From the beginning, families are fed a doom and gloom narrative, told to immediately engage with “early intervention.” These interventions are built upon a generic framework associated with the word autism, deeply rooted in behaviorism and delivered by occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and psychologists. Behaviorism urges a focus onto the autistic child’s outer expression. The child’s communication—the byproduct of a rich inner world filled with beauty and intricate, overlapping sensory experiences—those experiences are not of interest to the early intervener. This communication or
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