Autism Recovery Consultation

Art for Autism – Lil’ Picasso Art Foundation for Children Launches Art Competition for children on the Autism Spectrum.

Rob Ashkenas, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Lil’ Picasso Arts Foundation for Children announced the organization’s flagship initiative for arts benefiting children. “The Next Great Lil’ Picasso International Art for Autism Competition” has officially been launched and paintings are rolling in,” Ashkenas said. “This competition is possible through a partnership between Lil’ Picasso Arts Foundation with the Extra-Ordinary Empowerment Network and the Autism Society of America.

Children on the Autism Spectrum between the ages of two to eight are encouraged to put paint to paper and create their own individual masterpiece. All paintings will be judged by an impressive panel of judges and displayed in a local gallery. After that the works of art will travel around the country. The winning masterpieces will be published in the hard cover edition of “Our Lil’ Picasso’s” The Collective Voices of our children through their art. A portion of the proceeds will then be donated to the Autism Society of America. The remaining proceeds will be donated to other programs designed to help children on the Autism Spectrum and the winning pieces will be auctioned at a black-tie gala to be announced.

Ashkenas reminds us that Pablo Picasso said “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” The Lil’ Picasso Arts Foundation agrees and believes that every child can benefit from exposure to the arts. Ashkenas claims “our mission is to educate, inspire, and assist children through the arts and education. We are dedicated to helping all children with and without special needs through the application, appreciation, and beautiful expression of the arts in all forms and through all mediums.”

The competition is open to all children although only the works created by the children on the Autism Spectrum will be published. The other paintings will appear online, at gallery shows, and other Lil’ Picasso Arts Foundation for Children events.

Please pass this along to every child you know so that they can enter the Lil’ Picasso International Art for Autism Competition and help the other children. To download the entry form simply go to Lil’ Picasso Arts Foundation for Children.

PLEASE Note – Sponsorship for this event is desperately needed! If you know of any business or any individual who would consider becoming a sponsor PLEASE have them call Maribeth at 561-262-0898. There are several sponsorship levels available with multiple benefits to choose from. Keep in mind every little bit helps! PLEASE Help us help the children!!!

The video below is for your enjoyment. It was placed on youtube.com on 4/11/2001 during Autism Awareness Month with the caption “Let’s honor and celebrate the lives of individuals on the autism spectrum. Their accomplishments, courage, humor and zest for life in the midst of endless challenges are breathtaking.” It’s called Billy the Artist by Voice Colors.

I couldn’t help but post this testimonial from the ARI newsletter that I received this morning- I think it says it all!  For more information or to sign up for the newletter go to Autism Research Institute.

Henry has made great strides using a combined medical & therapeutic approach thanks to information from ARI’s parent effectiveness survey results

We decided to participate in the Million Dollar Puzzle Piece Challenge because we wanted to give back to the community that has provided us with so much support.  Our son Henry is almost 2 1/2 years old now, and by all outward accounts he is a just a healthy, cheerful and affectionate little boy! But when he was 12 months old we learned that he was showing all of the red flags for autism.  He had no eye contact, did not respond to our voices or to his name, did not imitate sounds or facial expressions, he had no gestures and he did not point.  He also had an extreme fixation on spoons and sticks which he would hold for days at a time.  He had signs of sensory processing disorder and could not sleep for more than 45 minutes in a stretch.  He also had daily episodes of intense and inconsolable screaming.
 
We started early intervention therapy for him at that time, but we also came across ARI’s parent survey on the effectiveness of interventions in autism.  Based on the ARI survey results we decided to start dietary intervention for him at 13 months and we saw huge gains at that time.  Next we joined our local TACA chapter and asked around in order to find a doctor who could help us with biomedical treatment.  We had our first appointment with our incredible doctor at 15 months, and over the next year Henry has made a full recovery!  He no longer qualifies for any level of autism diagnosis, and his language and social skills are now above age level.  His only remaining delay is with some subtleties of eye contact, but we continue to see improvement daily with the help of an excellent therapist.  Henry is so much healthier and stronger physically, and he is no longer in pain. He still needs to follow a very restrictive diet in order to feel well and he continues to require treatment for several underlying medical issues, but we could not be more thankful for the life that he has and the life that we have with him today. 
 
As a researcher myself, I am extremely impressed with ARI as an organization.  ARI has been absolutely instrumental in the development of treatment approaches that are helping kids with autism.  ARI has an extensive history of supporting and conducting cutting-edge scientific research into the treatment and prevention of autism as a whole-body medical disorder, rather than a purely psychological or neurological disorder.  We credit ARI with playing a huge role in our son Henry’s dramatic recovery. 
 
Thank you ARI!  We are so happy to have been able to do our part to contribute to this important research, and we will continue to participate in any way that we can.
 
Angie Hugeback
Seattle, Washington

Autism, Seizures, Diet, and Neurofeedback

Approximately 25-30% of children with Autism develop Seizures. A seizure is a sudden alteration of behavior due to a temporary change in the electrical functioning of the brain. Not all people who have seizures have epilepsy. Epilepsy is a group of related disorders characterized by a tendency for recurrent seizures.

A recent study published in BMC Pediatrics by Richard E. Frye from the University of Texas in Houston and Dr. James B. Adams from the Arizona State University in Tempe examined the effectiveness of traditional and non-traditional treatments for children on the autism spectrum who also suffered from seizures. 733 parents were surveys and the consensus was that anti-epileptic drugs improved seizure activity but worsened other symptoms. Non anti-epileptic drugs, seemed to improve other symptoms buy did not improve the seizures to the same extent as the anti-epileptic. Valproic acid, lamotrigine, levetiracetam and ethosuximide were the 4 anti-epileptic drugs that improved the seizure activity and had little positive or negative effect on the other symptoms.

My question is why use the medications for Autism and Seizures when something natural can work? The study reports that certain non traditional treatments, particularly the ketogenic diet, were perceived to improve both seizures and other symptoms!

The study also suggests that “several non-traditional treatments such as special diets (Atkins diet, Gluten free, Casein free) are worth further investigation as adjunctive treatments for treating seizures.”

Another non invasive treatment for Autism and Seizures is Neurofeedback. Neurofeedback has been used for over 35 years for the reduction of the incidence and severity of Seizures. Neurofeedback is simply exercise for the brain! Studies have shown that training the brain to decrease theta activity and increase the sensorimotor rythm activity has resulted in an average of 82% of individuals the reduction in the frequency of seizures, and occasional remissions were seen.

What can seizures look like? Some individuals are aware of the beginning of a seizure by what is thought of as a warning or aura. The aura may include: dizziness, light headedness, nausea, numbness, headache, a sense of Deja vu, a particular smell, sound, or taste, visual blurring (or loss of vision), racing thoughts, and sometimes”strange feelings”. Frequently there is a feeling of fear, panic, and an odd ppleasant feeling. If the aura continues with no other symptoms following it, it is considered a simple partial seizure. For some the aura continues into a complex partial seizure or a convulsion.

Seizures can be very scary for both the victim and the people observing them! There may be a loss of consciousness as well as any of the following symptoms: staring, stiffening, sweating, shaking, eyelid fluttering, eyes rolling up, swallowing, teeth clenching/grinding, chewing, tongue biting, lip smacking, making sounds, movements, drooling, convulsion, and/or incontinence. The individual suffering from the seizure may complain of confusion, fear, panic, deafness or hearing sounds, an electric shock felling, blurred vision or vision loss, breathing difficulty, heart racing, headache, nausea, and/or numbness.

The “post-ictal period” is the end of the seizure when the brain recovers and the individual transitions back to their normal state. It can last anywhere from seconds to hours. Symptoms that occur during this period can include shame, fear, frustration, sadness, depression, confusion, memory loss, weakness, difficulty talking, difficulty writing, and/or the urge to deficate or urinate. There may be bruising or injuries as well as they may feel pain, a headache, excessive thirst or nausea. Some people are so exhausted they need to sleep.

Therapy for Children with Autism – Neurofeedback. What is Neurofeedback you ask? Neurofeedback is one of the best therapies out there for Children with Autism!

If you knew my background you would think I found Neurofeedback while in my mad search for therapies that could help my son recover from Autism, but that is not how I found it. I actually came across it while searching the Internet for a treatment that could help my sister-in-law who suffered a brain injury in an automobile accident. I was living in New Jersey at the time and was lucky enough to find a practitioner that was using Neurofeedback to help her clients. I immediately called her and asked her if she could help people with brain injuries. She said yes, that Neurofeedback has been used to help people recover from brain injuries, as well as other things, such as ADHD and Autism. That was all I needed to hear! I proceeded to meet her, learn from her, and utilize Neurofeedback in my own office. I not only used it to help my son, I used it to help many of my patients, young and old.

My thanks go out to Betty Jarusiewicz, PhD!!! Betty Jarusiewicz, PhD is one of the first to investigate the efficacy of Neurofeedback for Children with Autism. She ran a Pilot Study – Efficacy of Neurofeedback for Children on the Autistic Spectrum – Betty Jarusiewicz, PhD Journal of Neurotherapy, 2002; Vol 6(4), 39-49. In this study, Neurofeedback training was evaluated in 12 children on the autistic spectrum. Betty utilized matched controls, and based the training on established protocols that were used for other conditions with symptoms similar to the Children with Autism. The Method used included Twenty-four autistic children that were divided into two groups, matched by sex, age, and severity of the disorder. The first group received Neurofeedback training and the second acted as a control group. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklists (ATEC) was used as well as parental assessments of problem behaviors. Both were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Neurofeedback training. The results included a 26% average reduction in total ATEC rated autism symptoms, compared to 3% for the control group. In addition, the parents reported improvement in all of the behavioral categories in their assessments. These behavioral symptoms included: anxiety, tantrums, socialization, vocalization, sleep, and schoolwork. The control group saw minimal changes. The conclusion of this study was that the children on the Autistic spectrum who were trainied with the Neurofeedback definitely showed significant improvements in symptoms and behaviors.

Remarkable? Yes, very remarkable!!! I saw it with my own eyes in my practice and with my son. I utilized every imaginable therapy available for my son and I have to say I saw more changes in a quicker amount of time with Neurofeedback than I did with any other therapy. For any parent of a Child with Autism- Neurofeedback is one therapy you don’t want to live without.

For more information regarding Neurofeedback please visit my site at www.Autism-Children.net or feel free to contact me directly at 561-262-0898.

To get a better understanding of Neurofeedback and Children with Autism please view the video below.

Causes of Autism in Children – Vaccines, Genetics, or Both? So many parents claim that it is the vaccines that caused the Autism in their children. Could this be true?

According to Public officials there is no valid, scientific evidence but according to many parents there is a definitely link. The fact that most children on the autism spectrum start to show symptoms right around the same time as their scheduled vaccines makes it easy for many people believe vaccines could be the cause. The controversy developed because of the mercury-based preservative called thimerosal. Thimerosal has been used in vaccines since the 1930s to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination. When the Haemophilus Infuenzae Type b vaccines and Hepatitis B were added to the recommended schedule of immunizations, the cumulative amount of thimerosal nearly tripled. The amount of thimerosal (an ethylmercury compound) that children were exposed to through vaccines prior to 1999 exceeded two safety thresholds established by the Federal Government for a closely related substance – methylmercury. While the Federal Government has established no safety threshold for ethylmercury, experts agree that the safety guidelines for methylmercury are a good substitute. Manufacturers of vaccines and Thimerosal have never conducted adequate testing on the safety of this substance and the FDA has never required them to do so.

What was it about thimerosal in Vaccines that lead many to beleive it was the Cause of Autism in Children? It appears the symptoms of mercury poisoning mirror many of the symptoms of Autism. People with mercury poisoning have social deficits, mood swings, anxiety, OCD, lack of eye contact, irrational fears, loss of or failure to develop speech, sound sensitivity, touch aversion, involuntary jerking movements such as arm flapping and rocking, gait impairments, poor attention and concentration, sleep difficulties, feeding problems, and self injurious bbehavior – just to name a few.

So who is right? Is the Cause of Autism due to Vaccines, Genetics, or Both?

It appears both as well as many other possibilities! According to Dr Martha Herbert, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School “We certainly haven’t found one gene; we’re finding hundreds of genes. We’re finding boutique genes. We’re finding genes that kids have and the parents don’t have — their own parents. I think that there are a lot of things environmentally that are overwhelming our ability to cope, metabolically, that are overwhelming our immune system. And the synergy — the collective impact of that is to deplete our protective systems. And I think that’s what’s causing Autism.”

I hope this helps those parents who feel slighted by the medical profession. Those who were told they were crazy if they believed the vaccines caused their child’s autism. I was one of these parents. I saw my son get very sick after the first couple of scheduled vaccinations although the doctor’s denied any correlation. My son was so sick, sick to the point that I could not allow any more insults to occur to his immune system. Sick to the point that I refused to vaccinate my second son against the doctor’s advice as well as my husband’s and family advice. I am going back 15 years ago when the autism outbreak was still in it’s infancy stages. It was a hard decision, but I thank God everyday that I rebelled. Too many families have multiple children on the spectrum and I wasn’t going to let autism happen to my family again!

Yes, Vaccines may have been the environmental trigger or as some say “the Cause of Autism in Children”, but other environmental toxins may also be the culprit, and Genetics certainly have an important role in this complex puzzle.

Hear more about the Causes of Autism in the video below as Robert MacNeil speaks with four leading researchers about this issue. It’s part three of the Autism Now series of reports. It is sponsored by PBS NEWSHOUR. Don’t forget to tune in on April 18th for another Special Series and go to youtube.com to see the series of Robert MacNeil’s personal involvement with Autism – but have some tissues close by! I would personally like to thank Robert MacNeil for standing up and speaking out about his grandson and his journey with Autism. As a parent who lived through a similar heart wrenching existance I find it very courageous of him to put both himself and his family in the spot light.

For more information regarding the Recovery of Autism feel free to visit my site at www.Autism-Children.net.

Signs of Autism – Autism Awareness Month Supported by Autism Speaks and Toys R Us

Autism Speaks and Toys R Us, Inc are joining forces to support Autism Awareness Month and those families who live with autism everyday. Together these organizations are focusing on the education of the Signs of Autism as well as raising money to help solve the complex puzzle of treating these wonderful individuals.

Autism Awareness Month is the perfect time to concentrate on all of the aspects of this devastating disorder, but first we need a place to start. I believe the this starting point is the education necessary to help recognize the Signs of Autism. This in turn will initiate the process of getting the professional help needed in order to jump start the recovery process.

The Signs of Autism include:

Lack of eye contact and babbling is one of the earliest signs. Eye contact and social interaction through babbling, smiles or other warm, joyful expressions should begin in the first few months of life.

Speech delay, inappropriate use of language, echolalia (talks by echoing back what is said to him/her), or repetitive speech is common in Autism. Video talk or using familiar phrases from movies or commercials may also be apparent.

Social delays such as decreased pretend play, ability to tune others out, inappropriate playing with toys, poor eye contact and/or looking at objects from the corner of the eye, tantrums or trouble transitioning from one activity to another, lack of fear, hyperactivity or under activity, inability to interact or behave in normal social situations, and lack of awareness when someone enters the room.

Another Sign of Autism is unusual movements or obsessions including toe walking, self-stimulating behaviors such as hand flapping, repetitive movements, or lining up of objects, aggressive or self-injurious behavior, obsession with spinning objects and routines or “sameness”. In addition, most children are reluctant to try new foods and therefore have very restrictive diets.

The sensory system is also affected in Autism. There is usually a high or low tolerance to pain, low tolerance to smells, noises, and busy places, low tolerance to irritating clothing especially clothing tags, and occasional irritation with shoes or walking on particular surfaces such as sand or grass. Children on the spectrum are sensory seeking in which they crave hugging, squeezing, or deep pressure massage. The opposite may also be true. They may be resistant to being close, hugging and/or cuddling.

Please send this blog to anyone who has children or who may be interested in learning more about Autism. You too can support Autism Awareness Month by doing so!

For more information or if you know someone who has a child on the spectrum please direct them to my site – www.Autism-Children.net.

Autism Speaks and Toys R Us are raising money during Autism Awareness Month and to date they have raised $1,902,806!!! If you are a frequent visitor of Toys R Us or Babies R Us – please don’t forget to donate to this wonderful charity.

Enjoy the video below of the Autism Speaks Walk that me, my husband, and our son participated in on April 2nd in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

Autism Speaks 3rd Annual Treasure Coast Walk – kicks off Autism Awareness Month!

On Saturday April 2, 2011 Autism Speaks will hold their 3rd Annual Treasure Coast Walk at Town of Tradition located at 10489 SW Meeting Street in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The event registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk itself starts at 10 a.m.

This wonderful fund raising event is a family fun-filled affair that has been designed to fund the vital research desperately needed to minimize the number of children being diagnosed with Autism as well as help those who live with Autism today. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the United States affecting one in every 110 children and 1 in 70 boys. This makes more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined!

Every 15 minutes, another family receives the devastating news that their child has autism. Help me change that by raising money for autism research and heightening public awareness. You can donate to Autism Speaks 3rd Annual Treasure Coast Walk online using the Maribeth Cantwell – Walk link below. Remember donations to Autism Speaks are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Feel free to claim the deduction with Autism Speaks 501 (C)(3) Tax Id #: 20-2329938.

To date the Autism Speaks 3rd Annual Treasure Coast Walk has raised $44964! Please help me add to this dollar amount. Even if it is only $5, every $5 adds up! By donating you are helping to change the future for all who struggle with autism!

TO DONATE – MARIBETH CANTWELL – WALK

Brain Training Center of The Treasure Coast presents Treatment Options for ADD, ADHD, Autism or Learning Disorders sponsored by Quest Diagnostics.

Free Admission available to all Parents, ESE School Teachers, Family Medical Practice Providers, and Pediatricians. Don’t miss out on this informative evening! If you know someone who is living with ADD, ADHD, Autism, or Learning Disorders, be a great friend and pass this information along. Please attend – March 23, 2011 at Indian River State College from 6:30p.m. to 8:30p.m. located in the Schreiber Conference Center at 500 NW California Boulevard in St. Lucie West.

Dr. Lisa Rankin and Dr. Marty Rudeyser of the Brain Training Center of The Treasure Coast will be offering extensive information regarding life changing treatment options for those suffering with ADD, ADHD, Autism or Learning Disorders. These treatment options are available at Brain Training Center of The Treasure Coast and include nutrition, biomedical intervention, and hemispheric integration which helps the individual with ADD, ADHD, Autism or Learning Disorders reach their full potential.

Brain training therapies used are based on recent advances in social, nutritional, and scientific research that have greatly improved our understanding of the brain: how it processes information, learns, develops, and repairs itself.

COMING SOON – NEUROFEEDBACK.  For more information go to Noninvasive Strategies for Accelerated Recovery!

The Brain Training Center of The Treasure Coast is located at 499 Prima Vista Blvd. Suite 101, Port St. Lucie Florida 772-408-0096. Visit our website at Brain Training Center of The Treasure Coast to learn more!

See what other parents ar saying about the Brain Training Center of The Treasure Cosast below.

Autism and Diet - here are some simple steps to begin!

1. Make sure there is adequate protein in the child’s diet.

Diet is especially important for children with Autism.  Studies have revealed that individuals with ADD, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorders have difficulty with glucose metabolism.  In simpler terms, they have have blood sugar problems.  Children are affected most by blood sugar level due to the fact that half of their daily caloric intake is used to to fuel brain activity.  Maintaining a blood sugar level that does not fluctuate too much is of utmost importance!  This is achieved first by making sure the child has protein with every meal.  Foods that are high in protein are eggs, chicken, meat, fish, soy, turkey, cheese, nuts, and seeds, beans, and yogurts.  Protein in the morning is necessary for healthy brain function.

2. Begin to decrease or eliminate sugar laden or processed foods (candy, soda, foods with preservatives and colorings, sugar laden cakes and cookies, etc.).  These foods contain simple carbohydrates and should be avoided as much as possible because they will cause a quick rise in blood glucose level.  Children do need carbohydrates for energy but the carbohydrates should be complex carbohydrates.  Complex carbohydrates are found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  Please avoid dried fruits like raisins.  Not only are dried fruits high in sugar, they are also high in mold.  Children with Autism tend to react to mold, therefore eliminate this from their Diet.

3. Dilute juices with water.  Some juices contain almost as much sugar per serving as soda.

4. Get a water filter or bottled water from a reputable company and make sure your child drinks plenty of water per day.

5. Make sure there is adequate fiber in your child’s diet (whole grains, veggies, fruit, etc.)  Fiber in the Diet is just as important in a child with Autism as with you.  Between the fiber and the water your child should be having at least one good bowel movement per day.  The human body was designed to eliminate toxins on a daily basis.  If our colon gets backed up, the blood reabsorbs the toxins that are waiting to be eliminated thus impacting many systems including the brain.

6. Identify foods that your child may be allergic to by IgG antibody blood testing or NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique).  Rotate, completely stay away from, or eliminate allergens with NAET.  NAET is a natural, drug-less, painless, non-invasive method that can be used safely on infants, children, and adults of any age.

More to come in next blog regarding Autism, Diet, NAET, The Gluten/Casein Free Diet, The Carbohydrate Specific Diet, and all other teqniques used for Autism Recovery!

For Autism Recovery Advise visit my Autism-Children.net and click on the Telephone Call Me and Google will connect you for free.

Alternative Treatments for Autism are numerous!

It has been fifteen years since my son Lucas was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum and I am baffled by the lack of iinformation given to parents by the medical professionals they go to for answers.  It is not a secret that there are many, many Alternative Treatments for Autism available, it’s just not something the medical community discusses or offers to these parents starving for hope.

Let me go on the record as saying there is HOPE! Your child can progress and even RECOVER!!!

My child has and it is the most liberating feeling in the world.  Don’t get me wrong it wasn’t easy, cheap, or without hardship, but it was worth every tear and every dollar.  My son Lucas is now 18 years old, on the honor roll, playing Lacrosse, and working part time.  He will be going to college next year and will be very successful someday, I just know it!  Lucas and his brother Eric are the joys of our life.  Fortunately Lucas had his brother Eric to help him come out of his shell, but Lucas would not be where he is today without the Alternative Treatments for Autism that exist out there.

Do not listen to the doctors who say “there is nothing else you can do for him, just put him in a good school”.  This is a bunch of bull!  I am so glad I didn’t listen to the multiple medical practitioners that I brought my son to.  If I had he would never be where he is today.  You have to take your child’s future into your own hands.  You are his or her only advocate!!!

I always wondered why me?  I know understand why… so I could educate others.  In my chiropractic practice I treated many children on the spectrum with Alternative Treatments for Autism. I was not only trained in Chiropractic, but also the DAN! protocol, NAET, and Neurofeedback.  After researching and utilizing these(and many other treatments) for my son I began to help other children and saw remarkable results.

Below is a list of Alternative Treatments for Autism. In the coming weeks and months I will do my best to take each one and explain what they are and how they work.

• Dietary Changes including the elimination of refined foods, chemicals, additives, yeast, gluten, casein, specific carbohydrates, phenols, salicylates, oxalates, and all foods the child is allergic to.
• Nutritional Supplementation including correcting specific deficiencies, digestive enzymes, taurine, essential fatty acids, fiber, probiotics, DMG/TMG, glutathione, and specific vitamins and minerals known to be deficient in children on the autism spectrum.
• Treatment of Yeast and other Bacterial Infections
• Treatment of viral infections
• Methylation Replacement Therapy
• Detoxification
• Immune System Modulation
• Chiropractic and Craniosacral Therapy
• NAET (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique)
• Neurofeeback (EEG Neurofeedback)
• Auditory Integration
• Sensory Integration
• Homeopathy
• Interactive Metronome

If you would like help deciding which Alternative Treatments for Autism to start with for your child, feel free to contact me.  I am an Autism Recovery Consultant.