Who Do I Explain Autism To & When?

I don't know if other parents of children with autism struggle with my current struggle or not. With an autism diagnosis two years in our rearview mirror I am wondering now how often and who do I explain Aleks' condition to. Am I obligated to tell every person who has to spend time with her in a caregiving role? If so, do I tell them about autism or do I explain it in an easier way such as a learning disability or that she struggles with social interaction? I started really wondering this when Aleks started going to swim lessons. From the outside looking in, I would have thought that she was being difficult at times and just wouldn't listen. I finally told the instructor at week 4 that she struggles with some learning and social issues. I don't think that the instructor got what I was trying to say, which lead me to my current question. Who, when and how much do I explain about my child's autism?

I struggle too with wanting others to be more tolerant and understanding, but I'm also afraid of her being locked into a stereotype. What is the right choice? To let others think what they want of her or to explain it in hopes that she'll receive more compassion and understanding. What I'm not wanting to do is make excuses for her when she acts up like a typical child. The problem is that even I don't always know what is autistic behavior and what is 4-5 year old. Sometimes I think it's a little of both and then what do I say?

As Kindergarten is fast approaching I find that the challenges are different and ever evolving. I so want to do what is right and honorable for her. I want to empower her for who she is and all that she is. She is a loving, beautiful and smart little girl who has autism. She didn't ask for it and doesn't ask for any extra understanding. What she does deserve and need is kindness, respect and understanding. I am not always sure how to get this for her, but I know that for now it is my job to fight for her in all that I can.

Blessings-

Melissa

Ugh...Rice Strikes Again & Why Fish Oil Rocks

I would love to talk about Dr. Wakefield's autism study but I'm going to leave that to Jenny McCarthy & Generation Rescue. What a great response...thanks Jenny! Please read for yourself here if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Rice strikes again! Several months ago we started putting rice slowly back into Aleks' diet. It seemed to be going so well. I was able to buy some products at the store and she seemed to be tolerating the rice products well. I started using organic rice flours in some of my baking as well as her non-rice/her typical foods, but rice was now back in. Somehow during our riceapalooza she started changing. I'm not sure when it happened but she started rejecting her apple juice with the Nordic Naturals Fish Oil & Super Nu Thera in it. So, we cut out the fish oil and Super Nu Thera thinking we'd figure out how to work it back in. Problem is just like everything it became habit and we didn't get it back in. Now fast forward several months and she has no fish oil on a daily basis, occasional Super Nu Thera and her rice intake had increase dramatically.

At this point, I have to say thank God for wonderful therapists and teachers who point out when things aren't going well. We thought all the irritability and non-compliance was due to a high fever and sickness she had last Fall. Yes, some of it was but at this point I don't believe it was all from the illness. Fast forward to January and we are hearing from her therapists and from her teacher at school that she is extra sensitive, irritable and won't follow directions easily. What is going on with our child?? You see, we didn't put the above together with her behavior at all. I sent her doctor a note and she asked about the fish oil? Oh! That's when I started thinking about all of her supplements and diet again. I reevaluated it just like I had done a year and a half ago. I knew I was going to take the rice out again, but how did I get her to drink the juice with Super Nu Thera and the teaspoon of fish out that she needed? I felt overwhelmed and scared. If this behavior kept going on her opportunities for Kindergarten would also be effected. She just wasn't fitting in. I took to praying and researching and woke up one morning and told Bill (husband) that the Super Nu Thera and a 1/4 t. fish oil had to be in her first morning apple juice. I felt confident that if it was first and extra cold that she would drink it. First time she started to stay something, but was so thirsty she did drink it. Success!! After that we made the commitment that every juice would have 1/4 t. fish oil in it no matter what.

It has now been 3 weeks since we took out the rice and put the fish oil back in. The changes are amazing. She is calmer, her therapists say she has never been better and she isn't crying as often. In fact she can bump her leg and just say ouch! I did try and give her rice again one day just to see if it was all fish oil or the combo of the rice and fish oil. The rice gave her dark circles, hyperactivity and irritability. Plus, she was seriously craving any rice product for days afterwards. Yep, rice is once again on her no eat list.

I learned through all of this that I/we have to be vigilant with food and supplements. I have to constantly be evaluating her behavior and monitoring what she is eating. I also learned that there are other ways to get the right supplements in my daughter. I may have to give mini-doses to get one full dose but I'll get there. I am reminded of what many wise parents have told me, autism isn't a race but a marathon. Thanks to the many runners who are with me.

xo

Melissa

To Vaccinate or Not To Vaccinate? Is It Safe?

I've been receiving a lot of emails recently regarding vaccinations. The questions range from asking about my personal beliefs on vaccines to whether or not it is safe to vaccinate at all. The other question I am often asked is if there is a "safe" vaccine schedule. Before I delve into any of this let me say this very clear, I am not a doctor and have no medical training. I am a mother of a child on the spectrum who witnessed first hand a vaccine injury in my own daughter. Due to this I have become a research machine. I think my time in journalism/news was a blessing in helping me navigate between medical journals, books, blogs, doctors interviews and other research. I also want to point out that I am not anti-vaccine. I am anti-the current vaccine schedule and anti-how 'dirty' or toxic our vaccines currently have become.

Did you know that according to the American Academy of Pediatrics current vaccine guidelines that a child today will receive 36 vaccines. Most of these by the time they are 15 months old! Compare this to the 1983 vaccine schedule of just 10 vaccines. In 1983, 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with autism. Today that number is a staggering 1 in 100. For boys the incidence is even higher. I am not saying it is all vaccines, but I do believe there is a connection. I also know that I witnessed first hand a healthy child drop into the dark world of autism following a group of vaccines. I do believe that a family history of autoimmune diseases combined with toxic filled vaccines were the one-two punch that delivered autism to our front door. I should also note that on top of these two things that it was also discovered my daughter was allergic to eggs and yeast. Both of these are precursors according to the DAN protocol not to receive the HepB and MMR vaccines. Both of which she did.

Click here for the current DAN vaccine guidelines. Click here for the 1983 vaccine protocol. I would also recommend that you head over to the Generation Rescue website to read more about vaccines, safe schedules and what a safer vaccine schedule looks like. Here are a few other questions that I think are important to ask:

Look at your current health and ask yourself how many vaccines did you receive as a child? Are you a healthy adult or did you need more? Does your family have an autoimmune disease (celiac disease is an autoimmune disease)? Do you or your child have food allergies or sensitivities? Egg and yeast sensitivity can be a problem with a few of the current vaccines. Do you know what each current vaccine is for and what is in them?

Here is what I do know and feel comfortable stating:

1. You are your child's advocate and have the right to say yes or no to any vaccine.

2. NEVER give a sick (even a cold!) child any vaccine

3. NEVER give a vaccine with thimerosal (mercury) in it

4. Ask to see and read the vial of the vaccine and the insert of any vaccine BEFORE it is administered.

5. Double check the expiration date of the vaccine.

6. Space out vaccines and break apart/space apart any double/triple all-in-one vaccines

7. Talk to a DAN! doctor before having a vaccine done to make sure your child is healthy enough and has done enough pre- and post-supplements regarding a vaccine.

I hope that this blog will make you stop, think and do your own research. I really don't feel that I should or can tell any other parent what is right for their child. I do believe though that I am supposed to put the questions out there and make you stop and think. Too often we are told by doctors or someone else what is best for our child. We believe that because they have a higher level of education and have passed rigorous tests that they know what is best. I think we transfer our children's advocacy to others all to often and all to easy. I have done it in the past and I have to constantly remind myself not to do it again.

Faith, Hope & Healing-

Melissa

Just What's In a Flu Shot???

I got the information below from Aleks' DAN doctor about just what is in a flu shot. Once again, I am not anti-vaccine but I do seriously question the need for all of this in our vaccines. I use to be the biggest flu shot proponent out there. I would have sworn by them, then my daughter developed autism. Seeing how I got the flu shot while I was pregnant and gave her a flu shot at just six months old, I am no longer a fan. Is it really to much to ask for healthy vaccines??

What's In a Flu Shot?

• Aluminum - A neurotoxin that has been linked to Alzheimer's disease
• Triton X-100 - a detergent
• Ethylene Glycol - Antifreeze
• Betapropiolactone- A Disinfectant
• Nonoxynol - Used to kill or stop growth of STDs
• Octoxinaol 9 - Vaginal Spermicidal
• Sodium Phosphate - A food additive, emulsifier, leavening agent & cleaning product
• Thimerosal - (also in the H1N1 vaccine) - Mercury

If you decide not to get the flu vaccine there are still ways to boost your immune system.

1. Multivitamin -(Neutraceutical grade) For vitamin & mineral support
2. Vitamin C - Potent antioxidant, antihistamine and antiviral in that it coats the outside of the virus so that it can't replicate
3. Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids - Powerful antioxidant, keeps the outside of the cell healthy so nutrients are better absorbed and waste products are more efficiently removed and supports the immune system
4. Vitamin D - Formed when skin is exposed to sunlight regulates the expression of more than 2,000 genes throughout the body, including ones that influence your immune system to attack and destroy bacteria and virus. Being overwhelmed by the 'flu bug' could signal that your vitamin D levels are too low, allowing the virus to overtake your immune system.

Hopefully this will give you something to think about. Vaccines are a personal choice and I understand that completely. I do believe that we all deserve to know what is in the flu vaccine. Our food has labels, why can't our vaccines?

A couple of things I have learned; don't vaccinate if your child (or you, if you're getting the vaccine) is sick at all, talk to a DAN doctor about what vitamins to increase prior to and post vaccine, talk to your doctor if you have an egg allergy (eggs are a part of the vaccine), ask to see the bottle and make sure it hasn't expired and always, always ask for a thimerosal free vaccine!

Best-

Melissa

Running for a Reason

Last Sunday my husband, Bill, took off on a 26.2 mile run for autism. For the second year in a row, he ran the Twin Cities marathon and dedicated it to our daughter, Aleks. The difference this year is that besides running for awareness he ran for all the other children with autism. He came up with the idea of emailing our friends and family and asking them to support him financially through TACA (Talk About Curing Autism). There is a chapter here in MN and their purpose isn't research, but supporting children and their families. For many children with autism their families can't afford a DAN doctor or therapies. TACA supports these children financially and gets them the help that can save their lives. That is why this year Bill ran for Aleks and the thousands of other children with autism.

With the support of friends and family, we raised $2,600 for TACA of MN. Thank you to everyone who supported us financially and with their prayers. Bill made his all time personal best marathon time and did it for an amazing organization. Bill's idea made me realize what a difference we can each make when we set our minds to it. Every person and family who donated made that difference happen for our kids. They are 'our' kids too. They are our sons and daughters, family members, relatives, neighbors and children's classmates. Some day they will be our teachers, doctors, mothers, friends and leaders. What we are investing in these children now will change the world.

Blessings-

Melissa

Swine Flu Vaccine - Dangerous & Untested?

The swine flu, H1N1, is scary for a lot of parents. I've talked to many parents who are concerned about their child catching H1N1 but they're equally concerned about the vaccine. As the parent of a child on the spectrum what do you do? I have my personal views on vaccines. I know that my daughter suffered a vaccine injury around 12 months and that it will be a cold day in H--- before I give her another vaccine. What bothers me is the way fear is being marketed around the H1N1 and the way the vaccine is being pushed on parents and their children. Let me be clear, I am not anti-vaccine. I believe there is a place and time for 'healthy' vaccines and I believe in a safe vaccine schedule. I believe that all children are NOT created equal for vaccines. I believe that there needs to be a test to see if a child is well enough to handle vaccines. I also believe that common sense dictates that a child with an autoimmune disease, like Celiac Disease, has a lowered immune system and can not handle the toxin load that is in our current vaccines. That being said, I am very upset at the push for the current H1N1 vaccine.

Did you know that the H1N1 vaccine makers are immune from any lawsuits from people claiming injuries from these vaccines? The Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius has not only given immunity to the vaccine makers for any injuries that may be sustained from the vaccines, but has also given the makers of Tamiflu & Relenza immunity for injuries stemming from their use against the swine flu. If you get sick from the swine flu vaccine or from Tamiflu or Relenza in dealing with the swine flu, you will have no recourse. If the vaccine were 100% safe why would immunity be already granted?? This just doesn't make sense to me, so I started doing some research. What I found is that the 'fear' of the swine flu is propelling manufacturers to rush out vaccines that are loaded with toxins (including ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, phenol (carbolic acid) and even antibiotics like Neomycin and streptomycin.) Remember these vaccines and toxins go directly into your bloodstream. Click here to read more on the vaccines and risks.

The decision to vaccinate your child is a personal one. I can not and have never claimed I know what is right for every child. What I have learned is that we have every right and we must constantly be on guard against what we are told is the best and the right thing for our children. I don't believe that anyone purposely sets out to harm our children by advising these vaccines. Unfortunately our children are treated like cookie cutter children, where one size fits all. As parents of children with ASD we have the duty and obligation to let our doctors and lawmakers know that this is not the case. We also deserve healthy vaccines that are properly tested. Not vaccines filled with toxins that are rushed out the door to combat a so-called fear that hasn't materialized as of yet. Take the time, ask questions and make an informed decision about the H1N1 vaccine.

xo

Melissa

Please Get Involved!

I just got an email from Lisa Ackerman, the head of Talk About Curing Autism. Here is the current statistic, autism now effects 1 in 100 children. No longer is it 1 in 150 but now 1 in 100! Are we really to believe that we are having such a genetic explosion that we've gone from 1 in 10,ooo just a few years ago to 1 in 100? Should we really believe that environmental factors like vaccines aren't playing a role? Do you realize that in the current Obama Health Care Bill autistic children and their treatments are not covered? How do our lawmakers look around and say we want to help everyone and yet ignore 1 in 100 children? How do our current lawmakers and some medical insurance companies say we will cover a MRI and the drugs to sedate your child for the MRI but we won't cover ABA therapies or any biomedical therapies that have proven track records of helping our children on the spectrum. How much longer can we, the families of these children, go on being ignored by many in the medical community and the lawmakers representing us? How many children being diagnosed with autism will it take to get noticed and get the respect and answers that we need. When are we as parents, families and friends of children with autism going to be heard.

I don't know about you, but I am tired of the excuses. Tired of the research done by the CDC that says there is no link between autism and vaccines and yet they own patents on many of the vaccines they say are safe! Umm...conflict of interest?! Doctors like Dr. Paul Offit, the chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, also the author of 'Autism's False Prophets' and the co-inventor of a vaccine against the rotavirus. Interesting that a doctor who invented a vaccine finds there is no connection between vaccines and autism. All the autism community has asked for is honest research and an open and honest dialogue. Difficult to get when money is wound so tightly in the mix. Am I upset? You bet I am! I am furious and I hope you are too. I would ask you to write your legislatures, state and national, petition your insurance company to pay for the treatments that are working for your child and take part in and register for your own personal advocacy account with The National Autism Association. It's simple, click HERE to register. Also, please read this sample of a letter going out to the CDC. I think it is a powerful message to all who read it.

Faith, Hope & Healing-

Melissa