Overwhelmed: Understatement Part I

When my boys were first diagnosed with autism, I had no clue what autism was. I just knew it was not good. I remember the doctor telling me, "There is no cure." Of course, we first did what mainstream medicine dictated: drugs. For two years our boys were on prescribed drugs. The effect was simple: My boys were drugged up. They did not progress, and the symptoms did not diminish. Also, the drugs were suppose to treat symptoms, not the cause.

It was by accident that we took the boys off their meds. Mike and I thought that the other spouse was giving each boy his med. After several days, we realized that we had run out, and the boys had not received medication during that time. We noticed that there was absolutely NO difference in their behaviors, moods, social skills, etc. We decided not to continue with the meds, and do our own research.

I attended conventions and read books. New vocabulary words entered my head. Social stories, NT, non verbal, therapies, chelation just to name a few. Social story? NT? Obviously, the presenters at these conventions thought that everyone was knowledgeable about abbreviations and the general lingo. I was a newbie. Bummer. I was lost.

What made matters worse was, back in those days, I had just received a computer. I had no clue how to use it, so I started my research via the library. It took a LONG time to get the hang of reading and researching on the computer. I also did not have a lot of time to read. I had autistic boys who demanded my attention ALL THE TIME. And I did work. I was self employed, teaching piano. My husband also worked full time and attended school full time. I was crazy, but that's another story.

I found bits and pieces of information, and we tried what seemed to be easy steps. My husband was with me every step of the way. I had no idea that I was embarking on a prolonged hunt. Now I understand why the puzzle piece is the emblem of autism. There are so many facets to figure out. There are so many variables to consider in the treatment of autism. Back then, there just was not much to find about treating autism; certainly not in one place.

Here is a current list of treatments from Generation Rescue, which did not exist when I first started my search. Seven years after starting my search, I see that I have done just about everything on this list. Only a few remain untouched, and those will be explored in the next few days.

From Generation Rescue:

The following is a list of biomedical treatments to explore with a physician in order to help heal the body:

1. Follow the gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free diet and remove other food allergens.
2. Help the gut heal with: antifungals, antivirals, digestive enzymes, and prebiotics and probiotics.
3. Increase nutrient levels through vitamin and mineral supplements including: quality multi-vitamins and multi-minerals, high-dose B6, magnesium, fish oils and fatty acids, amino acids, melatonin, sulfation, glutathione, and natural detoxifiers.
4. Remove metals and toxins from the body through: anti-yeast protocols, methylation, chelation, Mb12, Valtrex, and homeopathy.

When applied in conjunction with biomedical treatment, certain traditional therapies have been shown to support progress for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
Traditional Therapies: Early Intervention Programs, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Social Skills Therapy, Relationship Development Integration, Sensory Integration, Hippotherapy, Music Therapy, Neurofeedback, EEG, Auditory Integration Therapy, and Craniosacral Therapy.