Severe Autism and Perpetual Self Injury: 109 Hits Per Hour

109.

As in 109 hits per hour by an autistic child injuring himself/herself. This information was provided as part of a case study reported in a recent Johns Hopkins Newsletter. The study reported that, ECT, or electroconvulsive therapy, was used to treat an autistic child who was hitting himself/herself 109 times per hour. The report states that the therapy resulted in a reduction from 109 to 19 hits per hour, permitting behavioral therapy and even attendance at educational programs - a substantial improvement in the child's quality of life.

Apart from the outcome of the ECT therapy, about which therapy Christine has commented and raised some very serous concerns, the perpetual nature of the self injury engaged in by this autistic child shows how utterly absurd the idea is that we can not discuss autism in terms of functioning labels or degree of severity. It is extreme denialism to suggest that a child who injures himself/herself 109 times per hour is not severely affected by his/her autism. It is extreme denialism to suggest that such a child is anything other than low functioning. It is extreme denialism to suggest that a child, or an adult, who injures himself 109 times per hour, who injures himself perpetually, does not suffer from a serious medical disorder. It is extreme denialism to suggest that a person who is perpetually injuring himself, herself does not require treatment and, if possible, a cure.

Ari Ne'eman, Amanda Baggs and Michelle Dawson can appear on CBC, and other ill informed, gullible news media, pretending to speak for all persons with autism, and declare that they do not want to be cured of their autism. But they have no right to make such declarations on behalf of those autistic persons like the child in the Johns Hopkins report who injured himself/herself 109 times per hour until treated.

autism

Johns Hopkins Reports ECT Helped Autistic Child Reduce Severe Self Injury

Deanna Chieco, in the Johns Hopkins Newsletter, reports on a case study in which ECT, electro convulsive therapy, was used to treat a young autistic child who was incurring 109 self injurious incidents per hour. With ECT the self injurious behavior was reduced from 109 to 19 incidents per hour, permitting the child to be able to attend educational programs, behavioral therapies and family activities and thus dramatically improving the child's quality of life.

This article and the study on which it reports should be must reads for parents of autistic children, neurodiversity ideologues, autism therapists and health care professionals and researchers. Reducing severe self injurious behavior should have no ideological component. Even Michelle Dawson, Ari Ne'eman and Estee Klar will have a difficult time arguing that dangerous, life restricting behaviors should not be reduced by treatment.

autism