Healing Thresholds Autism Therapy Topic Feed

The GAPS Diet as Treatment for Autism

scottie — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 15:00:00 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who founded the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS), believes that diet plays a role in autism.

Body:

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, who founded the Gut and Psychology Syndrome Diet (GAPS), believes that diet plays a role in autism, and that GAPS can help. GAPS is based on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SDC) with a few modifications. GAPS suggests that people with autism avoid processed foods, including dairy and grains. The three nutritional parts of GAPS are: 1) Diet; 2) Supplements; and 3) Detoxification and Lifestyle Changes. While there is no evidence-based research on GAPS, many parents of children with autism believe it has helped their kids.

Original Article:

Eating Away Autism? The GAPS Diet

It’s Not Too Early to Begin Holiday Preparations for Your Child on the Autism Spectrum

scottie — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:46:03 +0000

Teaser:

This is a great proactive article from Community Connections Inc. about preparing your child with autism for the wackiness that may surround the holidays.

Body:

This is a great proactive article from Community Connections Inc. about preparing your child with autism for the wackiness that may surround the holidays. These suggestions include: giving your child a “bear-hug” to help with over-stimulation; participating in sensory building activities like baking or making music; making sure your child gets enough sleep, and feeding your kid a healthy diet. Community Connections Inc. sponsors a group called San Juan Kids, which is available to give autism screenings and evaluations.

Original Article:

Holiday Season can be Overstimulating, Especially for Kids

Can Your Young Adult with Autism Go To College?

scottie — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:00:16 +0000

Teaser:

This article tackles the issue of a young adult with autism attending college.

Body:

This article tackles the issue of a young adult with autism attending college. Dr. Roel and Katrina Laygo’s son was diagnosed with autism just before he turned three. With a total of five kids, the Laygo’s did all they could to help Nathan, but they felt that speech and occupational therapies weren’t enough. Nathan is now involved in ABA, therapeutic horseback riding, music, social skills, and on a gluten-free/casein-free diet. Knowing how much this has cost them, the Laygo’s have established Nathan’s Something Special Scholarship Fund, which awards a scholarship each year to a child with autism or cerebral palsy to attend a year of college or vocational school. Katrina Laygo has also started a lifestyle publication, Something Special Magazine to help other parents of kids with special needs.

Original Article:

How to Help Children with Autism Attend College

WeeZee is a Sensory Playground for Children with Autism

scottie — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:59:44 +0000

Teaser:

Access Nursing has created WeeZee to be a combination occupational therapy and sensory playground for kids with autism.

Body:

Access Nursing has created WeeZee to be a combination occupational therapy and sensory playground for kids with autism and other delays. Louise Weadock, founder of Access Nursing, figured out that most of the time spent in therapy for her daughter on the spectrum was in desensitizing her. Weadock believes this time should be spent in play, not in a therapy office. She explains, “Like a fitness routine outlined by a trainer, the assessment would lead to a particular ‘sensory diet’ or ‘sensory regime’. The kids would go to WeeZee to work on cognitive development, social relationships, and physical endurance." To get WeeZee off the ground, Weadock has a handful of high school interns who use their memories of play to help mold the space. WeeZee will include areas designed to appeal to each of the senses, as well as a Zen Den for parents.

Original Article:

Pleasantville Organization Develops Playful Solution for Autistic Kids

Beyond a Gluten-Free Diet for Children with Autism

scottie — Wed, 11 May 2011 15:38:38 +0000

Teaser:

Jennifer Cerbasi, a special education teacher, works with parents of children with autism to improve their emotional, academic, and physical health.

Body:

Jennifer Cerbasi, a special education teacher, works with parents of children with autism to improve their emotional, academic, and physical health. She suggests in the article that it may not be enough just to reduce gluten in a child’s diet, but that other items such as sugar need to be considered. Parents are finding that eliminating food dyes, sugar, and artificial flavors may help their child’s behavior. Cerbasi explains that it can be hard to change the family diet because in many cases, children are picky eaters, and food may often be used as a reward in ABA therapy.

Original Article:

Looking Beyond a Gluten-Free Diet

Physician Cautions Against Restrictive Diets for Autism Unless Necessary

scottie — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:16:10 +0000

Teaser:

Dr. Jay L. Hoecker suggests that parents of children with autism should be careful when starting their child on a new diet.

Body:

Dr. Jay L. Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in Mayo Clinic’s Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, suggests that parents of children with autism should be careful when starting their child on a new diet. He explains that restrictive diets, such as the gluten-free, casein-free diet may be harmful if basic nutritional needs are not met. He suggests that before putting your child on a special diet, you should seek the expertise of a nutritionist or doctor. Hoecker reminds parents, for example, that Temple Grandin’s mother did not have her on a GFCF diet, “neither did the majority of parents of the greatest known dults with autism who are now fully functional in our society.” He believes that early intervention is probably the best starting point to helping kids with autism.

Original Article:

Mayo Clinic Weighs in on Restrictive Diets for Autism

Family Creates iPhone App to Track Therapies for Child with Autism

scottie — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:26:16 +0000

Teaser:

The Iwegbue family were toting large notebooks from one autism therapist to another to maintain consistency with their son’s care.

Body:

The Iwegbue family were toting large notebooks from one autism therapist to another to maintain consistency with their son’s care. Now, with the iPhone app, iBiomed, that Kwame Iwegbue, a physician, created, Florence carries her iPhone instead. “When we're asked questions about our son, we can give more informed answers. It has improved his quality of care and made our lives easier." The app includes features that keep track of medication reorders, diet tracking, sleeping patterns, and a journal feature to note questions for doctors and instructions for caregivers. In the near future, the iBiomed app will allow for password-protected sharing among therapists.

Original Article:

Autism Fuels Creation

Combination of Technologies May Help Children with Autism Better Use Both Sides of Their Brain

scottie — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 18:46:11 +0000

Teaser:

Leslie Toldo, a reporter, discusses two variations on using technology to help children with autism.

Body:

Leslie Toldo, a reporter, discusses two variations on using technology to help children with autism. Toldo first examines a program used in Spain – software named SC@OUT – developed by researchers at the University of Granada. The software allows non-verbal children to communicate via laptops, PDAs, or video game systems. Next, Toldo interviews Mark Goldenberg, who is executive director at the Norwalk CT Brain Balance Achievement Center. Goldenberg believes that the brain in a child with autism is not connecting the left and right hemispheres. The Brain Balance program works to strengthen the brain with treatments that include diet, physical, sensory, and academics.

Original Article:

Technology to Help Autistic Children

Treatment of Food Selectivity in a Young Child with Autism

scottie — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:18:53 +0000

Title	Treatment of Food Selectivity in a Young Child with Autism
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Wood BK, Wolery M, Kaiser AP
Journal Title	Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	24
Issue	3
Pages	169-177
URL for Abstract	http://foa.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/24/3/169
Teaser	Therapeutic feeding intervention may increase the number and variety of foods eaten by a child with autism.
Full Text	Therapeutic feeding intervention may increase the number and variety of foods eaten by a child with autism. This case study describes feeding intervention with a five your child with autism who was on the gluten-free casein-free (GFCF) diet. The treatment package focused on four new food items. The boy learned to eat GFCF pizza, GFCF waffle, apple, and french fries. He often said no when asked to try a new food. And at times, he left therapy sessions when hand-over-hand prompts were used.

Ketogenic Diets: An Update for Child Neurologists

scottie — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

Title	Ketogenic Diets: An Update for Child Neurologists
Publication Type	Journal Article
Authors	Kossoff EH, Zupec-Kania BA, Rho JM
Journal Title	Journal of Child Neurology
Year of Publication	2009
Volume	24
Issue	8
Pages	979-988
URL for Abstract	http://jcn.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/0883073809337162v1
Teaser	A ketogenic diet that cuts down on carbohydrates may be helpful for children with autism and may help reduce seizures.
Full Text	A ketogenic diet that cuts down on carbohydrates may be helpful for children with autism and may help reduce seizures. With a ketogenic diet, most of the daily nutrition comes from eating fat and protein. The Atkins diet is a type of ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diets have been reported to be helpful for children with epilepsy. While on the diet, some children have fewer seizures. Some children with autism also have seizures, so the diet may be helpful for children with autism as well. Neurologists are exploring whether a ketogenic diet may also be helpful for other autism symptoms. However, there were no published studies reported in the article about this diet and autism. There have been side-effects reported, and some can be long-lasting. Side effects include slower growth, digestive system problems, kidney stones, bone fractures, and other problems.