NAC: Dr. Julie Buckley - treating Autism as a Medical Disease

Dr. Julie Buckley presented on many of the underlying pathways that might "malfunction" in our children, the importance of glutathione -- critical to so many biological functions -- as well as things that parents can do at home with natural remedies to start their child toward healing and the many biomedical treatments utilized by doctors to treat children with ASD. She emphasized the 3 (or 4) "R"s as a basic roadmap to treatment: Remove (such as gluten, casein, other foods that cause reactions, as well as environmental toxins); Replenish (our guts with good probiotics); Repair and Restore (with enzymes, vitamins/minerals, Omega 3s, yeast management, etc.). She also discussed the great success her practice had had with hyperbarics. She also reminded us not only to treat our children but to do the rights for ourselves too - eating well, avoiding toxins and generally caring for ourselves. (The photo is the pool at the conference - sorry, I could not resist!)

Rapid Prompt Method with Soma Makhopadhyay at the NAC

The first speaker on Friday's NAC agenda was Soma Makhopadhyay, presenting on her Rapid Prompt Method ("RPM"). Many people who have heard of Soma and her son Tito may think RPM is a communication method. Soma explained that it really is a method of learning and with learning comes communication. She showed how the method works for a variety of children, verbal and non-verbal. For all children, she works on higher thinking skills, finding that many children may be very verbal but still cannot express higher level thoughts and that non-verbal children, when given an effective means, can demonstrate how much they know and how well they can learn using RPM. Soma was introduced by NAA Vice-President Ann Brasher, who shared her grandson's amazing breakthrough using RPM...a very inspirational story!
(photos: Soma with NAA-NY Metro President Sabeeha Rehman and with me; Soma presenting)

Omega 3s for ASD - live from the National Autism Conference

Take your Omega 3s! Peggy and I have had the chance to chat with Tim Terry, a senior sales manager with Nordic Naturals. Omega 3s are important for all of us but are especially important for children on the spectrum, and children often can't or won't eat Omega 3-rich foods. Nordic Naturals provides some of the purest Omega 3s available, and, for kids who don't swallow pills, make very palatable flavored liquids. Our family has been using Nordic Naturals for years with great success. They can help with everything from attention to eczema!

NAA-NY Metro is on its way...

NAA-NY Metro is on its way to Ft Lauderdale for the National Conference. We are eager to learn and hoping for some sun too.

On the Road...

Leaving for the NAA tomorrow morning and trying to learn to live blog!

Perry the Platypus

Henry asked to be Perry the Platypus from Disney's Phineas & Ferb this Halloween. I thought, "heck, if it is a Disney thing, there is bound to be a costume to buy." WRONG!!! No Perry costume. So I made one. Yards and yards of felt, a ducknose (for the duckbilled platypus) found online, a tail made using a bent wire coat hanger as a frame, covered with batting and, yes, more felt, a straw hat that belonged to Grandpa Gerry (Perry, in his secret life, is a secret agent). Finally, orange feet that went over shoes using hook and loop fasteners. Somehow the thing held together for two days and nights of Halloween festivities. Whew!

Fitness Basics

On Sunday, October 25, Henry and I participated in a fun interactive workshop sponsored by NAA-NY Metro. Eric Chessen, who teaches fitness basics to children on the spectrum and teaches others who work with special needs kids how to teach them fitness basics and why the basics are so important, led the workshop. Henry had a great time with Eric and the volunteers. He even got to see his developmental pediatrician whom he has not seen in a long time (Hi Dr. Mark!) It was a spectacular fall day and a great chance for parents and kids to be engaged in a fun learning event. I blogged about it in more detail on NAA-NY Metro's blog.