10 Things I Did to Heal My Autistic Son
Julie Diane Moore
Copyright 2011 by Julie Diane Moore
Smashwords Edition
Julie gives parents an in-depth look at how to navigate through the world of autism treatment. Her son, Michael’s, story is a message of hope and inspiration.
--Dr. Bob Sears
Author of The Autism Book
I whole heartily recommend this book as an example of how to advocate for your child and inspire others to do the same. Julie really addressed the issues.
--Steven Figueroa, Child Advocate
Eminently practical, easy-to-read, and informative. An excellent resource for parents, caregivers, therapists, and even doctors!
--Claudia Suzanne
CEO/Founder Wambtac Communications
This journey of a mother’s quest to find a natural, holistic cure for her son is so incredibly real. Julie’s will and determination are insurmountable; her devotion to her son’s health - awe inspiring; her deep research on the minutest of factors - impeccable! This book hits the mark. There is nothing that a mother’s will power and prayer cannot overcome.
--Priya Jain, Life Coach
Kundalini Seventh Chakra Yoga
The personal knowledge of having children with disabilities really hit home with this book.
-- Veronica Figueroa
Author’s Note
I am not a doctor. Nor am I a licensed therapist, medical specialist, or expert clinical technician. What I am is a mother. I am an expert on my son’s story and his path to healing. We tried many varied approaches to solving the puzzle of his Autism. In this book, I focus on the treatments that in my opinion had the greatest effect.
When our journey began, I had to search through multiple sources, compile notes, and utilize an often-disappointing trial and error approach to find what worked. I do not offer these suggestions as literal gospel. Any specific products or services mentioned are ones I personally found of value. My recommendations are in no way a guarantee of results, nor do I receive any monetary compensation from the various companies or individuals.
This was our journey to healing. My hope is that hearing our story will make you aware of options and possibly help you avoid stressful guesswork.
--Julie Diane Moore
Table of Contents
Finding Answers
1. The Casein Free/Gluten Free Diet
2. Good Bacteria and Fish Oils
3. Allergen Avoidance and NAET
4. Consulting a DefeatAutismNow! Doctor
5. Detox and Metal Cleansing
6. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
7. EEG Neurofeedback
8. Floortime Therapy vs. ABA
9. Being an Advocate: Have a Cohesive Plan
10. Other Supplements and Diet Concerns
Strength in Acceptance
Finding Answers
At two years of age my little boy had no language. He didn’t wave, say ‘Hi’ or ‘Bye,’ make eye contact, or show any desire to interact with the loved ones in his world. When Michael was born, his eyes had been so bright. His laughter filled a room. All that had changed. He was nearly impossible to engage and frequently retreated to a corner or pulled away from my attempts to play. My beautiful child was disappearing before my very eyes, and I had no idea how to stop it.
The very best advice I received with regard to my son came from Dr. Christine Majors, Psy.D., of Newport Beach, California:
This is a neuro-biological disorder. You have to treat it that way. Attack it on both fronts. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
It was a philosophy I had already implemented based on what I’d learned through online research. Hearing a licensed professional say it out loud gave me the validation I needed and a big boost of confidence. A combined approach to my son’s care became the plan. I heard a lot of bleak predictions about his future and many doubts regarding the expected results from treatments.
I listened to none of them.
No matter what obstacles we faced, I never doubted my son’s potential. I knew in my heart that he could accomplish anything.
1. The Gluten Free/Casein Free Diet
The Gluten Free/Casein Free Diet was the first and possibly best thing I did to help heal my son. It didn’t require a trip to the doctor to start it, though I did confirm with his doctor that it would be safe for a two year old. There was no need for me to wait for any official diagnosis. Other parents recommended the diet and it was mentioned on almost every autism web site I visited. To me, it was a no brainer.
My decision process for trying this diet became the standard measure for determining whether to pursue all future lines of care. The formula was simple.
Can it hurt him? No. Might it help? Possibly. We’ll try it.
What are Gluten and Casein?
Gluten is a protein found in grains whose absorbent quality for gases and moisture helps give bread its texture and shape. People unfamiliar with this diet would ask how to tell if a product had gluten in it. Did crackers count? Yes, that was an actual question. I always answered with a simple, direct query: was it made from flour? Then it counts.
Rye, wheat, and barley are the most common grains containing gluten. If a product was made with any of these flours, it more than likely contains gluten.
Casein is the protein found in dairy and is used widely in both medicine and food. It is important to know that Lactose Free doesn’t necessarily mean casein free. Many soy products contain casein derived from milk and so may still cause a reaction.
When I told people my son couldn’t have milk, believe it or not, I was often asked, “Does ice cream count?” Simple standard: do any of the ingredients come from a cow or a goat? If yes, then it contains casein.
The most difficult part of the diet for me was finding bread Michael liked. It took a year and a half of trial and error before I finally stumbled upon a gluten and free, yeast-free bread that met my standards for both texture and taste: the brown-rice bread made by Food For Life Baking Company in Corona, California. Best when toasted first, it tastes like mild sourdough.
Today, six years after we started, it’s a favorite food. Heaven forbid Mom forgets to pack the sandwich in his lunch box! Other companies with a wide variety of gluten free products, flours, and mixes include EnjoyLife, Glutino, Bob’s Red Mill, and Arrowhead Mills. You can find most of them online or in health food stores.
Why the diet works.
Theoretically, children with autism process the peptides and proteins of gluten and casein differently than most people. Some studies have found that bodily fluids of autistic individuals contain abnormal levels of peptides. The theory goes that because the proteins are not fully processed, larger molecules are left behind that can ‘leak’ through the intestinal wall undigested and act like false opiates in the brain. I called this reaction in my son The Fog, because that’s what he seemed to be in. One of the biggest, hair-pulling stressors in the early years of my son’s life was his inability to sleep through the night, ever. I had to hold him to get him to sleep. This wasn’t a big deal. He was my first baby. I loved holding him. But if I tried to lay him down for the rest of his nap, he’d be awake within five minutes. No joke.
My little guy also had constant problems with constipation or the other extreme. If he wasn’t clogged up, he was running. Since he had no language to communicate his discomfort, he did a lot of crying. I learned to read his cues to find the right ‘fix,’ never suspecting it might be diet. He craved bread and milk, especially after he turned one—couldn’t get enough of it. It turned out this was another sign. The opiate-like sensations were having their effect, and I didn’t even know it.
By the time he turned two, we had serious reasons to be concerned. He was almost completely nonverbal, couldn’t make eye contact, and would rather stare at the mechanisms in his toys than play. I found the casein-free/gluten-free diet in my online research. Physicians claimed that 8 out of 10 children appeared to benefit from eliminating those proteins. DefeatAutismNow! and Autism Speaks both openly discussed the diet. That was good enough for me to try it.