Gluten and Casein Free Diet

Hello to you! It was great getting some advice from Lisa Jo Rudy in the last post. Today we will talk about another way to manage the behavior of a child with autism. By this point, both you and I have come to the conclusion that there are many great sites with information on Autism.

Well, I found another. “Healing Thresholds” is a website is dedicated to connecting parents of children with autism to “autism therapy.” It discusses many different therapies that are used by parents and uses fact sheets to define the therapy, talk about its effectiveness, and discuss any harm that may come from it.

According to Healing Thresholds, one popular therapy for children with autism is a change in diet. Two main ingredients that are suggested to be taken from their diet are gluten (a protein found in some grains) and casein (a protein found in milk.)

The reasoning behind the gluten and casein free diet is that consuming these foods increase the amount of protein-by products, which Healing Thresholds says are thought to act as a drug in an autistic child's system . They are thought to “reduce desire for social interaction, block pain messages, and increase confusion” When these ingredients are taken away, the behavior is supposed to decrease or go away.

I do not know if you know anyone who is allergic to gluten or casein, but I was once put on a gluten and casein-free diet. Because of gastrointestinal problems, my doctor at one time thought I might have an allergy to one of the two proteins. Now let me tell you, this diet is extremely difficult.

Gluten and casein are in so many things that you would not think about if you did not look at the labels! Gluten especially is in so many things, not just bread, but cookies, brownies, pasta, even some dressings. Casein, which comes from milk, is also in many food products. Going out to eat is almost impossible unless you go to a restaurant that actually caters to these diets. To put a child on this diet, the parents would be advised to go to an organic store and buy the food, which is extremely expensive.

Nonetheless, Healing Thresholds talks about one study that was done, in which some children with autism that were put on a casein and gluten free diet for a year and the others were not. According to Healing Thresholds, the children who were put on the diet had less autistic symptoms. That’s very exciting! I think that this is definitely something to consider if your child has autism, and perhaps speak with your doctor if you have any questions.

Thanks again for tuning in, and please feel free to leave any comments you may have!

References

Crosthwaite, F. (n.d.). Autism | Gluten-Free Diet and Children with Autism | Healing Thresholds | Connecting Community and Science to Heal Autism. ARetrieved October 23, 2009, from http://autism.healingthresholds.com/therapy/gluten-free-diet

Understanding and Managing Your Autistic Child's Behavior

Hello and Happy Friday to everyone! Today we are going to take a step forward and talk about some helpful tips for you as a parent if your child does have autism. When my nephew was first diagnosed with autism, I remember that my sister was so overwhelmed and did not know how to act with him. She would get very frustrated with him, and just didn’t really understand his way of thinking.

About.com is a great source for many "How-to" pieces, from how to succeed as a substitute teacher” to “How to make a cheesecake.” It’s a really interesting site because the articles are written by many different authors, each with different skills and experiences. About.com features a great article written by Lisa Jo Rudy, a mother of a child who has Autism. It explains some ways to understand and control the behavior of your child with Autism.

According to Lisa Jo Rudy, from about.com, these ten tips can lead to a calmer family life with a child who has autism.

Top 10 Tips for Understanding and Managing Your Autistic Child's Behavior

1. Know Your Child

Rudy says that most of the time children with Autism are not trying to be "bad." Instead of overreacting, you may think, "Is my child extra-senstivitve to sound and light?" or "Does she need lots of sensory input?" Rudy says that the more you know, the easier it is to take care of a tough situation.

2. Modify Your Expectaions

Rudy suggests that rather than expecting your child to sit through an entire dinner, set small goals, such as sitting still for three minutes, or eating with a fork.

3. Modify Your Experience

"Safety is the key," Rudy says. She suggests bolting shelves and walls to the floor, locking cabinets, and putting a dead bolt in the door. She says that extra measures must be taken for children with autism.

4. Consider the Possible Sources of the Behavior

Rudy says that many children with autism either crave or over-respond to sensory input. She says that if your child is acting out, it may be a reaction to too much or too little sensory input. She says to observe your child to find out.

5. Remove Overwhelming Sensory Input

Rudy suggests that when your child is over-reacting to sensory input, that you should change the situation or distract the child. You may do this by avoiding overwhelming sensory settings such as parades, or consider ear plugs and distracting toys to get their mind off it.

6. Provide Sensory Input

Rudy says that if your child crashes into couches or climbs the walls, she's probably craving sensory input. You can provide this in more appropriate ways, such as bear hugs, or rolling her up like a "hot dog" in a blanket. Make it fun.

7.Look for Positive Outlets for Unusual Behaviors

While climbing or spinning in a store may be "bad" behavior, Rudy says that spinning on a swing and climbing at a rock gym are quite fine. While it may be wrong in one setting, find a setting that they can have fun and act appropriately.

8. Enjoy Your Child's Successes

Rudy explains that it is important to encourage your child and congratulate him even with his successes that may seem small, such as kicking a ball or saying "yes" to a playdate.

9. Worry Less About Others' Opinions

Rudy says not to worry about other parents and children when you are out in public, but focus on your child and to treat him or her as you would if you were alone.

10. Find Ways to Have Fun Together

Rudy explains that it is important to have fun with your child, and bouncing on a trampoline or cuddling together can be a blast for you both. She said that sometimes it's better to just enjoy being silly with your child.

As Always, thanks for reading and please let me know what you think of the advice that Lucy Jo Rudy gave.

References

Rudy, L. J. (n.d.). Tips for Understanding and Managing Your Autistic Child's Behavior. Retrieved October 23, 2009, from http://autism.about.com/od/autismhowtos/tp/behavetips.htm

Early Intervention and Warning Signs

Hello again! Today we are going to talk about diagnosing autism, and the importance of early intervention. This subject is so important to me because of the situation with my nephew. He is now 12 years old and cannot speak or really function as a teenager. He still needs to be fed and cannot feed, dress, or bathe himself. What is interesting is that the doctor mentioned that if my sister would have acted sooner, he may be able to do basic skills to at least take care of himself. He may even have learned to talk. Please read up on the warning signs and alert parents that you know. This is so important!

First we will start by talking about some of the warning signs that your child may have autism. First Signs is a great sight dedicated to educating parents, educators and even doctors on early detection of autism. It does this by talking about the early warning signs of autism and similar disorders.

According to First Signs, "In some cases, effective intervention can improve conditions once thought to be virtually untreatable, such as autism. Well-implemented programs can brighten a child’s future and the impact a developmental disorder has on the family. It can lead a child to greater independence, enable that child to be included in his/her community, and offer him/her a more productive and fulfilling life." The key to success with Autism is early detection.

"The research is very clear -- the earlier a child is treated, the better," says Dr. Ami Klin, Harris associate professor of child psychology and psychiatry at the Yale Child Study Center. "It's never too early to start treatment." (From a CNN article "Pediatricians Urge Early Autism Screening")

Here is a great video that features Temple Grandin, a woman who has autism. She is speaking about early intervention. My favorite quote from the video is, "If you have a child two to three years old and has no speech, no social contact, just sits and rocks, the worst thing you can do is nothing"

Now that you know the importance of early detection, you may be wondering, "What are some common signs that my child may have autism?" Autism Web is a great site that is written by parents of children with autism and related disorders to other parents who may be in the same situation.

According to Autism Web, if a child has any of these signs, a doctor should immediately have the child tested.

-Does not babble or coo by 12 months of age
-Does not gesture (point, wave, grasp, etc.) by 12 months of age
-Does not say single words by 16 months of age
-Does not say two-word phrases on his or her own (rather than just repeating what someone says to him or her) by 24 months of age
-Has any loss of any language or social skill at any age.

Here is a video with information on some warning signs that your child may have Autism. There is a list of more warning signs after the video. Please contact your doctor if you have any questions!

More Warning signs: (From Autism Web)
-The child does not respond to his/her name.
-The child cannot explain what he/she wants.
-Language skills or speech are delayed.
-The child doesn’t follow directions.
-At times, the child seems to be deaf.
-The child seems to hear sometimes, but not others.
-The child doesn’t point or wave bye-bye.
-The child used to say a few words or babble, but now he/she doesn’t.
-The child throws intense or violent tantrums.
-The child has odd movement patterns.
-The child is hyperactive, uncooperative, or oppositional.
-The child doesn’t know how to play with toys.
-The child doesn’t smile when smiled at.
-The child has poor eye contact.

References:

Autism Symptoms and Warning Signs. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2009, from http://www.autismweb.com/signs.htm

CNN, E. C. (n.d.). Pediatricians urge early autism screening - CNN.com. Retrieved October 16, 2009, from http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/10/29/autism.signs/index.html

Developmental disability, early intervention, developmental delays, autism screening and early intervention autism. (n.d.). Retrieved October 16, 2009, from http://www.firstsigns.org/

What is Autism?

Hello again! You may have some questions about autism. Autism Speaks has a lot of information that will answer your questions. Autism Speaks is an organization that was started by two grandparents of a child with autism. It has grown to be the largest autism science and awareness organization in the country. They raise both awareness and funds for research on autism.

So, you may be wondering, "What is autism?" Good question! Autism speaks defines autism as “a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder” and “a complex neurobioloical disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime.”

So, what is autism like? According to Autism speaks, autism has three main characteristics: impairment in social skills, impairment in communication skills, and repetitive movements. The intensity of these characteristics within people with autism can range from mild to severe, and they the person may show more of one characteristic and less of another. It is easy to get autism confused with disorders in the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which includes Asperger Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, and classical autism. In this blog we will be focusing primarily on classical autism, which is the most severe of all the syndromes.

How might a child with Classical Autism act? One of the common characteristic mentioned before was impairment in social skills. Autism Speaks says that many of the impairments can be seen in babies, even before the age of one year. They may not make eye contact with adults and other children, but would rather play on their own with a toy. They may seem unattached to close family members such as their mother and father. In addition, it may be hard for them to understand social cues by family or friends, such as change in tone or facial expressions.

Another common characteristic of autism is impairment in communication skills. Autism Speaks explains that this can also be seen at an early age. Some people with autism do not speak their entire life. Others may only babble, say single words, or simple sentences. They may have a large vocabulary but have trouble talking in a conversation with someone. It depends on the person.

The last common characteristic is repetitive movements. According to Autism Speaks, some children with autism may flap their arms or walk on their toes. From childhood to adulthood, they may have a common interest in one subject, such as vacuums, or Dr. Seuss.

You may be thinking, “What causes Autism?” The interesting fact is that professionals are not completely sure of the cause for autism, says Autism Speaks. Back in the 1940’s, the disorder was claimed by a psychiatrist to be the result of unloving mothers. Yet, this theory was disproven in the 60’s, and scientists now know that it is a biological disorder.

Finally, you may want to know, “What are some of the common signs that may indicate my child has autism? How can I know the difference in a simple delay and a disorder?” Stay tuned because next blog I will discuss common signs and red flags that a child may have autism.

Thank –you so much for reading my blog and please feel free to leave comments!

References:

Wright, B., & Wright, S. (n.d.). Autism Speaks, Home Page. Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://www.autismspeaks.org

Hello!

Hello! My name is Elle Kaestner. I am currently a senior at Rowan, with a dual major of Writing Arts and Elementary Ed with Special Education Endorsement. I'm writing this blog to share information with you about autism. This blog is an assignment for one of my Writing Arts Classes.

Yet, I have a more important motive for writing this. My nephew was diagnosed with autism when he was three. By this point, he was not talking or babbling at all. It was really tough because my sister, as a young mother, did not want to admit that her son might have a problem. Because of this, she did not take the doctor's advice to bring him to a specialist when he first was behind at the age of one, or again at the age of two. The doctor did not push her because it upset her so much. As his aunt, I loved him so much and just wanted to help him.

The experience with my nephew sparked my interested in Special Education and helped me come to the conclusion that I may want to work with children that have special needs as my future career. Although I know a little bit about autism, I would like to be more informed. I think that this would be a great place for both you and I to learn more about Autism.

Please stay tuned, and I hope you make comments along the way! In addition, I am new at "blogging," so if you have any suggestions for me please share!