Adults With Autism Can Make Leaps Too!
By Kim Rossi
Hi, friends. Every so often I provide a glimpse into my family. And there was that book. Anyway, yesterday the neatest thing happened here. My oldest of three girls with autism is Mia. She is 22 years old. If you met her, you'd call her pretty severely affected. She is in a day program. Speaks minimally to make her needs known. Needs help with skills and activities of daily living.
My mornings are hectic. Bella goes to high school at 7:00am. Gianna goes to her post-grad school program at 8:00am. Mia goes to her day program at 8:20am. They all wake up before 5:00am.
Joy.
Mia showers in the morning, then she puts on a magenta T shirt and blue jeans. Daily. Every day. 365 days a year. Pink shirt. Blue pants. End of story. You know what I mean, right?
Yesterday, I went upstairs to find the shower turned on, Mia standing ready to hop in, with ZERO prompting.
Insert blinky face emoji here.
I helped her shower and then dry off her body.
"Hmmmm," I thought to myself. "This is new independence. Let's push it."
I helped her put on her bra, and then left all of her clothes on her bed. Two pair of pants and two shirts. Choices. And I left without saying a word.
A few moments later, Mia came downstairs fully dressed. Zipper zipped. Button buttoned. Shirt on facing correctly. (Insert fainting emoji here.) Sandals on her feet.
DONE. DRESSED. BOOM!
We're on a new protocol. It's very simple. OTC items you can get at most stores. Nothing medicinal. Working on the gut.
I won't tell you the name because the haters will go into attack mode. God forbid our kids make progress, right?
Mia is a gorgeous 22 year old woman. She got herself dressed without prompting today.
Tomorrow, I'll demand even more.
Keep the faith.
KIM
Also they would inject hydrogen peroxide in 1918 for the Spanish Flu which was the only thing that saved the deathly ill patients. Interestingly, to this day IV hydrogen peroxide therapy is used for flu and cancer.
Posted by: Patrick | September 05, 2017 at 10:30 AM
I have a weird one that I love to use for everything. It's hydrogen peroxide. From cleaning food and ears to gargling. There is even a video on you tube of a doctor that used it to cure his lung cancer. Oh, also people use it to detox. Good Stuff!
Posted by: Patrick | September 05, 2017 at 09:59 AM
Some one dressing themselves really does help.
Congrats on this step forward.
Posted by: Benedetta | September 04, 2017 at 10:28 PM
Someone, well done to your daughter, as well as Mia. As an adult with ME (adult autism) my arms ache if I don't get my ponytail right first time! Also, brushing teeth can result in the same problem on a bad day. Now I'm back to gut problems after years of stability, due to taking DMSA and ALA to remove mercury. Catch 22.
Posted by: Grace Green | September 03, 2017 at 08:30 AM
I am so happy for you and for Mia. She is learning how to take care of herself, which is a difficult thing to teach our children on the spectrum. Mia's success encouraged me to let my daughter try to put her hair back in a ponytail, which is the way she prefers to wear her hair. She got better by the second attempt, learning that you have to pull the hair through the elastic rather than put your entire hand and wrist through the elastic to pull your hair through it. I think she felt better about herself once she succeeded, even if it will take further attempts to perfect.
So many coordinated hand movements are needed to get dressed and groom oneself.
Posted by: Someone | September 02, 2017 at 09:14 PM
Kim, please post the OTC protocol you use for your daughters. I have a 17 year old and we have eliminated dairy and it has really helped. I can't afford to take him to alternative providers; I spent thousands when he was little as my insurance (i work for a world class northeastern hospital, hahaha) didn't cover anything, including speech therapy!
Please share your info as I know others need direction on healing the gut, as I do.
Thanks!
Posted by: Vicki | September 02, 2017 at 04:01 PM
I forgot to add my dietary restrictions:
Dairy-free
Mostly gluten-free (used to be completely gluten-free, but I'm happy to report that no longer seems to be necessary)
Posted by: Lisa | September 02, 2017 at 11:55 AM
Hi Kim.
I'm so happy for you and your daughter. I wish you continued success!
But.... please, please share the secrets of your success! Don't let the haters deter you in the least. I am reminded of a line repeated in John Steinbeck's East of Eden, "Thou mayst conquer over sin." Together, we can beat back the haters. Together, we can uncover and spread the TRUTH.
So, please everyone, share.
I will start.
I have Interstitial Cystitis and Hashimoto's (autoimmune) thyroid disease, two conditions that are found to be more common in families with schizophrenia and autism than in the average family. (My brother has schizophrenia.) I believe these conditions are related.
I have successfully managed both conditions -- no longer any bladder pain at all on a typical day; Hashimoto's is in remission -- with the following regimen:
90 mg daily of Erfa Armour Thyroid, purchased through Canada Drugs. Erfa contains the original formulation of Armour Thyroid, a natural dessicated thyroid medicine that was altered in the U.S. and no longer works very well, if at all, for a lot of people. Erfa Armour is now by far the best thyroid medicine in the world but currently is only available in the U.S. through Canada Drugs. My doctor writes me a script and faxes it to Canada Drugs. They mail me my medicine.
Candida Cleanse, available on Amazon - two capsules daily
Thyroid Support, available on Amazon - two capsules daily
NAC sustained release, available on Amazon - 600 mg daily
4 mg low-dose Naltrexone - taken daily at 5 pm (if taken as recommended before bedtime it keeps me awake). Prescribed by a functional medicine doctor -- but could be prescribed by your pediatrician or family doctor. Obtained through a compounding pharmacy.
1,000 units daily of Vitamin C - gummy bears
1,000 units daily of Vitamin D - gummy bears
I have experimented with a lot of different regimens over the years. It is my belief that this regimen, including the thyroid medicine, which increases heart rate and body temperature, and helps the body produce infection-fighting antibodies, could potentially work well for a lot of people who have diseases within the "cluster" (i.e. autoimmune, schizophrenia, autism)
If this information helps even one person, I am happy.
Posted by: Lisa | September 02, 2017 at 11:50 AM
That's so great for Mia. Going after the yeast, parasites and fungal issues is key. It makes such a huge difference as the GI/brain connection is real no matter what the neurodiverse/pro- vaccine crazy parents claim.
I also commend you Kim for not dumping your kids into residential at a young age and just continuing on into adulthood. It's the name of the game in Mass. and parents actually advocate to place their kids in residential at a very young age (whether they need it or not) as it is easier to just continue in group homes if the kids are already placed by the time they reach 22. It's sad actually. I see so many really regress once in the nightmare group homes and even abused. I know it's hard and eventually our kids will have to live elsewhere but these places will not follow any kind of protocol for GI, chelation and so on so the kids are really just dumped and forgotten in terms of biomed progress.
Posted by: YNM | September 02, 2017 at 10:50 AM
"God forbid our kids make progress, right?"
THEY CAN!! and THEY DO!! Well done Mia.
.....and Kim, keep "Working on the gut" , by now Mia's body will tell her (and you) what helps her. I can quite understand why you want to avoid the 'haters' going into 'attack mode', the paid pharma trolls simply DON'T want parents to ameliorate their children's pain with simple dietary adjustments. Instead they see autism as a 'cash cow', generating sales of expensive 'chemical coshes' turning our children into zombies.
The gluten & casein free diet made a huge difference to my grandson after he was prescribed this when a child. We also avoided food additives, in particular monosodium glutamate and some other chemical food dyes and preservatives. These days the GF/CF diet is quite fashionable and easily available in 'free from' shelves in supermarkets. We were strict at first, but now my grandson is a grown man and eats whatever he likes. If he makes a mistake he is the one who suffers. His favourite is Italian 'Spaghetti Bolognese'. I make it from scratch with lean mince and lots of vegetables. We no longer rely on gluten free pasta but have found good quality Italian pasta made from Durum wheat, does not upset my grandson. I suspect this might be Mia's favourite too Kim-am I right?
Psychiatrists have made an entire 'industry' out of targeting autism as a mental rather than neurological condition, but treating autistic children as 'mental cases' can be hugely damaging. Parents, do whatever you can to boost your child's self esteem. If you suspect your child is being bullied or abused at school, be a nuisance!! - visit the school and insist they protect you child. That's their job when they are in 'locum parentis'.
Meantime-parents of autistic children and children. Bless you all.
Posted by: Jenny Allan | September 02, 2017 at 02:20 AM
Kim: Thank you and bless you. and Mia. You and she made my, and many other's day. When you said "magenta" it reminded me of this beautiful flower which grows all over California, from the mountains to the sea, blooms all summer, and which I have been seeing on my weekly hikes. Usually scarlet, it is sometimes magenta:
lespilitus.com/nature-of-Californis/plants/433-mimulus
Posted by: Gary Ogden | September 02, 2017 at 12:23 AM
I am glad Kim's severely impacted daughter has made some improvement. Just hope all moderate to severe autistic can do the same. I had a lower functioning friend once and she never went beyond a 5 or six grade level and goes to a boring day program even though she could work (barely). Day programs are a damn bore for high functioning and even some higher moderates like myself. We as the high functioning and higher moderates want part time jobs to feel self worthy and to make a few hundred extra dollar to buy nice fast food and video games that an SSI or SSDI check cannot buy. I do not care if I am paid a few bucks below minimum wage as long as it is at least 100$ a week. or so. I have to save some money for a few months to buy cheap clothes or a new mediocre cell phone from my SSDI check and do that few times a year. We need part time jobs now! But remember the lower moderate can only function maybe at a sheltered work shops that are cut buy both conservative and their greedy budgets and liberal PC lobbying and the related neuro diversity nonsense. The severe like Mia are to low to even be useful at a sheltered workshop so a day program of medically trained staff with behavior certification should be made more fun for that population.
Posted by: Willie | September 01, 2017 at 09:26 PM
Fantastic Kim!!!
Posted by: Maria Durci | September 01, 2017 at 09:16 PM
SO awesome, Kim and Mia! I am thrilled to see this!!
Posted by: Teresa Conrick | September 01, 2017 at 05:28 PM
@Cherry -
I see what Dr. Haley (whom I respect enormously) means when he talks about the incredible barriers faced by children, adolescents, and adults with severe autism.
But that's why we need more research into what is happening with severe autism. There is actually very little current research on this - so often those with severe disabilities - not just autism - are dismissed as impossible to help. I really do believe that anyone can improve...although maybe not everyone can be fully cured with what we know now. But I do know it won't happen unless we try and we advocate. With will, and with research, and with time, really there's so much that CAN be done. Healing, growth, and learning are all exponential. The more healing that happens, the more healing CAN happen.
I think it's possible to believe that and still work with what is.
Posted by: Aimee Doyle | September 01, 2017 at 05:22 PM
I'm glad you've made improvements. The reason I support some of neurodiversity though is because most employers don't tolerate employees who are socially off to them. It gives them the uncanny valley feeling and makes them uncomfortable. As a result, autistic adults get fired. None of the insurance changes protect autistic adults because they pay for child services and not adult services.
Autistic adults can't move to certain foreign countries anymore because society sees them as expensive despite not giving them any services or treatments. The US has also made it much harder for people to get SSI. There are no services or treatments for autistic adults available to most people and society actively blocks autistic adults for not having the necessary social skills.
They basically tell autistic adults that they are adults and should help themselves but then fire them because of their uncanny valley feeling. If they wanted autistic adults to treat themselves, they shouldn't fire them so easily. I've known for years that the reality was this way. I've read countless stories of it happening to autistic adults who had to be NEETs in their 40s or even 50s because of it. It's like neurotypicals are being illogical. The only answer is to make employers and society tolerate autism, otherwise autistic adults are blocked from helping themselves. There's no job security with autism so many people get discouraged and don't try.
Posted by: AspieAdult | September 01, 2017 at 04:36 PM
Terrific how you raised the bar so that Mia can show you what she is capable of! Always great to hear encouraging news and this spurs all of us on to do the same.
Posted by: nocposts | September 01, 2017 at 03:02 PM
Please do tell the protocol!
Posted by: Nancy | September 01, 2017 at 02:30 PM
Woop woop ,positive expectations ,a big makaton style hug and a cuddle, great stuff!
Posted by: Morag | September 01, 2017 at 02:25 PM
Those moments are golden! So happy for you and proves what we all know, our kids and young adults are sick and we can never give up on the knowing that there's something(s) out there that can heal them and greatly improve their quality of life. Hope springs eternal despite all odds! And f--k the neuro diverse insanity!
Posted by: Sherri | September 01, 2017 at 02:13 PM
Kim, This is a lovely simple story with the perfect photograph. Im with Aimee Doyle- change and improvement over time is in the nature of autism. It was only medical propaganda that spread the concept that autism is something fixed. . Well, to correct this idea a bit- Dr. Boyd E. Haley - feels that in the severe cases in which there is too much oxidative stress and free radicals, the human body is unable to overcome the odds created by vaccine damage.
Posted by: cherry Misra | September 01, 2017 at 01:38 PM
Yay, Mia! Love to hear about such successes!
Posted by: Jeannette Bishop | September 01, 2017 at 10:56 AM
Hi Kim, Congrats to you and Mia! Being able to get dressed by yourself makes a huge difference.
Yes!
Hope the leaps keep coming.And eventually, if they keep happening,..could you let slip the name of the supplements?
( What has worked to help with health for different family members at different times with us; magnesium, treating celaics with the GF diet, probiotics, just now looking at selenium and Q10. )
Have been discovering that even our farm animals need trace minerals and vitamins; thiamine and selenium deficiency in sheep and goats can lead to all kinds of problems. So can too much selenium, so like everything, it depends on the individual situation as to what is needed, but the right supplement can make a huge difference. My oldest sheep has made a huge recovery after starting on thiamine.)
Just wanted to also let you know how much I admire your warrior spirit in tough times and willingness to keep finding out what works for your girls. Way to go!
Posted by: Hera | September 01, 2017 at 10:51 AM
Awesome!
Posted by: Heidi Roger | September 01, 2017 at 10:49 AM
I am in tears.
Posted by: Granny Blue | September 01, 2017 at 10:45 AM
Wow just Wow! That is 10 baby steps all at once!
Posted by: Debbie Winkler | September 01, 2017 at 10:28 AM
Great news Kim! So happy for Mia - she must be very proud too.
I profoundly believe in the plasticity of the brain and the potential for lifelong learning and growth.
I believe in the possibility of recovery from brain damage at any age. That's why I'm so committed to the idea of research on adolescents and adults with autism -research that could result in effective treatments and therapies and progress (!) well beyond the "early intervention window." And I think it's like a snowball rolling downhill - the more one learns,the more one CAN learn.
Posted by: Aimee Doyle | September 01, 2017 at 10:18 AM
Keep the faith for sure! One day at a time! 😊
Posted by: Jessica Weissberg | September 01, 2017 at 09:50 AM
Inspiring and wonderful news, Kim!
May all of our children continue to make progress at every age :)
Posted by: Laura Hayes | September 01, 2017 at 09:47 AM
LOVED reading this!! Congrats. So happy for you! Our kids can do so much sometimes we have to step back a little; thank you for reminding us:)
Push forward!!! Blessings to you all. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Posted by: kathi | September 01, 2017 at 09:47 AM
Kim
This is wonderful for Mia, for you and your family. It also expresses the reality that autism is not about neuro-diversity (a phoney marketing concept): it takes another kind of heroism.
John
Posted by: John Stone | September 01, 2017 at 09:42 AM
Wonderful, beautiful, happy tears. Go, Mia! Go, mama!
xo, Cat
Posted by: Cathy Jameson | September 01, 2017 at 09:31 AM
Great news Kim! Congratulations to Mia on getting herself dressed and ready to go. Onward and upward!
Posted by: Gayle | September 01, 2017 at 09:07 AM
Delighted Kim well done! Always great to see them make improvements.I hope you get some more or just keep what you`ve gained.
Pharma for Prison
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | September 01, 2017 at 08:23 AM
how wonderful!
Posted by: sabelmouse | September 01, 2017 at 08:08 AM
Oh, Kim, this makes me so very happy!! Thank you for sharing this hope and encouragement. Way to go, Mia!!!
Posted by: Sunny Polito | September 01, 2017 at 07:57 AM