• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Whole New Mom
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • Recipes
  • Clean Beauty
    • Beauty & Personal Care
    • Beautycounter
  • Gardening
  • Health Topics
  • Essential Oils
  • Resources

Home ยป Our Son’s Autism–The Best Therapy of All

Our Son's Autism--The Best Therapy of All

by Adrienne 336 Comments Published August 14, 2011 Updated: Oct 14, 2020

This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission. Learn more in our disclosure.
997shares

Autism can turn a person's life and their family's lives upside down. Thankfully, there are some autism therapies that can help smooth things out so that life can be more manageable.

Following are some things that have helped us, including the best autism support of all.

Mountain Road -Healing Autism

Our oldest son has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism, and we have been on the road of supporting him using therapies, diet changes, and more for some 5 years now.  We've put him on a gluten-free diet, a candida diet, we use only non-toxic personal care products and we drink only filtered water.

In short, we've tried a lot of things to get him healthier, and while we've seen progress, it's been a long road.

A long "are we getting anywhere yet?" road.

The start of the road was a fast and furious one.  Well--actually, I take that back.

It actually seemed like more of a major road block.

Our family physician recommended an appointment with the Dept. Head of Psychology at our local children's hospital and a mental nervous drug prescription.  I had already started down the "alternative medicine" path prior to the autism diagnosis, but at this point I found myself moving quickly into a brand new world.

The following months are a blur now, consisting mainly of mom being up until midnight (or later), scouring the internet for therapies that might help, reading accounts of things others had tried, wondering if what other parents had helped children --might.just.help.mine.

I do not want to insinuate that what we have done might work for your child - and thus set up for you expectations that might not become a reality.  However, at the same time, I feel that to not share the things that have helped us would be a true disservice to others who are looking for help.

So here is a brief history of our path with autism.  Some successes.  Some "failures".  What we have done and what we are doing now.  And what I think is perhaps the best supportive technique of all.

Natural Supports for Autism

1.  Occupational Therapy 

We did quite a bit of OT at the beginning of our journey with autism--both in house and in various clinic. Sensory Integration, massage, touch, and brushing were all part of what we worked on. It was time consuming to keep going to clinics, so eventually we pulled most of it in house and did various therapies with balls, etc.

I have to say that we enjoyed it and I think our son did improve with this therapy.

One of the books that we found to be helpful that touches on Occupational Therapy is The Out-of-Sync Child.

2.  Genetic testing & Nutritional Supplementation

This was overall a flop.  While the testing was interesting, the supplement regimen was completely overwhelming both mentally and financially.  We could not afford the expert-directed evaluations and I was unable to handle the intense trial-and-error approach to supplement management.  We spent quite a bit of money up front and quickly moved on. 

Luckily, I still had all my hair :-).

Update 4/17:  After trying out several different practitioners, we are going back to this and moving much more slowly. It's based on MTHFR and other genetic testing.  I've seen some improvement and am thinking we'll be checking this out more.

3.  Dietary Intervention

Gluten-Free and Casein-Free

There is a lot of information available in books and on the web about gluten and casein (a protein found in cow's milk) and the roles that they are thought to have in aggravating autism.

I won't go into all of this here, but suffice it to say that I think that removing these proteins from your child's diet is imperative.  There is data showing that the real effects can sometimes take quite awhile to show up, though there are plenty of stories about children showing marked improvement almost instantaneously.

While I follow more of a whole foods approach than the author, the book Special Diets for Special Kids contains a wealth of information on this topic.

To see how manageable (and tasty :-)) a gluten-free and dairy-free diet can be, take a look at my Recipes page.  There, you'll find healthy, whole food ideas for some of our family's favorites like:

  • Chocolate Almond Chip Coconut Milk Ice Cream
  • Dairy-Free Bean Fudge
  • Dairy-Free Berry Mousse
  • Focaccia Flax Bread

Whole Foods

This means whole grains, and few to no processed foods.  Basically, no "junk."  This is crucial.  It sounds overwhelming, but basically, kids with autism have broken bodies and we need to do everything we can to support them having healthier guts and overall health.

Putting "junk" food into a broken body will just continue to muck up the mechanisms and delay healing of all kinds.  In fact, it might even worsen the situation.

The Candida Diet

Our son, like many persons with autism, struggles with candida overgrowth.  Candida basically is a candida albicans, a fungus that is present in all people's bodies, but, when one's digestive flora is out of balance, grows out of control and starts to cause systemic issues.

I love baking and, well, my son loves to eat.  For a good part of his childhood, I was baking whole grain goodies regularly, and he ate them--well, too regularly.  At one point, things really got out of hand and his trunk was covered with a rash and he was lifting up his shirt in public to scratch himself.

Suspecting that the rash might be caused by candida, we took him off of all sugars, including dried fruit and fruit, and limited his grain intake.  The rash cleared up within two days, following one night of worsening, which is typical when the candida is starved of its food (sugars).

We kept him on a pretty strict diet for a while, and his skin is perfectly clear now. Simply gorgeous, in fact. He now has fruit and dried fruit occasionally, and we are not limiting his starches as much.  But refined flours and sugars are out of his diet almost 100%, and I suspect that that will continue for his entire life.

And while it can be tough to keep your child (or yourself) on a special diet, here are some tips to help you do just that.

4.  Nutritional Balancing / Hair Analysis

For awhile, we tried this approach, but frankly we didn't see much benefit. I know that a lot of people think that Hair Mineral Analysis is great, I don't personally know how much weight should be put on it. So many things can skew it, and the relationship between what is in one's hair and what is in one's body seems complicated to me at best.

We spent a lot of money on the evaluations and supplements with very little improvement.

5.  Essential Oils 

As I mentioned in my post on Natural Sleeping Tips, I have begun gradually experimenting with essential oils.  One way that I have been using these with our son is when his anxiety gets out of control.

Every night my son ask me to use lavender oil to prevent bad dreams.  Seems to work :).  Sometimes younger brother asks for it too. (You can read Which Essential Oils Company is Best for more information on how I chose which essential oils company to go with.)

The oils really seem to help him better manage his mood swings and get the sleep that his body so greatly needs.  In fact, while I put the finishing touches on this post, my son had a panic attack and asked that I would please rub some lavender oil on his feet.

Within two minutes, the panic had subsided.

6.  Perhaps the Best Therapy of All - "Low and Slow" 

There are, in my opinion, a number of causes of autism.  My theory is basically that it is a "whole person" affliction, affecting the nervous system, brain, digestive system, and endocrine system.  The more I learn about adrenal health, the more I see how it's crucial to whole wellness.

Basically, the more stressed out one is, the less toxins are filtered out of the body, digestion worsens and everything goes downhill from there.

So while it is my tendency to try to find new ways to help my son and to work tirelessly at them, I find that really, one of the best ways to help him is to do whatever I do--calmly.

A dear friend told me of another mother of a child with Asperger's who called being calm with her son, "Low and Slow."

How appropriate.

Just simply loving our son as he is, speaking softly and sweetly, and having a sense of peace has an almost magical effect on him.  Literally any day that I can slow down and live at a more restful pace is a day when I can really "see" him healing and blossoming.

It isn't easy, but it is cheap!  And keeping my own self calm truly is the most effective healing technique that we have tried (though it is likely the most difficult).

Have you had any natural supports help your child?

{Photo Credit}

 

https://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2011/08/pennywise-platter-thursday-818.html
997shares
Struggling to Eat Healthy?
Get My 5 Secrets to Make Healthy Eating EASIER
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your inbox for an email from me!

Come join our Healthy Living Community on Facebook

Join our Facebook Group

Related Posts

Bentonite Clay is an amazing natural remedy with health benefits and many ways to use it from cosmetics to digestive issues, to skin healing. Find out more about bentonite clay benefits and all of its uses.
Bentonite Clay Benefits and Uses
Trisodium Phosphate in Cereal | Trisodium Phosphate in Food
Is there Paint Thinner (Trisodium Phosphate) in Cereal?
Nigella Seed Oil - This amazing oil is simply Magic for Your Skin!
Nigella Seed Oil - True Magic for the Skin!

About Adrienne

Adrienne Urban is the Founder and Owner of Whole New Mom. She has a background in research, journalism, insurance, employee benefits, financial markets, frugal living, and nutrition. Seeking a better life for herself and her family, she uses research and consults with many physicians and other practitioners to find solutions to the variety of issues they have dealt with including life-threatening food allergies and thyroid and adrenal concerns. WholeNewMom.com is the result of her experiences and knowledge gained throughout the process. Posts are reviewed and verified by the Whole New Mom team.

Previous Post: « Powdered Sugar Substitute | How to Make Powdered Sugar
Next Post: Save Money--Virtually Every Time You Shop Online »

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




     

  1. Amanda

    March 25, 2019 at 4:31 pm

    Why you are leave Nutritional Balancing program? My son have autism and we just start this program.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      March 25, 2019 at 4:38 pm

      I didn't feel we were making progress and we were spending a lot of money.

      Reply
  2. Kenny

    January 20, 2019 at 12:12 am

    You are doing nothing to remove the mercury? Thatโ€™s the true cause of autism.

    Reply
    • Adrienne

      January 20, 2019 at 12:14 am

      Hi there - we have done a lot of healing modalities and our son has no mercury fillings any longer--they were all baby teeth. We are continuing to work on health and are seeing good progress. But I think we have more to go.

      Reply
    • Bernadette Giancarlo

      March 05, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      That is not true at all! my son has zero mercury. He was almost diagnosed with "autism" because it's a dumping ground for doctors. My son has zero metals. Many MANY THINGS appear to be "autism". You should have lab tests done to find out what every individual is struggling with and then proceed with proper treatment. Gluten was the main source of my son's delayed speech.

      Reply
« Older Comments
Please note: these comments do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of Whole New Mom.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
adrienne author of whole new mom blog

Welcome! I'm Adrienne, and I'm here to show you that Healthy Living Doesn't Have to Be Hard! Here, you'll findย basically everything you need to make healthy living doable--healthy & easyย flexible recipes, tips forย clean beautyย and aย natural home,ย essential oils,ย beginner gardening tips, and more. Learn moreย about me here.

Struggling to Eat Healthy?Get My FREE EASIER Healthy Eating Tips!
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Check your inbox for your guide!

Trending Posts

healthy fudge on white parchment paper with knife in background

Adaptogenic Phat Fudge Remake

This Egg Roll in a Bowl has all of the great flavor of Egg Rolls, but it's an Easy One Pan Meal without the grain wrapper!

Egg Roll in a Bowl - low carb, whole30, keto, paleo, AIP

gluten free chili mac in white bowl with spoon

Gluten-free Chili Mac (dairy-free & keto option)

Need a delicious, quick and healthy meal? Try this Easy Baked Homemade Chicken Nuggets Recipe. They taste like you spent a TON of time in the kitchen, but they come together in a flash. Grain & Egg Free (with AIP and THM:S options) and they freeze well too!

Easy Baked Chicken Nuggets {gluten free with paleo option}

<script>

As Featured On

Popular websites where Whole New Mom was featured

Copyright © 2021 ยท Whole New Mom ยท Log in

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Cookie Policy

HTML Sitemap

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
997shares
  • 824
x
Get My Easier Healthy Eating Guide
No spam here (ick!). You can unsubscribe anytime (no hard feelings!)
Invalid email address
Welcome! Check your email for your Guide!
x
Struggling to Eat Healthy?
Try My EASY Healthy Eating Tips!
Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Join our subscribers who get content directly to their inbox.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing! Please check your email for further instructions.