So, we’re moving into the big world of web 2.0.  Soon you’ll be seeing more pictures, blogs, video and more.

It’s going to be a rough few days…but well worth the wait.

:)

Elynn

Helo All,
This is Sneh and I am a researcher.
My Favorite Links:
For discounted blood and labwork, MRI, etc: http://tinyurl.com/6fxdjm What not to eat: http://www.feingold.org/ Different alternative treatments [most comprehensive- pl. read carefully]: www.quickdoctors.com CST: http://www.iahp.com/pages/search/index.php
Neurofeedback Therapy : http://www.neuropathways.com/index.html Yoga-Meditation: http://www.divyayoga.com/freePranayamTraning.htm

Posted by Purplemommy

Hello,

I am new here and so excited to see this forum!

My name is Tracy. I have six children and my fourth child, Bryson is on the spectrum. He is five years old. We just recently got him diagnosed and we have been told he has PDD-NOS (atypical because he loves people and strangers), developmental delays and sensory issues. We have been on a long road to figure out what is wrong with him. He was born with numerous complications including a heart condition and kidney disease. We always made excuses for his behavior because of these other problems and it wasn’t until recently, after his heart surgery, that we decided that we could no longer believe that he did not have some other issues. I am feeling very guilty that we let him get so old without figuring out that he is on the spectrum but what can we do now but charge ahead, right?

We have been GF for about a year and a half because he also has Celiac disease. But we have just recently gone CF and I am just now learning about cross contamination and realizing that he has been getting gluten in various forms without my knowing it. We have a DAN! doc that we have seen once so far. He prescribed a bunch of tests but we have not been able to pay for them yet so we should see some major breakthroughs when we finally get those done and see where he is as far as nutrient deficiencies and toxicity, etc. He is taking probiotics, enzymes, a multi-vitamin and DMG right now.

I can’t wait to see all the great advice and info on this forum and learn more and more about how to help my little man.

Blessings,
Tracy

Message from QueenDustBunny

Hi all!  I have a 6yo DS with Autism.  We are going GF this month and CF next month.  He just started Kindergarden at a NPS.  I am totally dreading going to the public school.  I went to the ARI conference in the fall and plan to go the the DAN conference in October.  I need to heal my little kiddo.

Wishing all the best

If you have concerns re: the development of your child…the best thing you can do is to take action right away. Trust me, I know it’s hard…it requires admitting something is wrong. I was in denial for a good 6-8 months. If I could go back, I’d surely have Jake in speech, OT, etc during that time period.

Key things to looks out for:

1.) Acts deaf…doesn’t respond when called.
2.) Seems as if in own world – activities happen around them, but they don’t show interest or participate
3.) 12 -18 months: No language…or loss of language.
4.) Inappropriate play: spins wheels, rolls toys back in forth in front of eyes, plays with parts of toys vs. the whole

These were the tell all signs for me. Here is a link to the diagnostic criteria for autism:

http://www.autism-biomed.org/dsm-iv.htm

If this set of criteria even remotely describes your child…contact your public school system regarding a speech evaluation. That’s the best way to get the ball rolling into the services you need.

First Signs

http://www.firstsigns.org/concerns/flags.htm

You know there are certain things that REEEEALLLLY push my buttons and when mainstream media skews facts and botches studies to make the parents that treat autism “alternatively” look like “desperate parents who will try anything” it really makes my blood boil.

So, when I received this article from 3 people yesterday, I decided to respond to the Schafer Report (my autism bible). We’ll see if it makes it in there.

Article: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j71A7ZN9GaxtikP7Mo0ZmINil4aQD91PUI3G0

Response:

My son’s test results showed that he had high mercury and lead
levels. With the help of my doctor, we chelated him
with both DMPS (transdermal) and oral EDTA and have
seen amazing results. In all honesty, the process is
a little nerve wracking in that when the metals start
to move around, strange behaviors and tantrums are
easy to come by. BUT, we ultimately saw impressive
results and I would chelate again if his metal levels
deemed it necessary.

Chelation is not a process to be taken lightly, we did
regular blood tests to confirm that his vitamin and
mineral levels were ok and that his liver was not
taking a hit from all of the “filtering” that was
required of it.

So, I understand the chelation process and would call
myself a fan of chelation when heavy metals are high
and it’s done under the watchful eye of a qualified
doctor. Outside of that, I wouldn’t recommend it in
the same way that I wouldn’t recommend you call a tow
truck if you didn’t need a car towed.

What boggles my mind is that in the article “Fringe
Autism Treatment
Could Get Federal Study,” chelation is referred to as
an unproven autism treatment. Chelation is not an
autism treatment, it is a heavy metal toxicity
treatment. To prescribe chelation to a patient without
a heavy metal burden would be the same as prescribing
chemotherapy to someone who does not have cancer. We
were not treating autism, we were treating heavy metal
toxicity, which just happens to present itself (among
other things) as social deficits, language and speech
difficulties, and issues with focus and attention.

So, once again…we, the “alternative” parents of
children on the autism spectrum, are made to look like
desperate, frustrated, morons who will try ANYTHING to
help our kids. It’s really getting tiring and
offensive. My apologies for addressing my child’s
array of health issues vs. simply writing him off as
autistic and therefore – in the mainstream’s eyes -
hopeless. Should I stop bringing him to the dentist
too? Is it false hope to assume a prescribed cleaning
will rid his teeth of tartar? Perhaps I should wait
for someone to create a plaque vaccination and we can
do away with that problem altogether.

In the “Fringe Autism Treatment Could Get Federal
Study” article, it goes on to say, “The process,
called chelation, is used to treat lead poisoning.
Studies of adults have shown it to be ineffective
unless there are high levels of metals in the blood.”

WHAT??? The process of removing heavy metals didn’t
work when no heavy metals were present? Shocking.
Are we to believe that this makes chelation a bogus
treatment?

More from the article.. “Any study in children would
have to exclude those with high levels of lead or
mercury, which would require treatment and preclude
using a placebo.” WHAT??? Then what are they
studying? And if these children require treatment,
what would that be? Chelation?

Today we are going to be studying the effects of
Visine, BUT study participants cannot have red or
irritated eyes because those people really need to use
Visine, so we can’t give them a placebo.

Is this all a big joke? Personally, I’m still waiting
for the part where it gets funny. Until then, you can
find me on the fringe.

- Spectrum Mom

If you really want to get rolling on biomed, I encourage you to buy my First Three Steps Starter Kit. If you choose to go the DAN! route, the first thing you are going to do is get on a waiting list (or maybe not if you are super lucky!!) then, at your first appt. they are going to do is tell you you need to heal your child’s gut before you can do much of anything else. They will put you on a GFCF diet and supplements and you will need to go back in a few months to see how your child is responding and to view your child’s lab results.

I encourage you to start the diet and supplementation immediately (I’ve made it as easy as possible for you to get rolling!), while you find a DAN! or biomed savvy doctor. I suggest you tell the doctor that you’ve started the diet and tell them about the supplements you are using and ask them if you can get the “first visit” lab tests delivered to you BEFORE your first visit so that you’ll have lab results at your first appointment.

It will save you time, it will save you money and you will start DAN! with the lab results in front of you. I always prefer dealing with facts versus ideas or concepts. This way, you will start your protocol off on a plan that is specific to your child’s needs vs. the blanket approach that occurs pre-lab tests.

Good luck!! I’m here if you have any questions, so ask away!!

When you suspect someone’s child has autism, it’s a very rough place to be. I’m still a little pissed at my family, I have 4 sisters and apparently they all seriously suspected LONG before they told me. I think the bounced it around and the A word trickled out in a phone call or 2 (they all live in New England and I’m in California) and I was totally defensive, but they didn’t just sit me down and say…look, here is the deal.

Would I have said, “Oh thank you very much. I had no idea.” No, I already kind of knew, but didn’t WANT it to be true. I’m sure it would have been more like a seen from the Exorcist with my head spinning around and grew goo flying about. BUT, my sisters would have been there to hold my hair out of the green goo and I would’ve gotten Jake into services almost a year earlier than I did. I see the kids of parents that got in there right when they thought something was up, and a lot of these kids show no sign of delay now.

Timing is critical. You don’t have to say the A word. If someone you love has a child showing the signs…say “speech delay” and “developmental delay”. Contact your loved one’s home school and have all information ready on how to get the free speech assessment. Once someone from the school district meets with the child and suspects autism, they will recommend and call for further assessments. So really, you can just drop a small bomb.

But don’t delay. You may be the bad guy at first. But you will eventually be an angel. It sucks, yes. It’s not going to be pretty….but you owe it to you friend, your sister, your neighbor. It’s hard to see it and accept it from the inside, but denial doesn’t do ANYONE any good.

At some point I’m going to work on an intervention plan (I meet with people ALL THE TIME who want to know how they should tell someone) and will post it on the site. Until then, please feel free to ask me any questions.

:)

I know that worrying your child might have autism is one of the hardest things you can go through, I’ve been there. But, chances are…if you are worried, your child is somewhere on the spectrum and your best bet is to start getting services right away.

Call your home school!!! (Call the closest elementary school to your house, if that is not your home school, they will tell you which on is based on your address. Talk to the Assistant Principal. Even if your child is only a year old, the public school system will know who-is-in-charge-of-what when it comes to getting the assessments and services your child needs. We got speech, OT and behavioral therapy about a year before we received a diagnosis.

You’ll have to fill out some forms, people will come and ask you questions and meet with your child and ultimately, you will get services. Don’t hesitate, the faster you get services, the better your chances at improving symptoms.

Somebody pinch me…at long last, the official launch of Reverse Autism: The First Three Steps is available!!!

Any of you that frequent this forum already know, I’m pretty open regarding my thoughts and personal experiences. On this glorious day, I’m going to share the Reverse Autism story with you.

Just about 3 years ago, I was working in product development…helping to shape some popular products you may be familiar with including The Magic Bullet and the 6 Week Body Makeover. I had just returned from my sister’s wedding in Rhode Island only to be let go from my job. :( Read the rest of this entry »