Seeking Moms of Autism in East L.A Area

contact Lanterman Regional Center and see if they can help. there are a lot of services available but you need to be pro-active

Hi, M.. A friend of a friend just started a service to the community (utilizing their career training & experience with autism)last year. Here's their info:

Heart of Autism, LLC
Based in Fullerton, CA
www.heartofautism.org
____@____.com

I know that Fullerton is sort of far from east L.A., but maybe they can refer you to a closer place if that's a problem. Anyways, hope this helps and I wish you and your daughter the best.

Hi,
Diane Danis, MD in Pasadena is a developmental pediatrician who can probably give you a list of resources in your area. A parent group of very empowered parents can also help you at www.lafeat.org. Their mtgs are on the westside but they can help you deal with school districts, regional centers, etc. They are knowledgeable and visiting them once or twice will at least let you know what your rights are. Unfortunately, school districts and regional centers are not always forthcoming about what your child needs due to the expense and/or due to a lack of knowledge. Please find help as soon as possible as early intervention is the key to the most progress. All philosophies agree on this so the sooner your child gets help, the better.

Immediately contact an organization called Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK). Speak with the Manager, Alma Willis. She is a compassionate wonderful woman dedicated to helping families with children with Special Needs. Their main office is in Anaheim, but they have Satellite offices in your area as well. They offer classes on how to obtain help, funding, everything. The number is (714) 533-TASK. The Lanterman Center is a good resource as well - if your child is under 3 years of age. If not, TASK will head you in the right direction for your needs now. HELP IS OUT THERE. ASK for it. Autism is so prevalent in our children right now, there are a myriad of resources to guide you. Much luck to you. CALL!

Hi M.,
You should definitely contact the Lanterman Regional center. Depending where you live, they will either take you in for an evaluation or will refer you to the right center. The phone number is ###-###-#### and they are located on 3303 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 700 LA, CA 90010. They will send 3 teams to evaluate your daughter and if she is diagnosed with autism, they will recommend a set of services which are all free or will be reimbursed to you. You need to be proactive, the sooner you get in the better your daughter will do. They will hook you up with providers but you also need to do your homework to make sure the interventions are right and timely for your child. They might also pay for your daughter's pre-school (most of the time, they recommend half time in school). When my daughter was 22 mos, she had a speech delay and we were concerned... turns out she had auditory processing, not autism but thanks to the services they enabled, now she is above average her age. The system allows you to self-refer and I believe they take in kids any age. Good luck to you... I wish you much patience and strenght.

Try Lanterman Autism Regional Centers. They are based in LA. They have lots of resources including help with cost of daycare, special therapies, etc. I never used them, but I have a friend who did. Good luck.

Dear M., I too have 7 children! My heart goes out to you! Though I have no experience with autism other than what I have heard from others, I just saw a great documentary on Autism called Beautiful Son at:
http://www.beautifulson.com/
Did you have your kids vaccinated when they were little?
I am aware that the issue of vaccination isn't black and white, there are benefits as well as dangers, but have you seen the news lately on increasing rates of autism and other neurological problems in kids since they increased the numbers of vaccinations so called 'needed' since the 1980's? Jim Carey and Jenny McCarthy's son who has autism are trying to get the word out about the dangers to our kids. (article here):
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3631870
On that show they mentioned it isn't the vaccine itself so much as the timing and spacing of the various doses, that may be to blame. Before 1980, when there were LESS vaccinations squeezed into a short amount of time, only 1 in 10,000 kids developed autism,whereas now they are vaccinating for up to 37 diseases at a time, and at an earlier age and more often than before, and the frequency of autism is one in 150! Horrible! You are not to blame. I feel for you and thank GOD for the wonderful advice the other mom's have given already on this site. I wouldn't know what to do. But from what I have heard about Chelation Therapy, if done by qualified practitioners, that may also hold some hope. Please keep in touch with all of us moms through mamasource who care about you. I can be reached through my website:
www.gomommygo.com
There I also have some fun tips for behavior modification that are mostly for kids 2-13, but some of them might be useful to you in some way. Please check them out and let me know if you have any ideas you would add to the site.
Best,
R.

Hi M., not advice, just a little info to hopefully give you hope....I don't know how old your daughter is but if she is an infant there should be a regional center (Harbor Regional Center, Westside Regional Center...) in your area that can help you with resources, treatment, services. some/most free. If she is school age then your school district should do the same. Good luck and stay strong. I can't speak to the cure or the reason, but I know that there is help for treatment and programs.

Hi M.,
I have 2 friends with children under 5 with Autism. All of the advise given to you so far is exactaly what you should do. My friends would also tell you to investigate the Gluten Free/Casen Free Diet (the spelling is probably wrong there). Even though there is no medical explination as to why this diet helps Autistic children, it does. The proof is in the kids. My friend's son had not spoken an audible word in his life (he is now 5, told he had autisim at 3) and 3 days after begining the diet he spoke 4 distinct words! It was a miracle. He is not cured by any means but this diet has allowed him to be a part of the family and much less frustrated. Please research this diet on line and give it a try. It may sound hard or overwhelming at first but be assured it is worth the inital life change.

Have you contacted the Regional Center in your area? Also, at the age of three your public school district HAS to help you.

Hi M., although I don't have any info to help you, my heart ached when I read your post and I just wanted to wish you well & send you prayers of strength and hope. It's so true that people assume things when kids act out in public, never knowing that the parent may be dealing with a really special situation. I say try your best to ignore these ignorant people. Shame on them for not being more understanding, frankly we're ALL doing the best we can. Take care of yourself and hang in there.
N.

Many years ago, one of my private art students had autism, and since I am a labyrinth builder, I did some labyrinth activities with him in our classes, and even brought him to walk an outdoor labyrinth. He loved it so much that he and his mother went back many times, and he became more verbal. (She also noted that his behavior seemed to even out after these labyrinth walks.) He was older, though, about 9. The labyrinth I took him to was a fairly complex one (in Virginia, you can see it on my page listed below), with 11 paths/circuits - called a Chartres labyrinth. (There is one like it at Forest Lawn cemetery, free to walk in daylight hours). However, there are labyrinth designs with only 3 circuits that might be better for your 4 year old. Walking a labyrinth seems to help with brain integration. And it's free, and fun! (Labyrinths and mazes are different "animals", btw.) You can google it to find out more, where local ones are, and how to make a small one from chalk in your own driveway! I have some explanation of labyrinths on my website at http://www.merylannbutler.com/labyrinth.htm. Feel free to email me from there (or from here) if you want more info. (I live in Sunland. I'm mom to a daughter and 7 stepkids, all grown.)