Response to “Scientifically Unsupported and Supported Interventions for Childhood Psychopathology: A Summary”

To the Editor. We were surprised that the American Academy of Pediatrics would publish an article with so many inaccuracies.1 Although we don't know about all treatments for autism, we do know about facilitated communication (FC). Our daughter, Sue Rubin, who has autism, started using it in 1991 with physical support at the wrist. After 5 years of fading support, she started typing independently, although she still needs a facilitator nearby to keep her focused. She graduated from high school with honors, got 1370 on the SAT test, and is now a junior at Whittier College, taking 1 class each semester. Our daughter is now able to inhibit a lot of the destructive autistic behaviors that ruled her life, enjoys the friendship of both disabled and …