A company makes promises its science can't keep

An NPR investigation finds that a company that says it can help children who struggle with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and more with a nonmedical, drug-free approach doesn't have the science to back up its claims

Alex Wong/Getty Images A reality check about our expectations of the people who act in our name This essay isn't about spin or splitting hairs or differing opinions. It's about the credibility at the highest levels of our government, about people whose words are heard abroad as speaking for our nation, about the public and the media that try, however imperfectly, to serve it. How do you deal with a White House that can't be believed? Nana Kofi Acquah for NPR In Ghana, there's a lot riding on getting your child to read by age 5 Low-income parents in Ghana’s capital are so eager to give their kids the right start that they are putting their children in private preschools at record rates — at the family's own expense. The problem is these preschools spend all day drilling students with call-and-response memorization chants. A bold experiment sponsored by the government aims to get the schools to do more age-appropriate instruction. It requires teachers to set aside deeply ingrained cultural views. And remarkably, this experiment worked, until it ran into an unexpected obstacle: the parents Hokyoung Kim for NPR The program promises to help children who struggle with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, but it lacks the science Brain Balance says its nonmedical and drug-free program helps children who struggle with ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning and processing disorders. But an NPR investigation finds that the company appears to have overstated the scientific evidence in its messaging to families, who can easily spend over $10,000 in six months, a common length of enrollment. "The problem is [parents] are easy prey for certain providers that can make promises that cannot necessarily be kept or are not necessarily backed by scientific data," one expert says.  Kevin Nixon/Metal Hammer Magazine/Future Publishing via Getty Images   Taiwan may be facing an identity crisis, as the 'born independent' generation doesn't see itself as Chinese More and more young Taiwanese are becoming uncomfortable with the status quo of avoiding formal independence from China, and they're voting for politicians who feel the same way, like metal rocker-turned-legislator Freddy Lim. "A lot of young Taiwanese see Taiwan as a country, a different perspective from their parents. They were born in a democratic, free society, and China is a threat to us," he says. Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures So desperate to recombine the strands of the series in a novel way, 'Fallen Kingdon' takes a bizarre but not unwelcome left turn Children are plagued by the occasional certainty that there's a monster in their basement, if not right under their bed, and they're almost always wrong. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, the follow-up to 2015's mediocre but hugely successful revival of the Jurassic franchise, is the exception that proves the rule. As derivative as Fallen Kingdom is, it's still a step up from its immediate ancestor, writes NPR's Chris Klimek.   You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002