Comments on: New Kit Allows For At-Home Autism Diagnosis http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/09/15/autism-diagnosis/4932/ Developmental Disability News Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:55:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: bobsuvak http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/09/15/autism-diagnosis/4932/comment-page-1/#comment-597 bobsuvak Tue, 15 Sep 2009 23:59:19 +0000 http://www.disabilityscoop.com/?p=4932#comment-597 I am a little sceptical about this announcement of the product from the LENA Foundation. Doing a little research, I found that the LENA Foundation is headed (CEO Terry Paul) by the "creator" of the product. Doing a little research, I could not find the research credentials of Terry Paul, but he is not listed in the LENA website as either a doctor nor a Phd in any field. The 91% accuracy rate seems to be self-reported by LENA and I couldn't find any published research studies to back it up (except for a slight reference to a study involving 24 people which to me seems to be too small to be significant). In addition, the LENA Foundation markets the product to clinicians with the following (quoted from LENA website): "Get a Terrific Report Packet and Drive Business Growth You pay: $180.00 You bill: $300.00 ------------------ Your profit: $120.00" This seems to be a little crass and smacks of another pseudo-science practice aimed at desperate parents ... along the line of the junk science pushed by the !DAN (Defeat Autism Now) practitioners. I urge a lot of caution when reading this article. -- Bob S. I am a little sceptical about this announcement of the product from the LENA Foundation. Doing a little research, I found that the LENA Foundation is headed (CEO Terry Paul) by the “creator” of the product. Doing a little research, I could not find the research credentials of Terry Paul, but he is not listed in the LENA website as either a doctor nor a Phd in any field. The 91% accuracy rate seems to be self-reported by LENA and I couldn’t find any published research studies to back it up (except for a slight reference to a study involving 24 people which to me seems to be too small to be significant).

In addition, the LENA Foundation markets the product to clinicians with the following (quoted from LENA website):

“Get a Terrific Report Packet and Drive Business Growth
You pay: $180.00
You bill: $300.00
——————
Your profit: $120.00″

This seems to be a little crass and smacks of another pseudo-science practice aimed at desperate parents … along the line of the junk science pushed by the !DAN (Defeat Autism Now) practitioners.

I urge a lot of caution when reading this article.

– Bob S.

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