helping our children thrive

Helping your autistic child thrive. I’ve received many messages from parents of autistic kids overwhelmed with where to begin in getting their child well, which I welcome. Many of our autistic kids have GI disturbances such as chronic constipation, diarrhea, acid reflux and yeast overgrowth. They have sleep disturbances, keeping their parents up at all hours of the night. And many of our kids have behavior, speech and sensory issues.

In response, I’ve come up with 3 steps in helping your autistic child thrive.

The 3 steps in helping your autistic child thrive I learned, in hind-sight, was the best path for getting my child ready to transition into the adult world as a productive and independent member of society.

1. Remove dairy and gluten from the diet–Many of our children with autism have a sensitivity to dairy and gluten. It may show up negative on tests looking for allergies or celiac disease. But I learned, through trial and much error, that a sensitivity is different from an allergy. My son had chronic diarrhea, alternating with constipation, he was nonverbal and he had major behavioral problems, as well as sleep and sensory issues. Because my son had chronic ear infections and was nonverbal, I took him to an allergist, who told me that my son was not allergic to dairy or gluten, so I didn’t remove them from his diet. But he developed enterocolitis, or inflammation of the intestines, and a GI doctor wanted to put him on steroids. The doctor did not mention what was causing that inflammation; he was going to mask the symptoms with medication instead of discovering the underlying cause. It took that doctor firing me, and me taking my son to a holistic doctor, before I realized what was causing that inflammation. The holistic doctor told me that I had to remove dairy and gluten from my son’s diet, or his GI tract would not be able to heal. Though it was hard at first, I removed dairy and gluten from his diet, starting with dairy first. The results were remarkable…my son’s brain fog lifted, his stimming stopped, he started talking and he finally started sleeping throughout the night. We were on the right path, but far from healed. I’ve found a great article that explains some of the science of gluten and dairy in the diet of our autistic kids. https://tacanow.org/family-resources/top-reasons-to-implement-a-gluten-free-casein-free-diet/
2. Heal the gut–Many of our autistic kids have gut dysbiosis caused by yeast overgrowth. This article explains what gut dysbiosis is in simple terms, the symptoms and how to correct it. https://www.thedevonallergyclinic.co.uk/gut-dysbiosis-candida-yeast-overgrowth-and-how-to-deal-with-it/ The takeaway here is to avoid sugar, as sugar feeds the yeast, and add a good dairy-free probiotic with at least 30 billion CFUs and 10 different strains, I’ve written an earlier article on medications and supplements that will help kill yeast. Treating Yeast Overgrowth in Our Kids with Autism
3. Detox for heavy metals–Many of our kids are overburdened with heavy metals, with the inability to detoxify them secondary to genetics. For instance, a MTHFR gene mutation indicates impaired detoxification pathways. This means that our kids with the MTHFR gene mutation have trouble excreting heavy metals and they build up in the brain and other soft tissues in the body. These heavy metals must come out for optimal health and well-being for our kids. I’ve also written an article about heavy metals detoxification and some of the detoxifiers used to remove the heavy metals. Heavy Metals Detoxification May Reduce or Eliminate Autistic Behaviors

The road to autism recovery, or a reduction in autistic behaviors, is fraught with bumps and forks in the road along the way, making it difficult to navigate. But by implementing the 3 steps in helping your autistic child thrive, the road becomes smoother, with a crystal-clear path to the end of the tunnel…transitioning into adulthood as an independent and productive member of society!

I welcome all comments and/or questions at CONTACT, or sign up for my free newsletter at SIGN UP FOR SCARLETT’S NEWSLETTER

Til next time! Scarlett

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scarlett

Scarlett South is a registered nurse, an autism specialist and the author of Autistic or Toxic? How I Unlocked the Mystery of My Son's "Autism." But her proudest achievement is her adult son, whom was once considered severely autistic, with talks of being placed in an institution, and whom is now an independent and productive member of society! Scarlett is based in Florida.

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