Re: Alternative autism treatments

[Guest guest]

Hi, all,

I had to comment on the alternative autism article. If I didn't go down the

path of alternative treatment, my son may very well have ended up in a very

different boat. We first changed his diet when he was 2-1/2 and we noticed

that he had some autistic traits. He was never full blown autistic, but he

had enough symptoms that it definitely impaired his functioning. He wasn't

talking, he didn't interact with people at all, he wouldn't make eye

contact, etc. etc. Only through our exploration of alternative therapies

did we discover that he is celiac, and all his symptoms disappeared within 5

weeks of going gluten free. He was in fact starving, had FTT, and his brain

couldn't develop properly on the gluten. HOWEVER, WE discovered this, NOT

the doctors. He didn't have diarrhea, in fact, he was always constipated,

because he also had a hidden dairy allergy (verified by a traditional

allergist), which he has since outgrown.

There was just recently an article in Parents or Woman's Day that talked

about a child JUST LIKE mine - same exact symptoms, except this child didn't

go gluten free until he was almost 5. He STILL needs therapy and one on one

help in school. My child is age 4-1/2, starting to read, and is completely

normal. The earlier these things are caught the better, as some windows of

learning shut at age 3.

Why can't there be a symbiosis of treatments, where autistic children

receive alternative therapies, like diet changes and supplements, while also

receiving ABA and traditional therapies? My mom personally knows a woman

who cured her own breast cancer with a macrobiotic diet. Should we put her

down as well for using alternative treatment?

I don't necessarily agree with potentially dangerous options, like

chelation, but for some people, they work. So who am I to judge? And

frankly, neither of my children get the MMR shot because of the myriad of

issues that goes along with it. This is my choice, which I am so grateful

to have, living here in America.

I think that if any of you had an autistic child, who won't hug or kiss you,

who might never tell you he loves you, who won't even look at you, and that

you knew that the window of opportunity shuts for many things at age 3, and

you were in the many month long wait for services, maybe *you* would turn to

alternative treatments as well.

Perhaps we should not judge too harshly, and we should let others live their

own lives.

Written in friendship, not anger,

Heidi

[Guest guest]

Heidi, My heart goes out to you, and I am so glad that your son is so

much better. We have a nephew who is autistic. He seemed fine as a

baby, but I could tell by age two that he was exhibiting autistic

traits. His parents took him repeatedly to the doctor and they kept

saying he was fine. What parent would not want to accept the doctor's

claim that their child was fine? I was very frustrated, as they didn't

listen to any of the families concerns for his health. He was not

diagnosed until he was five, and very violently acting out, he didn't

speak, he would run off down the road, or in the street, he would touch

the hot barbecue, stove, etc. He wouldn't hug any one, or look them

directly in the eye. He hates having his picture taken, and will freak

out if they try. He spent most of his time lining his toys up in rows

and would scream if anyone touched them. He could tell when one toy

was moved. His favorite TV shows are game shows and music videos, but

he doesn't really watch them, he listens to them and then mumbles the

words over and over. When his 3 year old sister passed him on the

learning scale, they finally got the doctor to test him and now at 9

years old he is in a special school, speaking and very rarely acting

out, but he will never be normal. I wonder quite often if a gluten

free/casein free diet may help him, but his parents don't want to try.

His favorite foods are wheat toast with butter, macaroni and cheese,

and pizza. He lives on those, and I keep thinking those foods are

probably hurting him. If anyone has some very good information that I

can pass on to his parents, I would appreciate it. Thanks for

listening to my story.

God bless,

nn

Heidi Parthena White wrote:

Hi, all,

I had to comment on the alternative autism article. If I didn't go

down the

path of alternative treatment, my son may very well have ended up in a

very

different boat. We first changed his diet when he was 2-1/2 and we

noticed

that he had some autistic traits. He was never full blown autistic,

but he

had enough symptoms that it definitely impaired his functioning. He

wasn't

talking, he didn't interact with people at all, he wouldn't make eye

contact, etc. etc. Only through our exploration of alternative

therapies

did we discover that he is celiac, and all his symptoms disappeared

within 5

weeks of going gluten free. He was in fact starving, had FTT, and his

brain

couldn't develop properly on the gluten. HOWEVER, WE discovered this,

NOT

the doctors. He didn't have diarrhea, in fact, he was always

constipated,

because he also had a hidden dairy allergy (verified by a traditional

allergist), which he has since outgrown.

There was just recently an article in Parents or Woman's Day that talked

about a child JUST LIKE mine - same exact symptoms, except this child

didn't

go gluten free until he was almost 5. He STILL needs therapy and one

on one

help in school. My child is age 4-1/2, starting to read, and is

completely

normal. The earlier these things are caught the better, as some

windows of

learning shut at age 3.

Why can't there be a symbiosis of treatments, where autistic children

receive alternative therapies, like diet changes and supplements, while

also

receiving ABA and traditional therapies? My mom personally knows a

woman

who cured her own breast cancer with a macrobiotic diet. Should we put

her

down as well for using alternative treatment?

I don't necessarily agree with potentially dangerous options, like

chelation, but for some people, they work. So who am I to judge? And

frankly, neither of my children get the MMR shot because of the myriad

of

issues that goes along with it. This is my choice, which I am so

grateful

to have, living here in America.

I think that if any of you had an autistic child, who won't hug or kiss

you,

who might never tell you he loves you, who won't even look at you, and

that

you knew that the window of opportunity shuts for many things at age 3,

and

you were in the many month long wait for services, maybe *you* would

turn to

alternative treatments as well.

Perhaps we should not judge too harshly, and we should let others live

their

own lives.

Written in friendship, not anger,

Heidi

[Guest guest]

nn-

I SO agree that it's probably a bad sign that those few items are his favorite foods! I've always heard that the body craves what it's "addicted" to & that's not necessarily a good thing. was exactly in that boat before he was dx with celiac. has Down Syndrome, but definitely had delays due to the lack of celiac dx. I would be happy to share some developmental breakthroughs, etc. that we experienced with B. after his dx, but I hate to go into all of that in a posting. Feel free to email me at kelly@... if you want to "chat" more.

Good luck to your family-

Re: Re: Alternative autism treatments

Heidi, My heart goes out to you, and I am so glad that your son is so much better. We have a nephew who is autistic. He seemed fine as a baby, but I could tell by age two that he was exhibiting autistic traits. His parents took him repeatedly to the doctor and they kept saying he was fine. What parent would not want to accept the doctor's claim that their child was fine? I was very frustrated, as they didn't listen to any of the families concerns for his health. He was not diagnosed until he was five, and very violently acting out, he didn't speak, he would run off down the road, or in the street, he would touch the hot barbecue, stove, etc. He wouldn't hug any one, or look them directly in the eye. He hates having his picture taken, and will freak out if they try. He spent most of his time lining his toys up in rows and would scream if anyone touched them. He could tell when one toy was moved. His favorite TV shows are game shows and music videos, but he doesn't really watch them, he listens to them and then mumbles the words over and over. When his 3 year old sister passed him on the learning scale, they finally got the doctor to test him and now at 9 years old he is in a special school, speaking and very rarely acting out, but he will never be normal. I wonder quite often if a gluten free/casein free diet may help him, but his parents don't want to try. His favorite foods are wheat toast with butter, macaroni and cheese, and pizza. He lives on those, and I keep thinking those foods are probably hurting him. If anyone has some very good information that I can pass on to his parents, I would appreciate it. Thanks for listening to my story.God bless,nnHeidi Parthena White wrote:

Hi, all,I had to comment on the alternative autism article. If I didn't go down thepath of alternative treatment, my son may very well have ended up in a verydifferent boat. We first changed his diet when he was 2-1/2 and we noticedthat he had some autistic traits. He was never full blown autistic, but hehad enough symptoms that it definitely impaired his functioning. He wasn'ttalking, he didn't interact with people at all, he wouldn't make eyecontact, etc. etc. Only through our exploration of alternative therapiesdid we discover that he is celiac, and all his symptoms disappeared within 5weeks of going gluten free. He was in fact starving, had FTT, and his braincouldn't develop properly on the gluten. HOWEVER, WE discovered this, NOTthe doctors. He didn't have diarrhea, in fact, he was always constipated,because he also had a hidden dairy allergy (verified by a traditionalallergist), which he has since outgrown.There was just recently an article in Parents or Woman's Day that talkedabout a child JUST LIKE mine - same exact symptoms, except this child didn'tgo gluten free until he was almost 5. He STILL needs therapy and one on onehelp in school. My child is age 4-1/2, starting to read, and is completelynormal. The earlier these things are caught the better, as some windows oflearning shut at age 3.Why can't there be a symbiosis of treatments, where autistic childrenreceive alternative therapies, like diet changes and supplements, while alsoreceiving ABA and traditional therapies? My mom personally knows a womanwho cured her own breast cancer with a macrobiotic diet. Should we put herdown as well for using alternative treatment?I don't necessarily agree with potentially dangerous options, likechelation, but for some people, they work. So who am I to judge? Andfrankly, neither of my children get the MMR shot because of the myriad ofissues that goes along with it. This is my choice, which I am so gratefulto have, living here in America.I think that if any of you had an autistic child, who won't hug or kiss you,who might never tell you he loves you, who won't even look at you, and thatyou knew that the window of opportunity shuts for many things at age 3, andyou were in the many month long wait for services, maybe *you* would turn toalternative treatments as well.Perhaps we should not judge too harshly, and we should let others live theirown lives.Written in friendship, not anger,Heidi