To parents with children with the autism spectrum, which book was the most helpful on the matter?

I want to buy a book on Austism with information like what is autism exactly, what to expect, what are the treatments available and parenting tips for parents. And also one that is uplifting.

Jenny McCarthy books have been my inspiration since I found out in August that my son is autistic!!

There are many who thinks she is a nutjob but tell that to the parents that use the method she chose and now has some sort of peace in their homes, lives, but most importantly their children that are affected with autism!!

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You have to know what to do for your own family.

I will say I agree 100% with what Jenny says in her books, interviews, radio/talk shows, ect.
I would also like to know why these darn doctors don’t tell us parents when they are diagnosed with autism about these treatments and other resources, like DAN! doctors?? Even if they say that there is a 50/50 chance it will work, and it is a life changing process that requires 100% commitment to it. But that should be OUR choice as their parents, but to have to find out about this elsewhere is just rediculous!!!

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If it wasn’t for Jenny’s books then I know I wouldn’t know about these treatments and other resources!! I, like her, was basiclly told “SORRY YOUR SON HAS AUTISM, THERE’S NOTHING ELSE WE CAN DO. GOOD LUCK AND HAVE A NICE LIFE!!”
They say it’s because there is no scientific proof but isn’t that what science is about, finding things that wasn’t known before by research ect.

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Where did they come up with vaccines and other medications and treatments for other illnesses and diseases?? They did research and “expierments” and such to find answers!! Why don’t they do the same thing with these alternative treatments, gluten-free diet, ( which we are going to be starting our son on within the next couple weeks), ect.

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~~Jen~~

PROS AND CONS ON GFCF DIET FOR AUTISM, DOES IT HELP?

The gfcf diet (gluten free-casein free) is used in helping with behavior and/or food allergies in autistic people, and also certain people with autism have a hard time digesting certain foods that contain gluten/casein. The GFCF diet is like any other treatment, therapy, medicine, etc. used for people with autism, it has to be done on a trial basis. Since autism is a spectrum disorder and it effects each person differently on an individual basis, some methods may work with some and may not work with others. I’ve known some who have used the diet and seen great improvements, some have seen little improvement, and some have seen no improvement at all. I do not use it with my son because his food intake is limited since he has oral aversion which is a sensory to food textures.

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The only way to truly know if it helps, is to try it. If behavior is an issue, their behavior will worsen before it improves because the body goes through withdrawal. Do your research on it, you should remove casein before gluten, and remove gluten over a period of time, casein can take up to 3 weeks and gluten up to 6 months to be completely removed from your system, you give the diet at least 6 months beacuse of the gluten. You have to learn about ingredients/hidden ingredients and reading labels, many household products such as shampoo can contain gluten and be asborbed into your system.

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Here’s some links that will be helpful to you about the diet.

Autism Network for Dietary Intervention:

http://www.autismndi.com/

Since 1995, Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI) has been helping and supporting parents using dietary and biomedical interventions for autism spectrum disorders. They provide help and support for families using a gluten & casein free diet (gfcf diet) in the treatment of autism and related developmental disabilities. The ANDI mission is simple: “To help parents understand, implement and maintain dietary intervention for their autistic children.”

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The Official GFCF Diet Support Group Website

http://www.gfcfdiet.com

Diet Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorders, PDD-NOS, Celiac Disease, and Gluten & Dairy Allergies/Intoleran. Website includes lists of food: acceptable & unacceptable foods; list of unacceptable ingredients; extensive list of GFCF products; explanation of the GFCF diet & getting started including the stages of the GFCF diet; understanding how to read labels; hidden ingredients; information about nitrates, phenols & salicylates; gluten intolerance/celiac disease information; GFCF recipes; parent support groups including local dietary intervention support groups; GFCFKids forum; community bullentin board; GFCF diet survey; GFCF diet support; diet counselors; and much more.

New Diets

http://www.newdiets.com

Features gluten free/casein free (GFCF) recipes: basic ingredients; condiments; breads; soups & stews; vegetarian & side dishes; meat entrees; seafoods; & desserts. Information provided on: getting started; product vendors; school lunch menus; problems baking with substitutes.

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What is the probability of the sibling of a victim of autism having an autistic offspring?

My brother is autistic, and I am wondering 10-20 years down the road, were I to have children, what the chance of having an autistic child would be.

Autistics are not victims!

I am an Aspie/ADHD, my spouse is also an Aspie. We both have IQ’s over 140.

1 kid is a high functioning Autistic, 2 others are Aspies and 1 other is non-Autistic.

All my nephews and nieces are normal.
My parents are of average intelligence.
My oldest sibling is bi-polar as well as having schizophrenia with below average intellect (IQ ~75-80).

Does it run in families?
It must be passed down somewhere, somehow,seeing it is a genetic condition.

Will you have children that would be Autistic?
Very unlikely.

Why I beleive that?
I have over 65 cousins and 2nd cousins and none of them are Autistic to any degree.

Is it possible I could have a form of Autism called Asperger’s Syndrome?

My mom and I have talked recently about me and my unique social struggles from my past. My friend who is autistic mentioned I could have a borderline form of Asperger’s Syndrome. I still struggle with interrupting people, taking turns in conversation, knowing when someone is joking or being sarcastic. I tend to take things literally and I do not recognize people’s personal space. I get uneasy in social situations even though I am into people and wish to socialize. I usually sit to the side and wait until someone talks to me. Often times I have one-sided, long winded conversations without realizing people aren’t interested or are wanting to change the subject. I have had panic attacks majorly since the day after my dad got remarried. That day we stood around relatives for 7-8 hours or more. These panic attacks (often have hyperventilation and hypo-ventilation) occur when I am overly stressed and have been around people more than I would like. I also have a tendency to dislike change in routines and when people move my stuff. I freak when I fail or someone gives me criticism. I have obsessions over interests of mine and I will not move from what I am doing until I am satisfied. I have had issues with socialization since I was young and was diagnosed with ADD (not strong enough to be on medication), but it seems that that’s not my problem. I am going to find a psychiatrist soon to get a formal diagnosis, but I wanted to know people’s thoughts.
It is true that traits vary from person to person but I do struggle with main traits I saw on the multiple pages and resources I looked at.
…I asked if it’s a possiblity ..not asking if it is 100% …. I wanted to know what other people think and … I have tried to improve social skills but my brain does not learn by itself… I have fer years tried to learn, but I can’t recognize certain things I am doing until it has happened and It goes on and on and on. I need help with coping skills and who knows maybe medication.

Yes, that sound just like me i have the same thing, but i have High Functioning Autism. its technicly the same but just different name.
I have all the same characteristics. When i read it it was like reading my life on a page!!

Autism and Clonodine. Any experiences?

I have a 6 year old son with autism. He has major sleep issues, more like not sleeping. His Developmental Specialist has decided to try him on Clonodine. We had previously done Melatonin 3-5mg with varying results. It either works great or doesn’t work at all. He will sleep 10pm-2am and then he is done. The reason for switching meds is because not sleeping has effected school. I would like to hear from anyone who has had experience with Clonodine. I did quite a bit of research and I work in a hospital so I know what it is and does but I am still a little wary. Any side effects that I should be worried about? Please share any good or bad stories. My husband & I know that we are not alone.
Thanks to all.
The first week he will get 1/4 of a .1mg tablet then slowly increase to the whole pill. He will only be getting it at night.
How long until we know if it is working or not?

My son whom is five with a mood disorder is on this medication along with Risperdal. When he was first put on Clonidine he got told me for a couple days when he woke up that his head felt funny. This went away soon after waking up, and within a few days from starting. Giving him a drink and a light snack before rising helped. Once you start this medication you need to use caution when stopping. You can not just stop it without doctor’s supervision because his blood pressure could drop too low. Also I do not give my son any cough medicine while on this medication. It could cause his blood pressure to drop to low and he could get real sick and die. DO NOT GIVE ANY COUGH MEDICINE WITHOUT DOCTOR”S APPROVAL….

What role does emotion have in the life of someone with autism?

I just find the whole disorder of autism hard to understand because I’m a really emotional person. I’m especially interested in how people with mild autism or Asperger’s can function fine but then when it comes to feeling empathy they have such trouble. I guess my question is how such people experience emotion–are these people actually unable to care about others? My intention is not to sound ignorant, I’m genuinely curious.

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People with autism spectrum disorders do have feelings and emotions. Many of us lack empathy, but that doesn’t mean we don’t care about others. For example when someone is really excited about something nice in their life, we may not get excited too. It’s not that we don’t care, it’s just that we don’t experience other people’s emotions with them.

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I can be happy for them while not really understanding or feeling the excitement involved. We don’t know exactly what the other person feels like and therefore we can hardly share in feeling those emotions with them. We also don’t always express our emotions or we don’t do it the same way as others.

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I care about others, I just cannot always put myself in their shoes and feel what they are feeling.

I think it’s also partly about us feeling emotions for different reasons than others. Many non-autistic people have trouble empathizing with me, so it’s a two way road. They don’t understand why I get upset about something that seems normal to them and therefore can’t empathize, just like I cannot empathize with them when they get upset for reasons I don’t understand.

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Can autism be related to listening to music a LOT?

I am (according to the doctors) slightly autistic, and I basically ALWAYS have my earphones in and my ipod on (I even do now). I tend to get through 2-3 iPod charges every day and I bought a solar panel charger thing so when I go out camping (a hobby of mine) I can charge it using the sun. My friends say I listen to music way too much even for a teenager. I don’t know, I just feel a lot less tense and paranoid when listening to a good bit of music, hence why I am obsessed with high sound quality and why I have like 40 music CDs. I was wondering if this sort of sensory obsession could be related to autism?

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@Debbie sounds about right, I noticed I like punk stuff in the day and trance at night; the other way round doesn’t work very well at all. I also have this weird urge to drink some blackcurrant squash every evening, lol.

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Sure. Music is relaxing for a lot of people, both autistic and neurotypical. But those of us on the spectrum tend to have more anxiety, so we really need the relaxation and the escape from the outside world that music can provide. I’m also a big fan of music.

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Obsessions, need for routine, and high tolerance for repetition are major features of autism. As most of us have auditory sensitivities, this could explain both the fixation on music and the need for high quality. One thing I’ve noticed in myself is that once I start doing something regularly, it becomes necessary. When I started keeping a journal, for example, writing in it every night quickly became an unalterable part of my routine. It could be the same with your music. Once you started listening to music a lot, maybe it just kind of stuck.

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I am terrified that my little girl could be autistic too?

..i have a 5year old Son who has autism.

My Son and baby daughter look incredibly alike (my other daughter does not look like her brother and sister, and does not have autism); And they (eldest and youngest) seem to have the same behavioural traits as one another did as young babies.

I refused the fragile X and other tests i was offered pre-pregnancy, due to my opinions on abortion.

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Does anyone have any idea of the statistics on how many siblings of an autistic child go on to have autism themselves?

I am being tortured with the worry as i’m already going through an awful lot with my Son (who i love to the ends of the earth, but find very challenging).

Can someone help please?

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Regards, Sarah x

(ps, please don’t anyone insult me, because i love my wonderful son to the ends of the earth, as i do each of my children, but it is a real challenge to have a child with Autism, and i am so scared that i could have another.)

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Hi Hun …as you know my angel Thomas pictured left has severe autism …and he is a twin his twin sister is fine no problems its tough having a child with any disabilities and even without they provide a challenge …as i say to people if your other child does have autism what can you do about it ..apart from worry yourself silly, yes there is a risk but did you know girls that have autism is rare …and also can be a lot more severe than boys so to me i think as a mum ‘You would know’
take life as it comes Hun and stay strong for you and your kids ..
Autism is not the end of the world ..its a journey to another one !

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How would you go about getting an Autism diagnosis for a young adult?

My brother showed many signs of Autism as a child and my mother neglected us so he never got diagnosed. The school labeled him ADHD but now that I’m an adult I see that his behavior was not ADHD at all. I am pretty convinced he has either Autism or Aspergers. (sp?) This is the first opportunity we’ve had to get him some answers because our biological mother is finally out of the picture. He is 19. If anyone has any help that would be great!

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Is he interested in being evaluated? As an adult, this will need to be his choice. Besides that, this is difficult to answer as it wasn’t mentioned whether he has insurance or not. If he does, the first step would be to obtain a list of mental health providers who do evaluations from the insurance company. If he has managed care, you’d need a referral from his primary care physician.

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If he does not have insurance, you’ll need to do some research on mental health clinics in the area. He’s still under 21, so if you can locate something like a Child Development Clinic, they would be able to evaluate and diagnose.

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Some avenues to look into for a clinic would be local hospitals and universities. Googling is also a great resource. Just google your city/state and autism diagnosis, treatment, etc. Just know that without insurance, these evaluations can be expensive.

good luck!

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Parents of children with PDDs or autism…personal experience?

Parents of kids with Autism and other PDDs…personal experience?
Hi,I am looking for some opinions of parents with kids that have PDDs.Based on personal experience what do you find are the best activities and/or toys for an autistic child aged 2 1/2 years old?
He is already in early intervention services and I know that every child is different but I am not looking for professional opinions,just a few things parents have done with their children that they have found to be successful for them.Thanks in advance!

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I have posted this question in a couple of categories only because I am not sure which one would be most appropriate.
Ummm,robert,thanks for trying to be amusing and insulting,but I saw Rain Man too,wasn’t really that funny.I hope some day you actually get the attention you obviously didn’t get as a child.Now please go elsewhere to get reactions from people with your childish personality.
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to answer my question.Every bit of information helps and it is comforting to know that you are not alone in dealing with tough situations like this.

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hi, I’m an older sister of my 15 year old autistic brother. my brother was diagnosed with autism when he was around 2 years old. for being autistic my brother is very smart and full of laughter and excitement. he is in a state school where we live, which has other kids that have autism, and they have been learning how to cook, clean, and etc… for the activities they usually are outside being taught out to rake leaves, mow the lawn, and etc…. the state school is actually been a really good experience for him.

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I forgot to mention my brother is a sophomore in school, which i cant wait to see him graduate. (smiles) some people think that autistic children are not capable of doing things like normal kids can, but that is totally wrong, they can do things just as well and good as anyone can and i am very proud of my brother for the accomplishments he has made in the past few years.

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