Showing posts with label autism recovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label autism recovery. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Alternate Therapies Help Children with Autism Recover
Most parents that have a child with autism or related disorder are presented with the same treatment options over and over. While these programs and interventions do help, there are other non-traditional therapies that yield positive results and have the added benefit of a little fun!
Depending upon your child’s interest, you can find a professional to administer therapy related to that interest. Music therapy, art therapy, therapeutic horse-back riding, even surfing and swimming with dolphins are all alternative ways to teach and treat children with autism.
The differences between these and traditional therapy (speech, occupational and physical) may seem obvious; it’s the similarities that need to be discussed.
Let’s say your child is learning how to start conversations. During speech your child will work on forming words, expanding words into sentences, using appropriate greetings and will learn conversation starters. The exact same goals and skills can be worked on during any of the alternative therapies mentioned above. There is the similarity and one that is constantly misunderstood.
Many parents have the idea that only traditional therapy teaches traditional skills. Parents may wonder: Why in the world does my child need to learn how to surf? Perhaps he doesn’t, but if swimming, water and movement is enjoyable to them, can you think of a better motivator or reward? In this example, instead of earning a sticker on a speech therapist’s chart for ‘good talking’, your child will get to hop on a surf board and the ride the waves as a reward – what a significant difference.
This is why it is important to remember your child is a child first and the disability comes second. If a child is drawn to music, incorporate it in their programming. If you have an idea for alternative therapy but are unable to find a provider, consider contacting a professional in that field and explain your situation.
Parents are often presently surprised at the tremendous feedback received by non-therapists. A woman who offers private art lessons may be more then willing to work on talking or fine motor skills during lessons – in this case, you’ve taken a lesson or activity and modified to also provide therapy. The added bonus is your child will learn skills outside of therapeutic goals also.
Surprisingly, cost can be less then that of traditional therapy and alternative programs may be more available. Every provider will have their own fees, and if financing the therapy is a challenge, be sure to discuss alternate payment options with the provider. Perhaps you can volunteer to decrease cost, use a sliding scale, or refer others to off-set the out of pocket cost. Parents of children with autism are quite creative and innovative, and this situation is no exception.
Parents have also been able to incorporate alternative therapy approaches into mainstream educational settings. Simply put, if a child does well in art therapy, art projects should be used as reward, motivators and teaching tools throughout the child’s day. This is near common sense, as the more interested a child is in a topic, the more they will attend and contribute.
Autism affects every part of life and, as such, can limit social and recreational activities. This is one way to offer your child the best of both worlds and to make sure you’re always moving forward. Be creative and be persistent and you will find a niche your child fits in and loves. You never know, maybe you have the next Picasso sitting right in front of you.
More information about some of the most popular treatments can be fount at http://www.recoveryfromautism.com
Depending upon your child’s interest, you can find a professional to administer therapy related to that interest. Music therapy, art therapy, therapeutic horse-back riding, even surfing and swimming with dolphins are all alternative ways to teach and treat children with autism.
The differences between these and traditional therapy (speech, occupational and physical) may seem obvious; it’s the similarities that need to be discussed.
Let’s say your child is learning how to start conversations. During speech your child will work on forming words, expanding words into sentences, using appropriate greetings and will learn conversation starters. The exact same goals and skills can be worked on during any of the alternative therapies mentioned above. There is the similarity and one that is constantly misunderstood.
Many parents have the idea that only traditional therapy teaches traditional skills. Parents may wonder: Why in the world does my child need to learn how to surf? Perhaps he doesn’t, but if swimming, water and movement is enjoyable to them, can you think of a better motivator or reward? In this example, instead of earning a sticker on a speech therapist’s chart for ‘good talking’, your child will get to hop on a surf board and the ride the waves as a reward – what a significant difference.
This is why it is important to remember your child is a child first and the disability comes second. If a child is drawn to music, incorporate it in their programming. If you have an idea for alternative therapy but are unable to find a provider, consider contacting a professional in that field and explain your situation.
Parents are often presently surprised at the tremendous feedback received by non-therapists. A woman who offers private art lessons may be more then willing to work on talking or fine motor skills during lessons – in this case, you’ve taken a lesson or activity and modified to also provide therapy. The added bonus is your child will learn skills outside of therapeutic goals also.
Surprisingly, cost can be less then that of traditional therapy and alternative programs may be more available. Every provider will have their own fees, and if financing the therapy is a challenge, be sure to discuss alternate payment options with the provider. Perhaps you can volunteer to decrease cost, use a sliding scale, or refer others to off-set the out of pocket cost. Parents of children with autism are quite creative and innovative, and this situation is no exception.
Parents have also been able to incorporate alternative therapy approaches into mainstream educational settings. Simply put, if a child does well in art therapy, art projects should be used as reward, motivators and teaching tools throughout the child’s day. This is near common sense, as the more interested a child is in a topic, the more they will attend and contribute.
Autism affects every part of life and, as such, can limit social and recreational activities. This is one way to offer your child the best of both worlds and to make sure you’re always moving forward. Be creative and be persistent and you will find a niche your child fits in and loves. You never know, maybe you have the next Picasso sitting right in front of you.
More information about some of the most popular treatments can be fount at http://www.recoveryfromautism.com
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Three proven Dietary Interventions you may want to try for Children with Autism
Since Autism is a spectrum disorder, a therapy that helps hundreds of children will not help all; and there are cases of one child being “cured” by a therapy that did not help thousands of others. Parents are attracted by diets that may help their child recover, or limit the need for other evasive therapies.
Antifungal Diet
Up to 85% of children with Autism have gastrointestinal issues. Many of these are caused by an imbalance in the intestines due to Candida overgrowth. The overgrowth has significant behavior consequences. Dr. Bernard Rimland, founder of Autism Research Institute, stated, ”based on the weight of the information gathered to date, it seems to me highly probable that a small, but significant proportion of children diagnosed as autistic are in fact victims of a severe Candida infection.” With the incidence of Autism growing so alarmingly, the thought that 5-10% of children can recover by a diet is attractive and plausible to parents.
The antifungal diet requires the removal of sugar sources (that feed yeast), carbohydrates and fermented yeast products (The Natural Medicine Guide to Autism; Marone, Stephanie; 2002;p27).Recipes may be found on anti-candida-diet-chocolate-recipes.
The April 2007 Summary of Biomedical Treatments for Autism publication is available at, (Adams Biomed Summary). In it are the results of parent reports of the success of treatments and how to get more information on the therapies. In this report ARI found removing sugar from the diet as well as giving the child antifungal medication helped many children. Of the parents that reported removing sugar from the child’s diet, 48% showed an improvement, 51% showed no change, and only 2% stated their child got worse. Most antifungal diets begin with a round of antifungal medication. ARI found 55% of parents said their child got better on Diflucan and 49% got better on Nystatin, 41% and 46% showed no change respectively and 5% got worse taking either. It is important to point out that the use of antifungal medication often results in a die-off reaction.
This die-off sometimes results in an increase of negative behavior because the yeast gives off toxins as it dies. This may explain some of the 5% that got worse. This diet can be used in conjunction with other diets. Many parents try it because most people have had yeast overgrowth at one point in their lives. It is also an easier diet to manage than other diet therapies for children with Autism.
Feingold Diet (Program)
Dr. Feingold began noticing a connection between behavior and artificial additives in the 1960’s. The Feingold Association, which carries on the work of Dr. Feingold, feel this program should be used in conjunction with other therapies, diets, vitamin supplements or medication a parent and the child’s doctor sees fit. There has been behavior, attention, physical and mental health improvements in children and adults on this program.
The attention and behavior improvements were not what the purpose of the diet was initially. The diet was started as an allergy diet, the behavior and attention improvements were an unanticipated bonus. Students with Autism, ADHD, OCD and ODD have all benefited from the Feingold Program. The program requires the elimination of food from the diet of the child if the food contains: artificial (synthetic) coloring, artificial (synthetic) flavoring, Aspartame (Nutrasweet, an artificial sweetener) and artificial (synthetic) preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ. Also, some salicylates are eliminated, depending on the source of the salicylate. Also, like many other diets, products used by the child that contain the ingredients listed above must be eliminated (Hence, Feingold Program versus Feingold Diet).
For example, some colored soaps may include artificial food coloring. The website www.feingold.org gives a complete description of the program, sources for food (including candy) that are allowed on the diet, and support to any parents wanting to try this for their child. The site shows how much more chemicals children today are subject to, compared to the children’s grandparents.
The Autism Research Institute surveyed thousands of parents on different therapies used to treat Autism and continually updates their findings. The April 2007 findings are available at autism.com | Biomed |Autism Speaks. The parents that responded to trying the Feingold Diet came to 758. Of those, 53% said their child was better after the diet, 2% said their child was worse, and 45% stated there was no change. Many parents do not find this diet difficult to maintain, and feel it should be tried.
Diet is an effective way to manage a child’s Autism. It is non-evasive and if done correctly has a good chance of success. Most diets parents can control themselves, and feel they are helping their child with Autism. If it doesn’t they try again with a different diet, and if it does, they are rewarded for their efforts. Patient parents are not easily frustrated by the trial and error aspects of dietary intervention.
Source: Ditetary interventions |Gluten Free|Casein Free|Anti Fungal|Feingold Diets
About RecoveryFromAutism.com:
The Recovery From Autism (RFA) offers parents a thriving support system where they can connect to other parents like them to get advice about parenting or just know about a treatment or the latest techniques to treat autism. Sharing information about treating autism is a huge inflection point for parents with autistic kids. The Recovery From Autism gives them a trusted place where they can get latest information and resources related to autism treatments that could help their children to progress and can even recover them from Autism.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Can Food Allergies Cause Autism?
Many parents and professionals agree children with autism are more likely to have food allergies and sensitivities. This supports the theory that children with autism have underlying impairments of the immune system. Parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder are encouraged to consider and evaluate the role food allergies may play in their child’s symptoms. There are many ways to test for allergies to food and other substances. An allergist can test by blood, skin pricks, endoscopies or even x-rays. Similar to food allergies, it is common for children with autism to experience allergic reactions from environmental triggers, food coloring or preservatives. An allergist can test for all types of allergies and should. Many parents test for food allergies by implementing an elimination diet.
The most common food allergies are to wheat, rye, oats, dairy products, citrus fruits, peanuts and any other food a child is exposed to early in life and repeatedly, as this constant exposure can result in an allergy or sensitivity being developed.
The physical reaction to food allergies can vary by child and may be dependent upon the severity of the allergy or sensitivity. The most common symptoms are nasal and respiratory congestion, acting ‘spaced out’ or out of focus, bed-wetting, stomach aches, hyperactivity, gastrointestinal disturbances, increased hypersensitivity to sensory input, depression, behavioral meltdowns and in some cases tics. Many parents report their child’s seizures are directly related to food allergies also.
Beyond allergy testing, parents can determine if a child has a food allergy through an elimination diet. Often, children will crave what they are allergic to and this may hold a clue as to what food can first be removed from the diet.
Parents should remove the food completely from the diet and maintain that diet for at least two weeks. The body needs time to adjust to the new changes. After a few weeks, parents should introduce the food removed back into the diet by having the child consume it on an empty stomach. If there is an allergy or sensitivity symptoms will appear immediately or within 24 hours at the latest. It is recommended to remove one food at a time, watching for reactions upon the child ingesting it.
Parents will find that many dietary interventions used to treat autism exclude the most common foods children are allergic to. For example, the Gluten and Casein Free diet removes grains and dairy (in addition to being in other foods that are also removed). There are other diets that remove sugars, which can contribute to other gastrointestinal issues, so dietary interventions are an ideal way to also eliminate possible allergens or triggers of autism.
Supplementation of needed nutrients, probiotics and other components can be used to further boost immune health and functioning. Children’s immune systems are assaulted when exposed to allergens, so strengthening the immune system will help the child’s body recover faster.
Food allergies are a main contributor to the symptoms of autism. For the children who suffer from these, having the allergens removed provides great relief and progress. This is one treatment parents can pursue and follow up with a physician while changes are being made. Parents and professionals will testify to the positive changes parents will see and children will feel.
Source: Recoveryfromautism.com
About RecoveryFromAutism.com:
The Recovery From Autism (RFA) offers parents a thriving support system where they can connect to other parents like them to get advice about parenting or just know about a treatment or the latest techniques to treat autism. Sharing information about treating autism is a huge inflection point for parents with autistic kids. The Recovery From Autism gives them a trusted place where they can get latest information and resources related to autism treatments that could help their children to progress and can even recover them from Autism.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Increased physical activity decreases the symptoms of autism
Children with autism are unique individuals. However, the delay manifests itself differently in each child. The similarities shared are the areas of development affected by autism and one of them is undoubtedly their overall physical ability.
Almost all children with autism need occupational and physical therapy, since children with autism tend to have decreased muscle tone, low endurance, and delayed motor skills. Sensory imbalances are also typical with children that have autism and physical activity is quite simply, the best way to provide sensory input.
When a child’s sensory systems are balanced, stimulatory and stereotypical behaviors diminish. All of a sudden, children will no longer spin, rock or hand-flap because their brain is now organized having received the needed input provided by physical activity. When the brain can make sense of the information received, it can be better processed. For example, a child aversive to being touched may feel physically uncomfortable when touched by another person. What if every time a person hugged you it hurt or made you feel itchy? Chances are you’d do whatever necessary to avoid feeling that way again, including reacting behaviorally should someone try to touch you.
If your sensory system was balanced, and being hugged felt like warm gentle pressure, chances are you’d be able to tolerate it and even seek it out. Having your child play and be physically active provides the input necessary to accomplish this regulation.
Parents should let the child guide the activity. This means observing how your child behaves physically and basing activities off that. If your child likes to spin, go to a playground and use the equipment. If your child is very active – running and jumping about – start doing jumping jacks, relay races and jog – all these activities provide massive amounts of sensory input.
Many children do not engage in physical activity, disability or not, so increasing exercise is a recommendation for all parents.
Since children with autism do well with routines and structure, make it an integral part of your day and conduct small activities throughout the day. To help metabolize nutrients and avoid weight-gain consider activity ½ an hour after eating. Walking, running, jumping, playgrounds, hiking, chasing balloons or bubbles – the ideas and child friendly ways to incorporate exercise are near endless.
As always, keep track of what you do, how often you do it and the subsequent changes in your child. You may find increased gastrointestinal function, as exercise can stimulate digestion and the gut, eye contact will increase as the brain becomes more organized and stimulatory behavior will ultimately disappear. It’s important to make learning and growth fun, so include your entire family and enjoy the time you spend together as well as the results.
Source: Recoveryfromautism.com
About RecoveryFromAutism.com:
The Recovery From Autism (RFA) offers parents a thriving support system where they can connect to other parents like them to get advice about parenting or just know about a treatment or the latest techniques to treat autism. Sharing information about treating autism is a huge inflection point for parents with autistic kids. The Recovery From Autism gives them a trusted place where they can get latest information and resources related to autism treatments that could help their childeren to progress and can even recover them from Autism.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Early Intervention: Why it Matters to the Brain and Body
We know the brains of children that have autism are developed atypically. When children are young, the brain undergoes many organizational changes responsible for development.
For example, when toddlers experience what is called the ‘language boom’, in which vocabulary can grow from a few dozen words to hundreds or more in a short period of time, the brain is undergoing changes by way of establishing new neural pathways and cutting back those that are unused.
The brain can do this because of what is known as plasticity. This means the brain has the ability to change and mold if you will. The older a child the less plasticity there is believed to be. This is one reason why early intervention is so important. Should the window of opportunity to establish certain brain activity be closed, there is less hope of development.
It is common sense that the earlier a wound is given treatment, the sooner and more complete it should heal. Children with autism have pathological and biomedical needs that, once healed, cause damage to cease. This is very apparent when gastrointestinal function and immune function is discussed. In short, the sooner biomedical treatments are established to heal the gut, immune and nervous system, the better the chances of complete recovery.
There are many possible assailants to the brain and body. Certain foods, environmental toxins, antibiotics, other drugs and more can disrupt normal biological processes. With an experience team, some research and support, parents can begin to treat their child’s specific needs with the range of effective treatments immediately available.
Dietary interventions can remove toxic substances that have negative affects on the brain. Supplementation can restore and support the immune system. Chelation can remove toxins and cumulatively they result in reported recovery from the symptoms of autism.
Food allergies and sensitivities also play a very big role in aggravating the symptoms of autism. Cognitively, the brain can be considered clouded or even short-circuited when a child is receiving foods, such as gluten containing food that has negative effects on the brain once broken down by the body. An allergy is in itself an immune system response, so removing this constant assault, the body can begin to heal and reestablish optimum functioning. Improvement of gastrointestinal function should be immediately considered also, because if it is inefficient, it could be allowing substances to escape the gut and enter the brain.
The gut-brain relationship is rarely discussed but is integral to overall functioning and development. As the gut heals it will be able to perform its various functions, such as keeping broken-down nutrients in the gut and out of the brain. Certain enzymes can be given to help children break down specific proteins and address other gastrointestinal issues.
While intervention and treatment is recommended to begin while the child is quite young, parents should begin implementing a protocol immediately upon diagnosis regardless of the child’s age. There are many options to consider and many parents who can share their experience as a means of support. The research is clear – early intervention is one key to success and children can start to recover from the damage of autism as soon as treatment begins and it could be as simple as making dietary changes.
Source: Recoveryfromautism.com
About RecoveryFromAutism.com:
The Recovery From Autism (RFA) offers parents a thriving support system where they can connect to other parents like them to get advice about parenting or just know about a treatment or the latest techniques to treat autism. Sharing information about treating autism is a huge inflection point for parents with autistic kids. The Recovery From Autism gives them a trusted place where they can get latest information and resources related to autism treatments that could help their childeren to progress and can even recover them from Autism.
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