Are you doing anything to help your kids?

Tina - posted on 11/02/2010

First of all, I agree that we should be supportive and not attacking the whole vaccine thing. No one knows for sure what causes autism and therefore, one should not judge another's experience. A mother knows her own child better than anyone else and has her own suspicions which may in fact be valid.
In answering the poster's question:
Our biggest help has been ABA. We do ABA 10 yrs/wk, Autism Pre-K 30 hrs/wk. We are on a waiting list for ST outside of school. He gets ST and OT in school.
We also are doing supplements: cod liver oil, Super NuThera (vitamins), L-carnitine, Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10, MB 12 shots, Epsom salt baths, Lactobacillus Duo (probiotic), Zinc, Folinic Acid.
In the past we have tried melatonin and GABA for sleep, nystatin to keep yeast away, and a variety of other things.
I also try to interact as much as possible with him and challenge him. I used to have him in a playgroup with neurotypical kids, but we have no time to fit that in now. He does get it at church on sundays though. We have been trying to go out in public more now, but his ADHD is sometimes a problem. Hope this helps.

Judi - posted on 10/24/2010

hey guys, this is a supportive website for mum's of angels with Autism not a soap box for what caused it or the best methods to fix it. The best therapy/treatment is the one that works for your family and your children. If that is biomed - great, if it's ABA - fantastic, if it's floortime - awesome. each thing that we do should be done with love and hope and smiles because even if it doesn't work, we know that we've tried and maybe, just maybe the next step will work. Leaping on the Capslock key and fighting each other is wasted energy reading (for the 2000th time) "where the wild things are" out loud with actions and sound effects is a much better way to spend the day (with an audience - who may or maynot be listening is better)

Florida - posted on 10/22/2010

Hi ! What kind of vitamins do you prefer buying ? I'm curious as my son might be on the autism spectrum range too- he's also 4 and a half (actually almost 5... in months ! Wow!). I just find it hard to trust various companies...
Thanks for any tips,
Florida.

Glenna - posted on 10/22/2010

Wow, Stacy Bax! I don't know where you got this info but it is dead wrong! Can you please post specifics- such as the doctor's name and who published the studies? Why would the CDC cover up such studies if they had any validity? What does the CDC have to gain from such a cover up?

Glenna - posted on 10/22/2010

I have a 10 year old son with autism. He was starting to speak and lost his speech. He was diagnosed when he was three. I know that it is hard to accept understand, especially when you first hear the diagnosis and I know that you want something to blame outside of yourself even though genetics is not your fault, but I believe it is extremely dangerous to say that immunizations cause autism; there is no clear evidence- the doctor who originally stated this and did the study that supposedly showed this evidence later recanted it and admitted it wasn't true. When we say immunizations cause autism, we scare people away from getting their children these very necessary immunizations and create an unnecessary panic. There was a recent study published that proved that immunizations cannot cause autism. It was in an issue of Baby Talk this year. I will find information for anyone who wants to know specifics. Please, let's not scare other people just because we need to have something to blame.

Susan - posted on 10/20/2010

What is this chelation? What does epson salt bath's suspossed to do? What is this for MB12 shot every 2 or 3 days...? My daughter is 11 1/2 years and she still has problems with focusing even with medication. And she isn't very soicial with peers her own age.

Angie - posted on 10/20/2010

I didn't do the vitamin/mineral therapy, at least not very much. I used Melaleuca's supplement that is a grapefruit seed extract with some other nutrients, and that got mine talking again the very next day. Besides that, I gave him their version of an antacid, and that helped him start sleeping through the night. Weird, I know, but it worked for many others before me, so I tried it. That was all I really had to do with him. I did remove red dyes from his diet. Besides that, I just refused to let him leave us. He was made to look us in the eye, to respond, to attempt to ask for things either by using words or signing or he didn't get what he wanted. I taught him to learn self-control at a very early age and taught him that his sensory issues just 'bothered' him, but weren't a threat to him like his brain was telling him. I taught him how to play, to express himself, etc. I learned how to do my own therapy with him and I homeschool him, so therapy was life and life was therapy. Now, I have an 8 yr old that wouldn't even meet the required criteria for autism anymore, he'd be considered to have 'autistic tendencies'. We still deal with meltdowns but not nearly as bad as they used to be. He is amazing and I'm so proud of how far he's come.

Margarida - posted on 10/19/2010

Yes, Stacy is right! Vaccinations do play a role in autism. I agree that there is a genetic connection but not the way many people think. What these kids inherit genetically is a weaker system that is not as capable of eliminating toxins and regulating itself. That is why autism CAN be treated. You just need to help your child get the nutrients his/her body is not getting naturally and help him become healthier and help him eliminate those toxins that he is not able to do on hi own like everybody else can. I am also seeing a DAN! doctor and he has been of amazing help on that. They can help you with the right suplements and what to avoid. The Authism Research institute has a list of doctors trained by them to follow the DAN! (defeat autism now) protocol to help your son. I strongly recoment seeing one of this doctors. I also recoment reading "Children with starving brains" by Jaquelyn McCandless, MD. She is very devoted to the research and treatment of autism and gives great information in the book in case you are not able to find a DAN doctor next to you.

Rebecca - posted on 10/19/2010

My son is 12 at christmas,primary school persented big problems for him and upsets, but now he has just started mainstream school, not with out its moments of worry but he is there and its positive at times for him, now I dont think about his difficulties so often and worry about him,espeacially when I am not with him as I used to do, I concerntrate on his strenghs and what he has achieved, I smile more now and I love his " quirky" ways.

Mrs - posted on 10/19/2010

Hi My son has asperger syndrome and we are currently using GFCF diet, which does seem to have an affect on his anxiety levels, attention span and behaviour. We also take him to see a Chiropractor, which has helped him in many ways, he is also epileptic and has not had one seizure since he started with this form of intervention. I am not saying it is a miracle cure, but for now it is working. Other than this we are helping him with his socialisation, enrolling him and encouraging him to join any groups which HE wishes to join or has shown an interest in.

Christi - posted on 10/13/2010

vaccines do not bring on autism. both my sister and now my son are autistic and we have actually ruled it out as being genetic. i don't give my son a bunch of suppliments, but he does have home ECI (early childhood intervetion) speech and physical therapy three times a week as well as daily 2 hour sessions of aba therapy. in the month he has been in therapy, we have seen huge improvements in behavior and his speech. we do not take him to restaurants as he has a sensory disorder as well and cannot handle the noise and clutter of restaurants. we do take him everywhere we can and he is the greatest joy in my life. i am sorry you feel like he is in a box, don't quite understand that, but i do know how frustrating it is when your child is lengths ahead of everyone else, then stops talking and progressing all together. i do not think pumping your child full of vitamins and uneeded shots and such is going to help him. therapy and love will, but to each his own.

Melissa - posted on 10/12/2010

Everyday, I strive to do things that help my kids. I provide a warm, nurturing environment for them. I give them opportunities to grow and mature at their own paces. We do that through various theraputic approaches.

I do not pump my children full of supplements. They do not live in boxes. They have an alternate, but not less valid, nor significant view of the world. That's just part of being a unique individual.

Julie - posted on 10/12/2010

Glad to see all you're doing for him; from what I learned FYI is that any vaccinations don't alone bring on Autism; it only opens the door for something to surface that was already there or at least the tendencies for. The only caution I want to share to hopefully help you is that (Because I still have to practice this) you always need to remember that it can be a challenge in deciding what to do for him is that we always have to see things from his point. for example with our son (severe/low functioning autistic since age 2 he's now 9) I also try to keep him going places etc... but sometimes I have to stop and think/remember how certain things REALLY make him feel and is it TRULY benefical to him to participate (because I never want him to suffer in an attempt to help him). Just a thought for you because you seem to be a great mom that would want to have collective info as such to make the best choices...good luck!

Shelly - posted on 10/12/2010

I'm sorry genetics put your son in what you imagine to be a box.
It looks like you're a loving, caring mother. That's the best treatment on earth. That, and routine, which it also looks like you're doing well.

You're a blessing to him.