Guidepost Five

Treatment providers know that good decisions about the treatment procedures selected for your child will affect the quality of life for your child, for you and for your family.

At the top of the checklist for every parent making treatment decisions on behalf of their child is to make sure the treatment has the most constructive, and least restrictive, impact on your child's life. Make sure you are thinking long-term, with those whole-life considerations. Therapists don't always think 20 years down the road, the way we parents do.

We want the best life for our child. As a result, you should actively participate in the planning of any treatment procedure. As your child grows and becomes more aware of the services being provided, start thinking about ways that he/she can participate in the planning as well.

Ask questions about the treatment procedure. How will it be assessed? Look for ongoing measures. What will the evidence be and how will it be evaluated? Look for principled thinking and wisdom, not just the latest-greatest-newest.

Then you can be sure you are giving informed consent.