Best of A of A: Autism Recovery Story
This and other stories of recovery can be found on the Testimonials page at Generation Rescue.
By Kelli, Warrior Mother to Evan
My son was diagnosed with ASD in July 2006 at the age of 4. He had always been called “quirky” by his pre-school teachers, but I knew in my heart that there was much more to his tantrums, speech delay, behaviors and massive gut issues than was being addressed.
So, the official diagnosis came of no real surprise. However, hearing the word “autism” sent a jolt through my soul that empowered me to get busy doing everything and anything I could to help my sweet, darling boy.
Immediately, we began with the traditional modalities: ABA, speech and occupational therapy. Slowly, I began to engulf myself in research. Thank Heaven for the internet! I enrolled him in a social skills group at the local University, a swim therapy group with his ST and OT; I started my own social skills program for other families with ASD children; but he was still struggling for control of himself.
So, I began reading about the integrative approach and the DAN! protocol. I just knew that this was our answer. I found an integrative pediatrician to supervise my GF/CF diet. We immediately began a mutli-vitamin, probiotic, L-Carnosine and DHA. Within three months, it was like I had a totally different child. He could have a conversation! He began to engage others in play rather than just parallel play. He was not fixated on certain toys. (His happened to be Thomas the Train). He became potty trained and was having more normal BM’s.
The true testament to my son’s recovery was my husband’s return from a four month military deployment. I began the diet and intervention when my husband left. When we picked my husband up at the airport, he tearfully shared, “I finally have my little boy”. It was the most dramatic thing he’d ever seen.
Prior to his witnessing it, he didn’t really believe that it would work, but he stands by the diet and supplements as the tools that turned our son around.
My son no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for autism; and we are ecstatic to share our story through our support group (and everywhere else) of our success. I diligently seek to help others initiate their GF/CF programs, eliminate toxins from their diet, as this is a massive undertaking; but it is SO worth the effort.
And so to my beautiful and special son, Evan, I say—shine on my love, shine on!
Kelli
Mother of Evan, age 6
Previously diagnosed with Autism
Hi, Kelli!
Your Story is really encouraging!
Im a mom of an autistic child. Im still struggling for my son to be recovered. I live in Indonesia in which autism exposure is so limited. So by this chance I'd like to know more about the medication given to your son.
My son has been undergoing ABA and OT therapies. He also take biomed by consuming NEW BEGGININGS supplements.
what biomed ever taken by your son? can we share about this?
Please reply me. Send me emails. Im looking 4wrd 2 hearing from u soon.
Thnx,
DWI
Posted by: Dwi Sulihati | August 02, 2009 at 09:27 AM
Hi, Lisa. Our readership is growing every day, and so we're reprinting these success stories so that they continue to spread the word to newcomers that recovery is possible. I hope you've had a chance to read Mother Warriors for wonderful stories of success.
Merry Christmas.
Kim
Posted by: Stagmom | December 24, 2008 at 02:47 PM
While I do appreciate these stories, I have already read them all on GR ages ago.
Where are the new stories? Sometimes it seems parents on the Yahoo groups are afraid to report good news for fear of being seen as 'braggers'.
Those of us in the trenches--we need new/current hope!
Posted by: Lisa Jamm | December 24, 2008 at 02:44 PM
My son was diagnosed with autism at age 4. Later that diagnosis was changed to Asperger's Syndrome.
He has had massive interventions. He had two therapy sessions per week with a psychotherapist trained in ASD's until age 8.
At first, I was not sure I was seeing any help from this source. In second grade he was suspended for attacking teachers. His main teacher gave up on him and let him sit at the computer playing educational video games, because she could not get him to involve himself with the class. A psych eval showed dangerous borderline psychotic violent ideation. He spoke of blowing up teachers, electrocuting classmates, putting after school counselors in a meat grinder. I thought I was raising another Columbine kid.
Then he was put in a gifted special education class, where the teachers had prior experience with similar kids. That class included 2 more sessions per week (getting him up to 4 sessions per week), an individual and a group, plus low-key, reward-oriented behavior modification, plus the ability to accelerate in his preferred topics, especially math. Being allowed to excel engaged him, by helping him feel valued and catered to. He began to enjoy school for the first time.
I was just so fortunate that my county offered an out-of-district gifted special ed program. A lot of districts don't have this.
Also, my religious group was very supportive in our Sunday School -- and he attended weekend religious youth retreats at our religious group's rural retreat center. Especially the latter offered him substantial socialization opportunities that were not available in our local community, where other parents and kids were very intolerant of my son's eccentricities -- especially obsession with trivia regarding video and role-playing games.
Now my son is a sensitive, responsible, connected young man of 18, who is taking some mainstream AP classes and is expected to go to college next year. He was at a pre-college mini-course at an Ivy League college last summer and the professor said that he felt my son was indistinguishable from the other students -- surprise!
Now I just have to worry about me. I went down to working part time -- after having a succesful corporate career -- to try to be more supportive of my family. Then my husband dumped me. Now I have lost over a million dollars in income and am facing trying to re-enter the job market after the economy has tanked.
Posted by: Anne B | December 21, 2008 at 02:36 PM
You and your son are a beacon of hope for everyone. Your commitment is amazing and it sounds like your instincts drove you every step of the way. I know that industry hates these stories, which makes me love them all the more!!! Tell everyone who will listen. Happy Holidays.
Posted by: Gatogorra | December 21, 2008 at 07:06 AM
Keep 'em coming...we need the encouragement esp this time of year.
Posted by: Cathy | December 20, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Wow Kelly, What a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing. There is nothing better than hearing of a recovery.
Posted by: Allison | December 20, 2008 at 12:18 PM