During the past five years, studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that those with autism – a development disability that impairs communication and cognizance skills-actually number 1 in 300.
Previously, federal health studies had put the figure at 1 in 10,000. The CDC was responding to parents of autistic children who wanted a closer exploration of this particular disability.
Shelley Reynolds, president of the nonprofit group Unlocking Autism, wants to put a human face on those statistics: She wants people to know that individuals with autism have real lives and that their disability affects those around them as well.
“My son was diagnosed in May 1998 and then he was over 2 years old,” says Reynolds. “We had a day-care worker tell us she thought our child had it, but our doctor assured us he didn’t, that he met all the normal paces and patterns of someone his age.
” I remember that whole weekend. We had nobody to call, and my son did have autism. I want parents who have children with this to know we’re here for them 24 hours a day. I don’t want anybody to have to wait around like we did.”
At about the same time, Reynolds went online. That helped changed her life.
“I got into a chat room and met a lot of parents who have children with autism. We learned a lot of our symptoms are similar; so are our needs. But we weren’t hooked into the same therapies. We began to learn from each other what worked and what didn’t.
“Autism is a developmental disability, from birth. It is considered a neurological disorder at this point and they’re not sure completely what causes it. It prevents children from being able to communicate. Often they are lethargic and in their own space. Or so it would appear.
“But they are also looking at it as an autoimmune disorder, too. Autism affects every system in the body. They know that now. The liver doesn’t detox properly when one has it. The kidneys do not excrete right. The pancreas doesn’t work right. And the intestines don’t work right in that they give out elements that should be put back into the body. So you have a child who is then low on calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium -all these elements. That, in turn, causes many of the symptoms of real mineral deficiencies.”
One of the things, she says, scientists do know is that glutens seem to affect autistic symptoms. Glutens are byproducts of certain grains, such as wheat, and are found in everything from breads to even some medicines. Getting glutens out of a diet completely is a tough assignment.
“Children with autism will have periods when they appear spacey, lethargic, just content to sit there. We think now, maybe because of the glutens and maybe because of other foods, those elements react with what’s in the blood system and produce beta-morphine, a type of opioid actually which causes the brain to shut down.
“Some of the foods which can produce this lethargic state include bananas, cheese sandwiches, certain milk products, eggs, macaroni and cheese. And yet when you start asking parents what it is they feed their children, they’ll come back and say this. When you remove these things from the diet, that lethargy doesn’t seem to come around.”
And when the glutens and some of these other items are removed too quickly, the child becomes belligerent and gives off the appearance of almost being in drug withdrawal. Glutens and these products have to be removed slowly, Reynolds says, and parents usually see a difference in alertness.
“Autistic children are also subject to more fungal infections, yeast infections, and you name the parasite, they get it. They look fine on the outside but on the inside, they’re not. You have to be very careful with diets.”
Unlocking Autism, which got up and running last year, tries to keep caregivers of those with autism up to date.
The group also organizes educational campaigns. It is putting together workshops in all 50 states to let parents know how to interact with the press and their legislators to get the word out about funding and better care.
The group also has a 24-hour hotline for caregivers: 877-769-6736. Anybody who thinks they might have an autistic child can call anytime. And the hotline can connect parents with other parents and organizations.
If you have a child with autism or think your child may have autism, you can call the hotline or write Unlocking Autism, Box 1086, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-1086. The group’s Web site can be found at:
http://www.littleangels.org/
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