Comments on: Clothes for Therapy?

By: This and Last’s Weeks Top Posts

This and Last’s Weeks Top Posts — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:14:40 +0000

[...] Clothes For TherapyBeverly Cusick, a physical therapist, on TheraTogs, which were originally designed for children with “complex neuromotor disorders.” [...]

By: Top 10 Reasons Life Is Better With Charlie

Top 10 Reasons Life Is Better With Charlie — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:26:51 +0000

[...] I have my pick of some nice fleece pullovers and long-sleeve shirts that Charlie wore for only a short time, before getting too big [...]

By: Niksmom

Niksmom — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:20:22 +0000

Jen, I don’t know about the research end of this particular product but I do know that our experience with other, similar, things has been that parents cannot simply order these items; they need to go through a licensed therapist or physician. Obviously, one could circumvent the (ntent of) the system very easily. I can’t say I would be interested in willy-nilly purchasing something so expensive without first trying it out to see how my son responds. I guess we are fortunate that our therapists are responsible and won’t just recommend something until we’ve tried it multiple times and actually documented the response and results. (And I tend to be skeptical of many so-called treatments.) Huh, I guess we are conducting our own clinical research here? In any case, I don’t think this is for everyone but I do know that Nik responds exceedingly well to the deep pressure. That may have more to do with his concurrent cerebral palsy as much as the autism.

By: Skov

Skov — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:34:13 +0000

I think my son would try them simply because of the super hero look about them. It wouldn’t last more than a few minutes, though.
Every day, without exception, he wears sweat pants, an oversized long sleeve t-shirt, and a short sleeve t-shirt on top of it. His color choices are often unusual, but surprisingly coordinated in their own way. This is much preferable to last summer, when all he ever wanted to wear were Superman pajamas.

By: Regan

Regan — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:21:47 +0000

Jen,
I take your point. We and our children are a population that is currently targeted for all kinds of products with many claims of therapeutic purpose.Thank you for pointing out the limitations of the research.

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 05:03:26 +0000

Linda, I’m not sure if you missed my point, or you just don’t care. The point is, parents and children do not need to fall prey to companies who are well aware of these advertising techniques. Companies know that going after peoples’ emotions, and making it appear that the product is endorsed by experts will get some people to buy it. What parents do not need is to be suckered in to spending money on a scam or a placebo, and they do not need one more thing to sort through in their efforts to find something that will help their children. First establish the proof, then let the world know what a great thing you have. Trying to do it the other way often leads to embarrassment and/or loss of credibility (and I know I can think of an example of this, as I’m sure others can as well, but I don’t think this is the time nor the place to open that can of worms).

By: Marla

Marla — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 04:58:48 +0000

My daughter seems happiest in clothes that twirl. She would not wear this even though she craves deep pressure.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:07:44 +0000

Fleece is available everywhere it seems now, fortunately, and at any price!

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 02:56:11 +0000

Research or not, parents and kids need all the clothing options they can get.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:18:45 +0000

I unfortunately typed out a longer response, but it didn’t go through.
In short, the research on these things is poor, inconclusive, and for many areas, non-existent. Autism is one of the areas in which no research is listed.
The sad part about this is that parents will see the emotional anecdote, and spend several hundred dollars (the prices I found were $300-$800) for these things. This is just one more thing that parents will have to sort through as they look for possible ways to help their children.
I am not saying that research to prove the effectiveness of this product should not be conducted, just the opposite actually. However, the research needs to be done before selling these to the public, who will shell out the money because the company goes for an emotional appeal, and additionally, the “expert” appeal. Whether this is a good product or not, I do not know, but these practices make the company selling it no better than any other company selling a scam to unsuspecting, desperate parents.