ABSTRACT
As soon as they discover their child is autistic, parents discover that there are literally hundreds of treatments on offer. At a time when they are likely to be in distress at the diagnosis and grappling with their child’s difficult behaviours, they may turn in desperation to try a particular intervention that is recommended by friends or other family members or simply turns up in response to an internet search. A sense of urgency fostered by the popular belief that early intervention is imperative encourages parents to act first and ask questions later. Hopes for rapid improvement – and above all offers of ‘cure’ or ‘recovery’ – may lead to the suspension of critical judgements.
