Dan that is a desperately sad situation and an example of how greater understanding might help parents to accept appropiate help for their children.

As a reply to David and perhaps on a little more hopeful level ...

I've quoted in earlier posts 'pro cure' proponents like Jonathan Mitchell but, while finding a cure is, of course, always the long term goal it is also necessary to be realistic in recognizing that for many complex disorders it is a very long term goal

Meanwhile it is my 'wish' to search for those realistic and tested science -based interventions which can be done to significantly improve outcome, and these types of interventions should not be neglected simply because they are not a "cure."

Research priorities should reflect a reasonable balance between searching for a cure and improving outcomes in the meantime.

A randomised controlled trial published online November 30, 2009 in 'Pediatrics' focused on early intervention with toddlers using a group of forty-eight children diagnosed with ASD between 18 and 30 months of age using the The Early Start Denver Model is a play-based approach to teaching sometimes referred to 'play school model' because its key activities took place as part of children's play activities using pre-school facilities.
The study claimed to show that the children who received ESDM showed significant improvements in IQ, adaptive behaviour against a control group who showed greater delays in adaptive behaviour.

Although this test does have statistical significance. it should be noted this is still a smallish study and replication to confirm the results would be welcome; nevertheless it is encouraging