Fake accounts promote non -scientifically proven drugs for “autism”

Social media and websites contributed to the promotion of scientifically unproven treatments, the most recent of which was the autism spectrum, as pages have recently spread to those in charge of unknown medical and herbal products, and popular therapeutic recipes, claiming that they have the ability to treat the autism spectrum permanently.

Doctors warned against driving behind these non -scientific allegations, pointing out that they pose a threat to the health of the child, and expose him to great complications.

They emphasized that the safest and influential way is early intervention based on scientific foundations, family support, and acceptance of autism as part of the human nervous diversity, not as a disease that requires treatment.

They also stressed that a large part of the problem is that «misleading health news is spreading easily and very quickly, because it often gives false hopes, and soon this information is shared millions of times, and what is believed to be the miracle treatment is the subject of hadiths and discussions, as social media sites play an important role in the speed of spreading wrong information. Effectiveness, but may be dangerous.

Disturbing allegations

In detail, the Zayed Upper Foundation for people of determination warned against drifting behind advertisements or bodies that promote treatments or programs that are not approved for people of determination, especially those with autism spectrum disorder, stressing that any treatment or rehabilitation interventions should be issued only by reliable and officially accredited bodies from health, organizational and specialized authorities in the state, in order to ensure the safety of children, and avoid exposure For any health or psychological risks resulting from misleading or non -scientific information.

The pediatrician, Dr. Hani Al -Hindawi, warned against resorting to this type of prescriptions, or medical products, which are sold over the Internet, stressing that it involves misleading allegations, such as the claim that it has the ability to treat autism completely, especially since the approved scientific recommendations do not recommend a specific treatment for autistic patients, because their usefulness is not proven, as the treatment of autism requires behavioral programs and rehabilitation according to each case, and thus. A precious time should not be lost in such treatments.

He said that «the resort of autistic patients of recipes and treatment mixtures online, a major problem that may threaten the lives of their children and their exposure to health risks», stressing that he received patients who suffered healthy symptoms because of their consumption of medical products, they obtained from social media, and the results were inverse, stressing that “the resort of people with the autistic spectrum to the Internet recipes is a red line, where the child’s exposure to complications increases, A healthy health setbacks.

Support and services

“When the child is diagnosed with autism in the UAE, parents find themselves in front of great challenges: long waiting lists, a variation in the quality of services, a high cost of treatment in the private sector,” said Dr. Imad Faraj’s psychiatric consultant, Dr. Imad Faraj. Despite the remarkable progress made by the state in the field of awareness of autism and the provision of early intervention, there are still existing gaps, which are the difficulty of accessing services and the lack of sufficient community support.

He added: «In light of this reality, many parents resort to social media in search of advice or help, and they often face accounts about the presence of treatments that are magic, such as strict diets, herbs, or unlicensed medicines. Some of them may realize the risks of these options, but their deep desire to help their children sometimes lead them to experience. ”

He pointed out that «these decisions do not stem from neglect, but from love, fear and hope, as many families, especially those who have waited for years to obtain a diagnosis, or have suffered the cost of continuous treatment, see in these allegations a glimmer of hope. In some cases, a societal pressure is added to this resulting from the stigma associated with disability, which leads some parents to find a quick solution to change the reality of their child.

He continued that «the UAE has achieved advanced steps in the age -supporting policies of people with determination, providing autism centers, and increasing societal awareness. However, there is an urgent need to enhance reliable health education, organize health content on the Internet, and provide affordable early costs, because the access of scientific and sympathetic support to the parents early reduces the possibility of their resort to harmful treatments.

He warned that some of the “alternative treatments” contained on the Internet containing dangerous materials, industrial chemicals, or treatments such as the MMS (ovarian -like compounds), mineral removal medications without medical supervision, and these substances may cause liver and kidney damage, epilepsy seizures, severe intestinal problems, or even death in some cases.

He continued: «In addition, some families follow excessive food diets (such as a totally free diet of gluten and casinos) without the supervision of a nutritionist, which exposes the child to the risk of malnutrition, especially if he suffers from eating disorders, as is common in many children with autism.

Faraj stressed that «repeated exposure to disturbing or painful treatments without understanding it may cause anxiety, loss of confidence, and exposing him to long -term psychological trauma, especially if he is unable to express pain or rejection. Also, some of these treatments are practiced on the child without his consent or awareness, which weakens his feeling of independence and dignity, and enhances a implicit feeling that he must change to be acceptable, which may negatively affect his view of himself, and generate a feeling of shame or internal rejection.

He stressed that «the use of unintended treatments is wasteful time that can be exploited in scientifically proven interventions, such as behavioral therapy (ABA), functional therapy, or pronunciation and speech. These delays hinder the development of the child in the areas of communication, behavior and independence, and the focus on recovery instead of support enhances a social stigma, and delays the family’s acceptance of the child as it is, which negatively affects the emotional environment that he needs to grow with confidence », noting that“ fake treatments constitute a psychological and economic burden on the family. And when its fruits are not affected, the parents feel frustrated, guilty and lost hope, which affects their psychological stability and their relationship to the child.

Fake treatments

The director of the Emirates Autism Center, Amal Jalal Sabry, said, “Parents are ready to try anything that may give them a glimmer of hope, especially when they feel that the improvement is slow or incalculator, so their feelings are exploited by inadvertently offering false promises,” noting that “these fake treatments have various damages, including a direct health risk, where some materials are not licensed or inappropriate for children with autism, and they have caused. Dangerous side effects on them. ”

She added that «preoccupation with fake treatments causes wasting precious time, which could be invested in approved evidence -based intervention programs, along with the psychological harm to the family after discovering the fact that it was not useful, as the family is frustrated, lost confidence in the correct treatment, and financial losses after paying thousands of dirhams in exchange for fake products or treatments that are not related to science.

She pointed out that «the Emirates Autism Center received several cases of families that were exhausted by failed experiments of non -medical treatments, some of which were very expensive, and some of them led to the deterioration of the child’s behavior, and the injured child and the family were dealt with by providing awareness and scientific guidance, transforming the child for careful evaluation, and supporting the family psychologically and morally to restore confidence in the approved scientific programs, in addition to spreading awareness to warn of misleading promotion.

Families that have a child with autism spectrum called for not to be drawn into any party claiming the existence of a final treatment for the autism spectrum disorder, stressing that “the autism spectrum is not a disease that is treated, but rather a condition that can improve and progress with educational and behavioral interventions based on evidence, which has proven effective, which requires preserving our children and trusting science, and not making hope a door to enter the fragments.”

Early intervention

“There is no cure or a healing program for autism, but there are interventions that help relieve unwanted symptoms and behavior, and help to practice life normally, and include pharmaceutical, psychological and social interventions,” said the integration specialist, Zainab Khalfan,.

She said: “Although studies were unable to reach a specific treatment, the effectiveness of early and intense intervention has proven, as it can cause a significant change in the child’s life, including using the mechanism of integration.”

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External centers

Incorriding specialists revealed the travel of families to centers and clinics existing outside the country, taking advantage of the need of families to treat the child, by promoting treatments, depending on only two study or studies, without the presence of approved, generalized or permitted results.

They emphasized that the autism spectrum is a developmental offer and not a disease, noting that most of the victims in these cases are mothers, because of their strong desire to see their children improve, as they are taught through advertisements that promote the ability of these clinics to treat people with autism permanently.

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The silent burden

The psychiatric consultant, Dr. Imad Faraj, stressed that raising a child with autism in the Emirates is a journey full of love, but it is also full of psychological and emotional fatigue.

He said, “Behind every treatment session, and every attempt to integrate a school, and every difficult day, a mother or a father, each of them exerts his best in light of a support system that is still under development», and pointed to studies that show that parents of children with autism are more likely to worry, depression and chronic stress.

He said: “Despite the availability of high -quality psychological health services, some families, especially in traditional societies, are still hesitant to seek help due to the stigma of mental illness, so the support of families is not only a medical or educational necessity, but a societal responsibility, and when parents get the support they need, their children flourish, and this is reflected in the strength and cohesion of society.”

. Delaying treatment may hinder the child’s development in the areas of communication, behavior and independence.

. Autism should be accepted as part of the human nervous diversity, not as a disease that requires treatment.