But whilst stereotypes abound about sensory hypersensitivities of kids with autism, and whilst I had my equal share or niggles with things too tight, too rubbing, too whatever, I wanted those shoes off for another reason.  My feet were my eyes.

I was face blind, relatively object blind, and context blind.  Meaning blindness occurs when you can only process the part and each piece that would normally be processed as a whole is instead a series of disconnected parts.  So without this cohesion there is little sense of where one is in space or the distance one has traveled, the changes in those spaces and the relationships of these new experiences to past ones.  But there are various compensations.  One can use echo-acoustics, making noises into spaces or at surfaces, even tapping them, to hear their ‘voices’ which give away their substance, density, their distance and relationships to things around them.  One can walk to the ‘point of symmetry’ within any room, garden, staircase, any place, and then turn in a circle like a compass might to map the relative distance of all other points from there to the peripheries.  One can run one’s hand over the boundaries to get a tactile sense of how the room is constructed.  One can use peripheral vision which cuts out the amount of information coming in, leaving more brain time to process what’s left more cohesively than if looking directly.  But one can also take one’s shoes of and voila!  The feet become the ‘hands’ which have constant contact with shifting textures, temperatures, boundaries, distance, and the kinaesthetic feedback of walking on various surfaces.  Put shoes on someone with visual agnosias and it’s like blindfolding someone without visual agnosias.

So how can you tell if a child has visual agnosias, especially if they have no functional speech?  Do they navigate their world through tapping, smelling, flicking objects?   Do they disassemble toys and games into their component parts and enjoy each part at a time?    Do they use objects primarily for textures, smell, sounds, flicking or for catching light, watching movement or creating lines and patterns?  Do they stare through things as if blind, jump and climb on furniture like the cat might and appear to ignore all contextual cues?   So they prefer the mirror or even watch the world through mirrors and window reflections?    Do they greet your hair, earrings, coat, watch your feet and fingers or smell you for recognition?

Visual agnosias don’t have to be severely disabling if we understand them and the ways severe visual agnosias can disrupt language development, relationships and learning.  We need to remember that enjoyment of visual patterns does not make one a visual thinker and that those with severe visual agnosias may think musically, or in movement or think in textures, smells, feelings, systems, even devoid of mental pictures or only have fragmented ones, able to visualise the table leg but lose the table top.  And yet the same people may have incredible serial memory for events, movement and spatial layouts if they’ve navigated them physically.

Remember that  if you are teaching someone with visual agnosias, don’t rely on pictures which they may only see in bits, that gestures and characterisations may be more complete and make better links to learning language with meaning than pictures will.  Remember that having visual and verbal agnosias means each contributes to the other and unless you teach through something other than just visual or verbal you will be that person’s greatest source of disability.

And it is time we acknowledged that being deaf, blind, deaf-blind or having visual, verbal or visual, verbal and body agnosias, can be an isolating, alienating experience which can help some people to develop ‘autistically’ until those deficits are understood and responded to appropriately.  It is time we stopped diagnosing agnosic children as autistic ones and diagnosed agnosias with or without the complication of autism.  And whilst we’re going to try and help kids protect their feet from broken bottles and debris, from burning hot tarmac, let’s remember that being able to connect to the world, make sense of it, feel it consistently, is one of the things which may stop a meaning deaf, meaning blind agnosic child from otherwise drifting off into, even remaining in, their own ‘autistic’ (agnosic) world.

© Donna Williams

When you begin your quest to understand Autism and the many associated acronyms you might begin with an ADI (Autism Diagnostic Interview). Most likely you will continue to investigate several available tests, in hopes of finding answers to your countless questions. Those tests could include:

ACBC (Achenbach Childhood Behavior Checklist)

ASQ   (The Ages and Stages Questionnaire)

CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale)

CBCL (The Child Behavior Checklist)

CHAT (Checklist for Autism in Toddlers)

GARS (Gilliam Autism Rating Scale)

When the GF / CF (gluten-free / casein free) transition began to take place in our lives I began to read labels in a whole new way. As unacceptable “foods” were removed, one after another, acronyms took on a life all of their own.  After eleven months of trial and error we arrived at a WF (wheat free), GF (gluten free), DF (dairy free), CF (casein free), EF (egg free) DF (dye free) OF (oat free), SF (soy free), PF (preservative free) and FCF (food coloring free) diet for my son, then nearly five years old. Creating foods that didn’t taste like (CB) cardboard was truly a (FT) full-time job!

Thanks to an NAET doctor (Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Technique) my son is now able to eat eggs with no problems and soy occasionally. Additional therapists and doctors with familiar (or not so familiar) acronyms who have helped us, in one way or another, along the way include (but certainly are not limited to):

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) doctors

AACA (American Association of Certified Allergists)

DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) doctors

DBMS (Doctor of Biomedical Science)

DC (Doctor of Chiropractic)

Ph.D (Doctor of Philosophy)

SLP’s (Speech-Language Pathologists)

As parents, family members and / or practitioners, we strive to understand ASD’s (Autistic Spectrum Disorders). We become experts at recognizing those who possess identifying characteristics of people on the spectrum. After countless hours of personal experiences we understand qualifying and quantifying descriptions well enough that we begin to pass out labels (at least in our minds) with ease. Acronyms on the spectrum and acronyms that are closely related (but not necessarily an ASD) can include:

ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

AS (Asperger’s Syndrome)

DAS (Developmental Apraxia of Speech)

DD (Developmental Disabilities)

DH (Developmentally Handicapped)

DVD (Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia)

HFA (High-functioning Autism)

LD (Learning Disabled)

MR (Mentally Retarded)

MSDD (MultiSystem Developmental Disorder)

NT (Neurologically Typical) (non-Autistic)

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder)

PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Disorders Associated with Strep)

PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder)

PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified)

SI (Sensory Integration) and, occasionally for (Speech Impairment),

SIB (Self-Injurious Behavior)

SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder)

SSS (Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome)

TS (Tourette’s Syndrome)

As we proceed and progress beyond tests, diet, finding the right doctors and receiving the right label we realize that it is time to find the ‘right’ therapy.  Since every child is unique it stands to reason that therapies must also be unique. At times the ‘right’ therapy can become the ‘outgrown’ therapy or even the ‘wrong’ therapy for some children. Making the right decision is pinnacle and determining what the right decision is at the right time can be even more crucial. We have worked with several therapies and no single therapy was able to fill all of my son’s needs at one time. I have listed a few of the familiar and not-so-familiar therapies that we tried or considered. They are, of course, preceded by their acronyms:

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) using horses

ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis)

AIT (Auditory Integration Training)

AMTA (American Music Therapy Association)

D.A.T. (Dolphin Assisted Therapy)

DIR (Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-based)

HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy)

NMR (Neuromuscular Reeducation)

OT (Occupational Therapy)

PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)

PT (Physical Therapy)

ST (Speech Therapy)

TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children)

A few years ago I began to realize that the sensory overload my son experienced every time it came to homework time, chore time and / or “get responsible” time was more than just his unwillingness. This overload was and still is, I believe, a situation that he fundamentally (partially) can not control.

I began to approach his work time in a different manner, one where I was focusing on only one sensory processing tool at a time. Instead of my verbal instructions I listened to him tell me which one of the three items he wanted to start with (math, reading or spelling). Next, instead of my verbal interpretation of his reading assignment, I would write down any question I had.

Unless I felt that it was critical I didn’t write down any questions so that he could focus more clearly. He would proceed to read his story and we would go over the reflection questions together after he completed the story. His reading speed improved. His focus was great and we thoroughly enjoyed story time.

The next task was to see if this type of non-verbal communication would work with math. He is fantastic at math but it becomes a battle of wills when I am trying to convince him to actually do his math.

“It’s boring.”  “I already know that stuff.”  “Why do I have to do it again?” Countless additional questions usually began our venture into the math world. In my mind, I was convinced that he ran me through the math question maze as a form of stalling – one that often worked because he would / could literally wear me down (and out) to the point that math homework could become torturous – for both of us!

Our first trial run of ‘non-‘verbal’ math homework began like this:

“Tanner, tonight I would like for you to show me how to do your math homework and I will sit and listen quietly.” I thought that he would connect with being ‘in charge.’

“But, what if I don’t know how to do it?”  “What if I have a question?”  “What if I need your help?” He rapid-fired off several questions, mush faster than I had anticipated.

Instead of immediately responding to each and every question I sat back in my chair and looked at him. He wasn’t sure what to do for a moment. I wasn’t sure what to do either. I almost fell back into the trap. He’s pretty crafty, I had to admit. I slowly picked up my scratch pad and a pen and wrote, “Read the instructions first.”

First he flopped on the floor. Next he used his pencil to make a maze across this math sheet. Finally he pathetically said, “I’m staaaarving.” Followed by, “I’m thirsty.”

On my notepad I silently wrote, “You had your snack. You can have water. I will help you. You can have apple slices and peanut butter – when you are DONE with your MATH.”

It has taken awhile for my son to embrace this non-verbal interaction.  Not surprisingly, we have had a few days when the ‘required’ daily homework arrived at the school a day late.  I have sent in notes but there truly are bigger battles in life. His teacher has never once complained. Calmly completing homework a day late certainly beats completing homework on time amidst tears, tantrums and time outs.

Our program is working pretty well these days. We neither one have had a tantrum in quite some time.  His grades are great and both of our attitudes are great. Turning short term memories and habits into long term abilities has been work with rewards for both of us.

Still I had to wonder, “If the ‘silent treatment’ works with homework could it work in other areas just as effectively?

I have been coming across a vaguely familiar acronym known as RDI ® (Relationship Development Intervention) Treatment for a few years now but I hadn’t really studied it in depth.  Honestly, I didn’t fully understand RDI ® or how it worked.

After I came across RDI ® again recently I took a fundamental approach and really looked at the system. I came to the conclusion that this system really makes since to me. Not only is this model successfully helping people of all ages it is successfully helping people in all areas.  One of the greatest “selling” points for me was how effective the non-verbal communication worked. Now, this was something I knew a thing or two about.

From my perspective I believe that RDI ® is designed to teach parents how to parent their child on the spectrum and I, as a parent, wanted to learn more about the specifics.  My next step was to meet with Dr. Stacy Goresko, an RDI ® Certified Consultant near Boulder, CO.

Dr. Goresko told me that, due to the large number of people wanting to learn more about RDI ® she created, Ask Dr. Stacy, in order to answer people’s questions – for free! I couldn’t wait to sign up and I couldn’t wait to tell Autism Today readers!  A doctor who is willing to open her phone lines in order to help people out is my kind of doctor. If that isn’t commitment and belief in a program I don’t know what is!

The more that I talked with and learned from Dr. Stacy the more I wanted to learn and I think you will, too. She and I outlined a few ideas on how we can share even more information about Autism in the coming months. Stay tuned – I will keep you posted on what I learn, as I learn it. In the meantime, to connect with Dr. Stacy and sign up for her free informational programs go here:  http://help-autism.com/help_center.html

Learn even more about the RDI ® Treatment on Dr. Goresko’s site: http://Help-Autism.com You can also visit the National Headquarters of RDI ® by going to http://RDIConnect.com where you can learn about this amazing program and about its brilliant founder, Dr. Steven Gutstein. You may decide, as I have, that you’ll want to know more about the acronym RDI ®.

Parents are dearly affected after receiving a diagnosis of Autism. Emotions range from guilt to extreme depression. Looking back a more accurate diagnosis might have been: “Mr. Davis you have been blessed with an incredibly unique child. He will be challenging, compelling even spiritual. Your son will expand your vision and fill your life with hope. There will be difficulties and painful days but you will grow together. You will encounter behavioral problems, bio medical issues, language delays and sensory overload but you will meet them head on. Your child will strengthen you. Hold tightly to family, friends and sense of self. In the end your boy will allow you to discover purity and know unconditional love.”

Parents, life is about to become interesting. Life is about to become stressful as well. Autism is indeed a struggle but families can enjoy their time together. Many parents deny the diagnosis; they feel loss, anger and finally arrive at acceptance. Couples must learn to work as one:

• Learn about Autism as a family
• Romance is still important
• Friendships are important as well
• Surround yourselves with support
• Educate the siblings
• Look over treatment options
• Examine medications and supplements
• Review dietary intervention
• Become experts
• Be patient and love your child

Mothers of children with Autism are extremely resilient. They seem to balance stress well but also suffer from bouts of depression. They worry if they are doing enough. As recovery and therapy becomes their lives, moms begin to feel alone and isolated. There is more anxiety amongst mothers of children with Autism, than with any other disabilities. Mothers deal with an incredible amount of stress on a daily basis:

• They are isolated, without friends
• Marital problems
• Daily care
• Finances
• Behavioral outbursts
• Fighting school districts
• Eating disorders
• The future
• Loss of expectations

Mothers are left out socially because the child with Autism is not usually invited to birthday parties or picnics. Chris and I visited our family for Easter. He was young and quite a handful. We were all playing in the backyard, when Chris began to gulp down pails of wet mud. Everyone scurried inside and I started to scoop sludge out of Chris’ mouth. I cleaned him up and took him home. We were not asked to attend family gatherings again.

Moms forgo careers and dreams. There is no money for luxuries. French manicures and hair appointments become distant memories. Mothers of children with Autism find it difficult to find time to pamper themselves. Typical moms go to amusement parks with their children, take time to workout and have private time with their husbands. Our mothers go to IEPs, seek out DAN doctors and fall asleep with ABA data in their hands.

Learn the warning signs of your child’s behavior. Create plenty of structure and routine. Prepare your child for changes and surprises. Do not worry about stereotypical behavior. Give your child a voice.

Some good advice:

• Do not second guess yourself, not every child will be cured
• Do not stress over your dreams
• Make time for your spouse and siblings
• You do not have to experiment with every therapy
• Don’t assume your genetics are to blame

Please seek out support groups. They can provide valuable resources. Secure respite care. You cannot do it all. Take some time for yourself. Consult with professionals, you are not alone. Advocate for your child. Winning an IEP is terribly empowering. Record your experiences, you never know, your story might appear on the Autism Today site. Parents are experts too.

Dads you are going to have to become a different type of father. Men feel powerless and women feel isolated. Fathers want to take action, “fix” the disorder. This philosophy can cause terrific stress. They feel the financial burden deeply and obsess over the future. Become an active dad and realize the beauty of your relationship. Attend seminars, sit in on therapies and attend the IEP. I know one Mom who whispered to her husband that she would wear her Victoria’s Secret outfit if he showed up to the school meeting. Not only did he participate but I believe he changed his name to Lovaas and produced a thesis on sensory integration!! Seriously here are some points to remember:

• You are no longer the center of attention. Collect many take out menus!
• Talk to dads of disabled children
• Work as a family
• Recognize your wife’s approach as valid
• Celebrate “baby steps”
• Your involvement can improve your child’s communication by over 50%

Moms, please remember that your husband is an almost traumatic state. Set up a small table off to the side with all the information that you want your husband to take a look at. Keep him informed. Men tackle problems one step at a time; women have the ability to multi task.

Couples must reach a joint acceptance of their child’s Autism. Do not blame each other. Communicate about therapy and recognize each other’s needs. Spend time alone. Autism is kind of like a second mortgage, a 24 hour a day job. Take time to exercise together, and insist on regular physical checkups. Reach out to the special needs community. Co-operative parenting is the key. We have all sought out specialists for our children; do the same for your marriage and family. Utilize psychologists, social workers and counselors. They can provide coping skills.

The family is experiencing constant strain. The finances are drained, siblings are lost in the shuffle and you internalize your child’s pain. Constantly refresh your relationship. Empower and energize. Learn who your child is, hold him close and love him deeply. You and your family will be changed forever.

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While it’s proven time and again that parents are NOT responsible for their child’s autism, many parents have this nagging little feeling somewhere deep inside that they are to blame.  If they don’t feel they caused the autism, they typically feel that their child would be doing better and progressing faster if they just put more effort into it.

One can only equate it to preparing for the Bar exam.  No matter how much you study, you could always do a little more.  Simple every day activities result in great emotional stress for an autism spectrum parent.  It’s not long before the “guilt factor” spills over into every area of life.

HOW THE GUILT FACTOR IMPEDES YOUR LIFE

Your autism spectrum child is interested in animals.  In a completely “non-typical” method of conversation, your child names all the farm animals and wants you to repeat it back to him.  Again and again and again!  You do so and the guilt factor sets in.  “This is so inappropriate” you think to yourself.  “I should take this opportunity to teach my child how to converse appropriately.”  But you know that if you don’t comply to your child’s wishes he’ll have a meltdown, and you’re busying making dinner, your two year old is crying because she’s hungry and your eldest needs help with her homework questions.  Disheartened, you continue the banter with your child, blaming yourself for not doing a better job.

The telephone rings and it’s your friend.  You’re thoroughly enjoying the conversation but just then you notice your child repeatedly spinning the wheels on a toy truck while making a strange noise.  “I shouldn’t be talking to my friend.  I should be teaching my child how to play with that toy” you silently berate yourself.  Then your child begins to run up and down the hall and you silently reprimand yourself.  “I must get off this phone.  Time is precious and I should be engaging my child”.  Feeling discouraged, you’re torn between hanging up on your friend and redirecting your child.

When picking up your child from OT, you chat politely to the other parents.  One mother mentions that her daughter has extra speech therapy.  Another one talks about the social skills group she enrolled her son in.  Another one declares that she just signed her child up for Karate with an aide to help him.  Despair and guilt wash over you.  “These parents do so much” you think to yourself.  “How do they do it?  Where do they find the time?  I should do more.  Perhaps I should have signed my child up for Karate instead of swimming.”  As the guilt factor sets in, you shamefully accuse yourself of being a bad parent.

It’s been a long day and you’re exhausted.  You’ve been to work, dealt with tantrums, spoken to three teachers, rearranged your child’s therapy schedule, cooked dinner, bathed your children, cleaned up and prompted your child through simple activities.  As you plop on the couch to watch some TV, that feeling of guilt washes over you.  “I shouldn’t be relaxing.” You say to yourself.  “I should be re-writing my child’s program.  I should be researching new methods of treatment.  I should be going over my child’s IEP.”  But your brain can’t take one more thought about autism and you guiltily sink into the couch and think “Tomorrow, I’ll tackle it tomorrow”.

KEEP IT IN PERSPECTIVE

Paradoxically, parents of autism spectrum kids are one of the most proactive groups that exist.  While they commonly feel they’re not doing enough, these parents should be honored and commended.    They’re able to cope with more in a day, a month and a year than most can conceive of coping with in a lifetime.  Their resilience, creativity and persistence help their children progress and reach potential that nobody thought possible.  The great strides that have been made in the autism community are largely due to parent driven establishment.  The next time the guilt factor sets in, keep it in perspective and remember the following points.

1. You’re not alone

You are a great parent.  You are your child’s best advocate.  You have a lot on your plate.  Your days are often filled with a great deal of mental anguish and emotional stress.  You help your child through small activities that most parents don’t even think about.  You fight for services for your child.  You fight for the best class placement.  It can be tiring.  It can be exhausting.  As you look around, you often feel that other parents are doing a better job.  Realize they think the same of you.  The guilt factor impedes their life too.  Parents of autism spectrum kids have a common bond.  They understand, they empathize and they spur each other on.  If you declare “My 6 year old dressed independently today” they rejoice with you, because they too appreciate every milestone, large or small.

2. Organizations

Parents of children with autism have been the catalyst of some of the largest and most successful establishments for helping those on the spectrum.  This is on a worldwide basis.  A large number of autism schools have been driven by parents.  Special education distributors and manufacturers often have parents at the helm.  Researchers and educators are often parents.  Increased services in schools and communities are the result of parent driven efforts.  Non profit establishments have teams of dedicated parents who are committed to helping those on the spectrum.   You might not be part of one of these establishments but you have made a difference.   It’s the combined unity of parents and a strong voice when advocating for your child that calls these organizations into being.

3. Relationships

When your child is born you are instantly a parent.  The role of a parent is to love, educate and support your child.  You provide your child with values, teach right from wrong, build their self esteem and guide them to become happy, independent adults.   When you have a child with autism, you become a teacher.  The role of a teacher is to educate a child.  Whether it’s a small task or a large task, teachers use every opportunity to educate a child.  As a parent of a child on the spectrum it’s difficult to maintain a balance.  While you want your child to learn as much as possible, you also simply want to be a parent.  The next time the guilt factor sets in because you’re not teaching your child at every moment, release it immediately.  Your child loves it when you’re just being a Mom or just being a Dad.  While it’s perfectly fine to teach some of the time, a healthy balance leads to a healthy relationship between you and your child.  Enjoy those moments with your child.  Even if they aren’t typical interactions, they’re certainly fun!

4. Acceptance

On asking adults with autism “What’s the single piece of advice you would give to parents of autism spectrum kids?” the answer is almost always a unanimous “Unconditional love and acceptance.”  For just a moment, view your child’s perspective.  Almost every action gets corrected.  Almost every behavior is modified.  Method of play is considered inappropriate.  Self stimulatory behavior is often halted.  Your child is constantly being told to think, talk and act in a way that is foreign to his inner nature.  It can’t be easy to keep one’s self esteem intact.  I certainly advocate teaching as many skills as possible to help your child function in life.  However, it’s essential your child knows you believe he is perfect just the way he is.  It’s simply unfortunate that others might have difficulty understanding him.  Your child should intrinsically know the reason he’s learning new skills and altering his behavior is not because you want to change him, but because it will help others relate to him, grant him acceptance and allow him to lead a more productive life.  The next time you feel guilty about not correcting your child’s behavior or mannerisms, remember that delighting in your child’s unique qualities is just as important as teaching appropriate actions.

The next time the Guilt Factor impedes your life, simply acknowledge its presence.   You don’t feel guilty because you’re a bad parent.  You feel guilty because you’re an outstanding parent.  You’re a parent who loves your child dearly.  You’re a parent who is so committed to helping your child learn that you feel bad taking time for yourself.  Your hard work, dedication, energy and eternal giving are unbeknown to most and recognized by few.   I acknowledge you and say “Well done!  I know how committed you are and what it takes.  You are an exceptional parent and I recognize your greatness!

The remaining portions of my barely functioning mind slowly left my body and began to float up to the ceiling. I realized that I could no longer speak. I couldn’t exhale and I couldn’t see her clearly. I wrestled with the desire to pinch myself and end this hopeless dream.

“He will be able to rely on his is I.Q of 170 to survive…” As if reacting to a dark figure that had just entered my nightmare, I wanted to scream. My vocal cords refused to operate. My voice was stuck inside, along with my fear, like really thick peanut butter on the roof of my mouth.

“He has an I.Q. of 170,” I finally asked… “How can this be? How can I help him to talk again? Where should I begin? What do I do next?”

Her voice sounded like a coffin closing when she replied, “Come back and see me in six months. I’ll be able to diagnose the form of Autism then. ” The form of Autism? What did that mean? Autism comes in “forms?” My only reference to Autism at that time was the very moving portrayal by Dustin Hoffman in Rainman.

I rationalized the steps of Autism in my mind. Based on Rainman, Autism = Rainman. Rainman = home for the disabled. Home for disabled = non-productive life. Nonproductive life = sadness. My heart was splintering into microscopic pieces.

I held out my hand to receive her instructions. There had to be instructions I thought. She shook my hand and turned to go. A dark cloud suddenly appeared over my head and the rain began to fall on my cheeks as I stood there in the hallway of the, now silent, hospital. Everyone faded into the background and I was suddenly lost. My darling son Tanner broke the spell when he dropped his water bottle over the edge of his stroller. It was time to go but I didn’t know where.

Putting on a brave face I ventured out into the murkiness with her words still swarming around my head. “There has to be a better answer out there, somewhere, and we are going to find it,” I told my sleepy son. We had been at the hospital for the better part of the entire day. It was supposed to be a day of discovery and hope. We came for answers. Now, solving the mystery was even more of a challenge it seemed. I had known all along that there was a prodigy in there! The trick now was to get him out!

Back when Tanner was a happy, smiley and talkative baby I never dreamed that I would begin to stay up all night researching terms and conditions that I barely knew how to pronounce! Now, night after night I began to spend every moment searching. I began to realize that there was a vastness to the world of Autism that was not only magical and mysterious but completely misunderstood!

My quest to understand Autism became a never-ending journey. The more I learned the more I realized that to fully understand and help my son I needed to grasp the meaning of Autistic Spectrum Disorders as fully as I possibly could. I was on a relentless journey to find the key to set my son free.

When Tanner saw the first doctor she did not offer any solutions. I now think it was because she really didn’t fully grasp the complexity of Autism. Her medical training, while expansive, did not include caring for children with multi-dimensional disorders.

When Tanner turned four I began to study diets and foods that contributed to behavior problems. Determined to “cure” him I began changing his meals by eliminating all wheat products first. Within 24 hours he was more lucid. Dairy came next and eleven months later we ended up with a wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, preservative-free, dye-free, oat-free, corn-free diet!

I created recipes for just about everything he wanted. My pediatrician called my diet a “behavior modifying diet” and noted that the change in Tanner was “remarkable.”

Although the improvements were to be celebrated he continued to require assistance with every task and his social skills were very poor. My son needed a program that would do more than mask his symptoms… he needed realistic short-term and long-term goals that would help with the real cause(s) of his multiple problems.

Easy enough, right? It seemed like the right course to take… just figure out why he has a form of Autism and then “fixing” it will be the next step. I felt like a 2nd grader who just woke up in a space ship on auto-pilot to mars! We saw 18 doctors over the course of the next two years, with each one offered their suggestions.

Mind altering drugs and other forms of controlling his behaviors were suggested. Treatment options that came with a $45,000 annual price tag and only a 50% success rate didn’t seem like the right plan. I didn’t know what else to do so I just kept researching. By mid-2008 I had over 7,000 logged hours.

Tanner was eventually diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition known by remarkable I.Q.’s and memories and a wide spectrum of social deficits. People like Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and many other incredible contributors to our world are believed to have had Asperger’s Syndrome.

Like Einstein and Edison, Tanner enjoys experimenting to “see what happens.” Connecting with his experimental abilities ~ from the spinal cord to the paper ~ can be the challenge! On a regular basis he amazes me with his ideas and well thought-out questions. Recently he asked, “Do you think I’ll be able to figure out how make cars run on recycled stuff?” (At 9 years old.) Note to self: keep a close eye on recycle bins!

Although Asperger’s Syndrome is considered to be one of the main forms of Autism I personally think Asperger’s Syndrome should stand alone. The characteristics of the two disabilities are virtually opposite. This is a partial list:

My research efforts grew and opportunities to share our successes grew as well. To my surprise, I received an email and then a call from a representative of the Who’s Who in the Medical Industry one day. Convinced that they were spam I ignored both. When they called again I was surprised that the interviewer knew so much about me and my research. I played along with the interview (it was a real treat to talk about something other than dinosaurs for a change!) but I didn’t really believe it was real.

I had begun to share my program, “Autism Awareness: From Suspicion to Success” with mothers, teachers, doctors, and a variety of groups. She knew about my program but wouldn’t tell me how she found out. “It’s confidential,” she said.

The following week I saw our pediatrician. I told him about the email and calls. “Nice,” he said. “You will probably be receiving more calls than that.” Was it possible, I wondered, that the research that began as a way to help my son might actually help others, too?

Enzymes, whole food mineral supplements, liquid and powdered potions, vitamins C, D and A, Candida eliminators, DMSA chelation, Epsom salts baths, mud baths, detoxifiers, immune builders, “snake oils” ~ we tried enough to open our own store. Some helped, some didn’t. All only helped for a short time.

There had to be a reason why his body wasn’t absorbing the nutrition I was feeding him! After 21 ear infections his immune system surely suffered but nothing seemed to be making it stronger. Blood tests to determine what was “missing” resulted in low uric acid levels, low cell hydration levels, low creatinine levels and a chronic infection indicating liver dysfunction.

Low uric acid levels? Taking one item at a time I started with an article in Pub Med by Dr. Robert H. Keller that stated, “… uric acid is the last antioxidant at the body’s disposal when all the normal antioxidants have been exhausted.” I wanted to increase my son’s antioxidants, I didn’t understand how. I learned that glutathione, the body’s primary antioxidant, is found in every cell of the body.

Because glutathione acts as both as an antioxidant and an antitoxin it just had to help the body’s immune system! I felt like I had stumbled upon a virtual gold mine as I continued to read article after article by Dr. Keller. I read where glutathione improves the liver function and strengthens the immune system. “Why doesn’t everyone know this?” I found several of his websites and researched even more for the next two months.

Tanner took his first glutathione capsule, MaxGxl, on December 17, 2008. I quit giving him all of his other supplements to do a ‘true” test. Within one week there were subtle improvements. His eye contact seemed to be better. Within three weeks there was no mistake that he was thinking clearer.

Now, a full two months later, I can enthusiastically share that Tanner:
• Sits at the table through entire meals (a FIRST!)
• Talks in a normal tone of voice about “normal” subject matters
• Is sleeping well (through the night without being “restless”)
• Is “on task” with most school subject matters and participating with the Gifted & Talented book club
• Is not argumentative as much (hardly at all)
• Is eating MUCH better (trying new things) He is still on a GF / CF diet – for now.
• PLUS – NO more “tics” – he was acting like he had Tourettes – head jerks, eye twitches, rubbing his forehead until he had a rash, twisting his hands and “playing” his fingers a lot… ALL are !

I have witnessed, first hand, how my son’s multi-dimensional disorder has improved beyond what I thought it could simply by boosting his immune system. Who knew that the answer I’ve been looking for (for seven years) would work so well in only seven weeks? For more information about Dr. Keller and glutathione, visit http://MaxGxl.com/158429.

My first book for adults follows my two children’s books. Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome? One Mother’s Journey in Search of Truth will cover our seven year journey. It will go it to editing next week. I want my book to serve as a hand book with the “key” elements that have worked for us.

My story has been like a journey to free my son from an invisible box holding him captive. It has been and will continue to be a journey of discovery. I’ve learned that the only prerequisite to this “job” is the willingness to try, the refusal to quit and the frequent reminder that God doesn’t chose the qualified, He qualifies the chosen.

© Rhonda Spellman

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