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The GAPS diet is the fundamental therapy we used to recover our son from Autism. Prior to GAPS, we did speech therapy for a year and saw very little results until we changed his diet. Once removing all the foods he was "allergic" to, James' brain became receptive to other therapies. (Speech, ABA, OT, etc.)
Here are some additional ideas and resources to help parents and children struggling with Autism / Asperger's / ADHD. I know it is tempting to just go out and try EVERYTHING, right away! But it is best to try one new thing a week and chart behaviors so you can determine what IS working, and what is NOT working.
I created a comprehensive Interventions Chart to be used in conjunction with muscle testing to prioritize which interventions to try, in what order. If this chart seems overwhleming to you, I am now available for consultations to help you.
I recommend keeping records (pre and post-intervention) so you can monitor your progress. ARI offers a free Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) in several languages.
- ATEC online
- ATEC pdf (English)
The Food and Behavior Experiment - research study proves that food affects behavior
Children in Britain aged 5 – 9 attended a party and were split into two groups. Group 1 was fed healthy options such as apple slices, carrot sticks, hummus, etc. and drank water. Group 2 received the usual party fare: candy, potato chips, and soda, which contained sugar, artificial coloring, and other additives.
The children’s ability to follow instructions, concentrate, and remember information was then measured as they played party games, and their mean/aggressive/hyper behaviors were carefully recorded.
The healthy food group performed 48% better on the game tasks, and had SIGNIFICANTLY less mean/aggressive/hyper behaviors.
Fish Oil (for DHA/EPA)
NutriWest makes a very nice Fish Oil for kids (from my muscle testing) Children's DHA/EPA which is theoretically chewable - it has a nice orange flavor to me - but tastes yucky to some kids. So James swallows the capsules. He currently takes 3 a day (from my muscle testing), but I've also heard excellent results from parents who only give one/day.
(My niece before taking these was doing expensive tutoring at Sylvan Learning Center and still struggling in school. One month after starting just one capsule/day she obtained straight A's. And no more tutoring.)
Mercola Krill oil is also good. The size 4 capsules are the smallest capsule size available (about the size of a tic-tac) so they are a great way to teach your child to swallow capsules! http://krilloil.mercola.com/krill-oil-kids.html
Children who don't get lots of sea foods in their diet, their brains are starving for DHA/EPA. I encourage you to read the research/stories told by Weston A. Price, of traditional (primitive) cultures who recognized the vital importance of foods from the sea for children (and pregnant women). Mountain tribes in the Andes would hike down 12,000 feet to get sea products. Other stories tell of peoples who would trade for these sea foods with neighboring tribes even when they were at war with each other.
I've since moved on to EM-X. If you are comfortable with fermenting your own yogurt, then you are ready to ferment your own probiotics. A starter bottle of EM (Essential Microbes) can be purchased as SCD Essential Probiotics, and then used to culture large bottles of EM extended (also known as EM-X). Here's some basic how-to make EM-X instructions. I make EM-X in my dehydrator at 95 degrees F, and it's ready in 3 days. I then store it in the refrigerator, and it stays good for a long time.
Magnesium Oil
Many kids that can't sit still would be helped from some magnesium supplementation. I spray Magnesium Oil on the soles of James' feet at bedtime. (I find the oil makes us itch if applied to any other place on our bodies). My favorite brand is Essence of Life, which you can order a sample bottle for only $7 which will last you for quite some time. (you may want to pour it into a spray bottle once you receive it.)
And/or, you can try Epsom Salt baths for magnesium absorption via the skin. (Rinse off afterwards so you don't feel itchy.)
Earthing/Grounding www.earthing.com
We now have fitted "grounding sheets" on all our beds, and we sleep much better. Splurge for the fitted sheets (not the half sheet) and you will be much happier - the half sheet moves around while you are sleeping. (Although when travelling I do take one of the half-sheets with me, and a ground tester for the outlet. Because I feel miserable if I sleep ungrounded now.)
The overall premise of the BrainFood/GAPS program is we must heal the gut to heal the mind.
A supplement we are taking to help heal the gut is Mucosa-Wise by Narula Research (anarula1@nc.rr.com). Note that Dr. Narula's is a new, small company and doesn't yet have a website. Currently his supplements are available direct, from select Chapel Hill area doctors, and at the Chapel Hill Whole Foods.
I've previously experimented with a Collodial Silver/Aloe Leaky Gut protocol, but we are among the rare percentage of people who don't tolerate oral aloe very well. (so we stopped) Leaky Gut Recovery Program - Summary Onesheet Silver / Aloe Protocol
Should you try it, my favorite brand of Collodial Silver is Natural Path Silver Wings. The particle size is too large of all other brands (yes, even Sovereign Silver is too big).
GAPS Intro Diet Chart
This chart has been created for those who want to start the GAPS Intro Diet, but don’t know how or are feeling overwhelmed and needing some guidance. Monica Corrado has taken a lot of material and made it easy to understand.
The chart plainly lays out each of the six stages of the Intro Diet ... what to eat, how much, and when to move to the next stage! It also includes instructions on how to do a Sensitivity Test.
This chart is only offered as an electronic download for $10.00 US.
http://cookingforwell-being.com/GAPS-Chart.html
Salt
High quality salt is vital to health and well-being. I recently had the pleasure of meeting with Selina DeLangre, the owner of Celtic Sea Salt. We discussed the importance of using unprocessed, whole salt which leaves the naturally occurring, essential minerals intact. She assured me that absolutely no additives are added, nor anything removed from the salt that would alter it. Also Selina told me how she personally goes to each harvesting site around the world to inspect their harvesting and purity practices.
When I asked Selina her opinion on the differences between Himalayan Salt and Celtic Sea Salt, she pointed out that Himalayan salt is a mined product, whereas Celtic Sea Salt is a sustainable, living, harvested product.
A great book to learn more: Salt Your Way to Health by David Brownstein, M.D.
Muscle Testing is absolutely essential for the fastest healing. Muscle testing can help you determine:
Does this food make my child weak?
Does my child need this supplement?
Sample of a Muscle Testing Foods Chart
Make sure you/they are hydrated (drink water before testing)
Read my script for the muscle testing video I will be shooting soon. Contains complete "how-to" instructions.
Also, here's a pdf of a PowerPoint presentation on Muscle Response Testing, from a lecture I gave recently.
In Baltimore, a practitioner who can teach you to do self-testing with your fingers is Jill Featherston. She actually specializes in Theta Healing, but Muscle testing is a big part of what she does. Jill charges $75 for an hour session, she sees clients in Lutherville, and Downtown near the Senator Theatre. www.thetahealingbaltimore.com
Baltimore Chiropractor Melissa Carrick uses muscle testing extensively in her practice. Although she is not an advocate of self-testing. www.carrickchiro.com
Sometimes muscle testing isn't practical (i.e. when your child is at school, or sleeping, and you need to order/plan stuff.) In these cases I've used a pendulum to ask for divine advice. I priefly discuss Pendulum Dowsing in my muscle testing video script.
Also here is a rough video where I show pendulum dowsing.
There are many books on Pendulum Dowsing, here's one to get you started: Dowsing for Beginners by Richard Webster
Most humans carry parasites in their bodies. Parasites can cause people to act grumpy, mean, and distracted. An effective treatment to rid oneself of parasites is to use a parasite zapper. This zapper is very effective and reasonably priced: www.zaptheparasites.com. I would also recommend reading Hulda Clark's excellent book The Cure for All Diseases.
An important thing to note however is that the Parasite zapper is not able to kill parasites in the digestive tract, eyeballs, testicles, or ovaries. For these locations, you will need herbs. I urge you to carefully muscle test before trying any herbs for parasite treatments, as herbs can have both positive (killing the parasite) and negative (poor behavior) results. "Black Walnut tincture" muscle tested as being the most effective for James' parasite, but it actually caused terrible ADHD behaviors. I also suggest muscle testing for dosage, as taking the smallest amount needed to kill the parasite will reduce side effects. Here is a comprehensive chart listing several herbal parasite remedies which you can use to do your muscle testing.
I also use my parasite zapper to clear meat of parasites before cooking. (see photo, right)
Some examples from Mark Hyman's excellent article 5 Steps to Kill Hidden Bad Bugs in Your Gut that Make You Sick
- A 3-year-old boy with autism started talking after treating a parasite called Giardia in his gut.
- A 6-year-old girl with severe behavioral problems including violence, disruptive behavior in school, and depression was treated for bacterial yeast overgrowth, and in less than 10 days, her behavioral issues and depression were resolved.
In her book The Cure for All Diseases Hulda Clark asserts that parasites are found in diseases from Cancer to Arthritis, and that much relief can be found by using a zapper. The book is based on physical, biological issues in the body (namely, toxins and parasites). The methods of ridding the body of these disease-causing elements are both eccentric (using electricity) and traditional (herbal formulas).
For digestive tract parasties, it's helpful to take the herbs on an empty stomach so the parasites "eat" the herb.
When killing parasites many people experience a die-off reaction. It's helpful to take activated charcoal to sop up the toxins the parasites will give off as they die. Since activated charcoal absorbs everything it comes into contact with (including the nutrients from your food, or your parasite herbs) I like to take activated charcoal on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning. Before retiring for the night, I set it on the nightstand next to the bed with a glass of water. I wait 20 minutes before cosuming the next thing (usually my parasite herb).
We have found Lion's Mane (a medicinal mushroom) to be an amazing nerve regenerator. Capsules are convenient, but I feel the tincture is 7 times more effective than the capsules. My current go-to brand is Host Defense, which is sold in many places including Amazon. Parents can take it too! To help keep your own brain working at its best.
Screentime Lockdown
My phone and computer have passwords only I know.
But we lock all other electronics (ipad, game controllers, TV remotes, James’ computer) in a locking file cabinet.
Devices are only unlocked after all homework and chores are done.
All devices re-locked up before bedtime.
For bluetooth device tracking (i.e. finding lost, or hidden-by-your-child devices) you might consider super-glueing a “tile” or “tile slim” to them. www.thetileapp.com
(BTW I have a tile on my keychain, and it has saved me countless times.)
Don't be bullied into thinking you must vaccinate to send your kid to school. It's actually quite easy. Yes, you must turn in vaccine paperwork for your kid to go to school. There are 3 types of exemptions: Medical, Religious, Philosophical. (the exact availabilty varies from state to state.) So just get your state's waiver paper, sign, and turn in a photocopy of that paper every year at school. For example, here is Maryland's Vaccine Record form, with a very easy religious exemption signature line. And/or here is Maryland's simple Vaccine Exemption form. (this one must be notarized - no big deal - but if you're short on time use the other one)
If your pediatrician doesn't agree with your stance, then quit going to him, and find a new one.
Those who are interested in "homeopathic vaccines" without the risks of traditional injected vaccines should check out Homeoprophylaxis. Here is one resource http://vaccinefree.wordpress.com/homeopathicvaccine/
To do your own Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy at home:
Behavioral Intervention for Young Children With Autism: A Manual for Parents and Professionals by Catherine Maurice, Gina Green and Stephen C. Luce
How Do I Teach This Kid?: Visual Work Tasks for Beginning Learners on the Autism Spectrum by Kimberly A. Henry
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) uses picture cards to communicate. It's a great way to encourage/teach non-verbal kids to start communicating by pointing at the cards. Here is our actual PECS notebook for you to use as an example.
The Verbal Behavior (VB) methodology was created to address the language deficiency of kids while utilizing the science of ABA. Here is an excellent Verbal Behavior Training Manual.
The Son-Rise Program® teaches a specific and comprehensive system of treatment and education designed to help families and caregivers enable their children to dramatically improve in all areas of learning, development, communication and skill acquisition. It offers highly effective educational techniques, strategies and principles for designing, implementing and maintaining a stimulating, high-energy, one-on-one, home-based, child-centered program.
Nutrient Deficiency and Testing
Overwhelming evidence suggests that nutritional deficiencies may be a contributing factor in Autism and ADD. SpectraCell Laboratories has developed highly specialized micronutrient testing (requires a blood draw) to measure 33 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in your body and evaluates how well your body actually absorbs and utilizes each nutrient. Practitioner cost is approximately $199 US (with insurance) or $290 self-pay. In disorders like Autism and ADD, the potential improvement of symptoms when even a single deficiency is corrected can often be quite dramatic.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the art of using essential oils to help balance health. Three methods of application include: Aromatically - Inhale directly from bottle, diffuse (with a diffuser), or from the palms of your hands. Topically - Massage the oil into desired location. Depending on the oil you can do this neat (undiluted) or diluted with an organic carrier oil.
Another topical method is to fill a small spray bottle (1 oz or 2 oz) with 1:1 distilled water:witch hazel (alcohol-free) and add a few drops of essential oils. Shake bottle before each spritz. Internally - Drop oil into an empty capsule and swallow with water. Or add a drop of oil to a small glass of water and drink.
I have discovered that quality varies from brand to brand. Some high-ranked companies include Doterra, Young Living, and deSensua.
For more information here is an excellent book: Aromatherapy for the Healthy Child: More Than 300 Natural, Nontoxic, and Fragrant Essential Oil Blends by Valerie Ann Worwood
Homeopathy - For Vaccine detox and more
Homeopathy is cheap and powerful. I have found that it takes some time to work, so we're using it in conjuction with everything else.
I believe it's imperative to:
- consult with an experienced homeopath before starting. Homeopathy can be very powerful and must be done very carefully.
- do muscle testing (or use a pendulum) to determine exactly what remedies/what potency/when/how much is needed.
A great book that explains the concepts: Autism, Beyond Despair: Homeopathy has the Answers - CEASE Therapy by Dr. Tinus Smits, MD and Tim Owens.
I love the ideas in the book, but in practical use we discovered our son was very sensitive to homepathy, and he needed lower doses than the twice-a-week protocol discussed in the book. (Our typical dosing was one pellet, one time, for vaccine detox) Therefore, we found it essential to muscle test (or pendulum test) before every single dose.
To reduce aggravations (bad behavior) induced by homeopathy:
- At our chiropractor's office I give the remedy pellet, then she tests James' brain points, and uses a Cold Laser to heal/activate brain points which are agitated by a given remedy.
- Dilutions can also be useful.
Basic Boiron remedies (blue tubes) can be found at health food stores. These come on large #25 sugar pills however.
Many other remedies, and/or smaller #15 pellets, can be gotten from Washington Homeopathic (the smallest 2 dram sized bottle will be more than you need).
But the really hard-to-find remedies for vaccine detox, etc. I got from the UK at www.ainsworths.com. I'd suggest getting the smallest vials (1 gram), coarse granules (which are roughly equal to the size of #15 pellets).
Regardless of pellet size, it's important that no one touches the pellet before it goes into your child's mouth. So, I carefully dispense just one pellet by tapping the bottle carefully either into the bottle cap, or into a plastic spoon (since it's non-conductive).
Homeopathic remedies fall into one of 3 categories: Classical Homeopathy ex: red onion (Alium Cepa) in potency is used to treat hay fever, watery eyes, runny nose, but the red onion does not cause hay fever, it just has the same symptoms. "like cures like" Isopathy is a remedy made from the actual material, such as pollen or pus. "exactly the same thing cures the thing" Imponderables are potentised from energy sources such as X-ray, Sunlight (Sol), Moonlight (Luna), etc.
Here are some remedies (in addition to the standard CEASE vaccine detox remedies) that you may wish to discuss with your homepath:
Bowel Nosodes - helps the body repopulate the gut flora, and helps with constipation. Some Homeopaths believe so strongly in Bowel Nosodes, they start every new patient with them as the first remedy.
M-Nosode 200C (MEDD) (for miasm) once/week for 4 weeks - especially helpful for those who tend to stay up too late
C-Nosode 200C (CARCINOSIN) (for Cancer miasm) once/week for 4 weeks
T-Nosode 200C (for Tuberculosis miasm) once/week for 4 weeks
Hepar Sulph – sensitive to being contradicted (and overly sensitive to touch)
Cannabis Indica (=CI) – to improve mental focus (feeling sluggish mentally). Also I noticed made my eyes much more photosensitive to light, permanently.
Coffea Cruda 30C – overly sensitive hearing, sensitive to smells. Can also give prophylactically before exposure to a loud environment.
Colchicum – for sensitivity to cooking smells / strong odors
Natrum Muriaticum – sensitive to light (photosensitive) and for gluten allergy
Lacumanum Maternum – Potentized Mother’s Milk
Silicea – for milk allergy and "screentime" sensitivity
Selenium metallicum - problems with EMF exposure
TV Emanations - for screentime sensitivity (Imponderable, avail from Hahnemann Labs)
Equisetum - potty training
Berberis Vulgaris - for gluten allergy and potty training
Helium, Oxygen - for ADHD and poor transitions
Any drugs from pregnancy (especially fertility drugs)
Pitocin (from delivery, used in 25% of US deliveries to induce or speed up labor)
Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)
Paracetamol (Tylenol)
Any antibiotics given
Various heavy metals (Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, etc.)
Halides (Fluoride, Chlorine, Bromide)
Staphysagria (for anger)
And there are many, many more potentially useful remedies.
(see www.drluc.com/Remedies.asp for a description of many acute remedies.)
Read these handouts by David R. Card to get some ideas and muscle test to see what is a good match. Also please muscle test for potency and dosage! I find the standard "Take 30C daily for a month" actually isn't a good fit for anybody. Homeopathy for Children pdf handout Herbs & Homeopathy for Mind and Memory pdf handout
Make your own Homeopathic Remedies the old-fashioned way by succussion (pounding the jar against a book 40 times)
Here is a great video showing how to make a homeopathic remedy.
Many kids are addicted to screentime / video games. I'd suggest trying TV Emanations 30C from Hahnemann Labs www.hahnemannlabs.com
But if you find you need something tailor-made for their specific video game addiction, you can actually make your own homeopathic remedies.
The procedure to make your own homeopathic remedy by hand-succussing (see also the video on www.brainfood.tv)
Place a bowl of distilled water in the environment. In this case, turn on the TV, with the video game running.
(Or if you have seasonal allergies, and want to make MyHayfever 30C, just set a bowl of distilled water outside)
Allow the bowl to sit in front of the video game (turned on) for ___ hours (meditate with pendulum to determine how long)
Next comes a lot of succussing, in a lot of clean jars, to get it up to __C :
You will succuss the mother solution 40 times. You now have 1 C.
To make your next potency, place 1 cup distilled water in a new jar. Add 1 teaspoon of your 1C. Succuss the jar 40 times. You now have 2C.
You do this however many jars until you get to the potency needed (determine by meditating with pendulum)
When you prepare to make the final potency (for example 30C) for longer storage without spoiling, you might want to place 1 cup Grain Alcohol in clean jar, then add 1 teaspoon of your 29C water. Succuss 40 times. You now have 30C. Which can even be loaded onto blank homeopathic sugar pellets if you desire.
A wonderful homeopathy experiment I found at http://www.koliskoinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Natrium-mur-Germination-Experiment.pdf shows how intermediate potencies (in between 6C, 30C, etc.) have surprising effects!
The chart shows the growth of plants given potencies of Natrium muriaticum (Nat mur) vs. control group plants given plain water. The blue line shows C (100) potencies and the red line shows X (10) potencies (but in Europe they use the letter D instead of the letter X). The white zero line (control) was seeds germinated with just plain water. Some potencies increased the plants’ vigor, and some actually decreased plants' vigor. Now that I have seen the results of this research study, I rarely use the stock potencies of 6C 30C 200C etc... Instead, I now meditate the exact potency that is useful for the given concern, and custom create the remedy by succussing or via Radionics.
Radionics
To create your own remedies with Radionics, it was once considered necessary to use a Radionics machine such as one of these:
By reading the research of Edward W. Russell in his book Report on Radionics: The Science Which Can Cure Where Orthodox Medicine Fails I learned that Radionics machines operate by focusing the power of Spirit (i.e. the power of prayer). A Spiritual or open-minded person can make a Radionics machine work, whereas a skeptic will not be able to. The "machine" simply focuses one's healing energy/prayer for a very specific healing intention. (For example, "Create Arnica 4X", or "Rid Farmer Brady's field of grasshoppers", or "Create the antidote to John's seasonal allergies", etc.) Many Radionics machines do not even plug into an energy source, the sample wells and/or numerical dials are simply a means to focus one's healing intentions very precisely. Eventually, I discovered it is possible to create homeopathic remedies with only a schematic drawing of a Radionics Machine, or even a paper "Virtual Radionics Machine". Should you wish to try Radionics yourself, I encourage you to read Edward Russell's book, then try it yourself.
1. Print out a Radionics image. Douglas "Moonshadow" has graciously created several powerful energy healing images and posted them FREE online. This is my current favorite.
2. Place in the center of the image a glass vial containing some homeopathy pellets, such as size #20 sucrose pellets. (or a dropper bottle of distilled water)
3. Print on a label the desired remedy name and potency (i.e. Arnica 4X). Stick it to the vial.
4. If you have a Reiki attunement, say a Reiki prayer and use energy from your hands to pray/create the remedy. If you don't have a Reiki attunement, it may be necessary for the remedy to sit on the paper for a period of time until it is ready (meditate to ask for Guidance how long).
And, there are many other useful ways to utilize the healing power of Moonshadow's images. Meditate and experiment to see what works best for you. Flower Essences / Bach Remedies
Another great energy healing resource is flower essences, such as Bach Remedies and those sold by Green Hope Farm and Perelandra Essences. Parents will also find the flower essences useful for their own use, to help them deal with the stress of parenting. Green Hope sells hundreds of varieties, and they have an excellent set of pdfs you can use to dowse for the appropriate essences to order.
Eyelights www.eyelights.com
These special sunglasses have embedded red LED lights that flash at a prescribed interval to improve brain function. Eyelights excite the receptors at the back of the retina, which in turn fire to the brain stem in three different areas. Eyelights are being worn by children with learning disabilities in order to keep them more attentive and focused in the classroom. Personally, I find that I cannot take James into the grocery store without them! (They cost about $150)
DAN (Defeat Autism Now) doctors
Did you know that Autism / Aspergers / ADHD are all on the autism spectrum? You may find it helpful to visit a DAN doctor to help you implement your testing and supplements.
Find a Clinician in your area http://www.autism.com/fam_whatisautism.asp
The official description: Fundamental to the MNRI Method is the understanding that automatic primary motor reflex patterns do not disappear, they integrate. While most people in the general health and wellness community are quite familiar with primary motor reflex patterns, they generally view the patterns as developmental milestones. In the course of working with a patient, if primary motor reflex patterns are found active beyond the expected or typical developmental time period, the presence of the pattern is viewed as an indication that underlying developmental or neurological issues may exist.
In other words: if a child has reflex issues (and most Autistic/ADHD kids do) it will also cause behavior problems.
The beauty of the MNRI program - after receiving the assessment of all reflexes - the parents are trained to do the various needed daily therapy exercises themselves, at home.
To receive an assessment (and therapy/training) in the DC area: Mary Rentschler (202) 244-8280.
I started with the 2-Day MNRI® Parent Workshop (only parents attend the seminar classes during the day, but you can bring you child beforehand for an assessment).
Another good way to begin is to enroll in a Multi-Day MNRI® Family Educational Conference. Parents and children attend these week-long seminars, children receive therapy all day long, both from MNRI professionals, and from their parents (as the parents are taught to do the exercises themselves).
Or, if you are part of a local autism (or ADHD) group, and you would like to be a Local Area Coordinator and bring a Mastutova Method seminar to your area, please contact the MNRI Coordinator at jmartin.dtp@gmail.com.
Neurofeedback
VERY IMPORTANT - you must do a MNRI assessment before starting Neurofeedback. We discovered the hard way that Neurofeedback will cement in any improper reflex patterns. I do think Neurofeedback is very valuble, especially Z-score training. But do your MNRI first, please!
We have worked with 2 Neurofeedback docs:
Mark Smith in NYC. www.neurofeedbackservicesny.com Under his care we bought a home system from BrainMaster, and Mark gave us a settings file for home training. Mark uses Infra-Slow Fluctuation (ISF) Training.
We also decided to try Z-score training, which aims to get all parts of the brain connecting/communicating. Muscle testing by our chiropractor verified that we were successful. Our mentor: Penijean Gracefire at StressTherapy Solutions.
Here are behaviors which eluded us previously, which are now happening!
Do something the first time when asked.
Go to the potty when asked.
No tantrums (foot stomping).
Set the table every night.
Clear the table every night.
Clean up toys & leave school immediately at pickup time.
Help cook dinner.
Stop making rude statements like "I have to do everything and you do nothing!"
Remain seated at mealtimes.
Take vitamins on first ask, not multiple reminders.
Blow nose when asked.
Volunteering to be helpful.
Seven Steps to Nighttime Dryness: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Bedwetting http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Steps-Nighttime-Dryness-Bedwetting/dp/0974068829/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1410798886&sr=1-1&keywords=7+steps+to+nighttime+dryness
Mind you, we aren’t at 100% success yet. If James drinks too much before bed, we still have issues.
So we try to remember - cut off all liquids an hour or 1 1/2 hours before bed.
Many kids with bedwetting problems have primitive reflex issues. MNRI therapy for Spinal Galant and Babinski can be very helpful for bedwetting. (see MNRI link above)
The GABA supplement we started recently http://www.pureformulas.com/gabas-90-tablets-by-nutri-west.html#.
These ones are chewable. I find a whole tablet is too much (gives him nosebleeds) so I use a pill cutter, and give him only a half tablet, every night before bed.
Quality sleep is crucial.
Your child should sleep in complete darkness for best detoxing (and best melatonin production). We got special room-darkening curtains, and we don't use a nightlight. James is 6 years old and still needs 11-12 hours sleep per night.
Read Dr. Mercola's sleep tips and PaleoMom's sleep tips.
We found the nightlight in the bathroom to be too bright/disruptive in the middle of the night, and installed this plug-in dimmer.
Paleo-compliant frozen meals! www.beetnikfoods.com
In Jan 2014 I ordered the Paleo Resolution (5 dinners / 5 breakfasts). I'm happy to report that the Grass-Fed Beef Meatballs are a hit and totally GAPS-compliant. Unfortunately the Peruvian stew is too spicy for us, and the egg scrambles contain tapioca flour (not GAPS compliant). I'm hoping as Beetnik expands, they'll allow you to choose exactly which entrees to order.
IgG Allergy Testing:
What is igG testing? http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/home/eng/food_allergy_igg.asp (read the Pakistan testimonial)
My DAN doctor feels the comprehensive IgG food testing from Immunolabs is the best. www.immunolabs.com
But I think, if you can only afford one test, ALCAT is best lab for getting a comprehensive food + chemicals. https://www.alcat.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1
These results can be useful ammunition in requesting a lunch aide (via IEP) to make sure your child eats only his own food at school. ("This test proves my child is allergic to wheat, etc...")
HOWEVER I did read this disclaimer online: My child did the 96-IgG food-allergy-panel, which came back with some Thirty (!) (30) items marked as "3".
Basically every item that the child ate in the last 72 hours, including lettuce, tomato, beans, almonds... ANYTHING he ate.
The input from our DAN doctor was: this does not necessarily mean that he is Allergic / Sensitive to those 30 items; it means that he has a severe inflammation of the Gut, because virtually anything that he eats triggers his body to create the right antibodies to fight the incoming food. Yes, said the DAN doctor, go on GAPS -- but don't give up on "lettuce" (as an example only) even if it got "3 stars".
And so I asked my DAN doc his opinion. His response: Yes, I do like the ImmunoLab. IgG the best; but I am not really that excited about any of the tests. Very often what you saw online is true that many of the foods can be positive because of leaky gut.
There have been times that the test is quite accurate and helpful and there are other times a total waste of money. I will leave that one up to you.
I am also fine with the ALCAT, but I have found that the IgG from Immuno Lab is the better of the two tests.
Estimated costs: the ImmunoLab for 88 test which is the one I usually do is $175.00. The blood print 154 is $355.00. The IgG subfraction for milk is an add-on for $100.00.
FYI yesterday I did some simple muscle testing on James and for "free" was able to determine that the crystallized (Honibe) honey was good for him, but all chocolate (even raw, organic cacao powder) is bad for him. "Maple flavored" agave bad for him, "Wholesome Sweeteners" organic raw agave bad for him, but "Natural Zing" organic light raw agave nectar tests OK for him. So it goes to show that what is good can be tested at home, for free, and might even vary from brand to brand.
Discipline
Book: 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 by Thomas W. Phelan
DVD: 1-2-3 Magic: Managing Difficult Behavior in Children 2-12 by Thomas W. Phelan - video explains how to do this program the correct way — and the real kid/mom scenes are super helpful! (and hilarious too)
Note that this was hit-or-miss for us (mostly miss) until we did homeopathy, especially the Helium remedy. Until we did Helium, James' transition skills were still so "stuck" that he couldn't make himself stop the activity, even if he knew the timeout would happen for noncompliance.
Chiropractic can be very helpful! (if you find the right Chiropractor - in Baltimore try Dr. Melissa Carrick - contact info below)
Additionally, my Chiroprator offers Low Level Laser / Cold Laser (she uses it on James' brain / Spinal Cord) http://www.foundationforintegratedhealth.com/index.php?catID=12&pageID=9756
Ionic Detox Footbath - good for detox - James is very happy and compliant after his sessions
Optimum Focus brand is what we own www.hymbas.com/FocusFootbath.html (they sell a copper tub, which is nice)
The Optimum Focus is strong enough to use even in your bathtub with Sea Salt. For bathtub use, be sure to set it to something reasonable, no more than 1.2 amps.
EB is another good brand, but see note below about it being too weak for clay baths in bathtub www.ebfootbath.com (EB uses the Schumann Frequency, which is nice)
Be sure to take a good mineral supplement afterwards, or you will feel very drained. For example:
ConcenTrace Trace Mineral Drops | NutriWest Complete CoFactors | CellFood | NutriWest Trace Min
And I would also suggest drinking a glass of fresh-pressed fruit/veggie juice. Best source of vitamins/minerals ever.
Important note: we noticed that footbaths were triggering nailbiting. Some research suggests this is due to Zinc deficiency. We now supplement with an eyedropper of Zinc Assay Liquid by Premier Research Labs daily. I muscle tested other brands of liquid zinc, and this is the best one for us.
Also for the nailbiting we did homeopathy for anxiety.
And we also (reluctantly) painted his nails with Mavala stop, to initially break the OCD habit of nail biting.
Magnetic Pascalite Bentonite Clay
http://www.specialclay.com/servlet/the-12/Magnetic-Pascalite-Bentonite-Clay/Detail
Done the traditional way, clay baths are messy (understatement!). These are instructions for the OLD way, which I don't do anymore: Fill the tub, add about a cup of clay powder, then put your kid in for 20 minutes (set a timer) No one else gets in the tub.
Get him out, rinse him off in the shower.
To drain tub:
I'd put a plastic cylinder (the outside sleeve of a Wonder Cup or Pampered Chef measuring cup) over the drain, to let most of the water out, while keeping most of the clay in the bottom of the tub. I then let it settle overnight with a few inches water in the tub.
By morning, all the clay had settled to the bottom. (But after you use the clay in the bath, the clay is toxic now, containing a lot of toxins from your kid, so you don’t want to touch it.)
Wearing rubber gloves, I'd carefully remove the plastic cylinder to allow the rest of the water to drain.
Then use a plastic dustpan to scoop out most of the clay into a trash bag and throw away. Wipe out what remains with paper towels, or rinse down the drain (hopefully your pipes won't get clogged...)
So the traditional clay baths in the bathtub are so messy that I found myself never wanting to do one...
My new method with the clay water that is much less messy, by combining clay water + using my Optimum Focus detox foot bath.
Video: Clay bath combined with with ionic footbath
Fill a blender jar with warm water, add a mere tablespoon of clay, whizz it together
Footbath option #1: Pour the blender water into footbath tub. Add additional water to fill up the foot tub. Do Optimum Focus footbath for 20 minutes. Then dump the used water down the toilet.
or preferable: Full body bath Option #2: Pour the blender water into bathtub. Add additional water to fill up the bathtub. Place child and array into tub, run for for 20 minutes. Pull the plug and drain as usual. Rinse tub and child.
Q: Why do I specify using the Optimum Focus brand of detox "footbath"? A: The Optimum Focus is much more powerful than the EB brand, so the Optimum Focus is useful for clay, which is not as conductive as salt. I still aim for 1.0 Amps onscreen, but I have to turn the power dial much farther with clay than with salt, to achieve a 1.0 Amps reading on the digital readout. I don't yet know of any other footbaths on the market powerful enough to generate 1.0 Amps in clay water.
FIR Sauna - Heavenly Heat http://www.heavenlyheatsaunas.com
We got the cheapest 15 Amp model, and learned some important lessons.
1) don't get the 15 Amp - it takes a long time to heat up. (using FIR heater alone, air temp would barely reach 115°F) And for me, air temp must be above 150°F or I don't sweat. So either buy something stronger than 15 Amp, or this is what we did: they can sell you a dual-heater model with both a 15 Amp (110V) FIR heater and a 220V traditional rocks heater. Best of both worlds!
2) FIR is very effective at getting the toxins "loose" from their hiding places, but our son has trouble sweating them out. So, we must use a detox foot bath immediately afterwards... or he regresses back to toe walking for a couple days.
Many parents and children are infected with Lyme disease (Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt measured that 80% of ASD kids have Lyme) I suggest:
Herbals specific to Lyme, for example Buhner Herbs
Widely Used Antibacterial Agents May Lead to Significant Health Concerns http://tools.niehs.nih.gov/srp/researchbriefs/view.cfm?Brief_ID=213
Triclosan (TCS), a chemical widely used for its antibacterial properties, was shown to weaken heart and skeletal muscle activity in animal models in a study performed at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center.[more...]
Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) - For me, NET helps me resolve issues in 5 minutes what would otherwise take several sessions of psychotherapy to accomplish. The official website says: NET is a mind-body stress-reduction technique that uses a methodology of finding and removing neurological (and physical) imbalances related to the physiology of unresolved emotional stress/events. If you're in a weakened state due to factors such as stress or physical trauma, everyday responses may not fully resolve as they naturally should. Later in our lives, when we experience a similar situation, an old response pattern can kick in. Individually, we rarely see the link between a past event and our present situation. This is where NET is crucial, as NET can help your body release its lingering/stuck response for good!
Watch some NET videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpBqxClGApI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bh9HEVpNAc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEcW138czPQ
Find a NET Practitioner http://www.netmindbody.com/for-patients/find-a-practitioner-near-you
Sadly, I often find the biggest stumbling block to healing a child is a parent's inability to do the program.
Please remember that children are powerless to enact their own change - they are counting on you to do these things for them.
Parents who are having a hard time motivating themselves to implement their child's changes will find it useful to try:
Get evaluated for your own Stress / Chronic Fatigue / Adrenal Fatigue / HPTA Axis issues
NET Neuro Emotional Technique (see directly above)
Detox footbaths
Clear yourself of parasites
Session with a Shaman and/or learn do your own Shamanic journeys (good drum CD - 15 minute journey on Michael Harner's Shamanic Journey No. 1)
For parents who wake up still feeling tired in the morning? Suspected adrenal fatigue (it's very common, actually). Try reading James Wilson's book Adrenal Fatigue. Get your baseline cortisol levels checked via saliva testing (i.e. Labrix). Consider taking a specific Adrenal Rebuilding supplement such as Adreno Distress Guard, Nutri West Core Level Adrenal, or Nutri West DSF. (I prefer to muscle test myself against all 3 supplements and then purchase the one that is the "high score" for me.)
Berard AIT http://www.ideatrainingcenter.com/berard-ait.shtml
Clinical Results http://www.ideatrainingcenter.com/ait-results.shtml
We had excellent results with AIT improving James' speech and comprehension. It does cost around $2,000 however.
And, it seemed to get "undone" somewhere along the way. Here is a list of things that can undo your AIT:
1) Brain Injury (concussion)
2) Brain Infections (meningitis)
3) Ototoxic substances (ototoxic = damaging to the ear):
Certain prescription drugs including (but not limited to): antibiotics such as the aminoglycoside gentamicin and erythromycin, loop diuretics such as furosemide, and platinum-based chemotherapy agents such as cisplatin. A number of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Meloxicam have also been shown to be ototoxic. (and I think avoiding Advil/Motrin would be a good idea). Quinine. Erectile dysfunction medications: Viagra, Levitra and Cialis. Aspirin at high doses.
Antibiotic creams containing ototoxic antibiotics
Environmental substances: Mercury, Lead
Street Drugs: LSD, Crack
(for more info look up ototoxicity online)
4) Headphone usage
According to the Berard AIT society no headphone usage is allowed after AIT. However, practical experience seems to indicate that the actual restriction needs to be no headphones in or directly on the ears. Therefore, special AirDrive headphones seem to be OK. Please be certain to inform all teachers of this important “no headphones” restriction. The only exception to this rule, is that headphones may be worn briefly for and audiometric test with beeps/tones.
Straight healthy teeth
Following the diet which was researched by dentist Weston A. Price can eliminate cavities and grow straight teeth (and healthy bones all over the body).
When it comes to choosing the optimal diet and supplements
for our health, there is a lot of conflicting information out there.
It makes sense to look at what traditional cultures, untouched
by Western civilization, have eaten for thousands of years. Today
there are few cultures that have not had contact with civilization.
Fortunately, there was a researcher who investigated the diets of
many traditional cultures in the 1920’s to 1930’s, when travel to
them became easier but before these cultures started eating Western
foods. This researcher was Dr. Weston A. Price, a dentist from
Cleveland. Being a dentist, he studied the teeth of these people
and discovered that people on traditional diets had healthy,
almost cavity-free, beautiful, straight teeth in uncrowded, broad
jaws. When the children of these people changed to a Western
diet, they had crowded, crooked teeth in narrow jaws with lots
of cavities. The cause was clearly not genetic (unlike what we
have been told), as children in the same family would either have
beautiful, well-spaced teeth or crooked, unhealthy teeth depending
on what their diet was. Dr. Price studied the diets of traditional cultures all over the
world, from remote villages in Switzerland, to Eskimos, to the
South Pacific.
Did you know if you feed your kids the right foods:
you can even heal cavities (through diet) without getting fillings?
they will have naturally straight teeth without needing braces?
they will have naturally strong bones? (fewer or no broken bones)
they will be naturally fertile, not needing fertility drugs or interventions.
female children will grow up with proper pelvic bone alignment, resutling in easier, less painful childbirth without cesarian section
when your children are older adults they will be less likely to need knee or joint replacement
when your children are senior citizens they will be less likely to break their hip
You might think you already know what "eating right" is - but I am telling you - until you read one of these books you really won't know what the Weston A. Price theories are all about. Many libraries carry these books.
More info: Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price - HUGE book with lots of great photos Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition by Ramiel Nagel - concise book is easy to read Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon - sidebar notes on every page are very entertaining Weston A. Price Foundation Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation
"The right foods" include lots of butter, raw milk, cod liver oil, meat and vegetables. Since James can't eat "butter" on GAPS, I got a special high vitamin butter oil which is essentially ghee (butter with the milk solids removed) but is still raw so it has all its enzymes intact.
Fluoride and tooth health
Fluoridated tap water is not a source of organic fluorine - it is injurious to the health as it's a neurotoxin (yes, it's poison). See: www.fluoridealert.org
However organic Fluorineis necessary for healthy bones, teeth, blood, skin, nails and hair. It is also essential to the body's healing processes.
The following foods contain high amounts of organic Fluorine:
Goat Milk (#1 source!), Almonds, Carrots, Vegetable greens
(Effects of fluorine deficiency: A lack of fluorine in the diet can result in tooth decay, weakened eyesight and spinal curvature.
Other minerals essential for strong teeth:
Phosphate (found in the outer tooth enamel)
Food Sources:
All seeds and nuts are excellent sources, especially pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Silicon
Food Sources: Silicon is often concentrated in the skins and outer layers of vegetables and fruits.
Lettuce, Beets, Strawberries, Carrots, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Sunflower seeds, Cabbage, Celery, Watermelon, Cherries, Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Figs, Grapes, Pears
I compiled a chart to help evaluate what are the best strategies for healing cavities naturally and rebuilding/regenerating teeth enamel: Teeth Rebuilding Strategies Chart
Obviously you will be removing sugar on the GAPS diet. But, try not to go overboard on the honey. Even if you brush, eating sugars can cause children to develop weak teeth/bones. Here's one excerpt:
George Meinig mentioned the following landmark research done on the effects of sugar on murine (mouse) teeth by Dr. Ralph Steinman at Loma Linda University. Dr. Steinman injected mice with a glucose solution, i.e. he avoided having the glucose touch their teeth by directly injecting it into their bodies. When subsequently studying their teeth, he found something absolutely astonishing. Dr. Meinig relates: "The glucose reversed the normal flow of fluid in the dentin tubules, resulting in all of the test animals developing severe tooth decay! Dr. Steinman demonstrated dramatically ... Dental caries reflects systemic illness." http://www.healingteethnaturally.com/intro-nutrition-dental-health-and-disease.html
Eating any kind of sweetener can contribute to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
But sugar is very, very addictive. It lights up the brain in a similar way to cocaine:
View the 60 minutes story: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7403942n
If you need help "breaking the sugar habit" Richele Henry, CHC is a Nutrition Counselor who specializes in breaking your sugar addiction (including the psychological aspects of sugar addiction): http://www.baltimorehealthcoach.com/about/coaching-for-women/
Craniosacral Therapy - James is very "happy" and compliant after his sessions, and it has helped clear out his sinus passages. It also straightened his crooked teeth (when his bottom front teeth came in - age 6 - they were slightly crowded and crooked, despite our good diet. Our therapist helped open up the space in his jaw so the teeth could move into proper place. Mind you, this therapy was done immediately at age 6.)
Craniosacral therapy involves the gentle massage of bones in the skull (including the face and mouth), spine, and pelvis. Craniosacral therapists say that there is a link between the fluid in the head and the sacrum (the base of the lower back) and that the rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid that flows between these areas can be detected like a pulse. They claim that their treatment speeds up cerebrospinal fluid flow, normalizes, balances, and gets rid of blockages (obstructions) in various systems throughout the body. They say that with blockages removed, the body can function in a healthy manner.
Practitioners also claim that the birth process can cause problems with growth of the cartilage and membranes surrounding an infant's skull, and these bones/structures can be properly realigned with Craniosacral therapy.
Optimizing your Vitamin D blood levels (typically with Vitamin D supplements) is one of the most important things you can do to maintain good health, and it is fat soluble so you should take it with the largest (fat-containing) meal of the day.
Reference: www.happyhealthylonglife.com/happy_healthy_long_life/2010/03/vitamin-d-at-dinner.html Your optimal blood levels should be: (this is from the 25(OH)D blood test)
Children's bodies are often able to create sufficient Vitamin D from sun exposure in summer months. However in winter months they cannot. Also adult's bodies have trouble creating sufficient Vitamin D all year round. Equally as dangerous as Vitamin D deficiency is excess (toxicity) so you should get a blood test periodically, or “muscle test” at home for free, to determine the proper supplement dosage.
Great allergy book - My House is Killing Me by Jeffrey C. May
Discusses strategies for dealing with dust mites, pets, mold, carpet, etc. At minimum, we should all be encasing our mattresses and pillows in (outgassing-free) dust mite zippered enclosures.
Great air purifier
Mercola Pure & Clear Air Purifier http://airpurifier.mercola.com
No substitute for proper mold remediation however!
If your child suffers from constipation, the Squatty Potty toilet stool can be very helpful for them. Also is great footrest for young kids who are potty training. I like how it easily slides under the potty when not in use. We prefer the tallest size. (I even use it every day, too.)
A new study finds a dramatic increase in hospitalization of US children with inflammatory bowel disease.
What are children eating these days that are causing more cases of inflammatory bowel disease? Could it be the gluten from genetically changed grains, other GMO foods, or additives and chemicals to fight infection in the animals or milk products eaten by kids either at home, in restaurants, or in schools? http://www.examiner.com/article/what-type-of-foods-are-causing-more-cases-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease-kids
MMS (Miracle Mineral Solution / Master Mineral Supplement) aka Chlorine Dioxide (CD)
Originally sold as water purification drops, genius Jim Humble has discovered many other powerful uses for MMS, to cure a wide variety of ailments. And, MMS is cheap and non-patentable. He has been persecuted by the US FDA, and has fled to the Dominican Republic where he teaches courses on MMS Protocols, and writes MMS books.
To view a basic video on how to properly mix and drink MMS, watch How to mix MMS
There are many places to buy MMS, I recommend Keavy's Corner, starting with this small kit CD Kit w/HCl - 2 fl oz - Glass Bottles
(their Sodium Chlorite is completely free from Sodium Chlorate).
To distribute MMS legally and without government persecution, Jim founded the Genesis II Church of Health & Healing www.genesis2church.org
Kerri Rivera talks about how she has healed children from autism using diet and CD (MMS) Kerri Rivera at AutismOne 2014
Also visit Kerri Rivera's website with a complete CD protocol www.cdautism.org Dr. Simon Yu, M.D. is doctor in St. Louis, MO who's been using MMS to rid autistic children of parasites.
CD is not bleach!
Chlorine Bleach = 5% Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO)
Chlorine Dioxide (CD) = Sodium Chlorite (NsClO2) + an Acid activator
In 60 minutes from consumption, CD is reduced to a grain of salt in the body, at no point is it bleach.
While their chemical formulas are similar, the two chemicals are distinct. An analogy: Oxygen(O2) is necessary for survival and is inhaled safely. Ozone (O3) is toxic if inhaled, and damages lung tissue.
CD is only strong enough to destroy pathogens, it cannot damage intestinal flora, it only oxidizes pathogens and destroys the intestinal biofilm.
A/SERT
A unique allergy elimination/reduction technique where the child wears (in their pockets) vials containing allergens for 20 minutes, then specific acupressure points are stimulated to reduce their sensitivity to those substances. The allergens treated that day, must then be avoided for 25 hours. For whatever reason, NAET seemed to work better for us than A/SERT.
NAET
Natural Allergy Elimination Technique - a very similar allergy elimination technique. Points stimulated using acupressure for children, or acupuncture for adults. (see practitioner Gail Bozzella below) This was enormously helpful for us.
But one caveat: what I found is that even once allergens like wheat/grains are "cleared", James might not be allergic to them anymore, but I believe it's still not a good idea to feed wheat until the gut is fully-totally-completely-100% healed. Which depending on the child, may be never. So I'm not feeding wheat to him, but at least if he inadvertantly consumes a trace of wheat he'll have a smaller reaction than he would have had previously.
You can even do your own NAET at home, if going to a practitioner's office does not suit your schedule/budget. Order the Premium Laser kit online from www.theallergykit.com
Healing Leaky Gut and Food Sensitivities
I found that GAPS, NAET, combined with Homeopathy (especially ther bowel nosodes), and the Silver/Aloe Leaky Gut protocol, to be especially potent. We had been on the GAPS diet for 3 years, but within 2 months of doing NAET and the Leaky Gut protocol, James finally muscle-tested OK for the following:
Sprouted Buckwheat, Sprouted Millet, Sprouted Quinoa, Sprouted Chickpeas, Sprouted Organic Corn. (FYI - you can purchase these as sprouted flours from
www.organicsproutedflour.net.
GraceLight Sessions - read more in the book Empowering Your Indigo Child: A Handbook for Parents of Children of Spirit by Wayne D. Dosick
Good individually-wrapped Halloween treats
Whole Foods 365 Fruit Strips
Happytimes Veggie Pals Carrot Orange Apple Chews (like gummy bears) amazon link
Wedderspoon Manuka Honey Lozenges (the kids ones are smaller :)
GloryBee HoneyStix - Organic Clover
Kettle Valley Organic Fruit Snack (Fruit leather)
Honibe Honey Drop (these are quite big)
We are getting soy-free organic (non-GMO) feed by mail order from H&H Poultry.
We store our eggs on the counter, unrefrigerated, and they will last for at least a month.
Here's a tip to test if your eggs are fresh.
Reiki is energy healing - a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that life force energy flows through us.
When receiving Reiki you'll feel "heat" coming from the practitioner's hands, and very peaceful & relaxed. But I can't describe what Reiki feels like - it must be experienced personally. So ideally you'll first receive a Reiki treatment from a practitioner to find out what it feels like, then:
You can sign up for a Level I Reiki class and receive the first attunement. (FYI - this class typically costs between $100-$200) Now you can deliver Reiki to your child yourself - free, anytime! James actually asks me to "Reiki him" whenever he has a tummy ache, or a bruise, or anything else.
In Baltimore, Andrea Wenger conducts one-day Reiki attunement classes several times per year http://www.andreawenger.com/
ThetaHealing
The ThetaHealing technique was created by Vianna Stibal in 1995 during her own personal journey back to health and after she healed from a 9-in tumor her leg.
ThetaHealing is a meditation technique and spiritual philosophy - not specific to one religion but accepting them all - with the purpose of getting closer to the Creator. It is a training method for your mind, body and spirit that allows you to clear (or "Delete") limiting beliefs and install (or "Download") life with positive thoughts, developing virtues in all that we do.
I have completed Basic and Advanced level ThetaHealing courses, and I use it daily in my meditations and prayers. I have found it to be the single most useful spiritual practice in my life!
Sai Maa Diksha energy healing — "Love Light Blessings"
(Similar to Reiki in that it's energy healing, but focused on the brain and a feeling of well-being.)
Sai Maa Diksha is a powerful technique for pouring Light into the brain to initiate and support the process of Enlightenment by bringing Light into the seeds of fear in the brain. The word Diksha means "initiation" and has existed for eons. Every Diksha is unique to the Master who offers it. Sai Maa Diksha carries the energy of Sai Maa's lineage and is a transmission of Light that we can all be trained (attuned) to offer.
Anyone who has received their Sai Maa Diksha attunement can pass it on to you. (including me).
Sai Maa ("Divine Mother") is a living person who has completed the raising of her family, and now is devoting her life to Divine Love and helping others. Per Sai Maa's instructions, this therapy (and attunement) are always offered free of charge or by donation only. A treatment takes only 3 minutes to complete.
For more info visit www.sai-maa.com.
6-Minute "Universal Healing Code"
Another useful energy healing technique - and this one does not require an attunement.
Book for around $16: www.amazon.com/The-Healing-Code-Minutes-Relationship/dp/1455502014
OR www.thehealingcode.com ($199 learning program)
Interesting Book - The Soul of Autism by William Stillman
Stillman brings up some interesting points, that autistic individuals are more sensitive to psychic messages from God, Angels, Jesus, dead relatives, random ghosts, and potentially vulnerable to meddling from lower energies (bad spirits).
If you suspect your child may be intuitive/overly sensitive, here are a few tips:
Homeopathy - Thuja 55C Remedy (start with just ONE pellet - given one time - it's very powerful)
Shaman - Hire a shaman to clear your child. I've worked with Harriet McMahon in Columbia, MD.
Hire Joe Casey/Patti Leahy to "clear" your home www.worldenergyhealing.com. I used to have an uneasy feeling when in my home. James would have bad dreams. There were ghosts, and emotional residue from all the previous occupants (various issues including high-stress jobs, and getting divorced). It was the best $300 I ever spent, seriously! My home feels peaceful and quiet now, and we have no more bad dreams. FYI - even very old residual negative energy from displaced Native Amercians and ill-treated slaves/servants who worked on the farm/property can affect your present-day modern home.
Breast Feeding - Provides many valuable nutrients to you child's developing brain. If your child is still a baby/young toddler (and you have stopped breast feeding) you may want to consider relactating. The Ultimate Breastfeeding Book of Answers: The Most Comprehensive Problem-Solution Guide to Breastfeeding from the Foremost Expert in North America by Jack Newman M.D. and Teresa Pitman Humans are designed to breast feed children until they lose their milk teeth (age 5-6). It has enormous benefits of immune system development, facial muscle and bone development, emotional bonding, and "free" weight loss for the Mom :) Children who have lazy R's and other pronunciation difficulties would really benefit from this. Even nursing once/day at bedtime can have huge benefits for all young children.
Contraception - Please remember that Breast Feeding is not reliable birth control! To maximize your ability to heal your Autistic/ADHD child, you may wish to delay having another child for a while. IMHO the best non-drug contraception is the lambskin condom. The only brand I have found so far is Trojan Naturalamb. They do smell funny, but then so do latex condoms.
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
I'm told that this has great promise for some Autistic individuals. However I have not yet tried it personally.
NLP studies the structure of how humans think and experience the world. The structure of something so subjective does not lend itself to precise, statistical formulae but instead leads to models of how these things work. Many of the models in NLP were created by studying people who did things exquisitely well. From these models, techniques for quickly and effectively changing thoughts, behaviors and beliefs that limit us have been developed. NLP has helped many people conquer phobias in a single 30-minute session.
EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique
This technique taps acupressure points associated with stress. EFT is evidence based, and is helpful not only for phobias, but pretty much any mental or physical ailment you can think of. (PTSD, ADHD, addictions, etc.) You can tap on your children's EFT points with your own hands, or for the truly uncooperative child, surrogate EFT can be tapped on you with the intention that it is being done for the benefit of your child.
First, view the Introductory Video
Then visit the website www.eftuniverse.com
Is autism linked to air pollution?
Using data collected from the Environmental Protection Agency, a new study at the Harvard School of Public Health linked autism to lead, manganese, diesel fuel, and mercury. The pregnant women living in areas that had the highest levels of diesel fuel or mercury were most at risk, having about two times the chance as those living in cleaner areas. Those in areas with high levels of pollution containing lead, manganese and methylene chloride, the study suggested, were 50 percent more likely to mother a child with autism.
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/041012_air_pollution_autism_Aspergers.html#ixzz2XpP9r7oe
Note: Pulsatilla 17C is a homeopathic remedy that helps shield people from environmental toxins.
The remedy Plumbum Metallicum (potency must be individually determined) can help detox from lead exposure.
Baltimore Area Practitioners - none "participate" with insurance, but you can file claims yourself
DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Doctor
Richard Layton, M.D.
901 Dulaney Valley Rd, Dulaney Center II #101
Towson MD 21204
410-337-2707 www.allergyconnection.com
His rates are currently $400/hr, billed in 15-minute increments.
Dr. Layton also specializes in treating allergies, using the Low Dose Allergen (LDA) protocol. However, I might suggest you to try NAET first, as it is much cheaper and involves no injections.
Chiropractor
Melissa Carrick, DC www.carrickchiro.com
3355 Keswick Rd Ste 200
Baltimore MD 21211
410-235-9355
Currently $40 for a child's adjustment, $50 for adult adjustment. Other services (detox footbath, cold laser, muscle testing, NET, etc.) are additional.
Chiropractor
Dale Schusterman, DC
112 Perkins Dr #700
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
(919) 698-6280
$180/hr. Also offers muscle testing, Family Constellations, QEEG, Infra-Slow Fluctuation (ISF) Neurofeedback, Sign Language of the Soul.
Homeopathy / Naturopath
Dr. Michael Liss www.drlisshomeopath.com
Sees patients in Washington, DC; Frederick, MD; and Baltimore, MD.
michael_liss@comcast.net
(443) 739-7903
Approx $100 per consult. (sometimes $150 for an initial consult)
Homeopathy
Krista Bieniek
Shares office space in Roland Park, or she can come to you.
klmiller@loyola.edu
Currently $90 for an initial consult.
Reiki
Lisa Vaughan
She is a Level II Reiki master - a very powerful healer
410-916-5149
lvntoto2@yahoo.com
Catonsville, MD
Craniosacral Therapy / Reiki
Betsey Gilbert, LMT
Ruscombe Mansion
4801 Yellowwood Ave
Baltimore MD 21209
410-321-5906
Currently $75 per session.
I highly recommend you bring a DVD player and a movie for your child to watch during their session.
Speech Language Pathologist
Birth to 5, in natural environment settings
Erin Worthington-Roach
410-960-0879
worthingtonerin@hotmail.com
Berard AIT
Susan Glaub
McLean Speech & Language Services, LLC
6845 Elm Street, Suite 711
McLean VA 22101
703-734-0211
$2,000 for 20 sessions (10 consecutive days)
Acupuncture & NAET (for allergies)
Gail Bozzella, M.AC., L.AC.
Bowie-Crofton Acupuncture
3231 Superior Lane, Suite A-2
Bowie, MD 20715 www.acupuncturemaryland.com
Theta Healing
Jill Featherston
Jill specializes in Theta Healing, but Muscle testing is a big part of what she does.
$75 for an hour session, she sees clients in Lutherville, and Downtown near the Senator Theatre. www.thetahealingbaltimore.com
Joe Thomas put together a guide to help male individuals with autism find a girlfriend. It can be very difficult and frustrating when trying to make a good first impression, so he created something very simple give them a better chance at the initial stages of meeting someone. It has been written collaboratively with dating professionals and has been tailored specifically to those with autism. Hopefully with this we can help bring happiness to some lonely hearts. http://www.datingmetrics.com/how-to-tell-if-a-girl-likes-you/
This is another well-researched guide, helping those with autism obtain a job: https://incluzy.com/benefits-employing-individuals-autism/
Michael Pollan video http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/19/healthy-food-choices.aspx
excerpt: Yogurt has more sugar than coke. So the moral of the story is: be careful of any processed foods you buy in the store.
If you or a loved one are ever diagnosed with cancer, I urge you to read these blog articles from GreenSmoothieGirl:
How “difficult patients” have better survival outcomes because they educate themselves, ask hard questions, and make their own choices, HERE.
How four people close to me were diagnosed with cancer, last year, and what factors I believe affect whether a patient chooses the oncology industry, versus alternatives, HERE.
A very personal letter to someone who asked me, “What would you do?” after her recent breast cancer diagnosis, HERE.
Another Independent film: Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business, Part II on DVD
An article about the film: Cancer is Serious Business, Part II.
The article/film details the struggles and victories of Dr. Burzynski and his groundbreaking cancer treatment, and explores the current status of Antineoplastons’ clinical testing. Dr. Burzynski has developed a cancer treatment that surpasses all other treatments on the market today, and the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry know it. They also know his treatment threatens the entire paradigm of the cancer industry, which is based on expensive treatments with a high rate of failure and retreatment.
Disclaimer: Angela Taylor is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and not a medical doctor nor a mental health therapist. This website for all intents and purposes should be for educational purposes only.