I love this child more than life itself.  I love her when she is happy and when she is angry.  I love her when she is laughing and when she is raging.  I love her when she is in pain and when she is playing.

I love every bit of her, from the top of her head to the bottom of her little toes.  I cry for her every time she has to get a new insert.  I hurt for her when she is raging out of control because of the trauma, because of the constant low and high blood sugars, because diabetes sucks and because we can’t make it better.

Some days, my daughter screams all day.  Some days she swares worse than a drunken sailor.  Some days she hits and kicks and is out of control.  Other days, she is the sweetest, kindest child.  She only wants mom and dad and fights change.  But I love her just the way she is.  On the other side, I hate Juvenile Diabetes and everything about it.  It will make my daughter and I stronger, but I still hate it and live for the cure.  I will never stop looking for that cure even though I love her just the way she is… see all the gifts that have come through her and her diagnosis and know that we are better people for having walked this road.

I feel the same way about Autism and my children with Autism.  I love every bit of my children with Autism.  And even though I know that we are better people for having walked the Autism Journey I will never stop looking for a cure, striving to help them reach their potential and helping my children get through the storms.

There is no cure for Juvenile Diabetes!  There is also no cure for Autism!  But I owe it to my children to never stop looking.

In my almost 10 years of working in nutrition consulting and in my persistent seeking as a mother of three children on the autism spectrum, I have seen what works, what may work and in some cases, what simply does not work.  We like to start simple, use actual research and to go with the endless hours of work and experience other parents and professionals have had with their own patients and children.  In addition, you simply do not have to go broke to help those you love and in many cases, those are the wild goose chases that will not get you where you want to go.

Over the decades, there has been much research into biomedical interventions into autism.  (That is a fancy word for nutritional approaches).  There are a couple diets and a handful of supplements that we recommend for all of our families, that we consult with.  For some it will be life changing and for others it will be a starting place, but for almost everyone, you should see a real difference.

Diet:  The Gluten Free/ Casein Free Diet is by far the most tried and true diet for children and adults on the Autism Spectrum.  In some cases, you will see such a big difference with the Gluten Free, alone; however, because the proteins in gluten and casein are so similar int he body, it really is advised to do both gf/cf at the same time.  Research from the Autism Research Institute showed that over 60% of families reported significant improvements on this diet.  (It is recommended to supplement with calcium and vitamin d on this and most diets).  The GF/CF diet is safe and we tend not to see any weaning issues, as long as the child or adult will eat a variety of other foods.

Another diet intervention is to determine food allergies and intolerance.  A functional medicine doctor will do blood work for allergy sensitivities and then can help create a rotation diet.  Depending int he severity of the sensitivities, a food may be completely eliminated, temporarily eliminated or simply limited.  In our experience, the GF/CF is worth trying first because it has very good results and will prep the person for other eliminations.

Supplements:  When we work with families,w e are able to better pinpoint specific supplements to help with behaviour and symptoms; however, there are certain supplements almost universally recommended for people ont he spectrum.  We are simply going to recommend the top 4 here.

Multi Vitamin/ Mineral:  For children, the Ocean Wonders or Incredivites Chewables.  These are complete children’s’ vitamins that taste good and fill in lost nutrients.  (We are not fans of gummy vitamins, unless a last resort.  many dentists also warn against gummies).

Optiflora Pre and Pro Biotic-  This is a triple encapsulated probiotic capsule that is very tiny and easy to swallow.  For young children, it can be soaked to soften or chewed if needed, but we find that a spoonful of applesauce easily gets it down.  It is triple encapsulated to guarantee delivery to the digestive tract.  The pre-biotic is a tasteless powder than can be mixed into any drink or applesauce.

Omegagard- Full spectrum Fish oil Supplement. Omegagard is a pharmaceutical grade 7 spectrum fish oil supplement that guarantees NO MERCURY CONTAMINATION.  Fish oil helps with brain function, inflammation, digestive swelling and many other issues our loved ones face, not to mention focus and behavior.

Calcium Magnesium-  Calcium Magnesium helps to calm the heart rate and thus helps with hyperactive behaviors, inability to sleep and just generally helps to calm one down.  For children, the chewable calcium magnesium can be used; while Osteomatrix is great for anyone who can swallow.

If we can answer specific questions for your family, please feel free to contact us at info@asdperspectives.com

By clicking on the image flyer, you will be able to read the flyer in a closer view….

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The nurse explained that a parent could sign a waiver, opting out of the hep b shot for her newborn baby, but she had no idea why anyone would.  (Personally, I have no idea why anyone would NOT.  But we can do that topic another day).  The next line was what threw me.  She went on to say, “I guess it is because of the autism fear but all of those studies by that doctor… what was his name… were proven to be wrong.”  She went on to say, “Yeah, he’s in jail in Europe….”  To which I calmly replied, “No he is not.  He lives in Texas.  Dr. Wakefield.”  I decided to spare the other moms, many first time moms, the rest of what was spinning in my head, and to just let the class finish.

Please understand that we do not know what causes autism.  No one knows.  More and more studies are linking environmental factors to autism, both before and after the birth of the babies, including medications and maternal vaccines.  And more and more doctors are saying that they simply do not know if there is any link to vaccines 9as opposed to blindly saying that their is no link).  In addition, studies have been discovered that proved an increase in developmental disorders, speech delays, autism and other disorders, that correlate with an increased vaccine schedule.  Proof?  Not necessarily.  But certainly enough that the vaccine debate should continue.

In addition, I too was horrified to hear that the studies of Dr. Wakefield were all a fraud.  That this doctor had coerced innocent families and fabricated studies to concoct a big story about autism being caused by vaccines.  However, it took VERY LITTLE research to learn that his studies were never debunked.  No one ever proved he was wrong.  In fact, quite the other appears to be true.  Children were stolen from their parents for years, fed foods that made them sick, doctors were hired to claim these children were all perfectly fine and finally, mothers were told that they could only have their children back IF they signed affidavits claiming Dr. Wakefield lied.  That, of coarse, is a paraphrase of the situation but far from a research study proving anyone, except a determined establishment lied.

If I sound frustrated it is simply because, I AM.  Three out of five of our children are on the autism spectrum.  All three of those children had vaccines and I only took a basic prenatal in pregnancy.  My younger two are not on the spectrum, in any way shape or form, did not have those early childhood vaccines and I took very good supplements, including omegas, probiotics, soy protein and more.   I cannot say that the vaccine caused autism, perhaps a trigger in little bodies that could not handle them, but I simply am tired of having ignorant people, who claim to base everything they do on real research, spout off information based on an article that got passed around the break room.  I do not base the treatment of my children on random articles, and I sure would hope that the establishment would be more concerned with truth than dispelling what they have been taught MUST be truth.

Becky Cash

Mother/ Author/ Nutrition Consultant

www.healingautismnaturally.com

Traditional sleep advice is behavioral in nature.  You have likely heard many of the tips, and they are all good.  Some of them include….  (quoted from University of Michigan Health System)

• Make bedtime a special time. It should be a time for you to interact with your child in a way that is secure and loving, yet firm. At bedtime, spend some special time with your child. Be firm and go through a certain bedtime routine that your child is used to. At the end of that routine the lights go off and it is time to fall asleep.
• Put some thought into finding your child’s ideal bedtime. In the evening, look for the time when your child really is starting to slow down and getting physically tired. That’s the time that they should be going to sleep, so get their bedtime routine done and get them into bed before that time. If you wait beyond that time, then your child tends to get a second wind. At that point they will become more difficult to handle, and will have a harder time falling asleep.
• Keep to a regular daily routine—the same waking time, meal times, nap time and play times will help your baby to feel secure and comfortable, and help with a smooth bedtime. Babies and children like to know what to expect.
• Use a simple, regular bedtime routine. It should not last too long and should take place primarily in the room where the child will sleep. It may include a few simple, quiet activities, such as a light snack, bath, cuddling, saying goodnight, and a story or lullaby. The kinds of activities in the routine will depend on the child’s age.
• Make sure the sleep routines you use can be used anywhere, so you can help your baby get to sleep wherever you may be.
• Some babies are soothed by the sound of a vaporizer or fan running. This “white noise” not only blocks out the distraction of other sounds, it also simulates the sounds babies hear in the womb. Small, portable white noise machines with a variety of different sounds are now available.
• Make sure your kids have interesting and varied activities during the day, including physical activity and fresh air.
• Use light to your advantage. Keep lights dim in the evening as bedtime approaches. In the morning, get your child into bright light, and, if possible, take them outside. Light helps signal the brain into the right sleep-wake cycle.

These are all very good tips, though we know many families who have done all of these with little results.  We would also recommend looking into some alternative solutions as children on the autism spectrum seem to have biomedical issues contributing to sleep.  Some of these may include anemia, improper zinc levels, digestive issues that cause irritability, and other nutrient issues.  Some solutions that our families have found, in addition to testing for these deficiencies, include a couple supplements.  They include:

Calcium Magnesium close to bedtime.  Research has shown that Magnesium slows the heart rate, thus calming children.  This may also help a child, who is either physically or mentally hyper, during the day.

Melatonin helps many children fall asleep faster.  Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced in the brain; however, many of our children (and adults) need an extra boost.  1 to 3 mg is a listed safe dose in children.  Please consult with your neurologist, pediatrician or other medical professional in determining dosage.  Melatonin can often be found in a flavored, chewable at various health food stores.  (We have found that, in some children with aspergers, melatonin has been reported to cause nightmares.)

Gentle Sleep Complex is quickly becoming a favorite among many of the families we work with.  Many report that while melatonin gets their child to sleep, they still wake in the middle of the night.  Gentle Sleep Complex seems to help many of these children (and adults) stay asleep.

If you would like more information on dealing with sleep issues, safe and cost effective biomedical testing or autism consultations, please contact us at info@asdperspectives.com

Becky Cash is a Nutrition and Autism Consultant; as well as, the mother of three children at varying points on the autism spectrum.

You see, whenever we bring up Guerin to our friends, they quickly retort, “Do you know what that school costs?”  To be honest, I have somewhat of an idea, but it has not yet crossed my mind.  If you have read my book, “Healing Autism Naturally,” you know that I am a practical optimist… perhaps an oxymoron to some, but not to me.  I will bust down whatever doors it takes to get my kids where they need to be.  At this point, boarding school or Guerin seem to be our best options for high school.

Now, we are not millionaires, by any stretch and some may wonder how I can live with this absolute belief in “whatever it takes.”  Some would say we are blessed, others would say we are smart and still some would say we are just lucky.  We are all of this, but more so, we really do believe that if it is put on our hearts to do something to help our children succeed, heal or be more productive, that the means is out there.  And, likewise, to help others.  Just those means happened upon us about 9 years ago, when our then 7 month old became quite sick.  We were lucky enough to have a friend point us in the right direction, smart enough to listen and blessed abundantly.  This friend lead us in the path of nutrition, what we now know to be a biomedical approach, to deal with health issues that stumped our doctors.  I was amazed that something as basic as a really good probiotic and a couple other supplements could begin to heal her body.  Through more research, I learned I could get a rebate to pay for my own products and soon after, started a business with this company.  This propelled a career in nutrition, and now, Autism Advocacy.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are constantly told to be leery and say no… even when our hearts tell us to say yes.  Had I said no, it would have taken us years to possibly get on the right path to healing, we may have exhausted 10′s of thousands of dollars on testing and products that did not work, we would not have gotten in with the right medical professionals so early and our daughter would not be where she is today.  More so, Guerin would be a dream…  likely not a reality.

Today, we train Nutrition Consultants who want to work in supplementation; as well as, Autism Advocates who want to go alongside families.  Sometimes we hesitate to bring this up because we get caught by the “no” bugs, too.  Those bugs that tell us not to reach out… that we do not have time… and so on.  But, then I am struck by the fact that our daughter would not be where she is today, we would not have been empowered and Guerin… would not even be a dream had our dear friend not, unknowingly, offered us more.  If you or someone you know would like to learn more about becoming a Nutrition Consultant and helping other families in need, please contact us at info@asdperspectives.com. Our team would be honored to work with you.

Pumpkin Pie

M, E, P, S, N, Gluten Free

Ingredients:
2 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1-1/2 cups water
6-1/2 T cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
pie crust*
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
1/4 cup coconut (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F. In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients but brown sugar and coconut. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. If desired, sprinkle coconut and brown sugar on top. Bake 5 more minutes.

*To make this recipe gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pie crust recipe.

Key:
M=Milk-free; E=Egg-free; W=Wheat-free; P=Peanut-free; S=Soy-free; N=Nut-free

On a side note, I want to mention that The actual recipe simply called for Wheat free.  Wheat free does not always mean Gluten Free so We- At ASDPerspectives- emphasize that you need a crust that states gluten fee on the package.

Wishing you and Your Families a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Becky Cash- Owner/ Founder

watch?v=r15PuYoID94

Welcome To Holland
by
Emily Perl Kingsley
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.

… I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this……

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

With Fall upon us, I thought a fun and healthy Energy Tea for those of us caring for children and adults on the Autism Spectrum would be fun!  We actually recently gave the teachers at our children’s school Energy tea, as a gift.  It is a yummy way to gain energy, while getting healthy.  the link to the product is in the recipe or can be found at www.autism.myshaklee.com.  Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Spice Energy Tea

Ingredients:

1 stick Cinch Energy Tea Mix

6 oz. hot water

2 tbsp. unsweetened apple juice

1 tsp. orange juice

Dash of cinnamon

Directions:

Heat water and mix with one stick of Energy Tea Mix unsweetened. Add apple juice, orange juice, and cinnamon. Stir and sip.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 22 Protein: 0g Carbohydrate: 4g Fat: 0g Fiber: 0g

 

autism.myshaklee.com is owned and supported by ASDPerspectives.  Please feel free to contact us for input of supplements for your child or yourself.

INDIANA CHAPTER MEETING

How Compounding Pharmacies Can Help Your Child With Autism

Wednesday,           September 28, 2011
7:00 – 9:00 PM, with speaker(s) starting at 7:15 PM
1291 N Airport Pky
Greenwood, IN 46143
Driving             Directions

Speaker: Scott Popyk, RPh MBA FIACP

Come learn about what compounding pharmacies can do to help your child.  What is the difference between a traditional pharmacy and a compounding pharmacy?You will learn what the major differences are between compounding and traditional pharmacies, what are the two critical things to know when selecting a compounding pharmacy and how a good compounding pharmacy can improve the treatment of autism.

Read more about Scott Popyk here.