A Plumstead campaigner has uncovered a shop claiming they can cure autism using acupuncture and herbal medicines.
Emma Dalmayne, 39, who lives in Eglington Hill, was diagnosed with autism two years ago and is mum to six children on the autistic spectrum.
She phoned 3a Chinese Medicine in Lewisham High Street posing as the mother of a non-verbal autistic six year old looking for treatment, and was told that acupuncture would cure them and even make them speak.
Ms Dalmayne said: “I asked her if she had any experience curing children and she said yes, she said yes we can make him talk.
“Autism isn’t a curable condition that is why I am fighting for the law to change, there should be something for autism because people are just taking advantage.
“Can you imagine trying to hold down a six year old.
“She was very proud of to be able to make a non-verbal child talk, that is quite a claim.”
In an audio recording of a conversation between Ms Dalmayne and a staff member calling herself Dr Jane Luo, she can be heard clearly saying yes when asked whether she was able to, and had in the past, cured non-verbal autistic children.
In the recording Ms Dalmayne asks ‘have you had other children that haven’t spoken that you’ve been able to make speak with acupuncture’ and the woman replies ‘yes, we have before’.
Emma Dalmayne is an autism rights campaigner
When News Shopper spoke to the same staff member at the shop she denied being able to cure autism, but said that acupuncture could help.
She said: “You can come for treatment then we can, not cure the autism but can make it much better, through the acupuncture.”
She also claimed that a ‘special powder’ could help.
She said: “I didn’t say it can be cured.”
When asked how long the treatment would last and how much it would cost overall she said: “Each one is different, different people have different problems.
“I must see the patient first, then I can decide and tell you how long the treatment is.”
The acupuncture sessions were quoted as being £30 and the herbal medicine is an extra £4 per day.
There is currently no accepted cure for autism in Western medicine and although studies have been done there is no evidence to suggest that acupuncture can cure autism or ease symptoms.
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