Re: Recovery from Autism?

[Guest guest]

I think a lot of time what happens is that the parents of recovered

children no longer need this list and may not respond. I've talked to other

people whose children have recovered but they're on other lists like

recovered kids lists. If you go to the GF/CF site there is a whole bunch of

testimonials from parents there also.

Jo (South Carolina)

[Guest guest]

I think a lot of time what happens is that the parents of recovered

children no longer need this list and may not respond. I've talked to other

people whose children have recovered but they're on other lists like

recovered kids lists. If you go to the GF/CF site there is a whole bunch of

testimonials from parents there also.

Jo (South Carolina)

[Guest guest]

I think a lot of time what happens is that the parents of recovered

children no longer need this list and may not respond. I've talked to other

people whose children have recovered but they're on other lists like

recovered kids lists. If you go to the GF/CF site there is a whole bunch of

testimonials from parents there also.

Jo (South Carolina)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/18/01 2:40:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,

suzanne@... writes:

<< is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

from autism >>

I would not go so far as to say that my son has recovered from autism, BUT

when he was diagnosed at age 24 months, he said at most 3 words and not

consistently. He did not respond to his name or to any other type of spoken

sound. He did not understand a one-word command. He did not sit still long

enough to look in a book, let alone label a picture or be able to point to

it. All he ever did with his toys was line them up or throw them or dump

them. He did not look if I pointed to something and said, " Look! There's a

! " One of our scariest moments was when he ran out into the street

and came within inches of being hit by a car. I screamed at him, the car

driver screamed at him, a neighbor screamed at him...and he didn't even

hesitate, look, or notice--even after the car stopped. So that's where he

was. Just today (he is now 31 months old) we stopped his speech therapy

because he now tests 9-13 months AHEAD of his chronological age for both

expressive and receptive skills!! He plays with toys normally, and he no

longer tests autistic on the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale)--though he

is still only a few points off from the border. He still has tantrums, but

we can usually talk him through them. He still gets upset if things are out

of order, but it's usually not a huge deal. He still has difficulty relating

to his younger sister and sometimes pushes her when he can't deal with her

anymore. If he's really frustrated, he still flaps his hands. However, he

no longer tip-toes, or spins, which he was doing frequently before. Instead

of being classified as moderately autistic, we suspect he will end up high

functioning, more like a Asperger's. This isn't recovery, and I've never

said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/18/01 2:40:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,

suzanne@... writes:

<< is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

from autism >>

I would not go so far as to say that my son has recovered from autism, BUT

when he was diagnosed at age 24 months, he said at most 3 words and not

consistently. He did not respond to his name or to any other type of spoken

sound. He did not understand a one-word command. He did not sit still long

enough to look in a book, let alone label a picture or be able to point to

it. All he ever did with his toys was line them up or throw them or dump

them. He did not look if I pointed to something and said, " Look! There's a

! " One of our scariest moments was when he ran out into the street

and came within inches of being hit by a car. I screamed at him, the car

driver screamed at him, a neighbor screamed at him...and he didn't even

hesitate, look, or notice--even after the car stopped. So that's where he

was. Just today (he is now 31 months old) we stopped his speech therapy

because he now tests 9-13 months AHEAD of his chronological age for both

expressive and receptive skills!! He plays with toys normally, and he no

longer tests autistic on the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale)--though he

is still only a few points off from the border. He still has tantrums, but

we can usually talk him through them. He still gets upset if things are out

of order, but it's usually not a huge deal. He still has difficulty relating

to his younger sister and sometimes pushes her when he can't deal with her

anymore. If he's really frustrated, he still flaps his hands. However, he

no longer tip-toes, or spins, which he was doing frequently before. Instead

of being classified as moderately autistic, we suspect he will end up high

functioning, more like a Asperger's. This isn't recovery, and I've never

said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/18/01 2:40:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,

suzanne@... writes:

<< is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

from autism >>

I would not go so far as to say that my son has recovered from autism, BUT

when he was diagnosed at age 24 months, he said at most 3 words and not

consistently. He did not respond to his name or to any other type of spoken

sound. He did not understand a one-word command. He did not sit still long

enough to look in a book, let alone label a picture or be able to point to

it. All he ever did with his toys was line them up or throw them or dump

them. He did not look if I pointed to something and said, " Look! There's a

! " One of our scariest moments was when he ran out into the street

and came within inches of being hit by a car. I screamed at him, the car

driver screamed at him, a neighbor screamed at him...and he didn't even

hesitate, look, or notice--even after the car stopped. So that's where he

was. Just today (he is now 31 months old) we stopped his speech therapy

because he now tests 9-13 months AHEAD of his chronological age for both

expressive and receptive skills!! He plays with toys normally, and he no

longer tests autistic on the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale)--though he

is still only a few points off from the border. He still has tantrums, but

we can usually talk him through them. He still gets upset if things are out

of order, but it's usually not a huge deal. He still has difficulty relating

to his younger sister and sometimes pushes her when he can't deal with her

anymore. If he's really frustrated, he still flaps his hands. However, he

no longer tip-toes, or spins, which he was doing frequently before. Instead

of being classified as moderately autistic, we suspect he will end up high

functioning, more like a Asperger's. This isn't recovery, and I've never

said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

[Guest guest]

Other than Karyn's son, who I have met personally, I know only 2 kids who

have 'recovered' by diet alone - and I know thousands of families. I know a

tremendous amount who have progressed amazingly, and tons more who have

progressed but very few autie kids recover from ANY ONE therapy - the ones

who do, usually recover from a multitude of therapies.

Holly

----- Original Message -----

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism like Serrousi's son? What is the total success rate? I

> am just wondering what I can expect for my 4 year old. I don't want to

> get my hopes up too high but am wondering where I can place them.

>

> Suzanne, Mama to 4, HFA, and Olivia, 9 months

[Guest guest]

Other than Karyn's son, who I have met personally, I know only 2 kids who

have 'recovered' by diet alone - and I know thousands of families. I know a

tremendous amount who have progressed amazingly, and tons more who have

progressed but very few autie kids recover from ANY ONE therapy - the ones

who do, usually recover from a multitude of therapies.

Holly

----- Original Message -----

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism like Serrousi's son? What is the total success rate? I

> am just wondering what I can expect for my 4 year old. I don't want to

> get my hopes up too high but am wondering where I can place them.

>

> Suzanne, Mama to 4, HFA, and Olivia, 9 months

[Guest guest]

Other than Karyn's son, who I have met personally, I know only 2 kids who

have 'recovered' by diet alone - and I know thousands of families. I know a

tremendous amount who have progressed amazingly, and tons more who have

progressed but very few autie kids recover from ANY ONE therapy - the ones

who do, usually recover from a multitude of therapies.

Holly

----- Original Message -----

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism like Serrousi's son? What is the total success rate? I

> am just wondering what I can expect for my 4 year old. I don't want to

> get my hopes up too high but am wondering where I can place them.

>

> Suzanne, Mama to 4, HFA, and Olivia, 9 months

[Guest guest]

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism

I don't know if it's fair to say that my son recovered, since he was so

young when I put him on the diet and stopped vaxxing him. He'd had

trouble with breastmilk and milk formula since birth but did great on

hypoallergenic formula. Then around 8 months when he started eating

more real food things got bad. He was very angry and upset all the time,

banged his head alot, had poor eye contact and would cry if you caught

his eye, had poor play skills, had very fitfull sleep, bad eating

behavior, lost the few words he was saying around a year, etc.

I stopped vaxxing him at 9 months (never got the MMR) and at the age of

13 months put him on a cf/grain-free diet and started CLO and

probiotics. Over the next several months his behavior and interaction

improved ALOT. It's been almost a year since then and he will be 2

years old next week. He no longer displays autistic symptoms. He is

starting to talk (he has about 30 words) and is signing as well. His

play skills are fantastic and he loves imaginitive play. He adores his

older and younger sisters and plays with them all day every day. His eye

contact is deep and loving. He is highly affectionate. He sleeps

peacefully.

He is still prone to tantrums but that is manageable. He just started

speech therapy, OT, and a social worker comes to help with his behavior

(they suspect he has Sensory Integration Dysfunction, which is a common

trait among ASD kids). But, there is no doctor around that would even

consider him remotely autistic.

So, I guess I do not know if he is/was autistic to start with because he

was so young. I was blessed to have gotten my hands on alot of

information very early so I could treat him very early. For what it's

worth, his nutritionist ( Dorfman, who specializes in autism) and a

neurologist I consulted with both believe that he was autistic (or at

least well on his way to becoming so) and he's come out of it. I suspect

we were lucky because he was so young when we started.

One thing is for certain, when he has diet transgressions we really see

a difference in his behavior. He shows alot of anger, frustration,

screaming, aggression, unwillingness to play, etc. It is remarkable.

This diet has been a godsend to us.

So, that's my two cents. More than you wanted, I'm sure!

mom to Winona (3.5 nt), Caton (2 next week, cf/grain-free with Sensory

Integration Dysfunction), and Aster (8 months nt)

[Guest guest]

<< is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

from autism >>

I thought I posted this earlier, but I didn't see it posted to the list.

Forgive me if it is a duplicate. I should also say that my son's progress

has not been as a result of the diet alone but as part of a combination of

therapies, and we believe in the power of prayer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------

I would not go so far as to say that my son has recovered from autism, BUT

when he was diagnosed at age 24 months, he said at most 3 words and not

consistently. He did not respond to his name or to any other type of spoken

sound. He did not understand a one-word command. He did not sit still long

enough to look in a book, let alone label a picture or be able to point to

it. All he ever did with his toys was line them up or throw them or dump

them. He did not look if I pointed to something and said, " Look! There's a

! " One of our scariest moments was when he ran out into the street

and came within inches of being hit by a car. I screamed at him, the car

driver screamed at him, a neighbor screamed at him...and he didn't even

hesitate, look, or notice--even after the car stopped. So that's where he

was...Just today (he is now 31 months old) we stopped his speech therapy

because he now tests 9-13 months AHEAD of his chronological age for both

expressive and receptive skills!! He plays with toys normally, and he no

longer tests autistic on the CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale)--though he

is still only a few points off from the border. He still has tantrums, but

we can usually talk him through them. He still gets upset if things are out

of order, but it's usually not a huge deal. He still has difficulty relating

to his younger sister and sometimes pushes her when he can't deal with her

anymore. If he's really frustrated, he still flaps his hands. However, he

no longer tip-toes, or spins, which he was doing frequently before. Instead

of being classified as moderately autistic, we suspect he will end up high

functioning, more like an Asperger's. This isn't recovery, and I've never

said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

[Guest guest]

Hi, I am new here. My name is Edie. My son just turned three today. He is

speech delayed and is now receiving speech therapy OT and special instruction

at home. Next week he will start a school program. He says a few words when

he wants to. his eye contact is poor and he rarely responds when called. His

receptive language is also poor. however he is an affectionate child and

enjoys watching movies and playing with cars and his older brother. The

therapists have told me he has autistic features or is slightly autistic. We

are seeing a neurologist this coming week. I am looking forward to learning

from this group. I am very interested in the special diet you guys speak of

and learning more about it. Thanks, Edie

[Guest guest]

This may not be recovery but I'll take it any day for my little

darling. And at 31 months you sure have a great shot at even more.

Betty

This isn't recovery, and I've never

> said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

>

>

[Guest guest]

This may not be recovery but I'll take it any day for my little

darling. And at 31 months you sure have a great shot at even more.

Betty

This isn't recovery, and I've never

> said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

>

>

[Guest guest]

This may not be recovery but I'll take it any day for my little

darling. And at 31 months you sure have a great shot at even more.

Betty

This isn't recovery, and I've never

> said he's recovered--but the difference is staggering.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzanne,

I haven't done any formal testing, but I would say that my sons have

recovered. My older son was 3 1/2 when he started the diet, and was

Aspergers back then. By the time he was evaluated, he had been on the diet

for one month, and because of the incredible changes I had recorded, the

doctors were hesitant to give him a full Aspergers diagnosis. They called

it " tentative " Aspergers, because they weren't sure the label would stick.

At this point, if he were to be re-evaluated, he might make the sensory

integration dysfunction category. We still do sensory integration OT with

him, and he still has some fine and gross motor skill delays, but he

functions happily in his Pre-K classroom and his sensory issues are not

hindering his performance in school.

My younger son is a very unusual story in that he started the diet just

weeks after his troubles started. He recieved his MMR along with Hib and

HepB on Feb 1 last year--while he was still on antibiotics for and ear

infection. Two weeks later, my older son's school informed us that there

were some big problems and he would have to be evaluated. It was exactly at

that time that we started to lose my younger son. He had previously been

the most social, talkative, advanced, happy 15 month old, and about two

weeks after the disasterous vaccine day, he started losing all his

communication skills, he only stared off into space, stopped looking at us

or responding to his name, and if he wasn't staring off in another world, he

was in a rage. He only would eat his yogurt and chips.

God Bless Karyn Seroussi, because I found her book that week when I was

researching what to do about my older son and starting to panic about what

was happening to my younger son, and I put both kids on the diet. First

casein free at the end of Feb, then gluten free by the beginning of March.

Since my younger son had only been vax damaged about three weeks (and

antibiotic damaged for slightly longer) his recovery was dramatic. Of

course, he has benefitted from some of the interventions we have done with

my older son, and we did push him with his language for a couple of months

(it took a little bit before he recovered the language he had lost), but

within three days of removing casein, he was rapidly getting back to his old

self.

Thanks for letting me look back. It's been over ten months since we started

all this. And we do have our ups and downs. The occasional casein

infractions have really messed up my younger son's language, and my older

son is so sensitive to everything, that it doesn't take much to throw him

off. But if I watch his food, supplements, and environment very carefully,

he does great.

Best,

[Guest guest]

- I was reading your story and I have to tell you a very similar thing

happened to us. When my son (now 6 yrs old) was 1 month old he

recieved his first Hep B and Oral Polio vac's. He got so sick immediatley

following those vac's (BAD upper respitory infection and double ear

infection) that just wouldn't go away. He was on amoxil for approx 6 weeks

and while they were treating him with amoxil he received his second Hep B

shot. Within 36 hours he started to have seizures and never stopped! He was

having 200+ per DAY!!! He was VERY FOGGY, (remember he was only 3 months old

at this time), and just didn't seem right. He has never been labled

autistic, but does demonsrate many autistic characteristics! What a

nightmare!!!

Pam

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/18/01 2:40:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,

suzanne@... writes:

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism like Serrousi's son? What is the total success rate? I

> am just wondering what I can expect for my 4 year old. I don't want to

> get my hopes up too high but am wondering where I can place them.

>

>

Suzanne,

You should keep your hopes very high. I know nothing about your child and

have no idea his true chances for recovery, but you should never give up

hope. Dr. Lovaas from UCLA had about a 47% total recovery rate using ABA.

That 47% went on to regular classrooms and were indistinguishable from their

peers. The other children were also helped quite a bit but were not

completely recovered. My suspicion is that many more children than that can

recover from autism using all of the interventions--ie ABA and diet and

possibly heavy metal chelation and supplements. My son is no where near

recovered but he is so much better off than when we started 2 years ago, and

I still have faith that he will recover. I have always felt that I would

much rather face the disappointment 15 years from now than to start feeling

that way now with my child still so young. Reach for the sky!

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/18/01 2:40:24 PM Eastern Standard Time,

suzanne@... writes:

> I am just wondering, is there anyone on this list whose child recovered

> from autism like Serrousi's son? What is the total success rate? I

> am just wondering what I can expect for my 4 year old. I don't want to

> get my hopes up too high but am wondering where I can place them.

>

>

Suzanne,

You should keep your hopes very high. I know nothing about your child and

have no idea his true chances for recovery, but you should never give up

hope. Dr. Lovaas from UCLA had about a 47% total recovery rate using ABA.

That 47% went on to regular classrooms and were indistinguishable from their

peers. The other children were also helped quite a bit but were not

completely recovered. My suspicion is that many more children than that can

recover from autism using all of the interventions--ie ABA and diet and

possibly heavy metal chelation and supplements. My son is no where near

recovered but he is so much better off than when we started 2 years ago, and

I still have faith that he will recover. I have always felt that I would

much rather face the disappointment 15 years from now than to start feeling

that way now with my child still so young. Reach for the sky!

[Guest guest]

Thank you Debbie and all for your encouragement. I don't know anything about

the diet yet. However it does sound promising. My son who used to drink tons

of milk has recently on his own started refusing the stuff. He is saying some

new words and his behavior seems better. I don't know if its a coincidence or

what but I am very interested on starting him on this diet. Where can I find

more info on it? What do I give him to replace the calcium loss? Is soy milk

okay? Thanks Edie

[Guest guest]

Thank you Debbie and all for your encouragement. I don't know anything about

the diet yet. However it does sound promising. My son who used to drink tons

of milk has recently on his own started refusing the stuff. He is saying some

new words and his behavior seems better. I don't know if its a coincidence or

what but I am very interested on starting him on this diet. Where can I find

more info on it? What do I give him to replace the calcium loss? Is soy milk

okay? Thanks Edie

[Guest guest]

HI, could you tell me what ABA means. Where can I learn more about the diets

and supplements? Thanks Edie

[Guest guest]

HI, could you tell me what ABA means. Where can I learn more about the diets

and supplements? Thanks Edie

[Guest guest]

,

Is is not more than I wanted!!! That is exactly what I wanted to know. I

am watching my 10 month old very carefully. I am seriously considering

just putting her on GFCF from the beginning. We were just feeding her

table foods and she started to develop eczema...

Suzanne, Mama to 4 (HFA) and Olivia, 10 months

Fuller wrote:

>

> One thing is for certain, when he has diet transgressions we really see

> a difference in his behavior. He shows alot of anger, frustration,

> screaming, aggression, unwillingness to play, etc. It is remarkable.

> This diet has been a godsend to us.

>

> So, that's my two cents. More than you wanted, I'm sure!

>

>

> mom to Winona (3.5 nt), Caton (2 next week, cf/grain-free with Sensory

> Integration Dysfunction), and Aster (8 months nt)

[Guest guest]

,

Is is not more than I wanted!!! That is exactly what I wanted to know. I

am watching my 10 month old very carefully. I am seriously considering

just putting her on GFCF from the beginning. We were just feeding her

table foods and she started to develop eczema...

Suzanne, Mama to 4 (HFA) and Olivia, 10 months

Fuller wrote:

>

> One thing is for certain, when he has diet transgressions we really see

> a difference in his behavior. He shows alot of anger, frustration,

> screaming, aggression, unwillingness to play, etc. It is remarkable.

> This diet has been a godsend to us.

>

> So, that's my two cents. More than you wanted, I'm sure!

>

>

> mom to Winona (3.5 nt), Caton (2 next week, cf/grain-free with Sensory

> Integration Dysfunction), and Aster (8 months nt)