Fidget Spinners – Why they are not the next “cure” for autism
Autism is a magnet for fad treatments. As the rates of autism continue to increase, the number of treatments that are marketed as a “cure” also sky rocket. Over the years, everyone has been exposed to someone saying that they have done it! They have found the “cure”! These outlandish and often dangerous “cures” have ranged from the gluten- free casein- free diets, sensory integration therapy (sensory diets), relationship development intervention, auditory integration training, facilitated communication, gentle teaching, and rapid prompting. And now, the latest fad, the fidget spinner.
The fidget spinner is being marketed as a “stress relieving toy” and is being advertised to help people who have trouble focusing. Websites, advertisements and articles are all specifically quoting that these fidget spinners can be of great help to those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and/or anxiety. Influential magazines and social media sources are saying that the spinners were created as a calming tool that will help increase focus. But, where is the evidence?
In order to be an effective treatment there must be operational definitions which include a reliable way to take data across different observers, and there must be experimental rigor which includes experimental design and the manipulation of variables. Instead, if you do a google search of “fidget spinners and autism” a flood of baseless information will come up. The very first article from “Live Science” is about the controversy behind fidget spinners. Under the benefits section of the article the first sentence reads, “there’s no doubt that toys that allow kids to fidget can benefit kids with autism”.
Is there a place for the fidget spinner? Well, it may be that it is an enjoyed and preferred activity for certain individuals, with or without special challenges or disabilities. And this is not problematic, if it is understood to be what it is- a leisure activity that may be chosen by people who find it enjoyable. The problem comes when it is instead viewed as therapeutic or curative. This is the same issue we see with hippo therapy (horseback riding), swimming with sea creatures, or a host of other interventions. The problems occur when developers/marketers go well beyond the actual intent and potential benefit, and begin claiming effects that are wholly unsubstantiated.
Hopefully, there are no behavior analysts that are accepting the new social media craze of fidget spinners as an acceptable treatment for autism. However, we as behavior analysts need to look out for others that may vulnerable to this hype. If magazines that have “Science” in the title are marketing these fidget spinners as benefiting kids with autism, how will parents and others know what to believe? Rather than point fingers or blame parents who are trying to do the best for their children, we as professionals need to educate and spread information. We need to talk about the dangers of chasing ineffective treatments. Behavior analysts need to talk about the cost of losing precious time chasing ineffective treatments when we know the most effective treatment that will result in meaningful change. We need to promote applied behavior analysis as the tried and true evidence based intervention. By doing so, we can insulate others from chasing fads and help ensure the pursuit if interventions that will bring real change.
