Your child can't be autistic because ...

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I dunno, but I woudn't trust their say so, especially if she's slipping backwards on some of that stuff. They might think things are being taken care of when they aren't . Or maybe they don't want anyone to KNOW they aren't doing what they are supposed to be doing?

I dunno. I have an intense dislike and distrust of schools. I'm probably not the right person to hazard a guess at that.

[Cat]

Please excuse my ignorance here, but is one able to be diagnoses with Autism in their adult years, or is thing something that is always diagnosed in childhood? Just curious.

I've never heard the autism only happens to boys thing...that just seems foolish to say.

[Rapscallion]

I just don't get the diet thing. One thing that has helped me a ton is fish oil supplements...can't quite explain how or why, but it does help.

I did a little research into this in one of the departments I work at at work, since we deal in healthier foods and attract those with special dietary needs.

Some research indicates that some autistic children who eat gluten end up with opiate-like chemicals in their spinal fluids, if memory serves. Said children were reportedly far better able to behave when on a gluten-free diet. Other children are anecdotally better if they avoided soya or (in one case) lemon.

Food intolerances and autism are linked, but not mutually inclusive, and though the evidence so far is generally anecdotal, there's a fair bit of it around.

Rapscallion

[IDrinkaRum]

I have no idea how to go to a glutten-free/casein-free diet (which I believe is the diet Jenny McCarthy used). Besides, Child Rum will only eat certain foods. (The majority of which consists of chicken nuggets & macaroni and cheese). Everything new she comes across, she has to smell it or lick (taste) it. If it doesn't pass either or both tests, she won't eat it. Plus, she won't eat red meat (hamburger) though she'll eat lamb, chicken, pork, and turkey. Her most favorite meal is the chicken meatloaf I make at least once every 2 weeks.

Then there's Mr. Rum ... he complains that I'm a meat & potato woman (which I am - veggies? Bah! Humbug! ). However, when I buy fresh veggies/fruit, or the frozen stuffs, he complains that I'm trying to "kill" him with the produce or he'll just let it rot in the fridge ('cos he works so late, that he gets home late, I just make a simple supper for me & Child Rum).

[Dreamstalker]

Please excuse my ignorance here, but is one able to be diagnoses with Autism in their adult years, or is thing something that is always diagnosed in childhood? Just curious.

I was just diagnosed as a teen when it became known in the States. My updated neuropsych evaluation now pegs me with a nonspecific learning disorder, so I don't know what I have. One of the problems with some forms of autism (Aspergers is one of them) is that other things can mimic it.

It's genetic, and more prevalent in males. I don't think the exact genetic mutation has been found yet.

Food intolerances and autism are linked, but not mutually inclusive, and though the evidence so far is generally anecdotal, there's a fair bit of it around.

Huh. One of my favorite snacks as a pup was lemons and limes. I think there is something to the fish oil though; it replaces a protein (or something) in the brain that's missing or low.

[Lace Neil Singer]

*puts hand up* Diagnosed in adulthood here. When I was a kid, Aspergers was unknown. When I was a teenager, I was diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder, which was incorrect. I went to a load of psychiatrists to try to find out why I was different and that was the result; another being that I don't trust doctors or psychiatrists, save my own doctor.

[Parrothead]

Fish oil has a fatty acid called DHA that (according to a pharmacist I spoke to, and random experiments with myself) helps keep your mental "self" on a more even keel.


Also, ginko biloba helps with ADD/ADHD, too.

[NorthernZel]

Re: Autism and diet, over here there were a couple who wrote a book about their experiences with offering their Autist kids a gluten-free and lactose-free diet + enhancing Simple Living (no TV, no video games, lots of outdoor activities) in their daily lives.

Apparently they did have success with that, and we had a lot of parents with "normal" and "healthy" children switching over to the new craze - the "Whole-Healthy Plan".

Paedetricians all over the country shot that theory down right away and suggested that it could lead to malnutrition, and advised that diet plans for small children should ONLY be made by an authorized nutrician.

That being said, same paeditricians claim that foods containing fish oils (or at least the Omega 3-6-9 amino acides) are good for you no matter what age you are.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Fuck that; I'm not about to pack in my unhealthy habits on the offchance it might make me "normal". Normal can go play in traffic.

[MaggieTheCat]

Fuck that; I'm not about to pack in my unhealthy habits on the offchance it might make me "normal". Normal can go play in traffic.

That is just full of win. *laughs*

Anyway, this whole business about trying to "cure" autism reminds me of when I was studying sign language, and some people are bent on trying to "cure" Deafness. What a lot of people don't realize is that Deaf people have a community all of their own and many of them don't want to be "cured." It is not considered a disability to them, simply a different way of living. It sounds similar with autism, from what I understand.

[Flyndaran]

Fuck that; I'm not about to pack in my unhealthy habits on the offchance it might make me "normal". Normal can go play in traffic.

Normal isn't that important, but healthy is.
I would live on any food imaginable if it fixed my severe anxiety and social phobia disorders. Sadly, most proponents of those diet scams are just that ignorant anti-science loons.

My brain doesn't react to stimuli correctly. That doesn't make me specieal or magical. It means something broken. It may force me to adapt in different ways but that success is NOT due to the breaks. Calling it such is insulting to those that worked hard to deal with their problems, and even more so to those that tried really hard but failed to cope.

[fiyero]

I am an assistant Beaver Scout Leader (I know this varies around the world, we have boys and girls age 6 - 8). One of our Beaver Scouts is autistic and in a more pronounced way. He doesn't pick up what is going on in games until a few goes in, he will happily just walk around the room looking at the displays and he won't seem to pay attention to someone talking to the group. One thing he has started doing which is a little worrying is leaving by the fire exit (after unbolting it!), we are quite near a very busy road so we have to keep a close eye on him for that.
He really is a lovely boy though, the Cub leader can't wait until he moves up to Cubs. He came to our day visit to Scout camp recently and was fixated with the camp fire, he would keep going up to the fire and putting a leaf on then retreating. I think loving fires just makes him a proper Scout though

I think it is difficult for people to understand that Autism is a spectrum, it isn't just something you have or don't have. I did my university placement at a School and there was a boy who was much more autistic that our Beaver Scout. When I was much younger my mother believed I had mild dyspraxia as I had incorrect pencil grip, poor handwriting and was very clumsy amongst other symptoms. This was pretty much laughed off by my head of year but when I look at the traits of dyspraxia so many fit me that there must be something to it.

[violetyoshi]

That is just full of win. *laughs*

Anyway, this whole business about trying to "cure" autism reminds me of when I was studying sign language, and some people are bent on trying to "cure" Deafness. What a lot of people don't realize is that Deaf people have a community all of their own and many of them don't want to be "cured." It is not considered a disability to them, simply a different way of living. It sounds similar with autism, from what I understand.

There was a very good episode of Law & Order either CI or SVU, that showed this perspective.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

We took a poll over on the Dyscalculia Forum that was "If you could be "cured" of dyscalculia, would you do it?"

I said no.

Some also said no, but I think better than half said "yes." (many of them being students, and I am not a student. Being a student with dyscalculia really, really sucks. I remember. So I understand the skew.)

Yes, it is an inconvenience. And sometimes a major one. OFTEN a major one. However, it comes with a trade off...and what I get out of it far outweighs what I have lost because of it. Our brains work differently, and frankly, I like the perks.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I like the perks I get from Aspergers, to be honest.

When explaining Aspergers to people who don't know much about it, I compare it to being a mutant in the X-men universe. Some mutants would give anything to be cured of their mutancy and become normal humans; others like their powers and are proud of who they are. Put me in the second group, but I won't yell at anyone who puts themselves in the first group.