Evaluating Claims for "Cures" or "Your Child's Grades Will Improve--Guaranteed!"

There are a lot of advertisements for treatments, cures,  and remediation of children who struggle in school.  Some promise "cures" or miracles, or say that the problem isn't a learning disability, but the need for a special kind of exercise, or a visual processing condition that medical science cannot diagnose.

How is a parent supposed to figure these things out?

Most of us who have kids with LDs or ADHD have some sort of method of keeping track of our kids' test results, IEPs, and so for.  I use a binder.  Another mom I know (with two kids with more complicated issues) has a portable file box for each kid.  I'd strongly suggest that you add another divider or file, labeled "How to Evaluate Treatment/Remediation Programs".

SchwabLearning published four articles that I recommend that you print out and add to that file.  Here's a quick introduction to the four articles -- some key points quoted.

Myth of a Quick Fix for Learning Disabilities

schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=86

In the information age, being a skeptical consumer has become a necessary part of parenting a child with a learning disability (LD). Given the complexity of LD and the growing array of quick fix "cures" that are becoming available, consumer learning has become a hot topic.

[snip]

Questions to Ask Yourself

    * What is the standard or conventional treatment?
    * How is this program different or better?
    * What do experts in the field say about the program?
    * Who recommended the program? (Independent evaluator? Program vendor? TV advertisement?)
    * Do I think that this program will meet the unique needs of my child?
    * Are there risks, side effects, or downsides to this program?
    * Are the product's claims unreasonable or too good to be true?
    * Does the product promise a cure, quick fix, or radical improvement?

Questions to Ask the Program or Professional

    * What can I expect my child to gain from your program?
    * How do you measure progress?
    * Has any independent research been done on this program? If so, where can I review it?
    * What are the program's success rates? (Don't be satisfied with just a few "testimonials"; ask for numbers and references.)
    * What are the total costs of the program?
    * How much time will be involved? (Length of sessions? Number of sessions per week? How many weeks, months, years?)
    * After children complete this program, how well do they retain the gains they’ve achieved?
    * What is the refund or guarantee policy?


Controversial Treatments for Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=404

Note: this article was written in 2000, and more evidence has come forth about at least one of the treatments the authors mention.

It is critical for parents to seek the best in evaluation, as well as the best in treatment. Evaluations that consist of a single checklist or ten minute discussions, will likely run the risk of mis-diagnosis of the disorder or in fact a misunderstanding of co- occurring problems that often present for children with AD/HD. Symptoms of inattention, restlessness, impulsivity, social and academic difficulties, can reflect a variety of childhood disorders. It is essential to obtain a thorough understanding of problems before attempting to intervene, especially since many children with AD/HD also experience co-existing learning and behavior problems. A good treatment plan follows logically from a thorough evaluation.

There continues to be many questions in need of answers concerning the developmental course, outcome, and treatment of AD/HD. Although there are a number of effective treatments, they may not be equally effective with all children experiencing AD/HD. In their efforts to seek effective help for their children, parents may become desperate. In their desperation, and confused by misinformation in the marketplace, parents may turn to treatments which claim to be useful but which have not been demonstrated to be truly effective in accordance with standards held by the scientific community. We refer to such treatments as controversial. That is, they are marketed beyond their proven worth.

Unfortunately, most parents, no matter how intelligent or well-educated, do not have the training nor expertise necessary to identify and evaluate relevant scientific findings concerning the effectiveness of various treatment which have not as yet met scientific standards for effectiveness. Some of these treatments merit continued research, others do not. We do not recommend these as proven treatments. We know that parents need to be informed about them because they may be offered as proven and accepted approaches to the treatment of AD/HD, which they are not.


Controversial Therapies: Why Do Some Unproven Therapies Become Popular?

schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=634

To be controversial a therapy must have something about it that attracts supporters. I have tried over the years to identify those ingredients that permit some ideas to have a significant number of believers in spite of limited research-based evidence of being meaningful and effective.

   1. Intuitively appealing.
   2. Anecdotal record of success.
   3. Guru factor. The proponent of the therapy is knowledgeable, charismatic, and knows your child. He or she offers to assume the parent's burden, clear up the parent's confusion, and assure the parents that they will never have to look back and experience guilt for what could have been.
   4. No unexplained failures. (In other words, failure is attributed to influences external to the therapy itself.
   5. The lack of research-based support is due to professional jealousy.
   6. All forward progress is related to the therapy.
 
A Non-Researcher's Guide to Interpreting Research Reports

schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=757

Every day, teachers of students with learning disabilities are confronted with decisions regarding how to best educate students for whom many traditional methods do not seem to work. They reflect, share experiences and materials with colleagues, and check the Internet to find descriptions of practices to help. Still, they may often find it difficult to tell reliable practices from snake oil. Teachers may not seriously consider picking up a research journal that reports findings about the problems they are encountering. For many teachers, an abundance of technical and statistical information in many journal articles and a perceived aloofness of researchers make such efforts anything but inviting. Such barriers are often coupled with information overload, a lack of time for reflection, and difficulty determining just what the difference is between "good" and "poor" research.

Two final notes from Denali:

1. If your child has ADHD, join CHADD.  If your child has dyslexia, join the International Dyslexia Associaton.

2. If your school district has a Special Education PTA, join it; if your district doesn't, consider starting one.

Here's the link to the national PTA finder

www.pta.org/jp_find_your_pta.html