Some fads never die—they only hide behind other names: Facilitated Communication is not and never will be Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Abstract

Parents of nonspeaking children with autism are vulnerable to treatments that promise them a whole, normal child hidden within the nonspeaking child. Facilitated communication (FC) and the rapid prompting method (RPM) have, despite being debunked, flourished in the last decade, due to the ability of the internet to connect parents with individuals who are being facilitated and display eloquent, even advanced communication skills. In order for the medical, psychological, and education fields to effectively combat the rise in FC and RPM, a revolution in the way parents are informed and educated is essential. Parents need training in proven methods and in how to spot fad treatments that offer no evidence of efficacy. To that end it would be helpful to hear from parents who once bought into the debunked treatment, as well as from professionals.

Keywords:

• Fads
• Autism
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Developmental disabilities
• Facilitated communication
• Treatment
• Science-practice gap

Declaration of interests: The author reports no conflicts of interests.