Yes, Susan’s book is great - by virtue of the fact that it avoids all the hype that all the other autism epidemic mercenaries/authors employ. Its simply a book about a normal family dealing with a less than normal situation. No locking the kid in the bathroom. No sticking IV needles in his arm. No thumping his head with spiritually tuned forks. Just raising and loving him to the best of their ability. What a concept!

-The other Susan

Thank you for the “crystal-ball” clarity, that there is absolutely nothing ’scientific’ about this - thus it is going into my files as utter pseudo-science.

As for the often claimed assertions of ’spirituality’, I just don’t see it (unless getting rich by suckering vulnerable parents (looking for answers or understanding in some of the only ways they currently know how), is a religious experience).

Re: My edit - Although I personally agree with you about the need for parental thinking, prior to entertaining such nonsensical ideas, I’m working on that as best I can. Although I personally did not find your analysis offensive in any way, I was concerned about any potential emotional parent in our support group (who I may have not yet met). Please understand that one of my goals is to encourage more critical thinking among this group - they collectively have impact in our community, and are open to the idea.

The problem is that the “hypothesis” doesn’t make many testable predictions - it is just a jumble of a priori assertions that have no data to back them up and are largely untestable.

Not that the “Crystal Children” people are going to care two figs for the fact that their “hypothesis” is untestable - they already know that they’re right. Data would just be an pointless confirmation of what they know to be true.

About the only part of this baloney that could be tested is if it works. And it is always perilous to test a “treatment” that has no conceivable mechanism of action, because you have no idea what might interfere with its action. The problem is that if the effect seems hit-and-miss (perhaps because it is due to random events unrelated to the treatment), then any sort of baloney excuse can be used to explain that away (e.g. “negative thoughts”). After all, since you have no idea how it works, you also have no idea what might cause it to not work.

Prometheus

[Partial Comment - Dad Of Cameron]

“Outside of science, Jim Adams pursues autism advocacy efforts here in Phoenix, some of which appear to be valid and helpful.”

I appreciate you pointing readers to neurodiversity.com - besides being a fantastic website, neurodiversity as a concept is so important in and of itself. Kathleen’s tenacity in communicating this importance (as evidenced in her blog posts about the MIND institute) is motivating.

KC’sMom,

Although I personally agree with your view about the unbelievability of this crap being believed by many in general, I think the important take-home message (question) is:

Is it okay to lie, get rich doing it, and screw people in the process (even if they don’t realize it or ‘believe’ they are being screwed or lied to)?

A personal note on Jim Adams - I certainly would not defend his science, but would note that he did spend the time to attempt to answer all my questions scientifically posed. Other researchers might have continued to ignore my questions. This absolutely doesn’t justify anything he’s doing scientifically, nor is it an attempt to do so, but I think it responsible to acknowledge his willingness to try to be scientific (and open to criticism of his version of the ’science’).
Will he do anything about it? Who knows. Perhaps some of the local parents will ask him.

Outside of science, Jim Adams pursues what look like valid autism advocacy efforts here in Phoenix.

To me this is just another money sucking thing.

She’s a what?

Spiritual doctor of psychology and a fourth-generation metaphysician who works with the angelic, elemental, and ascended-master realms in her writings and workshops.”- O.K. that is the weirdest.

That is the biggest heap of crap of heard of in a long time.

Good on you Dad Of Cameron, I am so glad that you can blog about these bloodsuckers. I can’t believe people actually believe crap like that. Unbelievable!

This is a good review of the Indigo children business, and it is a business, as you show.

On the neurodiversity.com website, Kathleen has links to a section of far out ‘cures’ for autism. One of the best ones is “angelic tuning forks”. We could ask Jim Adams if he has done as study on them yet and if not, why not.

No crystals, potions, or incantations. Just common sense, parental effort, and a healthy dose of acceptance of the imperfect.