Credit Where Credit is Due

Anyone who has dwelt upon the various talking points of the ongoing debate between what I will loosely refer to as "cure" vs. "acceptance" philosophies has come across this one:
How does one know when a particular treatment/intervention is working?
The short answer, so as not to keep you in suspense, is: One doesn't.

The issue, taken in its entirety, is far more complex than the short answer implies.

Before proceeding, a definition of "treatment" would be beneficial. For the purpose of this discussion: ABA, IBI, IVIg, Sensory Integration, Secretin, Music Therapy, ALA, Hippotherapy, Floor Time, RDI, Chelation, Auditory Integration Therapy, Seroquel, SLT, GFCF diet, Lupron, OT, etc, etc, etc...
All of the above listed treatments were conceived of to reduce/moderate/eliminate behaviors associated with Autism Disorder ( a questionable goal, but that is a topic for another post). Needless to say, some are far more dangerous and invasive than others, and some far more adequately researched than others as well.

There are numerous obstacles to knowing which, if any, of these treatments are effective in achieving their desired results. Among these are the Placebo Effect (applied to observers as well as subjects) and the distortion produced by applying numerous treatments simultaneously, which is most often the case. The logical and scientific analyses embodied by these effects are legitimate, but they completely overlook the really important issue: How will a person change and develop over time in the complete absence of "named" treatments? Or, to put it another way, does a good ol' dose of understanding, love, dignity, and familial "safe-harbor" help an autistic individual to achieve all, and more, than the named treatments can?
And this is where we arrive at the point of the discussion. Let's give credit where credit is due.
And I would submit that credit is due to the autistic person him/herself. They are the ones who hold the ultimate responsibility for their outcome. It is through their own efforts that they succeed in becoming the people that they want to be! It may come as a surprise to many parents that autistic kids, just like neurotypical kids, progress through various stages of development - each one with its own set of benefits and detriments. Its called growing up. And "treatment" is not required for a child to grow up.
There are many parents out there who continually trumpet their efforts as being the catalyst for their child's success. One mom recently, in an incredibly vainglorious display, posted a video showing her son's "episode" at the local DAN! doc's office receiving IV chelation. Regardless of what one believes of the efficacy of chelation therapy, consider the point that her cheerful, inquisitive, friendly, autistic son's changing behaviors were being attributed, in his mother's eyes, to the intravenous drip from a plastic bag - not to the boy himself. And therein lies the fallacy. It seems to be very difficult for some people to ascribe positive behavioral changes in an autistic person to the person themself, and not some external factor. Furthermore, many parents claim too much credit for their role in "recovering" their child.
This discussion is not intended to imply that the actions of parents are not meaningful, that the duties of parents are not significant. It would require a fool to believe that autistic children need any less guidance or support than neurotypical ones. And I will be the first to admit that, in many cases, a higher degree of commitment is required to guide our autistic kids through the complexities they will encounter at all stages of development.
In my family, we have selected a modified version of ABA, speech therapy, and some OT to help our son gain important skills. But ultimately, he is the one who has to actually do the work.
My point is solely this: Let's give credit where credit is due - to the kids, adolescents, young adults, and adults themselves. Not to the aforementioned treatments, which can only serve to assist the natural, human processes that will take place regardless of what neurological conditions prevail.