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When our daughter was first diagnosed as autistic, we were overwhelmed. Not by her, but by the system.

We were told we had to rush into therapy. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, ABA, special education. Each session came with a price tag. Sometimes Rs. 2,000, sometimes more. Each “expert” we met had their own plan, and almost every one of them promised that with enough sessions, our daughter would “improve,” or worse, “become normal.”

We asked questions. We pushed back. We were told we were delaying her recovery.

We soon realized this wasn’t just care. It was Business.

The Business of Dependency

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Across the world, especially in places like India and Sri Lanka, autism therapy has become a booming industry. Every day, new centers open. New programs launch. All promising miracles.

But here’s the truth. Many of these models are designed to make parents feel helpless. You’re told you must rely on experts. You’re made to feel guilty if you try something yourself. And in the process, families pour money into a system that offers very little transparency or accountability.

It often starts with a doctor’s recommendation. They suggest a list of therapists, speech, occupational, behavioral, and sometimes even specify where you should go. What most parents don’t realize is that many of these referrals are part of a closed network, where doctors, therapists, and clinics are all linked. You become a client of the system, not just a patient.

This is not a short-term support. This is a long-term business, where families are milked for years. Each new behavior becomes a reason to add more sessions. Each developmental delay is framed as a crisis that only professionals can fix.

And in some cases, it goes even further. Some doctors, despite knowing that autism is not a disease, prescribe medications to children. Medications that affect mood, sleep, and brain chemistry. These are often unnecessary and come with side effects, but parents are told it’s the only way.

Even more troubling, some of these same professionals hold positions in health ministries or advisory boards while also running NGOs or therapy centers for autistic children. This is a clear conflict of interest. They shape national guidelines while personally profiting from the system those guidelines protect.

One parent in our support group said she was spending more on therapy than on food and housing. Another had taken a loan to keep her child enrolled in weekly sessions. When she missed a payment, the therapist told her, “Then don’t expect progress.”

Therapy Can Help, But Not Like This

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Let’s be clear. Therapy, when done right, can be life-changing. A good speech therapist or occupational therapist can help a child communicate, self-regulate and thrive. But not every therapist is trained in neurodiversity-affirming care. Many still follow outdated methods that treat autism as a problem to fix, not a difference to understand.

Some go as far as punishing children for stimming, forcing eye contact, or denying basic needs until a child says a specific word.

And when parents ask questions, they are silenced or made to feel incompetent.

This isn’t therapy. This is emotional blackmail with a price tag.

Why Parents Are Stepping Up

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Here’s what they don’t tell you. You are your child’s best therapist.

Many families across the world are now choosing to homeschool, guide therapy at home, and rely on open resources. With support groups, free content, and AI tools, parents are building their own care models. These are rooted in love, respect, and dignity.

We taught our daughter language using her interests, not flashcards. We learned about gestalt language processors, echolalia and sensory needs. Not from therapists, but from autistic adults and parents like us.

And she is thriving.

So What Needs to Change?

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We don’t need more autism centers. We need better systems. Systems that:

– Empower parents instead of draining them

– Train therapists in neurodiversity-affirming practices, not compliance-based conditioning

– Offer free or subsidized access for families who can’t afford care

– Use technology to support, not replace, human empathy

– Treat children with dignity, not as broken puzzles to fix

– Prevent conflicts of interest by keeping policy separate from profit

To Every Parent Out There

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If you’re feeling lost, please know this. You are not alone, and you are not failing.

This system is designed to overwhelm you. But you have more power than they want you to believe.

You can say no. You can ask why. You can walk away.

And still give your child the love and support they deserve.

Asela (Emily’s Dad)