Autism

In an effort to save you time and help you better understand the wide array of options available - from healing therapies to nutrition, we've created this directory of resources available on both bluedominoes.com and other websites. There's no single solution that works for everyone and our goal is to share resources to provide pathways to your child's brighter future. We encourage you to share your most helpful therapies, books, products, etc. so that we create a destination for parents to create a healthy family environment and explore a range of treatment options for you to discuss with your physician.

According to the Autism Society of America, 1 in 100 children are diagnosed with autism. It is the fastest growing developmental disability with an annual cost of $90 billion.

Autism Symptoms
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, there are three distinctive behaviors that characterize autism.
- Difficulties with social interaction including:
o impaired ability to make friends with peers
o unable to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
o absence or impairment of imaginative and social play.
o can appear to be indifferent to their surroundings,
o lack of interest in toys and others
o Problems with verbal and nonverbal communication including stereotyped, repetitive, or unusual use of language.
o Repetitive behaviors or narrow, obsessive interests including inflexibility to change in routines and preoccupation with certain subjects or objects.

Lead and Autism
1. Autism and Autistic Symptoms Associated with Childhood Lead Poisoning by Theodore I. Lidsky, PhD andJay S. Schneider, PhD

2. A lead poisoned child is mis-diagnosed with autism

3. Medical professionals wonder is it lead poisoning or ASD

4. A child with autism also develops lead poisoning from lead based paint

5. Warning:  Lead Poisoning or Autism?  by WFTV Channel 9

6.  Autism and Lead Poisoning by Wellsphere

7.  Lead and its Relatinship to ADHD and Autism

8.  Environmental Toxins, ADHD, and Autism

Recommended Books for Autism

1. Impossible Cure: The Promise of Homeopathy by Amy Lansky
This book is a great introduction to the world of homeopathy. Amy Lansky worked at NASA with her husband, but once her younger son began to exhibit signs of autism, Amy investigated programs and therapies that would benefit her son. She discovered homeopathy, explains wonderfully how homeopathy works, and recovered her son by using homeopathy, changing her son's diet, and prayer.

2. Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother's Story of Research & Recovery  by Karyn Seroussi
When Karen's son was diagnosed with autism, her goal was recovery for her son. She participated in traditional therapies, but couldn't ignore the connection between diet and her child's behavior. She eventually discovered the effects of gluten and casein were dramatically influencing her son's behavior and her implementation of the GFCF (gluten-free, casein free) diet was instrumental in recovering her son from his symptoms. This book provides insight to the diet, nystatin (anti-fungal that helps with yeast), and phenol intolerances in some children. It provides an inspirational story of recovery.

3. Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals by Catherine Maurice, Gina Green, and Stephen C. Luce.  This workbook outlines developmental milestones for children and provides activities for parents or behavior therapists to do with their children. Behavior therapy is quite expensive and with this workbook it allows parents to incorporate the therapy into play with their children. Most people whose children are exhibiting autistic symptoms due to heavy metal toxicity do well with chelation and then use the workbook to help them understand the child development levels and work with their children themselves. Often once chelation is completed, the need for ABA (behavior therapy for children with autism and related disorders) is drastically reduced or eliminated since the child begins to learn naturally.

4. Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family's Triumph over Autism  by Catherine Maurice
Provides an overview of Applied Behavioral Analysis and how it aided in the recovery of two of Catherine's (pseudonym) children. She discusses some of the research behind the therapy and provides an outline of the particular exercises that helped heal her children.

5. Enzymes for Autism and other Neurological Conditions by Karen L. Defelice
Focuses on digestive enzymes, food sensitivities, and rebuilding the digestive tract. This is a great book to understand how food can be affecting your child and offers a wonderful overview of how enzymes work, how to pick the right enzyme for your child, and documents progress of her sons as well as other children utilizing enzymes.

6. A Drug-Free Approach to Asperger Syndrome and Autism: Homeopathic Care for Exceptional Kids by Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman, Robert Ullman, and Ian Luepker
Wonderful alternatives to traditional prescription medications. They review homeopathy as well as take you through cases of children they have treated. You will read about the improvement and in some cases complete healing of children on the spectrum. They reference the symptoms and the remedies used in each of their cases.

7. Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder by Jaquelyn McCandless, MD
This book was written out of love by a physician whose granddaughter was diagnosed with autism. She outlines her learning process, supplementation, and bio-medical intervention that have helped countless children. She discusses diagnostic testing and treatment of yeast, heavy metal toxicity, immune system and so much more.

8.  A Child's Journey Out of Autism by Leeann Whiffen                                                                                                                                          Chronicles her son's recover from autism using ABA, biomedical inervention, diet (gluten free casein free), RDI, Defeat Autism Now protocols and educating herself by getting involved with organizations and other moms.  She emphasizes the point of starting treatments as early as possible and is critical of physicians who recommend waiting or just getting a little speech therapy.  Leeann is very honest about treatments that worked, regrets, as well as the huge financial and emotional burden placed on families with autism.  Her son Clay's recovery is a testament to the families dedication and an inspiration to all who know recovery is possible.  Further, the family discusses their decision to go for another child after Clay was recovered.  Leeann shares her experience with getting her body healthy, eating organic, and hoping against all odds for a girl since autism rates are lower for girls then boys.  The family is blessed with another boy who did not have to go through autism, and the family decided to wait on vaccinations for their third child until his fourth birthday.  Truly a must read!

Recommended Therapies for Children with Autism
1. Scientific Sound Healing
2. HANDLE
3. Occupational Therapy
4. Speech Therapy
5. Music Therapy/Lessons
6. Applied Behavior Analysis - See recommended books.

For children with social issues, an interesting new therapy may be on the horizon. This therapy uses aritficial playmates (virutal playmates) and is being researched by Northwestern University.

The University of Louisiana has done research on Low Frequency Magnetic Field Treatments After receiving a 20 minute treatment twice a week for five weeks, patients showed fewer symptoms of hyperactivity, sensory overload and repetitive behaviors.

Nutritional Strategies for Children with Autism
1. Gluten-free/Casein Free Diet - This diet eliminates all gluten (the protein part of wheat, rye, barley, and other related grains) and the milk protein casein from the child's diet. Parents and physicians have reported dramatic improvements in the behavior and overall well being of the child with autism when following this plan.

Organizations that have information on Gluten-Free Diets

Celiac Sprue Association - Non-profit organization that certifies products as gluten-free, recommends products, provides recipes, holds conferences and has an excellent staff available to answer questions.

Gluten Free Checklist - Founded by Gail Mitchell after she and her daughters were diagnosed with Celiac disease.  Has gluten-free checklists that help you shop for groceries, back to school, etc., recipes, menus, and a gluten-free forum

Some gluten free recipes:

Breakfast
French Toast
Waffles

Entrees
Chicken Pot Pie
Ezekiel Pizza
Mexian Lasagna
Quesadilla
Tri-color pasta with marinated Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe

Salads and Sides
Chicken Pinenut Quinoa Salad
The Best Pasta Salad
Warm Pasta Salad with Mushrooms and Radicchio

Desserts
Apple Cranberry Pie
Coconut Cookies
Fruit Pie

Beverages
Soda Alternative
Smoothie

2. Elimination of artificial food coloring due to the heavy metal content

3. Low Oxalate Diet When oxalate is present in high amounts, it can cause oxidative stress and lower glutathione levels. Glutathione is needed to help detoxify the body from heavy metals such as mercury. Foods that contain high levels of oxalate include:  spinach, rhubarb, chocolate, parsley, beetroot, strawberries, wheat flour, pepper, nuts, and soy.  Processed salt such as table salt can also increase oxalate levels, whereas unprocessed salts are good.

4. Specific Carbohydrate A grain free, lactose free, sucrose free diet that has helped some children with autism. The SCD is based on the principle that specifically selected carbohydrates requiring minimal digestion are well absorbed, leaving virtually nothing for intestinal microbes to feed on. More information can be found by clicking here

5. The Maker's Diet Jordan Rubin recovered from Crohn's disease using a diet plan that has it's origins in the bible. This book documents his amazing recovery and provides anecdotes from family and friends who marvel at Jordan's miraculous recovery. He is essentially advocating gluten-free, casein free diet where goat's milk and goat milk cheeses are acceptable as well as certain grains and sprouted breads. He does a wonderful job of outlining reasons people get sick, how to stay healthy, and how to recover if you are ill. Recipes and places to source the products he recommends are included.

6. Healthier Treats
There is a wide selection of natural candies perfect for children and adults. Many of the treats mentioned in this article are also suitable for children following gluten-free/dairy/casein free, and/or the Feingold Program.

Camps in the San Diego, California area
Excite Steps is San Diego's Leading Mentoring Program. They have a variety of programs available. Anything from sports, mentoring, group activities and full summer camps for children with all levels of abilities.
 

Organizations / Additional Information Regarding Autism

Autism Speaks - This organization was founded in 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright after their grandson was diagnosed with autism.  It is now the nations largest science and advocacy organization.  They provide well balanced, researched information that provides parents with options for treatment as well as ways to get involved by joining walks and other events.

Healthing Threshholds - Healing Thresholds was created to connect parents to autism therapy information as quickly and efficiently as possible.  They have a wonderful weekly email newsletter that provides the latest informatino on treatments, products, and more.

Autism Research Institute - Conducts scientific research aimed at improving the methods of diagnosing, treating, and preventing autism.  They have an online checklist that allows parents to monitor the effectiveness of a treatment plan.  Defeat Autism Now is a project of the Autism Research Institute and has regularly occuring meetings throughout the country.

Generation Rescue - believes autism is an environmental illness and can be treated through biomedical intervention.

Are you familiar with another resouce/link we haven't mentioned? Share it with us - we'd love to hear it with you.