Category Archives: Practical Help
Breastfeeding and Autism
We’ve all heard the saying “breast is best” and it is fantastic that women are being encouraged to breastfeed their babies because it has so many benefits for both mother and baby.
This month has been chosen by the US Department of Health and Human Services as National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and the department has launched a campaign to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding .
Breast fed babies are at a lower risk of:-
- Allergies
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Urinary tract infections
- Childhood leukemia
- Respiratory infections
- Ear infections
- Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
- Necrotizing enterocolitis
- Obesity
- Infections
Women who have breastfed/are breastfeeding their babies:-
- Have a lower risk of contracting breast cancer, ovarian cancer and Type 2 Diabetes
- Are at a lower risk of Postpartum Depression
- Burn 500 calories a day by breastfeeding alone and so can return to their pre-pregnancy weight quicker
- Can save a significant amount of money when compared to those who buy formula – It is estimated that a breastfeeding mom can save between $1,160 and $3,915 depending on the brand of formula the comparison is made against.
Moms are advised to give their babies breastmilk alone for the first 6 months of life (i.e. no weaning) and to try and breastfeed for the baby’s first year.
Breastfeeding and Autism
But hasn’t breastfeeding been linked to an increased risk of autism?
Using Nutrient Dense Food to Treat Autism
In the past I have mentioned how important a healthy diet is to all children, not just autistic children, but some parents jump in to using strict elimination diets without first making any simple changes to their child’s diet to make it more nutritious. You never know, a few simple changes to make your child’s diet more “nutrient dense” may lead to vast improvements without having to cut out gluten or casein.
Nutrient Dense Foods
As I have already said, the first thing to do before trying any special diet or eliminating any foods is to make sure that your child is having a nutritious diet and this means giving them nutrient dense foods. A nutrient dense food is a food that is rich in macronutrients, such as carbohydrates, fiber, fats, essential fatty acids, protein and amino acids, and water, and that is also rich in micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients.
According to Catherine Gavin RD, LDN, MPH of the Pfeiffer Treatment Center, a nutrient dense diet is essential because micro- and macronutrients are needed for “proper biochemical functioning of the body and brain”. She advises that parents should give their children organic foods, where possible, and foods that are whole and unprocessed because they are much denser in these essential nutrients.
Antioxidants
Everyone has seen vitamins and supplements that are labeled “antioxidant” but what does this actually mean and why are they essential in our diet?
Antioxidants are substances that protect the cells of our bodies from damage by free radicals which come from pollution, pesticides, artificial colors and flavors, heavy metals, trans fats and hydrogenated fats. Our children’s gastrointestinal tracts and brains are particularly susceptible to damage from these free radicals, which cause “oxidative stress”, and Austim experts like Dan Rossignol believe that oxidative…
The Dangers of Toxic Cleaning Products
I’ve blogged before about reducing your child’s toxic load to help alleviate symptoms of autism, to cut the risk of autism in subsequent children and to have a healthier home, and today I’m going to talk about one particular chemical and toxin, phenol.
What is phenol?
Phenol, or carbolic acid, is a chemical that both occurs naturally and that can be manufactured. It ranges from being a colorless liquid to being a white crystalline solid and has a distinct sickly sweet or “tarry” smell which is often associated with the smell of hospitals.
Phenol is used in many different products. It is used to make phenolic resins which are used in industries like the automotive, plywood, appliance, nylon and construction industries, and it is also an ingredient in disinfectants like Lysol, antiseptics, cleaning products, medicines, mouthwashes, lozenges and ear and nose drops.
Phenol can also be found in food, as gallic acid and malvin.
Dangers associated with Phenol exposure
There are many dangers associated with dermal (skin) or oral (ingesting it) exposure to phenol, and also breathing it in. These dangers and health risks include skin irritation, poisoning resulting in muscle weakness, tremors, paralysis and even respiratory arrest, liver and kidney damage, cardiac toxicity (damage to the heart) and lung damage.
But what has all this got to do with autism?
Hyposensitivity and Autism
As I explained last week, sensory problems are very common in autistic children and so are something we really need to get to grips with and try hard to understand.
Hyposensitivity is when a child is “under-sensitive” to stimuli and has trouble processing information through their senses. This type of sensory problem can lead to common autistic symptoms like stimming, when a child repeats movements like rocking or waving their hands around to try and stimulate their “underactive” senses. But stimming is not the only behavior or symptom linked to hyposensitivity, this type of sensory problem can affect children in many ways:-
- Hypotactility – Hypotactility or “hypotouch” means that a child’s sense of touch is diminished and they will not be able to feel light touches or even pain and temperature extremes. A child with hypotactility may look for opportunities to experience “touch” by banging their head against the wall, biting themselves, playing roughly with other children or toys, hugging tightly and wearing tight clothes. They may also love having lots of blankets on their bed, to give them a feeling of weight, and also love chewing or sucking on things. Parents and carers will need to be aware that such a child may hurt themselves, even breaking a bone, without feeling it.
- Hypovision – This is when a child’s vision can be affected to such an extent that they can only see outlines of objects. Symptoms and behaviour of this type of sensory problem include a child repeatedly moving their hands over objects, exploring everything in an unfamiliar place by touching it, repeatedly moving their hands and toys in front of their eyes, a love for bright lights, sunlight, bright colors and reflections, and an inability or difficulty to control their eye movements and to track moving objects.
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Hypersensitivity and Autism
Many autistic children suffer with sensory problems as part of their autism spectrum disorder. These sensory problems can be divided into two main groups:-
- Hyposensitivity – When a child is “under-sensitive” to stimuli and has trouble processing information through their senses.
- Hypersensitivity – When a child’s sensory awareness is too acute.
Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity is very common in autism spectrum disorders and can be the basis or cause of many “problem” behaviors that autistic children exhibit. Let’s look at how hypersensitivity can affect autistic children:-
- Hypertaste and smell – When their olfactory senses (taste and smell) are heightened, a child may have real trouble eating and may follow a very rigid diet which consists of just a few bland foods that they can tolerate. At meal times, a child with hypertaste and smell may gag on foods, vomit if they are forced to eat and not be able to sit at the dinner table when certain foods are being eaten by members of their family. This “fussy” eating and behavior can be very frustrating for the parents but you need to put yourself into your child’s shoes – what if everything you ate or tasted had an incredibly strong smell and taste? Wouldn’t it effect your enjoyment of food and meals?
Hypersmell can also be a problem in that a child may shy away from certain people who smell quite strong to them or dislike certain places, other people’s home and shops where they are bombarded with the smell of foods and products. They may also want to wear the same clothes all the time and not like the smell of washing detergent. - Hypertactility – This is when the child’s sense of touch is heightened. It is often characterized by a child hating to be touched or
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How to Interact with a Child with Autism
There are many articles online and books out there giving tips on how to encourage an autistic child to interact and socialize with other children and adults, but there’s not much advice out there on how people should actually go about interacting with an autistic child.
Here are some top tips to help you interact effectively with an autistic child or teenager:-
- Don’t just see the autism – The disorder does not define who the child is, it’s just one part of their character and being. It’s so easy to get consumed by the autism but it’s not who they are, they are a child with their own unique character and gifts.
- Have patience – You need stacks of patience to bring up any child, but an autistic child can require a lot more patience. You have to be willing to give them time to process your instructions, you have to be willing to repeat things, you need to accept that a simple change of circumstances can lead to a meltdown and you need to give them time to tell you what they need to, without assuming that you know what they need.
- Look for clues – Sometimes an autistic child has limited vocabulary or can’t get get their needs or wishes into words. Look at their body language and gestures for clues. Could they be in pain? Are they likely to be hungry? Are they scared?
- Put yourself in their shoes – If your child has sensory problems, try to imagine what the world is like for them. For example, if a child is hypersensitive then just imagine how it feels to be bombarded by strong smells, loud noises and bright lights, it must be so scary
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Sensory Friendly Movies
Taking a child to the cinema is something that most parents take for granted. OK, so you might have fidgeting, excited chatting or even crying (if the film is a bit scary or sad), but generally taking kids to the movies is a breeze. But it’s not so easy if you’re the parent of a sensory sensitive child.
The Problem
The whole movie experience can be completely overwhelming for a sensory sensitive child – just think of the things that they have to face:-
- The theater suddenly becoming dark
- Sudden loud noises which are amplified by surround sound systems
- Fast moving images on a huge screen
- Lots of people in a confined space
All this can be just too much for the child and can result in tears, tantrums and fear. However, all is not lost and it is now possible for children who are sensory sensitive to enjoy the same movies that their peers are enjoying and talking about.
How?
The Solution
AMC Entertainment has collaborated with the Autism Society of America (ASA) to give children with special needs, and their families, the chance to see top movies through their “Sensory Friendly Films Program”.
The “Sensory Friendly Films Program” means that once a month, participating theaters all over the USA will do special showings of a top film in a “safe and accepting environment”. Features of these special showings include:-
- Film soundtrack turned down
- Theater lights brought up
- No previews or trailers before the movie
- Parents and carers can bring their own snack food – so children can enjoy GFCF snacks
- AMC’s usual silence policy will not be enforced – Children and adults will be free to talk, dance, sing, get up out of their seats and stretch their legs etc. without worrying about being a
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