Autism-Articles

Does the old fashion medicine man or witch doctor still exist? Remember the stories of the charlatan selling snake oil by the side of the road? Have you been told about someone who can 'cure' your child with Autism? Have you been contacted by someone claiming they can reverse the progression of your child's disorder? Have you found a website that promises new and exciting treatments that will "fix" your child's condition? As a parent of a child on the Autism spectrum, all of these assertions may sound enticing and something you desperately want to believe in. It is bad enough when we are personally affected with an illness or a disability of our own but when it affects our most prized possession, our child, we are apt to do just about anything to eliminate the disorder and the challenges it brings. Accepting a diagnosis of autism for your child is a difficult pill to swallow and finding a cure, or at least the best treatment option, bec...

There are hundreds and hundreds of alternative treatments for autism available, leaving parents of autistic children left puzzled as to, what really works, and what is worth investing in. These treatments can be expensive and sometimes painful for the child, and many show no results. Some parents and doctors believe it is not worth the effort, while others are strong believers in some of the treatments. Every child with autism has different tendencies and symptoms, that causes many different reactions to the treatments. Many doctors have agreed, that there are two proven treatments for people with autism. One is applied behavioral analysis, and the second is a drug treatment. But others disagree and offer different results. Below are listed a few of the alternative therapies that have had results in some individuals with autism, in the past. *Gluten Free Diets-Many parents have spoken about the difference a gluten free diet can make with their children. A glute...

As more information is found about autism, researchers are suggesting alternative forms of treatment. One of the ways to reduce symptoms is by eliminating dairy from an autistic person's diet. Researchers feel that one of the phosoproteins found in dairy, casein, is responsible for some of the behaviors of autism. By eliminating casein from the diet, an autistic person will be helped out with their behaviors. It has not been proven to show improvement in cognitive skills, social skills or motor ability. One thing to note is that this isn't a cure for autism. This is only served as a way to help certain behaviors. Casein is found in all dairy products so it would mean removing foods such as milk, ice cream and yogurt from the autistic person's meals. Casein is also used as a binding agent and is found in some hot dogs. Another tactic that is used once casein is delimited from the diet is removing gluten as well. Gluten is a protein found in wheat pro...

(For easier reading and flow, I have used he/him/his throughout this article. Obviously these words are interchangeable with she/her) "That alternative treatment is unproven by medical science. Don't waste your money. Wait until the research has been done and published in peer-reviewed medical journals." That's easy for you say...you don't have to live with a child with autism day after day, and see him wasting away in the face of his hidden potential. A child who held the promise of being a normal, intelligent child, who is now trapped under the mask of autism. I am talking about the child with autism who can't communicate. He bites his fingers, bangs his head against the wall, huddles in the corner of his bedroom covering his head with a blanket and moans, as he tries to shut out frustrating environmental sounds, sights and smells that he can't make sense of, or internal sensations and pain that he can't communicate. If you try...