Don’t Be Fooled: Autism is Curable
by Gina Laverde
I’m sure you’ve seen at least some coverage on the rising numbers of Autism cases in children. 1 in every 150 children is diagnosed with Autism, and 1 out of every 94 boys will be diagnosed. And, these are just the reported cases.
Don’t Let Modern Medicine Lie to You
The Centers for Disease Control will tell you that there’s no known cause or cure. Doctors, teachers and parents often disagree on treatments. And, if you are a parent with a child on the spectrum you will be bombarded with choices from biomedical approaches to physical, speech and occupational therapies. But, you are rarely given the necessary diet advice that can change your baby’s life.
Parents Know Our Children Best
I’m a parent of a child affected by the Autism spectrum. And, up until about nine months ago I thought it was normal for a little boy to scream for five straight hours. In my mind I thought my child’s terrible two’s started early and lasted longer – but that ultimately there was nothing wrong. But, if I look deeper, I can remember signs of distended belly, staring at wheels, repeating the same words over and over – and I can pinpoint a time and place when things changed for the worse.
Trusting Your Gut May Get You Outcasted But It’s Worth It
I’ve been all but outcasted from my friends and family for the alternative approach I’ve decided to take with recovering my son. Many western-world medical doctors and trained special-ed teachers would have you believe that there is no cure, because they haven’t found one yet. We’ve seen tremendous progress due to the therapies offered by special education systems, and many who offer these therapies see their way as the only answer. BUT there are other answers.
Build Your Cure
If your child or child who you love has Autism you need to know that your child is still a unique being, and that recovering him is like building a puzzle piece by piece. Your puzzle will be different than mine.
I found the best answers through diet and lifestyle changes.
I am fortunate enough to have a systemic fungal infection – so I saw many of my own symptoms in my son and have been able to understand his reactions to cleansings. I have completely removed sugar, gluten, dairy, and all artificial foods from his diet. He is also corn free-soy free, rice free. We limit his nut intake and fill him with healing foods, like raw cultured vegetables and young coconut kefir.
Diet Was The Key For Our Family
I’ve adopted and adapted to the Body Ecology Diet and joined an amazing support group called BEDROK (Body Ecology Diet Recovering Our Kids).
Discover The Child Inside The Child
My son has begun to come around and has made some amazing developmental strides as a direct result of this diet. But, this is not something that is doable alone. Parents need to come together and share experiences. I encourage anyone who may even have the slightest inkling that your child is affected – to speak up. Parents know our children better than doctors, and we have MANY success stories of kids coming completely out of the Autism cage. It can be done!!
Please check out the Body Ecology Diet and join the support group for insight and inspiration.
Autism is not a curse. It is the voice of extraordinary children urging the world to wake up.
deal
What? You have nothing to say?
Now is not the time to be silent. These issues affect us all
September 18th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Gina, I applaud you for doing what you felt, in your heart, was right for your son’s health. I truly hope that he continues to improve in health. It takes a lot of courage to step outside of the herd when it comes to issues as sensitive as caring for your child. You’re an awesome mom :)
September 18th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
David,
thank you. Really, what it comes down to is that there are no limits to what a parent can/will do to help their children. No matter what illness or problem they may need to help them through. My child forced me to think outside the box. He taught me to communicate differently, and to know when to step back and listen. I was only pushed into finding a cure because I love him, and I am blessed with enough smarts to know how to research. Any parent in my shoes would have to do the same. Some are not given the light or the knowledge to do anything out of the ordinary… And that’s what I want to call attention to. WE have gut instincts and we know our children. If we stop and really think we can pull them through anything. I could go on forever because I am so passionate about this…. please encourage all parents and expected parents to look into prevention and cures for Autism.
Thanks
September 18th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Hello. I am the parent of two Autistic children. We are vegetarians and for a time tried to do the vegan thing duer to the link between dairy and the irritation it causes in children with Autism. It did have some positive changes and for the most part we dont eat dairy anymore. I dont buy it but the kids do get it if we are out. In just that effort wee did see a change. You are right. Every child is unique and early intervention is the key! Listen to your heart, hear what the doctors say but follow what you beleive. When my oldest was three they told me to put him in a state institution and forget I had a kid because he would never be a productive member of society. Fourteen years later he is a remarkable, polite, smart teenager. He is a history buff and wants to be a teacher. He is writting a book and most people when they meet him dont know he is Autistic. It was hard work and we fought for every bit of education and support that we could get. They key is to educate yourself and find the key that works with your child. Thank yoiu for your story.
September 19th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Cathy,
Thank you for reading and commenting. I am so excited to hear the progress of your son. As I am just beginning my journey I realize we have a full road ahead of us.
I have been told that Autism is treatable and manageable — but my heart tells me much more. There is a way to unlock these children if we listen to their needs.
If you’d like to share advice/insight I encourage you to look into BEDROK (yahoo group) The moms and dads on that group have more kowledge nad have been my backbone during this journey.
Many Blessings,
Gina
January 14th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Having a mild form of autism myself, I don’t really want to dignify claims of so-called ‘miracle cures’ with a response. However I feel the need to prevent any more parents to be misinformed.
Autism cannot be cured, anyone claiming otherwise should really read a few books about it or talk to people who have more than basic knowledge on the subject before making anymore claims. One can only learn to live with autism and hide it for the outside world. But that’s as far as it goes.
I’m frankly shocked that people dare to claim to know what’s best for their children without even truly knowing what goes on in their children’s head. The brain of someone with autism works completely differently from that of a ‘normal’ human being. There’s no way you can truly understand how they experience things, just like they are unable to understand how you do. The best thing you can do for your kids is to teach them to analyze every situation and every person’s response to that situation thoroughly. A diet has nothing to do with that, although cafeine and nicotine are excellent aids to kick my brain back into action when I’m mentally cornered.
FYI in my case it was discovered in 1994, when I was 16 years of age. Back in those days too little was known about the subject, so I was diagnosed and that was it. Being fairly intelligent, I started studying psychology (but only those things that applied to my case) and found a way to live with it and even turn it into an advantage. Today, nearing 30 years of age, I’ve got it down to a level that professionals don’t even notice it anymore, even after running their entire arsenal of psychological tests on me. Does that mean I’m cured? Hell no! It just means I learned how people act in certain situations, so I act the same way even if that goes against my natural reaction.
Compare it to a hollywood actor who’s playing his role from the moment he wakes up untill the moment he falls asleep, every day of the week for the rest of his life. But even then the actor will probably have a fixed script, I have only a database of past experiences in which to select the most logical response to each situation.
Special diets and vegetarianism may be healthy, but they have little to do with autism. What’s really important is to find a diet that contains things which stimulate the brain. Like I mentioned before, I find cafeine and nicotine to be tremendous aids, although it probably isn’t wise to teach a 6yo how to smoke and drink gallons of coffee.
Oh, and sorry if my english is bad. Dutch and french are my primary and secondary languages, so I don’t use english very often.
Regards,
Xavier
January 29th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
My daughter is severely autistic with many chromosomal defects. She has the REAL autism that can’t be fixed by diet or chelation. There is no cure for her. Many “autistic” kids that just have learning diabilities can be cured with aggressive OT and other therapies as well as diet. But don’t link those with the truly autistic.
February 7th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Dear Aimee:
If your dauhter’s autism is due to Fragile X syndrome which is caused by dysfunction of a gene called FMR1 (located on chromosome X), it is now curable. A Nobel laureate at MIT, Prof. Tonegawa’s lab recently showed that inhibition of an enzyme called PAK cures this autism in mice. There is a natural anti-PAK product called Bio 30, which is a propolis (bee wax)from a New Zealand comapny called Manuka Health. If you are interested in it, please contact me. This is not a joke. It is a serious business.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Children with autism are more different from each other than typical children are! For you to claim to have the single cure for all of them is frankly ludicrous.
It seems arrogant to declare this complex diagnosis as so easily “curable” when innumerable families have exhausted all their resources seeking any bit of help — including restrictive diets such as yours and supplements, therapies strategies and much more.
May 7th, 2008 at 8:06 am
I’m sorry that you feel its arrogant to claim that there is in fact a cure for autism. I think you are right. Restrictive diets don’t work. But we can’t blame them.. they had a great idea that helped us come to where we are. I owe this site an article about autism diets and why they do not work for all. Since, the diet that I took on is not a restrictive diet, and it does deeply consider each child’s uniqueness I assume that maybe you don’t fully understand the root of what the world is now labeling autism.
My son’s autism was curable because before all else, I believed it to be so. I have to spread these truths to help other families who want to cure their babies –because it is possible. VERY POSSIBLE. It requires a deep understanding of the toxic build up within the autistic immune system and then a strategy for un-doing that build-up. Many complementary therapies, like cranio sacral, EFT, colon therapy, sensory learning help to open the detox pathways.
do you know someone affected by autism? would you like help in recovering them? My son is truly in recovery. He is very much a typical boy with some speech and sensory issues which are improving all day and, he had severe autism. I know literally hundreds of folks like us. It is important to connect with people who have a positive outlook regarding autism.
I have tons of resources that I willl share with you if you like.
Thanks for your thoughts,
Gina
Question: do you really think this is a complex diagnosis? or simply a complex disorder? I do agree that the root causes are complex. However I am concerned that children are being diagnosed on a basis of symptoms rather than causes.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:03 am
I stand by my assertion; it’s arrogant and even cruel to claim that “modern medicine” has collaborated to “fool” families that are contending with autism and that you alone have discovered the cure.
My son was diagnosed with “moderate to severe” autism at the age 2 and 9 mo. I researched everything I could get my hands on from that day forward.
We’ve explored every remotely viable option (except yours evidently). I had no trouble rejecting such fads as secretin, anti-immunizations, casein-gluten free diets, 40-hour weeks of discrete trials, etc., etc. because there’s so little science supporting that nonsense (and, anecdotally, these methods are usually abandoned as progress is indeterminate).
While his neurologists, therapists and psychologists, are busy contradicting each other, I address my son’s behavioral needs with behavioral methods, his neurological needs with drug therapy, his social needs with social activities, etc. Today, he’s an intelligent, loving and motivated young man with a circle of typical friends and tender family relationships. His doctors still contradict each other; some say ‘Asperger’s’ and some say ‘typical high IQ personality’.
I think your claim is arrogant because you offer a single method to a cure a disorder that manifests itself in a wildly diverse array of symptoms and behaviors. I think it’s cruel because so many parents are grasping for hope and may reach for your method.
There are enough failed attempts and discouraging experiences on this journey.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:54 am
why would you waste your precious time to try to insult someone who is lovingly trying to help. don’t take the help if you don’t want it. but spend your hours with your beautiful child. I hear anger in you. that’s fine. But skrewtips is not a place to pass around insults. You have your path and I have mine. I am curing autism. I blame no individuals for it.
I am sorry for you that you have decided to give up. that is your choice. you welcome to comment again if you have positivity to spread.
May 7th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Yes, my time is precious, as you say, but no, it isn’t wasted; my time is well spent if a searching parent is nudged back onto the path hard core intervention for their child.
What you’re calling “anger” is an ardent defense of the families who’re trying to muddle through all the new information about autism, searching for real knowledge and meaningful hope.
I knew you’d feel threatened by my response (because you’re out there “curing autism” when nobody else on the planet can do that) but I back every word I wrote.
May 7th, 2008 at 12:13 pm
Then, Cora — I wish you many blessings.
Gina
May 21st, 2008 at 10:13 am
I am the father of an person with Autism here in the UK - I would say he has classical autism — he has no speech, no eye contact and all those problem you would associate with high level handicap - except he is physically beautiful.
What makes me slightly different is that my son is now 36 years old. We finally got a diagnosis when he was about 8 years old - which was early here in the UK (another story). Not that the diagnosis made much difference, it only allowed us to access certain financial support packages and gave us access to people who ‘claimed’ knowledge of the problem. I have been chairman of the local Autistic Society and over the years I have watched as family have clung to cures and therapies. I have seen people sell their houses to help fund trips to gain therapies that claimed success. I and my dear wife have been subjected to veiled insults as to the ability to be warm and loving towards our son. I have seen family ripped apart - mothers fathers siblings and even grandparents. One of the worst thing I have seen is the claims regarding vaccines. These claims were based on very flimsy scientific data and the results whipped up by national papers and desperate parents as being the cause of autism. This diverted much energy away from the real effort to identify the reasons for autism and we now have the starting of an epidemic of other disabilities and even deaths due to the lack of immunisation.
I am sorry to say that it has been nothing but hard work with my beloved son which my wife and can honestly say was not in any way uplifting or emotionally gratifying and the day that we realised that our son was autistic with little or no cure was the day we made greatest progress. I am sorry but I fully agree with Xavier’s and Cora’s point of view. I beg you not to make claims until you have irrefutable scientific evidence.
May 21st, 2008 at 12:07 pm
you do not have to apologize for expressing your opinions.. especially in such a polite manner and of course coming from your own experience. Of course I see your point, as well as Cora’s and Xavier’s. I am not here to make u agree with me. I am here to help. And I am helping those who want to be helped by me.
yes i have scientific proof. Yes there is proof for the other side. yes I am curing autism. yes many of my associates have. Yes there are medical doctors who agree. but its not all about diet. it is on an individual basis. you have to be really open to healing for it to happen.
I do sometimes wonder why some folks, even some big corporations, foundations etc. struggle so hard for a negative cause, such as a “there is no cure” cause. People like u who have been doing this for 36 years — well I cannot even begin to understand all that u have gone through. so, I wonder why people are not more open to possibilities. I know that folks have spent millions etc chasing a cure. but the thing is.. believe it or not. their work was all in good efforts, because it got us to where we are today. People really are curing autism. so, when an autistic individual tells me they want no cure or they wold rather smoke and use caffeine - I say okay… you do what you will because that is their choice. But, as a parent, I owe it to my child to give others like him a better chance. a real chance to be themselves. I love what I do. and I know the beauty that lies behind the autism shield. I’m sure u see it when u look in your son’s eyes. there wasn’t so much to do 30 years ago. But this is a new time. science and parents are coming together. Its a beautiful time for recovery.
we do what we can with the info available to us. Now we have so much more info.
do u read Temple Grandin at all? how about age of autism?
I want to comment about vaccines just a bit. I do not blame them. they are however, often part of a toxic overload that sets an immune system into autism –affecting neurologic sys.. and the whole body.
Thank you again for reading and expressing your thoughts
May 25th, 2008 at 11:16 am
There is truth on both sides of this ‘debate’, because ASD IS a ’spectrum’, and thus there will be different strokes for different folks in dealing with it. As to my thoughts in researching this matter for some time: Some of the best ‘voices’ I have heard in the matter are Russell L. Blaylock, MD & retired neurologist (esp. his longish article ‘The Danger of Excessive Vaccination During Brain Development: The Case for a Link to Autism Spectrum Disorder’); Richard Deth, PhD, professor of pharmacology at Northeastern Univ in Boston, Mass (esp. his short paper, in collaboration with M. Waly, PhD, titled ‘Effects of Mercury on Methionine Synthase: Implications for Disordered Methylation in Autism’); and the site www.vaccinationnews.org. Also the Age of Autism site that Gina mentioned.
I would like to echo Gina in saying (claiming?) that there ARE treatments that can help children with ASD in many cases, esp. with early intervention, and it’s best to have a wholistic approach, since one size does not fit all. Bottom line: Do what works best for you and your children. And let the chips fall where they may.
May 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Hey Stan, thanks for the info. if you have any more that you would like to share, please do. Like i stated, we are witnessing huge gains in my son. in the last 10 days, we have been addressing a viral infection — and he’s been able to start recalling information (people’s names, past birthday parties, etc) from ages ago. He is also continuing to string together more complicated sentences. we are definitely on to things beyond diet now. For us, the vaccine thing is over.. we are getting rid of the poisons etc (its just good to know for our future children).
my doctor is john Hicks here: www.pathwaysmed.com — he is fabulous!!!!
we also do EFT, physical therapy, massage therapy, colon therapy, EMF protection, minerals –
looking into HBOT, and awaiting more tests.
Thanks for helping shed some more light on this subject. I appreciate your knowledge.
Gina
June 4th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
I have seen my brother come a long way in the past 3 year on the gluten/casein free and dairy free diet. Every case is different. i believe people should give it a try, it is very difficult to follow especially with young children going to school where there are children not on the diet. He did not make any eye contact, had no response to people calling his name and now he is a 5-year-old in kindergarten he communicates, makes eye contact, has made great behavioral improvement. He reads at a first grade plus 5 months and has been proving that he can be treated. very slowly and patiently! To each its own, all cases are very different. God Bless All!
June 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
That’s wonderful to hear about your brother! Thank you so much for sharing positive news!
Gina
June 13th, 2008 at 5:33 am
I cured myself from Autism I never saw symbols moved to Maui, had our first child Anna, and well woke up with a little help from a great man
June 17th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
HI! I WOULD LIKE TO TELL MY STORY ON MY 23 MONTH OLD. HE STARTED WITH A HOLISTIC DR. WHEN HE WAS 16 MONTHS OLD B/C HE CRIED ALL THE TIME 24/7, AND NEVER SLEPT. HE HAS SEVERE CONSTIPATION THAT WOULD LAST FOR 2 WEEKS AT A TIME AND THEN WITH DIARRAH. ALL HIS TEST TAKEN BY THE HOLISTIC DOCTOR SHOWED HE WAS WELL ON HIS WAY TO AUTISM. HIS BODY WAS LOADED WITH TOXINS, YEAST, BACTERIA, PARASITES, VERY TOXIC LEVELS OF HEAVYMETALS, AND HIS NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN HIS BRAIN WERE INCREDIBLY HIGH. HIS BODY DID NOT ABSORB VITAMINS AT ALL. HE WAS DEFICIENT IN ALL VITAMINS. HE IMMEDIATLY STARTED TAKING ALL HOLISTIC AND NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS AND AMINOACIDS FOR HIS BRAIN AND FOT THE TOXINS. WITHIN 1 WEEK HE SLEPT ALL NIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE, AND THE CONSTIPATION WAS GONE AND THE SCREAMING AND CRYING STOPPED!! WE HAVE AROUND 2 YEARS TO GET HIM COMPLETLY TOXIN FREE AND CLEAR OF ALL THE HEAVE METALS AND GET HIS BRAIN WHERE WE IT NEEDS TO BE. WE RETEST EVERY 3 MONTHS WITH THE DIFFERENT TEST, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD. SO FAR HIS MADE LEAPS AND BOUNDS. THIS STUFF WORKS YALL….!! BLESSINGS, ANDREA
August 2nd, 2008 at 7:34 am
The spectrum is so vast. Only parents or those who have received the label can fairly respond from their own experiences. I do feel as though the diagnosis is placed on many people who have a toxic overload that can be reversed. Early intervention is critical. For us IV Glut, Calcium EDTA and therapy has pused a once high functioning child out of the spectrum…from the dev.ped! Go figure.