Cost to Benefit Ratio

I have no idea who coined or originated the phrase or concept, but it should be used with all interventions in Autism.

Basically it means that the overall price tag (how much something costs in …& this is important…not just

1.) $$$ …we know there are tons of those involved… but also

2.) Stress on the entire family

3.) Energy to implement

4.) Risk or potential downside including all observed side effects

5.) Time to understand it, get it, buy it & use it

6.) How easily accessible (given your families limitations are) of any intervention

7.) All the other stuff I can’t think of right now associated with it

For example a family with: No Doctor, No Whole Foods, internet access, $500 month in available credit card, who live in the outback of Australia…would have a protocol based on this equation & it would look very different from the family with no extra money, no other children but limitless support from family & access to organic food.

Often times the best way to make educated decisions on this is to do many “trials” of many different things over time. Muscle Testing can narrow the field of options substantially. It is difficult to see the true “cost” & true “benefit” without a trial often times.

When you add all of these together & compare them to any potential up side you make an educated choice.

See Free Things for some stuff when $$$ is the biggest limitation!

Factors to consider:

$$$

time

energy

difficulty to understand

child’s willingness to cooperate

takes oral meds

handles IV’s without being exstensively restrained

reaction to shots (p.s. methyl B12 shots are available with “no sting” at College)

Smell sensitive (they all are on a systemic level, but I mean objection to smells)

Tolerates rubbed on stuff

Will finish later!