California Endorses Dangerous Autism Pseudoscience

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(--sticky-padding-top)" dir="auto" data-turn-id="7ea2af50-aaa6-4be6-963e-489f7a996a8e" data-turn-id-container="7ea2af50-aaa6-4be6-963e-489f7a996a8e" data-testid="conversation-turn-159" data-turn="user"> *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-0" data-turn-id-container= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-160" data-turn="assistant"> Stuart Vyse argues that California's State Council on Developmental Disabilities has endorsed discredited communication methods such as facilitated communication, rapid prompting, and spelling to communicate despite overwhelming evidence against their validity and warnings from major professional organizations. He warns that the policy could legitimize pseudoscience, encourage public funding and institutional accommodation of these techniques, and expose autistic people and others with limited speech to serious harm. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/california-endorses-dangerous-autism-pseudoscience/#stuart-vyse About the Author: Stuart Vyse is a psychologist and author of Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition, which won the William James Book Award of the American Psychological Association. He is also author of Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their Money. As an expert on irrational behavior, he is frequently quoted in the press and has made appearances on CNN International, the PBS NewsHour, and NPR's Science Friday. He can be found on Twitter at @stuartvyse. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/