# Facilitated Communication rears its ugly head again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 13, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134 "2008-04-13T05:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/41 "2008-04-14T23:34:30Z")
**WhyNot-** -we use letter boards and word boards for some pts (mostly aphasics). It can be tedious, but very effective. Plus, many of the pts create a type of shorthand, much like texting. I feel sorry for the girl and the mom, but George shouldn’t be feeding the delusion. What has happened to journalism (of this kind)? Pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2008, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/42 "2008-04-15T06:18:05Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] thr wuick brie, goc jumprf ibrt yjt ldcu dig, [/QUOTE] Maybe if I hunt and peck for this, it will go back to the original! tht euicl brir ggicv jmumog ibry iyki lgcu gih. Wow, that was full of fail :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/43 "2008-04-15T22:52:19Z")
[QUOTE=blinkingblinking] There is a current thread in CS called ‘You have 7 days left to de-throne me as the world’s worst writer.’ I think this from the girl’s essay would qualify “My heartbeat is written on a stave, with crescendos and diminuendos, tacit bars and heart-stopping glissandos. But my breath is the libretto, with such glorious poetry and anarchic rhyme that I can’t make sense of it at all.” [/QUOTE] That is exactly the kind of writing I would strive for if I were entering the Bulwer Lytton bad writing contest. It is so awful that not only do I not want to read the novel, I don’t even want to finish the sentence. And I’m not even counting the second sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/44 "2008-04-16T02:43:45Z")
[QUOTE=Gala Matrix Fire] That is exactly the kind of writing I would strive for if I were entering the Bulwer Lytton bad writing contest. It is so awful that not only do I not want to read the novel, I don’t even want to finish the sentence. And I’m not even counting the second sentence. [/QUOTE] Let’s not blame the poor girl. Her mother is the one composing that purple prose. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/45 "2008-04-16T13:46:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Let’s not blame the poor girl. Her mother is the one composing that purple prose. The mother may not know she’s doing it either. And I’ve been trying to ouija-board you into fixing the title, **Czarcasm**. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/46 "2008-04-16T14:53:53Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] The mother may not know she’s doing it either. And I’ve been trying to ouija-board you into fixing the title, **Czarcasm**. [/QUOTE] There was nothing wrong with the title-I was giving an example of what happens when you don’t look at the keyboard while typing.\* \*That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/47 "2008-04-16T16:32:53Z")
[QUOTE=hawthorne] The mother may not know she’s doing it either. [/QUOTE] That’s a good point… girl: “s…a…v…e…” mother: “Is my little genius is trying to spell ‘stave’?” _\_ mother: “Right then, ‘stave’ is a lovely word choice there, I couldn’t have done better myself. What’s next?” girl: “m…e…” ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/48 "2008-04-16T16:57:38Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Maybe if I hunt and peck for this, it will go back to the original! tht euicl brir ggicv jmumog ibry iyki lgcu gih. Wow, that was full of fail :smack: [/QUOTE] Well, maybe if _I_ hunt and peck for your result… **tbt euivl brir hhivn jmumoh inru iiko lhvu guh.** Huh…actually, that wasn’t all that shoddy. For comparison purposes: The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. thr wuick brie, goc jumprf ibrt yjt ldcu dig, tht euicl brir ggicv jmumog ibry iyki lgcu gih. tbt euivl brir hhivn jmumoh inru iiko lhvu guh. Yeah, could’ve been worse. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/49 "2008-04-16T17:02:20Z")
[QUOTE=Hal Briston] The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. thr wuick brie, goc jumprf ibrt yjt ldcu dig, tht euicl brir ggicv jmumog ibry iyki lgcu gih. tbt euivl brir hhivn jmumoh inru iiko lhvu guh. [/QUOTE] I’ll take “Best Game of Telephone Ever” for $500, Alex. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/50 "2008-04-16T17:18:10Z")
I recall an episode of _L.A. Law_ involving an autistic boy and his Mom who believed she was having “facilitated communication” with him. In the courtroom, his ability abruptly broke down when he was asked to describe things that were within his field of view but screened from Mom’s. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/59ef9b/32.png) [@Don\_t\_fight\_the\_hypothetical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_fight_the_hypothetical)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/51 "2008-04-16T17:25:49Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] I recall an episode of _L.A. Law_ involving an autistic boy and his Mom who believed she was having “facilitated communication” with him. In the courtroom, his ability abruptly broke down when he was asked to describe things that were within his field of view but screened from Mom’s. [/QUOTE] I’m surprised someone hasn’t thought of this before. Alternately, they could show the girl something (and not her mom) then ask her to describe it. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/52 "2008-04-16T17:33:14Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] I jumprfing your dig. [/QUOTE] I get that a lot, but not often in the past pluperfect.[/ New England accent] ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/53 "2008-04-16T17:36:53Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] I recall an episode of _L.A. Law_ involving an autistic boy and his Mom who believed she was having “facilitated communication” with him. In the courtroom, his ability abruptly broke down when he was asked to describe things that were within his field of view but screened from Mom’s. [/QUOTE] I believe that was _Law & Order_-unless they both did the same plot. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/54 "2008-04-16T17:49:12Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] I believe that was _Law & Order_-unless they both did the same plot. [/QUOTE] On reflection, I think it was _L&O._ Certainly the kind of thing McCoy would pull during cross-exam, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/55 "2008-04-16T18:39:02Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] On reflection, I think it was _L&O._ Certainly the kind of thing McCoy would pull during cross-exam, anyway. [/QUOTE] Any competant DA would, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/56 "2008-04-16T18:57:44Z")
[This was the one](http://www.tv.com/law-and-order/cruel-and-unusual/episode/9567/summary.html?tag=ep_list;ep_title;106). ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/57 "2008-04-16T19:00:44Z")
It was actually very sad…he asked the mother to look away, kindly, and showed a picture to the boy. I think the mother really thought her son was communicating with her. To find out that he wasn’t must have been quite a blow. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/58 "2008-04-16T19:14:55Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] It was actually very sad…he asked the mother to look away, kindly, and showed a picture to the boy. I think the mother really thought her son was communicating with her. To find out that he wasn’t must have been quite a blow. [/QUOTE] Naturally-I believe they say most of the time it’s sub-conscious-they don’t actually realize that they’re the ones actually communicating. In that episode, though, the mother supported the doctor on trial-even though some of his methods were insanely abusive, she still approved of them. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/59 "2008-04-16T20:04:32Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] It was actually very sad…he asked the mother to look away, kindly, and showed a picture to the boy. I think the mother really thought her son was communicating with her. To find out that he wasn’t must have been quite a blow. [/QUOTE] And afterwards, the DAs were wondering whether, even in the interest of truth and justice, they had done the right thing to deprive the mother of the illusion that she was communicating with her son. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134/60 "2008-04-16T20:06:34Z")
[QUOTE=Don’t fight the hypothetical] I’m surprised someone hasn’t thought of this before. Alternately, they could show the girl something (and not her mom) then ask her to describe it. [/QUOTE] You have to be joking. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/facilitated-communication-rears-its-ugly-head-again/445134.md?page=4)