The article can be found here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1191843,00.html
On May 10 Penn Jillette had Randi on his radio show to discuss the article and Randi's work in helping to debunk facilitated communication. You can download and listen to the show on Penn's radio site.
As the mother of Autistic twins my heart breaks every time I hear about another attempt to deceive other parents with schemes that do nothing but raise hopes to dash them again.
Here is my letter to TIME's editor. Comments welcome.
After reading the cover story in your May 15th issue and then the separate web piece online I would like to point out a few errors. There are at least 45 separate scientific studies that ALL disprove the validity of facilitated communication. Standing behind someone and lightly touching their shoulder is NOT facilitated communication. Holding the wrist/hand of a child that has no language and moving it over a keyboard so that profound statements about the nature of reality is nothing more then an attempt to emotionally blackmail parents desperate for some sign that their child is aware.
It seems as if there is confusion between facilitated communication and the use of keyboard devices as communication adjuncts. Some Autistics will use a keyboard device such as a laptop computer or a voice simulation program for expression, however they do so without anyone holding their wrist or hand to type. Hand over hand is also used to help some Autistics communicate but it is the child holding the hand of the individual and moving it, not the other way around. There must also be an understanding of the difference between language and communication. Pointing and grunting, shaking of the head, nodding and physical withdrawing are all forms of communication when taken in context of an activity or event. Language is used to express thought and concept either through words or standardized hand movements, i.e. sign language.
Syracuse University and other institutions that promote the use of so called facilitated communication as a way of breaking through the silence for Autistics and their families are doing them a grave injustice. As it stands now there are over 1500 therapies and 'cures' that these families must wade through in hopes of finding a treatment modality to help their loved ones. Many of these are not based on science but are scams designed to make money off the desperate hope of these families. Facilitated communication has been debunked many times over. I am very disappointed that TIME magazine chose this method as the leading point in their story.
Ninety to ninety five percent of Autistics that do not acquire language by the age of 5 will never do so. My daughter was three years old before she started using sign language, her twin brother did not do so til after he turned 5. It was only through the hard work of dedicated Speech Language Pathologists and other therapists, teachers and aides that they communicate today. This where TIME should be focusing in it's look at breaking the silence of Autistics.
Sincerely,
Boo
On May 10 Penn Jillette had Randi on his radio show to discuss the article and Randi's work in helping to debunk facilitated communication. You can download and listen to the show on Penn's radio site.
As the mother of Autistic twins my heart breaks every time I hear about another attempt to deceive other parents with schemes that do nothing but raise hopes to dash them again.
Here is my letter to TIME's editor. Comments welcome.
After reading the cover story in your May 15th issue and then the separate web piece online I would like to point out a few errors. There are at least 45 separate scientific studies that ALL disprove the validity of facilitated communication. Standing behind someone and lightly touching their shoulder is NOT facilitated communication. Holding the wrist/hand of a child that has no language and moving it over a keyboard so that profound statements about the nature of reality is nothing more then an attempt to emotionally blackmail parents desperate for some sign that their child is aware.
It seems as if there is confusion between facilitated communication and the use of keyboard devices as communication adjuncts. Some Autistics will use a keyboard device such as a laptop computer or a voice simulation program for expression, however they do so without anyone holding their wrist or hand to type. Hand over hand is also used to help some Autistics communicate but it is the child holding the hand of the individual and moving it, not the other way around. There must also be an understanding of the difference between language and communication. Pointing and grunting, shaking of the head, nodding and physical withdrawing are all forms of communication when taken in context of an activity or event. Language is used to express thought and concept either through words or standardized hand movements, i.e. sign language.
Syracuse University and other institutions that promote the use of so called facilitated communication as a way of breaking through the silence for Autistics and their families are doing them a grave injustice. As it stands now there are over 1500 therapies and 'cures' that these families must wade through in hopes of finding a treatment modality to help their loved ones. Many of these are not based on science but are scams designed to make money off the desperate hope of these families. Facilitated communication has been debunked many times over. I am very disappointed that TIME magazine chose this method as the leading point in their story.
Ninety to ninety five percent of Autistics that do not acquire language by the age of 5 will never do so. My daughter was three years old before she started using sign language, her twin brother did not do so til after he turned 5. It was only through the hard work of dedicated Speech Language Pathologists and other therapists, teachers and aides that they communicate today. This where TIME should be focusing in it's look at breaking the silence of Autistics.
Sincerely,
Boo
