Autism - San Pedro, CA

i don't know where you are, but I live in Los Angeles and there is a great osteopath who helps with children with autism. Her name is Dr. Kathryn Gill: 310-576-2505/2503/2504 (different extensions). She is in Santa Monica. I also know of a great acupuncturist in Santa Monica: Matia Brizman of Bomamed Holistic Clinic: ###-###-#### - and she might have some information on this. I have heard sometimes of chelation therapy helping and specific diets, and maybe these 2 will have information for you. My child does not have autism, but I have taken him to both and have especially heard Dr. Gill talk about autistic children benefitting from osteopathy - I just think you need to make sure it is a reputable doctor. Hope some of this helps in your journey. All the best to you.

Hi M.,

I am an Alternative Health Practitioner. I have worked with autism and know that there is hope. I want to give that to you. I have a client who we have had good results with the things she has been doing. I will give you her e-mail address. Lynette, who is a practitioner, has a website which I don't have at my fingertips right now. She has been working with autism for many years and has developed a program that has worked with many children. Her e-mail address is ____@____.com, my client's e-mail address is ____@____.com has some wonderful information to share with you about other things she has done to help her son.

I know that the vaccines have a role to play in autism. We have a couple of machines that we work with that can help also to clear out all those toxins. Of course, along with diet, etc. which I am sure you have already tried.

My website is kaysnutrition.com and my e-mail is kaysnutrition.com. I have a wellness center located in Simi Valley, CA.

Blessings,

J. Sanders
Alternative Health Practitioner

Hi, My son is 8 yrs. old and diagnosed with autism. He is verbal but most of his language is the script of his favorite movie. I do know how you feel when it comes to wanting to talk with your child. Although my son is verbal I have never held a conversation with him and never asked a question and recieved a direct answer.

I have seen all the many types of advice you get and all I can say is try one more thing. I am not sure how you feel about ths or if you already tried it. The company is called Alpha Smart and the device is a Neo. I am told it is a small computer that the child can type into to respond to you when they cannot talk. I hope this helps. It is like $150 I think. The website is http://www.alphasmart.com/k12/

I'm no expert but all I can say is try alternative medicine. I've also read about some research where enzymes have helped. Maybe google "autism and enzymes".

M.,
My nephew has autism. His mother "Margaret Motamed" has and is devoting her life to getting him "better". He is a wonderful little boy whom we all love a ton!

Margaret is exceptionally well organized and she probably had to adjust her views of what "improvement" is...

i have known her for over 8 years and was aware that she went on a lot of trips and has "spoken" she helped to put up a website...well, let's just say i'm amazed at all the info on her...and she's my sister-in-law and VERY busy....well, anyway. do a search on "margaret motamed" and autism. i found a website that may be helpful. may you always remember to watch the little miracles..they will keep your sense of wonder alive. *hugs*.

http://autism.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya...

Hi M.:

My heart goes out to you. I suspect you are a very, very special mom. There may be something you have not tried - I know, sounds presumptuous, right? Here's my suggestion - in case you have never heard about this before:

I suggest you go to the website “naet.com” and order the book “Say Good-bye to Allergy-related Autism.” If you decide to pursue treatment, you can find an NAET certified doctor through the website. I (and 2 of my grand children) go to Dr. David Karaba for other allergy related treatment (freedom) in Fullerton and absolutely love him. His phone number is ###-###-####. If you want to do further research, you can also visit narfnet.com. Here’s the information on the book:

Say Good-bye to Allergy-related Autism
By - Devi S. Nambudripad, M.D., D.C., L.Ac., Ph.D.

This book discusses about a drug-free solution for allergy-related autism using Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques (NAET®). In Say Good-bye to Allergy–related autism, Dr. Nambudripad, the developer of NAET®, helps the reader explore the truth behind most cases of allergy-based autism spectrum disorders-the most frightening epidemic attacking one out of one hundred and sixty-six children before the age of three today. This book provides useful, practical, effective solutions to help autistic children and their families. She explains how allergies are often the underlying causes to autistic disorders and how NAET® testing procedures and NAET® treatments can offer relief from their allergies and these allergy-based disorders. This book also explains the theoretical basis for her technique and provides true testimonials and fascinating case histories of autistic patients who have been treated successfully with NAET®. Dr. Nambudripad also discusses the transformation of autistic children as they become productive while going through NAET® treatments. She also shares results of two autism studies conducted using NAET®. It is encouraging for the parents of autistic children to learn about the recent (2005) NAET® autism study using 30 subjects in the treatment group and 30 subjects in the control group, where 23 out of 26 children from the treatment group significantly improved to the point that these children were able to remove the label of autism and attend regular school and normal activities, just after completing NAET® treatments for 50 allergen groups, within the span of 12 months. The book is filled with encouraging, educating and exciting testimonials from the satisfied and happy parents about their journey through the rocky road and their horizons.

Best wishes and may God bless you and your family.

M.

M.,
I know it is very difficult to have the patience that we need to understand why things like this happen although at the end of every day we have to know how special each child is in their own way. Being a parent of a child that has (TBI)tramatic brain injury and represents itself very much like Autism but with additional needs. We have bad days and good days but at the end of each day there is not a day that I would miss with him. I recommend looking for a tag team method. Work to get someone to help you out by letting you take a break and allowing other people to have special time with this wonderful boy. He will have a long road ahead of him and will need you very much. I know this is not a solution but I can say I understand. Don't ever give up on him. Spend some time to see if you can get some exernal resouces. There are many. You are not alone.

Aloha M.,

I feel your pain in your heart. Hope that you can find something to sooth your feeling.
May I speak from my experience as an asthma child?

On my third birthday, I had my first attack. I was born in Japan. If you can imagine, the country was filled with smog and smoke. My condition went worthen quickly. I remember many sleepless nights spending all of my strength just to breath.

I only can guess how my parents, felt helpless. It was only natural that they went look for the cure for my condition. We tried possibly everything from Mustard Wrap to Acupuncture. I have almost died twice because of asthma attack. My parents were desperate. They even decided to send me to the asthma study facility when I was 8. I was separated from my parents for three months.

I knew that my parents were doing all these things for me. I felt a lot of love. At the same time that I was very sad every time asthma attack came back. It made me think that I fail again. I remember crying in the hospital when nurse come to give me IV not because of fear for needle but deep sadness that I did not meet my parent's expectation.

Many people and drs said that "When she grows, asthma will disappear." As their saying, most of kids we knew from Pediatric office grow out of their asthma but me.

By the time I was 4th grade, we start look for the way how to live with my sickness.

At the age of 38, I still use daily asthma medicine. I never grow out of it :-) But, I am very happy. I have very strong connection with my parents because we went through all those steps together. Once my mom gave up her hope to be Grand Mother because my body is soaked in all kind of drugs. But, I am now a mother of 4 years old girl.

I am not trying to say that You won't find a cure.

I am trying to say that you don't have to find a cure. It is OK that all the other kids getting better but your son. It is OK. Every child grows on their pace. Every one is different. It is OK.

Hope my message will arrive to your heart in the right way.

Love and Peace,

Hi M.

Here are a couple things that came to mind.

First...they are linking autism to chemicals. So if you use any chemicals cleaning your house or eat any chemically processed food...get rid of them. I know that it sounds crazy but you will see a difference.

Second...have you ever heard of NAET (www.naet.com)?? It is an allergy elimination technique but they are finding amazing results with autism.

Finally...good luck. I can only imagine how stressed you are sometimes but I know your son is a blessding to you!

God bless you and your family.

Hi! My name is C., and I am the mother of a nine year old autistic daughter. While my daughter IS verbal, I know the sorts of battles you are going through. I know exactly how you feel - it DOES seem like everyone else in the world has it easier than you.

All I can say is keep your chin up, try your best every day, and BE GOOD to yourself. Do at least one (tiny) thing per day for yourself, if you can. I am a reader, so I go to the library and get books whenever I have a moment. Most of my reading gets done while I am on the toilet, brushing my teeth, or waiting for the shower water to get hot, but it makes me feel better. I have a friend with an autistic son who gets her nails done every other week without fail. Choose something that makes you feel good, and do it for YOURSELF.

The best thing you can do for your son is stay sane - believe me. Good luck & God Bless.

I understand your sadness-no verbalizing results in meltdowns and frustration....I've been there with my son. What is the school district doing to help you with your son?

Hi M.,
I am a speech therapist and have worked with children with autism for about 10 years now. I have watched the pain, struggle, and joys of the families. My heart goes out to you and your family. I'm sure you have probably heard and tried it all at this point, but just in case....Whenever I think "what would I do if it was my child"....I always come back to RDI (Relationship Development Intervention). If you have not heard of them, they are based out of Texas and stress the importance of non verbal communication as a building block for the verbal and basically your relationship with your child. It is intensive training for you and your family (not the type of therapy all done by the therapist. The families learn how to interact with the child so that the child takes an active role in the relationship (not always seen with our kiddos). One day I'd love to do the training (you have to go to TX a few times). But I've been to a few of the seminars and have used a few of the techniques with the kiddos I've worked with before and seen great results. It's not like any other type of therapy. Just a thought for you.

Keep your head up. Your son needs you. But remember to take time for yourself too....that's always seems to be the tough part.

Julie

M., I work with students who are diagnosed severe and are non-verbal. I absolutely enjoy these kids to the fullest. They have taught me so much that it would take me hours to cover how amazing they are. I understand that being the mom you are doing all that you can do and are feeling somewhat helpless. You have a tough job and it can be a roller coaster of emotion.

I would suggest (if you haven't already) to connect with other moms in your same situation so you don't feel so alone. Believe me, you are not alone and you are the best advocate for you wonderful son. Non-verbal kids with autism are the dearest to my heart in my line of work. I have done a lot of research and have read about kids who grow up and find an effective mode of communication. Perhaps it's not through verbal communication, but successful for them.

I actually heard SUE RUBIN "speak" at last year's Autism Society of America Conference in Scottsdale. If you haven't seen CNN'S Autism is a World, it's amazing. If you met her without an aide, you would probably think she is very low mentally functioning, but she is now attending college to get her masters. She is planning on advocating for those with severe autism. www.sue-rubin.org She uses facilitated communication with an aide.

I have also read a lot from William ____@____.com He is an autism advocate who also has Asperger's Syndrome. He has some wonderful writings on his site and his books are an inspiration and challenge to us "neuro-typicals." The best thing William Stillman has taught me thus far is to "presume intellect" in all individuals and not assume anything except the best. I have learned a lot from that simple recommendation and I get so much more from kids with autism when I presume intellect as opposed to assuming that simply because they see the world differently and react differently that they are not smart.

I briefly met Temple Grandin www.templegrandin.com during the ASA Conference last year also. She is another amazing example of what individuals with autism can accomplish. As a child, she had extreme autism tendancies during a time in history when parents were told to institutionalize these individuals. Her mom advocated and stood up for her and now she has a doctorate and speaks about autism all over the nation.

I have also worked with students who, at this point, have not found their effective mode of communication. They require a lot of one on one care, but they do amazing things every day. Imagine spending so much time not being able to verbalize your wants, needs, likes, dislikes, feelings etc. I am always amazed at the forgiveness these individuals offer after so many people are short tempered or treat them as invisible citizens. So, with that said, you keep on being the best mom you can for you little boy. He needs you and others in his circle of care to continue to strive for the best for him.

Anyways, I was excited to see "autism" as a post because I am very passionate about the subject. I continue to research and learn more about the students I work with. Last year, I ended up getting a book published titled A IS FOR AUTISM, F IS FOR FRIEND because I really wanted a tool for schools to utilize to teach typical peers about their classmates with autism. I am so excited at the feedback I am getting from kids and adults. Plus, now I am just finishing a book about a young boy with autism who is transitioning to middle school. It will be titled IN HIS SHOES - A SHORT JOURNEY THROUGH AUTISM. You can see my site at www.AisForAutism.net

M., I don't profess to understand what you are going through because I work in the classrooms not as a full time mom advocate for my son. I just want to let you know that you are not alone. Take care of yourself and keep on doing a great job with your son!!!

JK-V

Contact the National Vaccine Information Center website - there is an enormous amount of information to help you...also check out AutismNow.com; former site of Dr. Bernard Rimland. My friend Cindy Goldenberg was the piorneer of treating children with autism as her son was affected. Tomorrow he turns 19, is in college and as good as gold. She was the mom who linked the vaccine autism connection years ago - and now Jenny McCarthy is on the same track. The NVIC is a non-profit organization and hopefully this information helps.

My friend's son has just been diagnosed with autism. He is 5 years old. The principal at the school I am working at has a PhD in learning disabilities. I brought my friend's son in for an evaluation and found that this kid is smarter than most adults I know. It just takes time for them to express their knowlege and abilities. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do to help your son exept make sure he is happy and healthy. The rest will all fall in place at his right time.
I learned that if you accept his diagnosis you will be more at peace with him and yourself. God Bless
H. M.

We have some unique and tremendously difficult physical challenges in our family too. For years the challenges were beyond flabbergasting and then one day we found the pot of gold in them...granted it wasn't until the person was in their 30's. But, you know, some flowers bloom in the winter rather than the spring.

I hope this link works. It is amazing! Give it a moment as it gets into the story. I hope it is healing! This boy had his miracle moment later on when he was in highschool, rather than earlier in grade school.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q9wSp8sdEI

This video shows that miracles do happen. Sometimes great gifts are discovered, sometimes a flash of miracle is set loose, sometimes a deep lesson about ourselves is whispered to our soul.

I'm a mom, also with a 10 y.o child who has Autism. I understand your frustration, I've been there. My son didn't start to speak until he was 6 y.o Believe me, In the beginning I too was thinking about giving up. Especially when everyone HAD given up~several dr's,therapists,tutors. But, I couldn't give up, I was all he had.
Have to say that YOU have the right to help your son and don't let anyone tell you any different! If I would've listened to the first dr. that told me that my son would never speak, I'm convinced that right now my son would be non-verbal. As parents we have a duty to help out our children as much as we can. And only after trying everything humanly possible- can we think about giving up. So, Don't Give Up!
If I can be of any help to you, feel free to email me. What worked on my son, may not work for everyone but I'm willing to share our story with others.
Jo Ann V~

I thought you might like to see this http://www.whatkindofworlddoyouwant.com/videos/view/id/40...

So sorry! I have a chiro/ naturopath/ nutritionist doctor who has had some success with Autism. She is in the valley but it is worth the drive. Here is alink to her website http://www.freehealthadvice.net/
Best to you and please get some support for yourself too. This is a hard situation and we need to have someone outside our circle of family and friends to lean on.
Blessings, K.

I have a very good friend whose daughter is autistic. She read everything there was to read about it and found out that many doctors are studying the effects of a casin free diet and "animal support. Her daughter was also non-verbal until her mother removed all products that contained casin (I think that is how it's spelled) and got a therapy dog. Her pediatrician wrote a letter to her landlord in order for here to be able to have the dog in her apartment complex. She also started taking her daughter to a learning center that was geared toward children with Autism. She was so happy with the continued progress that she started ACTSdogs(a place where people can come in and build a connection with a therapy dog a few weeks before introducing it to the home. I know her company is in Oregon but it might give you a place to start.

Hang in there, God gave you the strength you just have to find it.

H. Stanley

M.,

This is a normal reaction! Take a deep breath and a break and then get right back in there! Even though he may not talk now, this doesn't mean that he doesn't understand. If you give up on him he will give up on himself.

Please go to www.cureautismnow.org and find a support group in your area. They have message boards and all kinds of support there.

My cousin is a grown man and is living in a home where he is able to function, work and live without his parents. He has come so very far! My aunt had a hard time being a single mom of three boys, but she knew that she wouldn't always be there for him and that she needed to fight to make him self reliant. It took a long long time, but he is!

I also worked with a lady who's 14 year old boy is severly autistic. He used PEC cards to communicate. I don't know if he is talking now or not but if you email me I can get you connected with her.

Good luck!
T.
____@____.com

Hi M.,
There are whole foods that your son can eat and I promise he will be better. I have a testimony of a mom with a 2 year old, well, now he's in school so about 5yrs old or so who is living a normal healthy life as long as he eats these foods. They are Chinese whole foods and cannot be bought in the store. I have eaten them for 6 years along with my family. I would have my friend contact you and share more. No, this is not a sales job and it's not a business I do. I eat the foods because they regenerate. Her little one said his first word "More" after she fed him the "Ease." If you're a praying lady, this will help, I promise. Please feel free to contact me and I can share more...blessings, Diane
Phone: ###-###-####

M.,
I hope you do not give up on your son or yourself. You are getting a lot of good advice, so remember to always follow your heart and do the best you can for your family.
I don't have any specific advice- just some encouragement . . . While your son may not be able to speak, he sure can listen, so be certain to read to him everyday so when he is ready to speak he will have a wonderful wealth of words!
Take Care,
F.

M. -

I run a support group that is part of Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) - we are meeting this Sunday and you are more than welcome. I have included the meeting information below. Also - there is TONS of information on the TACA website that could be helpful. www.tacanow.org

Feel free to email me privately if you want to talk further ____@____.com

M. Giammatteo

TACA VALLEY
San Fernando Valley Chapter
February Meeting
Sunday – February 10, 2007
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
********NEW TIME AND LOCATION********

***Location***
Child Development Institute
6800 Owensmouth, Suite 180
(Corner of Vanowen and Owensmouth)
Woodland Hills, CA 91304
No kiddos please, as we don’t have babysitting.

Web Page for TACA: www.tacanow.org

Speaker: Carl Garbus – Doctor of Optometry

Topic: Helping Autistic Children Through Vision and Sensory Training

Dr. Garbus will cover the topic of how vision affects learning. Information will presented on vision pathways in the brain and the use of yoked prism lenses to help with visual spatial disorientation. The objectives of this lecture is that parents will have an appreciation of the importance of the visual system, learn that attention can be improved with the integration of sensory information, learn the signs of visual processing problems, and learn visuo-motor activities to help your child.

Dr. Garbus runs both the Neuro Vision Rehabilitation Institute and the Family Vision Care Optometry in Valencia, California. His office provides both general and specialized care. Dr. Garbus has studied and lectured extensively on the subject vision dysfunction and its impact on learning and attention.
http://www.fvcoptometry.com/FVCmain/services/neuro.htm

Hi M. -

I don't have any personal experience with autism, but I have worked with a nutritionist in the past that has done some amazing things with children who have been diagnosed with autism. Her name is Feline Butcher, ###-###-#### - her office is in Studio City, California. She consults with people all over, even if you aren't in her area. I don't know where you are located or what you have tried, but she may be worth talking to. I know autism is linked to both genetics and environmental factors and Feline has the resources and knowledge to help out in both cases. Good luck to you - I truly hope that you can find something that works for your son.

Have you heard of the Institiute for Progressive Medicine right here in Irvine? I just went and had a 15 min free consultation for my mom for some other health issue. One of the Dr.s is listed with DAN, Defeat autism now. i read one her special interestts is children's medicine. The number is ###-###-####. Their website is www.iprogressivemed.com

Good luck, S.

I don't know if there is one near you, but I know that the Scottish Rite Masons have free Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, and in 2006 our Worthy Grand Matron of California chose them for her charity project because she was a volunteer there and saw so many children's lives changed by them. They are FREE. My friend who has a grandson with Fragile X saw her grandson make wonderful progress there. She broke down and cried when this little boy who never spoke came in one day and said "Love you Grandma". Check the web for one near you. God Bless You.

Dear M.,
I'm not a doctor or a Mom with an autisum challenged child but
my aunt who is a teacher's aid in New York is a special needs
aide for an autistic child. this may be reaching but after
I was diagnosed with Celiac-Sprue disease which is an allergy
type disease to wheat, barley, rye, oats, gluten (see Celiac
.com for further info) and I told my aunt about the fact that
there is research out there that supports the idea that autisum may indeed be a form of allergy and effects the auto-
immune system and therefore all the body. Anyway, she told
the boys parents and they tried putting him on a new diet which did not include any of the above and a few more items as well.
My point being, if you haven't tried to monitor and know what
your child reacts to in his diet, you may have hope there. Please understand I felt if I didn't share this with you and
it helped the other little boy so much I would always wonder
if it could have helped. By the way, the doctors' told the
Mom it wouldn't make any difference. The differences were
in everything from his mood swings to his comprehension in
school and concentration. Good LucK and God Bless.

Hi M.,
I have a 16 year old son that has autism and speech delays, to the severe side and developmental delay to about a 5 year old. This is tough world we live in and I know the despair you feel. My son will echo what we say and yet I know he can answer the question in his own time. Some days are better than others, but he has a functional life, travels by car, plane or boat! and enjoys movies and videos, books (can he read? we don't know) I would suggest some new things, like Challenger baseball, special olympics, and we have a wonderful group called the Friendship Circle that we just joined. M., you may be so tired that you need some "time off" to gain a new admiration for your son and the effort he puts in to complete his day. Take the time!!! Go to a movie, go to get your hair done, nails or toes. Go for a really long walk and feel some freedom for an hour. Everyone will survive. Our children have alot of pressure on them, I have a typical 18 year old daughter and she felt the pressure to "be successful" too. Think of our kids!!!

You are doing a good job of loving your son and need to know progress is made even later in the teens and it does!!
take care of yourself,
D.

Marth

Do you have or know of any resources? I have a friend who is a State Level representative of Autism Speaks. She has two children diagonised herself, a daughter 10 and a son 5. Would you be willing to speak with her? I can give you her e-mail if you choose.

I know from her, this is very hard

Karen

Please don't give up. You are all your son has. My nephew is non-verbal autistic as well and he does wonderful. He is 15 now and goes to an (sdc) special day class in a regular school, plays soccer, rides bikes, plays on the computer, draws amazingly well, loves to swim, he takes no medications and is a great teenager. Get in touch with your local chapter of the autistic society, they offer a lot of support. Does you son have a book with pictures of everything and everyone, with the words or names velcro to the book so he can look at what he wants by words and pictures and hand the picture to you. Does he continually get speech therapy, occupational therapy? Have you tried sign language. Im not sure about the state you live in but some will pay for all of these services and pay you due to his disability as well as babysitting money every month so you can have personal time to help prevent "overload". I don't know if you are religious but I strongly believe that God will not give you anything you can not handle, it just makes you stronger. Just love your little boy and be his advocate, and take care of yourself so you can take care of him.

Dear M.,

I recieve a daily email from an incredible woman named Jennifer Levinson. It is an amazing compilation of stuff (nannies that come highly recommended for free, focus groups, things to do with kids, great sales etc.) People send her postings and she puts them on her "list" for free. It goes out to over 2000 woman a day. Yesterday I saw this posting and am passing it on to you. You may already be familiar with this service, but here it is:

Services for Children with Autism
If you are a parent of a child with autism or a developmental delay and don't know where to turn for help, check out Children's Developmental Milestones. We provide a variety of services for children with autism and delays both in the home and the school environment. We are a non-public agency (NPA) which means that services listed in an IEP can be provided with funding by the district. Even better, we understand when families do not want to use the services provided by the public schools and offer the same services privately and confidentially in-home. Please see our website at www.cdmtherapy.com and contact Lisel at ____@____.com with any questions.

You can go to www.jenlevinson.com and sign up to get the email ever day. Completely casual, nothing overwhelming or spam-like about it!

Best of luck with your journey. I'll keep you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
K.

M.,
My brother is 39 and has never been able to communicate using words. I'm not saying to just give up. But what I'm saying is that autism affects everyone differently. First, you need to take care of yourself: Build a support system around you so you don't wear yourself out. Then, you need to love your son no matter what. Don't compare him to others. He has his own beauty that, if you're open to it, you will begin to notice and appreciate. Finally, the rest of your community will begin to appreciate his gift to the world.

I don't have much time this morning, so I hope this isn't too blunt for you. Feel free to contact me. And check out my website. www.AbilityAwareness.com.

Diana :o)
____@____.com

M.,
Don't lose hope! I have friends and business associates with Autistic children that have seen amazing results when nothing else helped. Their children have had such an improved quality of life and they all experience improved family life. They have created a wellness home through an amazing wellness company and state of the art technologies that you use at home. Safe, natural, no side effects. Will integrate with anything else you are doing. Our company has also aligned with Autism Speaks and donates a portion of our sales to the Autism Speaks organization to aid in research and help for families just like yours. I would be happy to share information with you and you can see and experience products and results. I hear your cry for help. I encourage you to get the information and an answer to your prayers.
Blessings, Kim

I've heard that Neurofeedback can achieve amazing results with nonverbal kids on the spectrum. There is an amazing place in Woodland Hills, founded by Sue Othmer http://www.eeginfo.com. It's fairly expensive - I don't know what your financial resources are - but it's worth setting up a consultation with Sue, she's wonderful!

Check out these two websites for your son

www.sb3.com - transdermal antioxidant cream and amino acid creams.
Has your son been tested for candida and heavy metals?

www.handle.org - They use low tech techniques to rebuild and repair neuropathways in the brain that have been weaken or damaged by toxins or trauma to the brain. HANDLE cured my sons bedwetting at 17 years old in five weeks.

D. Merlin Mother/author
www.victoryoveradhd.com

If you haven't already, get in touch with your Regional Center (a state entity under the Calif. Dept. of Rehabilitation that serves individuals with developmental needs); it may be Lanterman Regional Center, ###-###-#### or a different one depending on where you live - request an evaluation - there's no charge. They provide help for parents in the home if necessary, and other services, such as social skills groups. They will ask about what services your child is getting from the public schools - I hope that he is already in a special education setting - if not, get in touch with the Special Education Dept. of your school district. They should be providing services; your son should be on an IEP (individualized education program)which is like a contract between you and the school district. A child diagnosed with autism will pretty much always qualify for services. These services are also free to you. I hope he and your family are getting the support you are entitled to.

M.,

Consider going to www.vcas.info and looking under Parent Support groups. You are in Thousand Oaks area right? There are some great parents arount here to talk to. I have a 10 year old boy with autism too. He is verbal, but significant delays. We have come a long way with therapies. I know a family who has (HAD) a non verbal child in this area. The boy did not speak for 8 years! The mom set up a home based DTT program all by herself after buying the Lovaas ME book. Her son started to talk, and use functional language. He is about 11 years now.

I dont have a child with autism but I did read some where where a mother like you on the verge of quitting bought a dog and somehow it worked wonders.Maybe start by, taking him to a petting zoo and watch his reaction. Sorry for not being able to help further.

have you tried to contact special university connected or based autism programs? claremont graduate university in california, in claremont, east of l.a., used to have one. maybe not now. it's been years. i also know a friend with an autistic son about 11 or 12. i can't give her your email, because it doesn't show here. i only see her at park day occasionally. he speaks limited, some, and must be very like your child. my email is 3hansons at sbcglobal.net if you send your email i'll try to get hers. christy is her name.
oh yes, there is some famous genious who did not speak at all until he was four. yes, i know your son is 10, but, hey, hang in.

I work with a lot of children and studies psychology at UCLA..have you tried the Lovass Institute at UCLA? They have a wonderful reputation and can do some amazing things. Staff there is awesome and helpful. Don't give up, amazing strides are being made everyday. Please contact them if you haven't already they are a great source of information on Autism.

Please don't give up! I do feel for you but you are your only son's advocate. With you he can get the help he needs. There is much hope for your family. It is important to find a great educational program, to really push the school-sometimes to the point of uncomfortableness-to get all of the services that are provided for your son. Take advantage of everything! There really is a lot out there. Do not tolerate anyone who wants to give up on your son. Can you imagine how frustrated he is not being able to communicate? Maybe your son is not what you had hoped he would be but it is up to you to change your thinking to all of the possibilities that he has. He is still your son and this is not your fault-you still love him. Take some time to grieve, then move on to researching and action and HOPE! Don't forget that there are other ways to communicate than speaking. He still may speak. It is in God's hands, as is your son. I will pray for you and your family. You are a wonderful parent who is disheartened and needs to go easy on herself. You will pick yourself up and move on. You're a mom, that is what we do! You are in my thoughts and prayers.