Aa
1yr. after diagnosis
My son was diagnosed with classical Autism right after he turned 3, he never had issues with being behind intellectually but wasn't speaking more than single words so they didn't want to call it Aspergers. He definately had it. I morned and figured it was pervasive and something we were going to have to deal with. I also imediately put him on the GFCF diet and we were strict for an entire year because he jumped in ability so dramatically in the first month- fully potty trained and withing 6 months dropped his repeditive behaviors (not hand flapping- he always had his hand in his mout flicking the back of his bottom teeth). We also got him right into speech therapy but not OT and PT because the school said he didn't need it. Then we moved and the school said he was high functioning and even though he had a receptive speech score of 4 % and expressive of 2% I had to fight for the services (blug) anyway- we did heavy Metal detoxing after testing his pee and finding Cadmium and after each week for 2 months his social skills and eye contact straighted out and now the only symptoms that he seems to have left are poor speech- pragmatic/receptive/expressive- and slight sensory integration issues- poor muscle tone and needs to wear Orthotics. Anyway- my questions are
1- we took him off his diet after a year hoping his gut had healed and since he is not sleeping at night and had 3 incedances of stools with blood veined though out. Should we put him back on the diet imediately or should we wait and go do testing we skipped b4 putting him on the diet the first time (for celiac and other disorders? maybe an allergy pannel? )- is is possible for his gut to heal andnot have to be on that diet for his whole life or were we mistaken taking him off?
2-Could listening therapy help with his speech? does anyone have more information on this?
3- when do his symptoms become so mild that it isn't considered Autism anymore?
-Melissa
1- we took him off his diet after a year hoping his gut had healed and since he is not sleeping at night and had 3 incedances of stools with blood veined though out. Should we put him back on the diet imediately or should we wait and go do testing we skipped b4 putting him on the diet the first time (for celiac and other disorders? maybe an allergy pannel? )- is is possible for his gut to heal andnot have to be on that diet for his whole life or were we mistaken taking him off?
2-Could listening therapy help with his speech? does anyone have more information on this?
3- when do his symptoms become so mild that it isn't considered Autism anymore?
-Melissa
I am a mum, not a professional.
My son (age 8) is about to begin a listening therapy called Listening With the Whole Body. It is a programme that the Occupational Therapist has been trained in and which she says has clinical evidence of improvements in all areas of functioning ie. speech, sensory integration, social interaction etc. It is not an invasive therapy. So if your son has sensory issues I think you should get an OT involved, and also physio if he needs it, because movement is associated with brain development.
When do his symptoms become so mild he isn't considered autistic anymore? That can only happen if he progresses enough in one of the diagnostic areas to lose a full blow diagnosis which may then be changed to PDD NOS or traits of autism. Your approach to autism appears to be to find a cure. And I am glad that your son has had such positive improvements over time, but autism is neurological and cannot be cured. He will always be wired up differently. If he has semantic speech difficulties google Semantic Pragmatic Speech Disorder. But bear in mind that the loss of a diagnosis could mean he doesn't receive supports as an adult. This is only my opinion, but I want all professionals who come into contact with my son to know that he is on the autistic spectrum so that he is treated appropriately. My son is high functioning autistic and goes to a mainstream school. So depending what country you are in be very careful and find out what supports he might lose (in school for example), if you pushed to have his diagnosis changed or removed. Obviously professionals cannot change the diagnosis to your wishes, but if he does improve in one area they might agree to change it to something like PDD NOS. But that might mean your son loses social benefits, systems, therapies or supports in the process. I have fought (solicitors and courts) to ensure that my son is supported as he should be and if, when he is an adult, if he is coping so well that he decides he doesn't need the label then he can go about having it removed.
Also have a look at Central Auditory Processing Disorder as that frequently plays a part in speech problems. Also look at Irlen Syndrome if your son has sensory issues because many autistics find wearing the glasses reduces or removes visual sensory processing problems and also has a knock on effect on the other sensory systems.
My son (age 8) is about to begin a listening therapy called Listening With the Whole Body. It is a programme that the Occupational Therapist has been trained in and which she says has clinical evidence of improvements in all areas of functioning ie. speech, sensory integration, social interaction etc. It is not an invasive therapy. So if your son has sensory issues I think you should get an OT involved, and also physio if he needs it, because movement is associated with brain development.
When do his symptoms become so mild he isn't considered autistic anymore? That can only happen if he progresses enough in one of the diagnostic areas to lose a full blow diagnosis which may then be changed to PDD NOS or traits of autism. Your approach to autism appears to be to find a cure. And I am glad that your son has had such positive improvements over time, but autism is neurological and cannot be cured. He will always be wired up differently. If he has semantic speech difficulties google Semantic Pragmatic Speech Disorder. But bear in mind that the loss of a diagnosis could mean he doesn't receive supports as an adult. This is only my opinion, but I want all professionals who come into contact with my son to know that he is on the autistic spectrum so that he is treated appropriately. My son is high functioning autistic and goes to a mainstream school. So depending what country you are in be very careful and find out what supports he might lose (in school for example), if you pushed to have his diagnosis changed or removed. Obviously professionals cannot change the diagnosis to your wishes, but if he does improve in one area they might agree to change it to something like PDD NOS. But that might mean your son loses social benefits, systems, therapies or supports in the process. I have fought (solicitors and courts) to ensure that my son is supported as he should be and if, when he is an adult, if he is coping so well that he decides he doesn't need the label then he can go about having it removed.
Also have a look at Central Auditory Processing Disorder as that frequently plays a part in speech problems. Also look at Irlen Syndrome if your son has sensory issues because many autistics find wearing the glasses reduces or removes visual sensory processing problems and also has a knock on effect on the other sensory systems.
I am in the UK and I presume you are in the USA?
The route I took was firstly to identify that my son had an auditory processing disorder. Google Central Auditory Processing Disorder. If that sounds like your son you can go to your GP and ask for a referal for asessment of that. In the UK audiologists cannot assess or treat CAPD because they just don't do it, although they recognise that it is a medical condition. So I found a centre that took Health Service referals and I asked my GP to request funding for this treatment as it was suspected that my son had this recognised disorder but the NHS in the UK could not treat him.
Suddenly - as if by magic - my local Occupational Therapist department got in touch with me and said that one of their OTs had recently been trained with a programme called Listening With the Whole Body. The OT told me that this listening therapy does have clinical evidence of improvements.
So maybe you could see if that is a possible route for you to take, to try and get it funded through the health system.
I also had my son tested for Irlen Syndrome. That is worth looking into because it just involves wearing glasses with tinted lenses, and if the child has sensory integration and modulation difficulties there is a very good chance he has Irlen Syndrome. I found that wearing the glasses dramatically reduced the amount of headaches my son had, and he just seemed much more capable when he wears them. He makes much more eye contact and talks more and doesn't stim so much and tolerates so much more than he does without them. And it was the Irlen practitioner I met in the UK who mentioned to me about listening therapies. There are many autistic adults who say wearing the lenses has dramatically changed their perceptual abilities.
The route I took was firstly to identify that my son had an auditory processing disorder. Google Central Auditory Processing Disorder. If that sounds like your son you can go to your GP and ask for a referal for asessment of that. In the UK audiologists cannot assess or treat CAPD because they just don't do it, although they recognise that it is a medical condition. So I found a centre that took Health Service referals and I asked my GP to request funding for this treatment as it was suspected that my son had this recognised disorder but the NHS in the UK could not treat him.
Suddenly - as if by magic - my local Occupational Therapist department got in touch with me and said that one of their OTs had recently been trained with a programme called Listening With the Whole Body. The OT told me that this listening therapy does have clinical evidence of improvements.
So maybe you could see if that is a possible route for you to take, to try and get it funded through the health system.
I also had my son tested for Irlen Syndrome. That is worth looking into because it just involves wearing glasses with tinted lenses, and if the child has sensory integration and modulation difficulties there is a very good chance he has Irlen Syndrome. I found that wearing the glasses dramatically reduced the amount of headaches my son had, and he just seemed much more capable when he wears them. He makes much more eye contact and talks more and doesn't stim so much and tolerates so much more than he does without them. And it was the Irlen practitioner I met in the UK who mentioned to me about listening therapies. There are many autistic adults who say wearing the lenses has dramatically changed their perceptual abilities.
I know, I am looking for a cure. Not for Autism though- for each symptom he has. And I do know that even if each symptom gets fully treated he will still have a brain that is wired differently and thats why we're actual homeschooling now. We noticed right away that he wasn't going to learn in the classroom- even with the spec. ed teacher in there. He learns best when things are clear and blunt and fun but repeditive. So we pulled him out and instead set up a few social sittuations that he can be succefull in instead of lost in. (figure skating- which helps with his muscle tone and the teacher by coinsidance is an OT-lol! Violin lessons and a play group). Any way thats a bit off subject. I am positive I want to try a listening therapy there are just so many out there and the prices are extreemly inconsistant. then there are also places that offer in -home but its their therapist and equipment and there are places that just sell the equipment and you do a training. I looked at the Georgian website link that was posted above- that place looks reputable but how does that compare to Tomatis or Berard- has anyone done any research of the differences?
-Melissa
-Melissa
I haven't read the book, but i've heard about it. There are a number of therapies out there, but only a few that are recognised by the medical profession because there is clinical evidence that there are improvements.
As I have some sensory issues, as well as some auditory processing problems, as well as night blindness, I can imagine how difficult it must be for any child on the spectrum to be able to sit in a classroom and hear instructions and understand what they should be doing. Anything that helps with that has got to be a bonus. I'm thinking of having myself tested for Irlen Syndrome because I have such eye strain with lights, and when I borrow my son's glasses I can actually feel the tension drain away from my eyes. And you don't get the same effect with sunglasses.
As I have some sensory issues, as well as some auditory processing problems, as well as night blindness, I can imagine how difficult it must be for any child on the spectrum to be able to sit in a classroom and hear instructions and understand what they should be doing. Anything that helps with that has got to be a bonus. I'm thinking of having myself tested for Irlen Syndrome because I have such eye strain with lights, and when I borrow my son's glasses I can actually feel the tension drain away from my eyes. And you don't get the same effect with sunglasses.
I just finished reading a couple of Annabel Stehli's books about her autistic daugther and how great Auditory Integration Training (AIT) worked for her. You can check out her website at www.georgianainstitute.org. It sounds like it would be worth a try!
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