Diagnosed with Autism

1st. Get a 2nd opinion.

My cousins wrote a book and they can help you.
Their book website:
www.asdatoz.com

Here are my cousin's Barbara & Emily's emails...if you have ANY QUESTIONS
www.barbaradoyle.com
____@____.com

Don't be afraid to ask them anything.

Here is Orlando's Autism Website: They may be able to offer local support.
http://www.asgo.org/EVENTS/default.html

Don't worry it will all be okay. My mom works with autistic children daily and granted they have their days and moments. But all children do. Seems to me from the stories I hear from my mom their are different severities of it. You may want to look to a private school for autistic children in your area you can also find alot of information on the internet. Just last month was autistic awareness month. There is a website autism.org check that out. If you just search autism on google you will find a wealth of information. Not knowing exactly where you live I dont now if the school my mom works at would be good for you or not. Good Luck.

Hi M.,

I have a 7 year old daughter with special needs. We, too, have been taking her to private therapy (speech, OT & PT) since she was 18 months. The first thing I would recommed is to get your daughter evaluated by a professional (not just in the school system). We have taken our daughter to a pediatric neurologist & a developmental/genetic specialist. They are the ones who officially diagnosed her. I have learned a lot through my dealings with the school district. It is important to be the best advocate that you can be for your daughter. I know how hard it is to deal with this type of news, but please remember that you are not alone.

Easter Seals is one organization that helps with that.
That's all I know. Good luck.

The best advice I can give you (I have a 4 year old Autistic son) is to seek out a pediatric NEUROLOGIST. They can give you the most accurate diagnosis of what is going on with your son. It is the FIRST step that my son's pediatrician told us to take and he was 100% correct. The Neurologist can lead you in the right direction and let you know what steps you can take to help your son (regardless of what the actual diagnosis is). The Neurologist can also order any necessary testing as well as MRI's and EEG. They are very thorough. While Developmental Pediatricians and special diets are fine, I urge you to get an assesment from a NEUROLOGIST.

Hi M.,

Ten years ago, Autism was diagnosed in 1 out of 180,000 kids. Today, Autism is diagnosed in 1 out of 150 kids. Something drastic has changed over the last ten years. The onset of the numerous vaccinations, the pharmaceuticals on the market and the expansion of chemicals in our home is linked to autism. Also, the chemicals in our food supply a.k.a. pesticides, preservatives and hormones are additional toxins that attack us each and every day. The body is built to fight off attacks, but it was meant to fight off natural things. The onset of chemical toxicity has complicated things.

I speak to groups and help families deal with the synthetic chemical toxicities and how to combat them in a world that just accepts them as the norm. These toxicities have been linked to respiratory disorders like asthma and COPD, neurological disorders like ADD, ADHD, Autism, Asperger's and Alzheimer's disease, and skin and digestive disorders. As complicated as this sounds, it really is a simple explanation and Autism can be reversed so that symptoms are manageable and some children can become symptom free. Diet, nutrition, a healthy environment along with fewer or NO pharmaceuticals is a good start.

Jenny McCarthy has a book called Louder Than Words. She has been speaking out loudly about her son's Autism making the same suggestions I made above and he is now significantly symptom free.

If you would like to talk, I can make myself available. I have friends with children with Autism I can put you in touch with also. My home number is ###-###-#### or I'll be glad to call you. Please don't panic. This can be managed and it can be done very simply with some consistency. I'd love to help.

God bless!

M.

Hi M., My son as well has been in speech therapy and ot therapy (for sensory issues) since he was 18 months old. And he was diagnosed about a 1yr ago with Autism. I know how you feel when you hear the word "Autism" But it truly is not that bad. We started with a program called PEEPS It is a pre school program for special needs children (now don't let that foul you either) my child goes to a regular school. It is just a school with ESE classes, That means schools that have teachers specialized with special needs children and theripist like ot,speech and so on to help them transition into a "normal" enviroment as possible. we also have been to CARD a program for famlies with Autistic children. the first step i would take is to get an OFFICAL Diagnoses from a child developmentalist. Now i am not sure what area of Florida you live in but if you live around the Orlando area DR. KEELEY Is GREAT!!!!! If you need more info feel free to contact me. I can give you all the numbers for these programs.

M.,
The best place to go for all types of info, about the disorder itself,support groups, etc. google it on the Internet. I am the grandmother of a child ,(boy) , who was diagnosed around 18 to 20 months old. He's now going to turn 9 at the end of this month. Keep Faith that there is Hope and lots of help out there. Chris is very high functioning, very intelligent but just can't cope with certain situations and circumstances. He also has seen a child psychologist/pychiatrist for meds. He hasn't been on them for sometime now and ,still has his moments, sometimes days,... but he would suprise alot of people who don't know better ! I don't know if you're local (Jacksonville ,Fl) but there is a great Autism grp in the Jacksonville/CLay County area. They just sponsored an Autism All Star BaseBall game for these children a couple of weeks ago. All ages (even with adult assistance) had a ball. Everyone enjoyed it! Don't give up, it's not the end of the world,(although it may feel like it on his bad days), There is alot of help out there and financially he may be able to get disability (I don't know your situation). Just pray about it and the sooner you get educated about all this the better for him,you and the whole family. God gives us "special" gifts for (sometimes)
unknown reasons, but they are truly gifts. C. S.

Start reading and join a support group. Reevaluate working full time. Parents of children with Autism are their best advocates. Most importantly,autism comes with gifts as well. Focus on those as much as you can.
Prayerfully,
M.

I understand that a diagnosis of autism can be devastating. However, since he was not diagnosed until 4 years old then he is on the "upper end" of the spectrum (if he were more severe, or on the "lower end" he would have been diagnosed earlier). It is not the end of the world! You have him in speech therapy and that's great. Now that he has an official diagnosis he qualifies to receive even greater services, many of which are provided by the school system.

Check out the website, autisimspeaks (it's .com or .org). It's an extremely valuable website for parents, educators, and anyone who wants to know more about autism. A book I would recommend is the one written by Jenny McCarthy, the actress/comedian. Her son also has autism and the book is about she and her son's journey. I can't remember the name of it right now but if you go to Amazon.com or even the bookstore and ask for books by Jenny McCarthy it will come up.

Best of luck to you. Remember, there is hope for your son and for you.

S.

I am having my son tested now for Autism and CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder). It is hard right now because we don't know what direction to go in to help him.
Try to feel at peace with this because now you will know or can learn how to best help your child become a successful student and eventually adult.
Best of luck and prayers to you and your family!

Please look into a gluten-free diet for your son. There seems to be more and more cases where improvement is found with autistic children who are gluten-free. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, whey, rye, barley and oats. Read Jennifer McCarthy's book "Louder Than Words" about her son's struggle with autism and how she found vast improvements in a gluten-free diet for her son.

I, personally, have experienced the devastating effects gluten can have on some people. I was an exec. asst. to the president of Red Lobster and began to experience large memory gaps, periods of extreme confusion, and speech began to slur. My brain continued to malfuction more and more often and for longer periods of time until the point I could no longer care for myself and had to give up my job and have someone take care of me. It took the doctors a little over a year but a neurologist finally figured out that I had celiac disease. My body is allergic/intolerant to gluten. Once they removed the gluten (a protein found in wheat, whey, rye, barley and oats) from my diet, my cognitive brain functions began to improve. While I've been left with permanent brain damage and had to go on medical disability, I can now function on my own and once again care for myself.

Please read Jennifer's book and consider a gluten-free diet. The best news is the diet won't hurt your son in anyway but might improve his ability to think clearly.

If you have ANY questions about how to be gluten-free, PLEASE feel free to contact me. I'd be happy to help you with learning about being gluten-free. You can email me at ____@____.com.

Mother Theresa once said,"God said He would never give us more than we could handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much."

Your first step is to get your son appropriately diagnosed. There are many wonderful schools and doctors who deal appropriately with autism. I have a good friend who teaches autistic children. He tells me there are two kinds of parents (and this shows in the children). The first kind feels so sorry for their child that they enable them to do as little as possible all of their lives. The second gives their child every opportunity to be the best that he/she can be in life. Autism, although a challenge, is not the end of the world. It's merely a differnet sort of journey for you and your family. Take heart, and try to be the second kind of parent.

My heart goes out to you and this has no doubt been difficult and painful.

A thought came to mind as I read your words. I know this seems like "bad" news to learn what the psychologist has diagnosed. First, of course, get other opinions to be sure. If indeed it is true, the truth is, you have already been dealing with a problem you did not understand for the past three plus years. By knowing exactly what you are dealing with, you have the opportunity to draw on professional resources to provide your still beautiful son with the tools he needs to live a good, productive and happy life. Isn't that what we want for all our children, regardless of their special needs, abilities, and talents?

Yes - grieve for him (and your family) that this will be a tougher job than most people have to face. But, in the process of grieving the loss of those hopes, keep in mind that this is not all bad news. There are many ways to help your son and your family appreciate all he has to offer to the world.

I see others have much more specific advice of where to turn and you are doing the work you need to do. God bless you and your family.

M.-
I have a deep affinity for families of autistic children. My best friend has an autistic son, my business partner has an autistic son, and my sister did a 3 year residency at the Emory Center for Autisim research so my advise comes from the heart and many years of watching friends and family members deal with this. First of all slow down. There is no need to worry about what ifs. Schedule an appointment with a reputable doctor and get a for sure diagnosis not just an I think. And second know that this is a fairly early diagnosis and so many many strides are being made in autisim treatment. My friends son is now totally intergrated into public school and nobody would even know that he was ever diagnosed 13 years ago. I have been working with a Clermont family in the last few weeks who have made amazing strides with some alternative treatments for their son. You can visit their website at www.recoveringmatthewblogspot.com Their names are Daniel and Ruth and they are always willing to give advice and guidance. Just tell them you met A. on a message board. Also visit http://www.abcschoolhouse.net/Introduction.htm which is an amazing school right here at our backdoor. http://www.asgo.org/ This is the Autism Society of Greater Orlando and they can offer some guidance as well. Also here is a link to UCF's Center for Autism and related disabilities. They may help in getting a diagnosis and all of their services are provided free of charge. http://www.ucf-card.org/whatis.php. I wish you luck, patience and strength on your journey and know that everything will turn out ok. If I can be of any more assistance you can contact me directly at ____@____.com husband is a chiropractor and we own a busy health and wellness center here in East Orlando where we treat many autistic children with adjustments and have had much success in speech improvements.
Yours in health and prayer-
A. Baldasare

M.,

I know so much about how you are feeling. I have two sons. The oldest is 8 and diagnosed with ADHD. The younger is 5 1/2 and was diagnosed with Moderate Autism at the age of 2 1/2. When he was 1 1/2 years old, he was developing normally. I took him to get caught up on his shots and everything went down hill very fast. He got 6 vaccines that day and within weeks, he was no longer answering to his name. He was spinning or running in circles, flapping his hands, and so much more. When the speech therapist told me she thought Autism was to blame, I cried for two weeks... It was the hardest time in my life to date. It truly feels like the son you thought you had was just taken from you. All of the dreams I thought I had for him seemed like a distant memory.

After that two week period, I picked myself up slowly and started asking what to do now.

I am so proud of him! He has come so far and all of this has taught us so much about life and dreams that we never would have realized or appriciated before.

It's hard now because you are greaving which you must do in order to cope properly. People in the general public just have no idea what parents of Autistic children go through. I'm sure you have been chosen by God to care for this beautiful boy He gave you. Everything happens for a reason!

My advise now would be to talk to a pediatric neuroligist, start the gluten free / casien free diet, look into digestive enzymes, get him fully tested for food sensitivies and heavy metal poisoning. A lot of those physical problems can show themselves as Autistic-like features.

The window of opportunity to treat your son is best when done between 3 and 7 years of age. You are right in the beginning of that window so even though you don't think so now, you are very lucky to have figured this out now rather than later!

My hopes and prayers are with you! If you would like to talk over the phone or in email, please feel free. I have at least two moms contact me per month because their children are being looked at and they heard of me. I've been doing some speaking here in Palm Coast for a few years now on Autism. I'm a good resource, please use me! I went through quite a bit and I'm always more than happy to help other parents have a slightly easier road than I had to travel!!!

C. B
###-###-####

I felt the same way when my 6 yr old daughter was diagnosed when she was 3. the questions kept popping into mind what did i do? what can i do to make her better. the answers are nothing you did caused it and nothing you do will make it better besides being a great and loving mom. my best advice check out books. son rise is a very good one. it let me see into her world and i took some things they did and incorpoated it into hers. she is now 6 and starting to talk. she is now learning in leaps and bounds. she is in 1st grade and learning math and how to write. he will be a perfect angel. he may have behavior issues for a while and certain thinks he does ma become an issue. my daughter has a thing with fan blades... as in sticking her fingers in moving ones so if im at other ppls houses i have to keep a very close watch on her. here at our house all fans stop moving when she does it. out of all 3 of my kids she is my best behaved and she made student of the month last month. always remember god gave us these angels for a reason. they need a special mommy to care for them. thats how i always looked at it. also one thing i did was i spent hours cuddling her. alot of autistic children doesn't like being touched and she loves hugs an kisses. if you need to talk just email me :)

Here is the website of another person with a different approach: http://www.parentswithpurpose.com/. I second the suggestion to spend some serious time doing research. You will find all the information and opinions out there overwhelming and confusing, but learning about other peoples' experiences can both lessen the panic and open your eyes to other possibilities. Even if you never do anything other than what your own doctor recommends, you will be more informed and confident in your choices.

Hi M., I am a grandmother of two grandsons age 11 and 5 who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum. I don't know if they told you that there is a wide range on that spectrum. My oldest was in speech at the age of 2 since where my daughter lives didn't have anything earlier. There are many resources available to you as she has found in her area. Both my grandsons go to both speech and occupational therapy and are progressing right along. Don't take just one person's opinion but have your son tested by some other sources. My daughter chose to home school the 11 year old and actually the school board said that was the best that could be done for him at this time. Don't be discouraged your son will improve with love and teaching.

Hi M.,

I found your post referring to autism. My three year old daughter was recently diagnosed with autism. This was our second opinion. We really did not care for the first neurologist we had. We will likely check out UCF Card for her and I was wondering if you had any experience with them? How is your son doing now and what intervention did/are you utilizing? We are just beginning our journey and have quite a bit to learn. Thanks for any input/advice.

R.

I wanted to let you know that there is a wonderful documentary that HBO (or maybe it was Showtime) did called, "Autism the Musical". It is a documentary about children who have autism, but they all get together to perform a musical. It is wonderful, talks about their stories and struggles and you get to see this children perform, just as any child would. The children also talk about having autism.
http://www.autismthemusical.com/index.php?session=myhomep...=

I hope that you can find comfort as you learn more. Good luck and I hope that this documentary can help you with your struggle. You're child is still perfect and wonderful, he's now even more amazing. You are blessed by God.