The press & beating autism stories

I recently read yet another misleading & facile 'beating autism' story in the national press. This time it was about a boy with autism who learned to show love to his mum after getting a cat. The article stopped short of saying he'd been 'cured' but the implication is that by finding a simple key you can 'unlock' someone's autism. If only! I don't want to deny parents hope but unrealistic expections can lead to fruitless & soul-destroying searches for non-existent cures or treatments, & add fuel to the autism industry. (See my previous post about the autism industry.) There is evidence-based help & support out there. Parents should not feel guilty if they can't achieve the happy-ever-after result implied by these fairy stories.