are the only form of support for the treatment.
- Promoters claim that others don’t want you to know about their treatment.
- The treatment is only available through advertisements/internet sites or through a small group of “specialists” or “treatment sites”.
- The treatment is based on improvable theories.
- Promoters of the treatment do not allow anyone to evaluate their therapy.
- No research can be found on the treatment.
- Negative findings from research studies are ignored or dismissed by the promoter and positive results are highlighted.
- Supervision or training in delivery of the treatment is not required.
- Therapists will not allow parents to observe or participate in the treatment.