toms with autism, it is difficult to make a clear diagnosis of autism ("Practice Parameters," 1999, p. 34). Especially with young children who do not have a long history of symptoms, certain symptoms might appear only after the development of other symptoms. The presence of other symptoms, such as significant sensory impairments and mental retardation, often complicate the diagnosis process sufficiently to produce an inaccurate diagnosis. With older autistic individuals, wrong diagnoses can be produced when the information about their early development is not available or inaccurate ("Practice Parameters," 1999, p. 38).
Parents often face the frustration of going from professional to professional without obtaining a definite diagnosis. In other cases, parents do not get a diagnosis until the child is much older because their pediatrician assured them that there was nothing wrong with their child. Working in a vacuum, parents are dependent on neurologists, psychologists and allergists who come up with contradictory diagnoses (Kranowitz, 1998, p. 146). Even without problems, the diagnosis process can last as long as a month and involves parent interviews, multiple observations of parent-child interaction, along with assessments from other specialists (Greenspan & Wieder, 1998, p. 20).
Even after receiving a diagnosis, parents have to confront their feelings about having an autistic child. Especially with young children, parents have to consider the possibility that the specialists have given them the wrong diagnosis. Families and friends often contribute to the parent's emotional confusion by questioning the validity of the diagnosis. Unfortunately, some parents find themselves investing tremendous energy and time in using a therapy, in accordance with the diagnosis, which has no effects on their child. While therapies can be ineffective in treating disorders, it is also likely that the parents have been given a wrong diagnosis (K...