Dr. Jerry Kartzinel will speak regularly on topics related to the care and management of autism for parents of children with autism.  You're invited by  Dr. Jerry to email mendingautism@gmail.com to sign up for this Wednesday night's (March 14, 2012) webinar on Managing The Stress of Autism which runs at 9PM Eastern, 6pm Pacific.

Dr Jerry Kartzinel is a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. He specializes in the recovery of neurodevelopmental, chronic neuro-inflammatory diseases, and hormonal dysfunctions. After receiving his medical degree at St Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his residency in pediatric medicine in the Air Force. Following Desert Storm, Dr Kartzinel practiced general pediatrics in private practice for 10 years until his fourth boy was diagnosed with Autism. A nationally recognized speaker and New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Kartzinel has presented medical interventions that work to improve the lives of his patients who suffer from many types of medical conditions that include: autism, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic constipation, chronic diarrhea, sleep cycle disruptions, and hormonal imbalances. He regularly teaches Continuing Medical Educations courses on children’s health issues to physicians and other health professionals. His clinical approach is to treat the whole patient by carefully obtaining a full and complete history and based on this history, obtaining very detailed laboratory evaluations. Individualized plans are implemented integrating the very latest medical interventions that include both traditional and complimentary medicine approaches.

Thank you to Christina Adams and Autism File Magazine for allowing us to share this article on Camel Milk and autism with  you.  Published bi-monthly, Autism File is available nationwide at Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and several other retail outlets, and by subscription.  For more information, visit www.autismfile.com .

Mother/Author’s Six-Year Camel Milk Quest Revealed

New Article Reports Significant Results for Autism, Diabetes and Machado-Joseph Treatment

Los Angeles, CA -- In an article published today, author Christina Adams reveals for the first time her secret six-year struggle to import raw camel milk from Israel to treat her son who was diagnosed with autism at the age of two.  Reporting that treatment with camel milk greatly improved her son’s autism symptoms, Ms. Adams, featured Autism File contributor and author of A Real Boy: A True Story of Autism, Early Intervention and Recovery (Berkley/Penguin), also points out scientifically documented information showing treatment potential for a range of diseases and conditions including diabetes, hepatitis, and food allergies. The article, appearing in the April/May issue of the Autism File magazine, breaks the news that camel milk is reportedly reversing symptoms in some patients with Machado-Joseph disease--a fatal inherited disorder with no previously known treatments.

In the article, Ms. Adams, a former NPR Day to Day commentator, explains the science behind the use of camel milk for treatment of various diseases.  She also shares her personal story of being a newly single mom who reached across the world via Skype and telephone to form a bond with two Israelis, one an esteemed Israeli-American scientist, the other a camel milk producer.  According to Ms. Adams, “They sent milk for my son, who showed remarkably better speech, attention and emotional connection the morning after drinking a half-cup of milk at bedtime.”  Adams also contacted California camel farmer Gil Riegler of Oasis Camel Dairy, as seen on “Dirty Jobs,” “Larry King Live” and “Bizarre Foods” (upcoming), who brought her frozen bottles of milk in suitcases from Israel after she introduced him to her Israeli contacts—one of whom turned out to live next door to Gil’s brother.

Ms. Adams will give the first known US public lectures on camel milk’s healing properties in May at Oasis’s first “camel dairy” seminar in California and at the Autism One conference in Chicago, in her new “Practical Magic” lecture series.  She is the first known person to get federal government permission to import camel milk for autism.  “My son has been drinking camel milk for the last five years, making him probably the longest continual user of camel milk for autism treatment,” said Ms. Adams.

You can read the full article at Got Camel Milk? Anecdotal Evidence Suggests It May Improve Autism Symptoms But Getting it From the Desert to Your Door Isn't Easy. Excerpt below:

Nomads in Algeria have long said, “Water is the soul, milk is the life.” They may be proved right
by emerging reports that camel milk, the drink of nomadic peoples from Mongolia to India, may have a healing effect on various diseases.

By Teri Arranga

An important movement has been initiated that holds great promise for the future of autism prevention and recovery. The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs (MAPS) has as its mission to “provide education and long-term support for practitioners, ensuring the quality and consistency of medical care for children with autism and related chronic conditions.”

Although much of the focus will be on autism, MAPS will deal with all things pediatric, including allergies, asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, immune dysfunction, and more.

Prolific author, researcher, and clinician Daniel A. Rossignol, MD, FAAFP, serves as president, and holistic, board certified pediatrician David Berger, MD, FAAP, serves as vice president. I interviewed Dr.

Berger, who has a superb track record of preventing autism and other chronic illnesses in his pediatric population, and I was excited and encouraged by what he told me of MAPS.

I first asked Dr. Berger why there was a need for MAPS. Dr. Berger began by telling me why MAPS is unique, exemplifying the need: “This is a program developed by physicians, organized by physicians, and taught by physicians for physicians. Clinicians will need to go through a series of requirements before obtaining the level of Fellowship.”

The MAPS curriculum will center on conferences that consist of two levels of training. MAPS will offer several levels of affiliation. Anyone who works with individuals on the autism spectrum can be a member of MAPS and attend MAPS conferences; however, only prescribing practitioners who can implement pharmacological strategies can move to the Candidate and then the Fellow levels of MAPS. The reason for this is that individuals with an autism diagnosis often have underlying conditions—what some people call “comorbid”—that may benefit greatly from some prescription medications.

Use your Hanukkah gelt or stocking stuffer cash for a trip that's sure to make Chicago "your kind of town." Autism One is a whirlwind of friendship, support, knowledge, partying (what, you think we're all business?) and energizes attendees to seek answers for loved ones throughout the year.

• 100+ SPEAKERS/PRESENTATIONS
• 20+ TRACKS
• 5 DAYS
• 3 KEYNOTES
• 5 FEATURED

How did you know that your child could be helped? Someone told you the truth. After a decade of AutismOne's service to you, your child, and your family, that is what the AutismOne/Generation Rescue 2012 Conference continues to do -- present you with the truth . . . the truth that leads to treatment. It's the dawn of a new decade for AutismOne. It's the dawn of a new era for your child.

This year's proceedings include Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine Dr. Luc Montagnier, best-selling author David Lender, and a major announcement we hope to make later this week. The conference registration fee has again been waived. There is a minimal processing/materials fee of $25, and those registering through February 15, 2012, will receive a coupon for three free digital lecture downloads from the 2011 video selection. There will be affordable childcare spots available to conference registrants on a first come, first served basis.

AutismOne is also pleased to announce the opportunity for you to make tax-deductible, year-end donations through our new donation button starting December 26, 2011. Please help us continue to help children and families far and wide through the many educational and advocacy initiatives of AutismOne, including the conference, Autism Science Digest, AutismOne Radio, and much more. Many thanks for your kind support. www.autismone.org.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

If you've met Dr. Amy at Autism One, you know she packs the house for her sessions.  Putting families first, she also offers free consultation and support online.  Since 2003, Dr. Amy, the mother of three, has worked with thousands of families of children with autism. She has earned a doctorate in molecular biology and immunology, and certifications in Alternative Medical and Holistic Health practice.  Visit DrAmyYasko.com to learn more about her practice.

Join Dr. Amy Yasko in the beautiful mountains of Maine for a Question & Answer session with Erin Griffin, SuperMom and moderator of our www.CH3nutrigenomics.com chat group. Watch via videochat as she answers your questions, handpicked by Erin from the Discussion Group forum.

All Q&A sessions will be archived and available for additional viewing after the premiere at www.DrAmyYasko.com/Resources/QandA

Answers will also be provided in written format and posted on the www.CH3nutrigenomics.com chat group for additional reference.

Please note that the Q&A Session will not replace Dr. Amy's Webisode Series every other Sunday at 8PM EST, but is an additional resource we provide towards your Pathway to Recovery.

We hope that you enjoy this new feature from Holistic Health International

The next airtime will be this Sunday, Dec. 18th at 2pm EST and will continue there after on the 1st Sunday of every month at 2PM EST.

Dr. Amy comments on questions posed by families using the Yasko Protocol in the Online Discussion Group.
Learn more about Dr. Amy.

The Nutrigenomic Test used in our program is based on Dr. Amy’s extensive research, and clinical experience—working with both children with autism, and adults with neurological ailments.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

By Deborah Merlin

Dr. Tinus Smits the founder of CEASE-therapy for autism, believes that:

 Autism is an accumulation of different causes:

• about 70% is due to vaccines
• 25% to toxic medication and substances
• 5% to some diseases

According to a study in the Archives of General Psychiatry, women who took Zoloft or other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were twice as likely to give birth to a child with autism spectrum disorder.

A review of medical records of more than 1,800 children, including 298 who have autism, found the risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder was about twice as high among women who took SSRIs in the year before giving birth.

Mothers who take Zoloft in late pregnancy can “pass along” side effects to their baby.   Side effects include:  persistent neonatal pulmonary hypertension, neonatal serotonin syndrome and a neonatal withdrawal syndrome. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems that occur in a newborn who had been exposed to drugs while in the mother’s womb.

Suicide, worsening of depression and mania (especially in undiagnosed bipolar disorder) are among the psychiatric serious Zoloft side effects. For example these two tragic cases were attributed to Zoloft. 

1.      Brynn Hartman, wife of comedian Phil Hartman, shot and killed her husband and herself while on Zoloft.

2.      Christopher Pittman at age twelve shot and killed his grandparents. He claims a voice inside his head told him to kill his grandparents on November 28, 2001.Christopher had recently started to take Zoloft to treat mild depression.

My personal experience with Zoloft:

When my twins were young, I was seeing a behavior specialist to assist me in how to deal with ADHD children. Although I was not clinically depressed she suggested that I try an antidepressant. She said it would help take the edge off the stress of raising ADHD-diagnosed twins. I was prescribed Zoloft. The one positive thing I had going on in my life was a happy marriage. Within three days of taking Zoloft, my sex drive disappeared, my emotions felt as though they were trapped in a cave inside my brain and I was numb and emotionally disconnected from my family. The medicine actually made me depressed. I stopped Zoloft after a month.

In experiencing adverse symptoms while taking Zoloft, it made me wonder how much damage SRRI’s are causing to a fetus’ developing brain. There are many safe effective alternative ways to treat depression. And we should start by addressing the root causes of depression.  Some of the most common reasons for depression are:

Hypothyroid (low thyroid):  When the thyroid gland is underactive, your metabolism slows down and you may suffer from depression along with many other health conditions. To learn more go to Hypothyroidism and Depression. 

Can’t make it to Los Angeles for the Yasko Protocol Conference this weekend? We are excited to announce that HHI will be live streaming two segments of the conference HERE..

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby  , the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

  The contest is CLOSED. Congrats to Casie L. and Heather C.! I've sent each of you an email. Kim

Our good friends from Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy and OurKidsASD are offering you a chance to try two popular and useful products for back to school for free in this latest contest.

THE CONTEST IS CLOSED.

Leave a comment to win a bottle of Kensho Nutritional Support (powder) for the hyperactive child and a jar of  GabaMag cream with NO formaldehyde releasing preservatives.  We'll have TWO winners. Good luck!

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Click here to see our friends at revitaPOP with a great deal on Groupon!

Recent studies show that using nutritional supplements can maximize workouts, allowing exercisers to run the 40-yard dash in only 20 yards. Garner your fitness efforts with today's Groupon from revitaPOP. Choose between the following options:

    * For $12, you get a one-month supply of revitaPOP, plus shipping and handling (up to a $39.99 value).
    * For $25, you get a three-month supply of revitaPOP, plus shipping and handling (up to an $88.98 value).

revitaPOP, lauded by VegNews in 2010, packages a bioavailable form of vitamin B12 into scrumptious lollipops to help patrons supplement their diets. The methylcobalamin, or mB12, inside each pop is a neurologically active, quick-acting form of the vitamin that travels through the tongue’s trigeminal nerve to reach all destinations in the body, including omniscient third eyes. The confection’s effects travel swiftly through the system, providing bodies with extra energy, potentially improving focus, and upping infection-beating ability. Organic, evaporated, and unrefined cane juice partners with delectable goji flavor to surround each lollipop’s 3.6 milligrams of nutritious cargo, allowing each vitalolly to clock in at only 5 grams of sugar. Each month’s supply comes packaged in a neat bag of 30 pops, safe to suck on daily for a rejuvenating lift, and can be safely bequeathed to kids to help boost their grades, mood, and spontaneous declarations of amalgamated career choices.

revitaPOP also supports communities with disabilities, employing and enabling workers operating with brain injuries, developmental disabilities, and autism, among others, to generate independence and self-sufficiency in their lives.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Holistic Health International is proud to host Dr. Amy Yasko’s conference in Los Angeles, CA- October 7-9, 2011. Our conference in Boston last summer was a resounding success for both newcomers and veterans of the protocol. This year we look forward to meeting again and have a great event planned in sunny Los Angeles this coming Columbus Day weekend. We invite you to join us for a weekend of learning, science, hope and recovery. For more details call 1-800-768-8744 or log onto www.HolisticHeal.com  We look forward to seeing everyone there!

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Holistic Health International is proud to host Dr. Amy Yasko’s conference in Los Angeles, CA- October 7-9, 2011. Our conference in Boston last summer was a resounding success for both newcomers and veterans of the protocol. This year we look forward to meeting again and have a great event planned in sunny Los Angeles this coming Columbus Day weekend. We invite you to join us for a weekend of learning, science, hope and recovery. For more details call 1-800-768-8744 or log onto www.HolisticHeal.com  We look forward to seeing everyone there!

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Get your 160-page August edition of Autism Science Digest -- the magazine that gives you the value of a book!  See what subscribers around the world are reading. Subscribe HERE.

The August issue's articles include:

• Cerebral folate deficiency in autism spectrum disorders
• Biofilm: A Cause of Chronic Gastrointestinal Issues in ASD
• Mitochondrial dysfunction and autism spectrum disorders
• Hope through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
• Current Trends in ADHD/ADD Treatment
• The Thyroid-Autism Connection
• And much more!

AutismOne brings you your favorite authors and information you can share with your family, friends, physicians, patients, coworkers, and colleagues but -- most of all -- your kids!

A one-year subscription is just $24.95 in the US/Canada and $45.00 USD around the world.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

By Kim Stagliano

THE CONTEST IS CLOSED. We'll alert the winners by email.

We have ten sets of two free tickets (one for you and a friend) to the AMAB conference in Cleveland, Ohio on Friday July 22 and Saturday July 23rd compliments of the conference organizers and our wonderful sponsor Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy. Leave a comment to enter. Winners announced on Monday.Go to www.asdboards.org to learn more.

I'll be speaking and signing books on Friday afternoon and would love to meet you!

Speakers include Raun Kaufman of Son Rise, Dr.Patrick Elliot, a surgeon with twin boys on the spectrum, Dr. Derrick Lonsdale, a pioneer in Defeat Autism Now! (and our daughter Mia's first physician for autism treatment) and many others. The therapy panel on Sunday includes top speech, OT and cranio-sacral experts from the area. Click HERE for the complete list of speakers.

Lunches and refreshments are included each day

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Countless families are rocked by the combination of autism and seizures.  More research is welcome indeed. What has been your experience with anti-epileptic drugs for your child's seizures? Click HERE to  read the full document.

Traditional and non-traditional treatments for autism spectrum disorder with seizures: an on-line survey. Richard E Frye Swapna Sreenivasula< James B Adams BMC Pediatrics 2011,37doi:10.1186/1471-2431-11-37

Abstract (provisional)

Background

Despite the high prevalence of seizure, epilepsy and abnormal electroencephalograms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is little information regarding the relative effectiveness of treatments for seizures in the ASD population. In order to determine the effectiveness of traditional and non-traditional treatments for improving seizures and influencing other clinical factor relevant to ASD, we developed a comprehensive on-line seizure survey.

Methods

Announcements (by email and websites) by ASD support groups asked parents of children with ASD to complete the on-line surveys. Survey responders choose one of two surveys to complete: a survey about treatments for individuals with ASD and clinical or subclinical seizures or abnormal electroencephalograms, or a control survey for individuals with ASD without clinical or subclinical seizures or abnormal electroencephalograms. Survey responders rated the perceived effect of traditional antiepileptic drug (AED), non-AED seizure treatments and non-traditional ASD treatments on seizures and other clinical factors (sleep, communication, behavior, attention and mood), and listed up to three treatment side effects.

  The "Your Healing Retreat" conference is this June 3-5 at the Kanuga Conference center in Henderson, NC.  

Carve out a few days for yourself and spend time with Elizabeth Mumper MD, Julie Buckley MD, FAAP, Maureen McDonnell RN, Nancy O'Hara MD and Stephanie Cave MD, MS, FAAFP, true leaders  of the autism treatment community. This is a unique conference designed with treating Mom and Dad to a gentle retreat that will also help your child.

Visit Your Healing Retreat today to learn more. 

Your Healing Retreat:
June 3rd – June 5th 2011
Sponsored by Hopewell Pharmacy and Compounding Center

By Maureen McDonnell RN

Parents Can’t Keep Going Without Hitting the “REFRESH” Button

Parents of children with autism are on a constant quest to discover all they can to improve the behavior, speech, cognitive function and general health of their children.  However in the midst of their ever-escalating activities and pursuits, they need to stop once in a while and take care of themselves. 

When I joined four of the top medical experts in the biomedical field (Drs Stephanie Cave, Liz Mumper, Nancy O’Hara and Julie Buckley)  for a weekend last year after Julie Buckley (a pediatrician and mother of a child with autism)  developed breast cancer, it wasn’t to compare power points or fill each other in on the latest research, it was to stop and acknowledge that with Julie’s diagnosis and surgery,  the early passing of Jo Pike and the general high level of stress and illness in the autism community,  something needed to shift.    

The concept that was born out of the five of us coming together for that weekend was not only our name (sisters in science, spirit and spunk), but a new model of education, hope and rejuvenation we call Your Healing Retreat.   Yes, all four of these docs (and I) realized that in addition to fulfilling our mutual  desire  to teach physicians and parents methods for improving the children’s health and behavior, we also  wanted to address the  very real needs of the caregivers.   

So, instead of doing what we had always done and renting a hotel where we would breathe re circulated air, eat processed food and ask every researcher and clinician we knew to present, we decided to do something more in alignment with our new vision.  We searched for a serene, resort-type setting and found such a place in North Carolina.  The Kanuga Conference Center has hiking trails, a beautiful lake, 100 year old cottages with fireplaces and to add some proverbial icing on the cake, we will be serving all local and organic food.   

Yes, there will be lectures on mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and GI distress as well as talks for parents and primary care providers on practical solutions for reversing and repairing these conditions.  But there will also be a lakeside wine reception,  massage, yoga and dance sessions in the morning,  whole food cooking classes,  workshops on toxin-free dentistry and ways to create a healthy home or office,  sessions on stress management, healing relationships and meditation as well as a chance to sample  low pressure hyperbarics.  

Will parents and clinicians who attend learn cutting edge treatment strategies to help their children heal?  Absolutely!  But in addition, those who come to the healing retreat will leave feeling rejuvenated by both new perspectives on, and practical tools for, achieving healthier more balanced lifestyles.   

Spring is a time of renewal and Your Healing Retreat is an opportunity to experience this new model for learning and healing….. Press that REFRESH button and register today!

Register at a discounted rate for the month of April at www.YourHealingRetreat.com

The sisters will not let finances get in the way of parents and clinicians attending.   Any questions call or email Maureen McDonnell, RN at MauraHealth@aol.com or call 609-240-1315 and we will assist you.

By Teresa Conrick

If you have a preteen or teen daughter(s) with autism - Please Read!

A group of parents who have daughters with an autism diagnosis are networking to form a group for researching the similar health issues our precious girls are having to endure.  We want to see the common patterns or differences so that we can gather data to help pinpoint valuable information.  A website for this has been developed, a treatment tracking system for autism called ChARMtracker (check it out at http://www.charmtracker.com). It is free to families and there are over 2,000 users worldwide now, all tracking histories, interventions, diets, medications, supplements etc. of their children. The pre-teen/teen girls would be done in a similar fashion but kept together as a group for data and specific age/sex similarities.  This is parent-driven and has no connections to any government or pharmaceutical companies.  We will be in communication with each other and the researchers as we journey.  This will not take the place of a doctor or a medical plan but will hopefully aid in determining any correlations in our girls thus, guide treatment planning.

As I had discussed with my own daughter, Megan, just recently (Autism Estrogen and Seizures)  about hormones and seizures, there seems to be some unique and challenging issues that may affect females diagnosed with autism.  We would like to explore these ideas by using innovative data-gathering and parental involvement.  What better way to the answers than looking at the affected children?

It is our hope that by systematic gathering of testing, data collection and a good source of researchers, we can find the missing answers to health issues that many of our daughters and loved ones suffer with so that treatments can be matched and health outcomes changed for the positive. As seizures seem to represent a very scary reality for our teen girls, we will also be reaching out to parents of girls injured by the Gardasil vaccine http://truthaboutgardasil.org/ to join us in our quest.  Please wish us luck as we start on this innovative and trailblazing journey.

Please email me if you are interested:

tconrick@gmail.com

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Check out this great promotional offer from our friends at OurKidsASD.

• $15 off your next order with promo code ourkids15
• Promo code can only be used once
• Promotion expires in one month (May 8th)

Vitamins, foods, supplements, books, OurKidsASD is a one stop shop for ALL the favorite brands you know and trust. Order today at OurKidsASD.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

Register HERE for Pieces of HOPE

A conference for those affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders 
April 2, 2011 8:30am - 5:00pm
Highland Colony Baptist Church, Ridgeland, MS 
NAA Mississippi

April 1, 2011- Meet & Greet, Meet the Author Night 5:30-8:00pm

Keynote Address:
Piece of Body, Piece of Mind, Piece of Hope - Autism, A Treatable Whole Body Disease
Speaker: Dr. Julie Buckley 
 
Working from Leo Kanner's initial description of autism, Dr. Julie Buckley will show how many behavioral manifestations of autism have their origins in metabolic and physiologic dysfunction. At the conclusion of this talk, attendees will have fundamental understanding of autism as a whole body physical illness which, when appropriately treated, results in improved behavioral, cognitive, and social functioning in the classroom and at home.

Keynote Address:
Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum
Speaker: Chantal Sicile-Kira 
 
To become as independent in adulthood as possible, teenagers of all different ability levels must learn self-care, appropriate behaviors, modesty and sexuality. Areas to be covered include: explaining about puberty and changing bodies, hygiene and self-care and how to problem-solve difficulties in teaching self-care routines, and what to do about masturbation. For safety reasons and in preparation for adulthood, all teenagers need to learn about relationship boundaries, and sexuality.

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.

By Judy Converse

How many kids do you know who would turn down a birthday cake? Few, if any.  But there are now millions of kids in the US who must, due to life threatening anaphylaxis from foods, dangerous food allergies, gluten intolerance, or a painful condition called eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) – all conditions that have risen dramatically in the last twenty-five years.[1]

How many moms do you know who would mow you down with a tractor if you suggested their kids reject a fake birthday cake? Apparently there are a lot of them, and I made them furious with a recent blog post on this topic.  In my pediatric nutrition practice, I’ve worked with kids with EE diagnoses. And, with kids who have severe food allergy, growth failure, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, gluten sensitivity, asthma, and autism - all conditions that usually involve inflammation of some sort.  These problems can overlap, when it comes to nutrition interventions. My own son, now 14, has jostled multiple food allergies and sensitivities since infancy. Still, I had never heard of the fake cake strategy.  For kids with EE who simply can’t eat food, a prop cake is a meaningful and important symbol.  A small niche has grown to serve these kids inedible cakes made of playdough or foam. These cakes are vehicles for candles, wishes, hopes, and dreams – but not ice cream, forks, or spoons.

So why the mom-rage? Because the last thing a parent wants is to be judged or criticized. Especially parents who are embroiled in difficult, frightening, expensive, and uncertain journeys with their children’s health, like EE. By saying that I thought kids with EE shouldn’t need play dough cakes, I tapped the anguish these parents juggle daily as they navigate life with little to no real food for their kids. The play-dough cake is the best they can do at birthday time, and the kids are grateful for it. Who am I to question, or suggest I might know something that the expert teams they consult did not? If they’ve seen the highest experts in the land and their children still have no prognosis of ever eating food, who am I to wonder aloud that this is wrong?

Has diet played a role in your treatment program?

The treatment category is sponsored by Lee Silsby, the leader in quality compounded medications for autism.