There is an epidemic of those with autistic spectrum disorder, it has been claimed, writes Paul Cullen
Issues of educational methods and resources were at the core of the Ó Cuanacháin case, with both the State and the family calling expert witnesses to support their arguments.
Many families with autistic children favour a form of tuition known as applied behavioural analysis (ABA), in which behavioural principles are applied systematically to change a child's behaviour. A particular action is broken down into simple steps, for example, which are repeated and, with the help of a reward system, learned.
This teaching is usually carried out on a one-to-one basis, so it is extremely expensive. However, campaigners maintain that failure to diagnose and treat autism from an early age results in even greater costs later on.
"If you invest early in ABA, the chances of not having to avail of full residential care for children later on are increased," said IAA chief executive Kevin Whelan.
Those with autism usually have impaired communication and social interaction skills, often evident before age three. The condition, first identified in the 1940s, incorporates a spectrum of disorders, from the extremely mild to extreme cases in which a person is not capable of independent living.
The Department of Education favours an "eclectic" approach incorporating a number of teaching techniques, including ABA, in mainstream and special schools. It maintains that "research does not support the exclusive usage of ABA as a basis for national educational provision".
The pupil-teacher ratio in eclectic education is typically 6:1.
Just how much the provision of ABA for whose who want it would cost is unclear, because the number of children with the disorder is not known. Independent MEP Kathy Sinnott, who has an autistic son, claims the number is "huge and increasing", so much so that there is an epidemic of cases. A British study suggests one in every 166 children has the disorder.
While ABA supporters have set up schools and have received some funding, the department is critical of the levels of training of staff in such centres. Last year, it said few workers had any recognised teaching qualifications, although there was a "commendable emphasis" on parental involvement.
In mainstream schools where 1,500 children with autistic spectrum disorders were enrolled, only a few resource and class teachers had a specialist qualification in teaching children with special educational needs or had attended in-service training related to ASDs.