January 2010 - Issue #4
FREE e n O e Tak
Healthy Nutrition For Our Growing Super Heroes
What's Inside?
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Can diet changes help recover a child with autism?
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What is organic food?
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Recipe of the month
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Calendar of events
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And much more...
Call us to find out about our monthly packages for Hyperbaric Therapy 2
Inside This Issue... Autism Chatter Fragile X by Randy Green
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Articles
To add an event in our monthly calendar, please send the information with all the details to:
Can Diet Changes Help Recover a Child with Autism?
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autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com Subject: Calendar
Improving Brain Function with Foods
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What is Organic Food?
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BioMedical Q&A By Debbie Mellen Nurse Practioner
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Book Review
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Strange Son by Portia Iversen
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Events, support groups, activities and more
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For general information or advertisement opportunities, please call us at (954)584-3198 or email at autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com
Recipe of the Month GFCG Chicken Nuggets and Onion Rings
Luciana C Leo (786)306-4967 Sarah Sweeney (786)413-8017
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Autism Chatter By Randy Green Fragile X Syndrome
Fragile X syndrome is the most common inherited form of mental impairment and autism. It affects about one in 4,000 boys and one in 6,000 girls. Fragile X is a single gene disorder on the X chromosome that occurs in both males and females. Males are typically affected more severely than females. The disorder can be passed down through generations in a carrier status, with increasing chances of the gene expanding into the full disorder. A mother who is a carrier can pass it to a son or a daughter. A father who is a carrier can only pass it to a daughter. Approximately 1 in 250 females and 1 in 800 males are carriers. For between 2% and 6% of all children diagnosed with autism, the cause is the Fragile X gene mutation. Approximately one-third of all children diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome also have some degree of autism. Fragile X is associated with a wide spectrum of characteristics, which may or may not be seen in a given individual. PHYSICAL FEATURES Normal stature Broad forehead, large head Large, prominent ears Frequent ear infections Flexible joints Low muscle tone Soft, fleshy skin Flat feet Strabismus (crossed eyes) or refractive errors Chest indentation Mitral valve prolapse (benign heart condition) Seizures (in 10%) DEVELOPMENT Delays in meeting milestones (sitting, walking, talking, toilet training) Speech and language delays Wide spectrum of cognitive functioning ranging from learning disabilities to mild, moderate, or severe mental retardation Sensory integration and processing problems BEHAVIOR Sociable and loving personality Enjoyment of humor and fun High activity level Short attention span
Perseveration (repetition of phrases and activities) Impulsivity Stereotypic movements such as hand flapping, toe walking, spinning objects Hand biting Tantrums or unusually strong reactions to situations Sensory seeking behaviors such as overstuffing mouth, mouthing or chewing objects Fleeting eye contact Poor adaptation to changes in routine Resistance to being touched or held Sensitivity to touch, smells, and noises Shyness or anxiety around unfamiliar people
Genetic testing for Fragile X should be considered if your child exhibits these physical and/or behavioral characteristics, or if there are individuals in your family with a history of mental retardation or autism of unknown cause. Also if there are individuals over 50 years old who have tremors, balance disorders, or Parkinsonian-like findings without a diagnosis, they can be tested for a condition called FXTAS (fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome). FXTAS is caused by changes in the same gene that causes fragile X syndrome and has been primarily described in individuals over 50 with a premutation in the fragile X gene. For more information, contact: The South Florida Fragile X Clinic Mailman Center for Child Development 1611 NW 12th Ave., Room 5040 Miami, FL 33136 Medical Director: Deborah Barbouth M.D. Clinic Coordinator: Jessica Zoladz C.G.C. jzoladz@med.miami.edu Phone: (305) 243-6383 National Fragile X Foundation 800-688-8765 http://www.fragilex.org/ FRAXA Research Foundation 978-462-1866 http://www.fraxa.org/ Autism Chatter is the parent’s corner newsletter. This section is dedicated to families in order for them to express themselves. If you want to share a story or write about something, please send us an email at: autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com, subject: Autism Chatter.
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Can Diet Changes Help Recover a Child with Autism? By Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant their stories of healing. Since every child is unique, improvements will vary. It’s important to understand that these diets are customized food-focused strategies of nutritional intervention for autism. Going from not considering the impact of food intake (standard American diet) to giving specialized attention (nutrition centered diet) is the key to promoting systemic healing through autism diets. All autism diets involve the removal of problematic foods and substances, and the addition of easier to digest nutrient dense foods. Certain food substances, such as gluten (wheat) and casein (milk) are known to be problematic for many children with autism, and should be avoided – and other foods rich in healing nutrients are beneficial when added to children’s diets. Attention to these factors is intended to help balance biochemistry, affect systemic healing, and provide relief of autism symptoms.
Can Diet Changes Help Recover a Child with Autism? By Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant Parents of children with autism are learning that food choices can help their sons and daughters become healthier and reach their full potential. In addition to traditional behavioral therapy and other pharmaceutical treatments, pediatricians, researchers, and nutritionists increasingly recommend that parents implement autism diets, autism-specific nutrition, and specialized supplementation.
For many children with autism, nutrient deficiencies, chemicals in foods, imbalanced biochemistry, and digestive problems can play a significant role in their physical conditions. Their physiological and behavioral symptoms may stem from, or be exacerbated by, impaired digestion and GI health. Altering food choices positively affects these processes and helps improve symptoms.
Event television's respected Dr. Oz recently said, "Some of the most promising treatments for autism come from changing the foods that the child is eating."The term “recovery” is best explained by organizations such as Autism Research Institute (founded 1967) and Generation Rescue. The word conveys the healing possibility for these children--to reach their potential of health and happiness. Actress Jenny McCarthy's analogy aptly explains, while you can’t be cured of getting hit by a bus, you can recover. Children have, and are, recovering from autism. Pursuing recovery is not about "curing" autism; it’s about believing in and taking action toward improved health and healing.
There are several diets that are used by parents, autism nutritionists and pediatricians. These diets include the Gluten-Free Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet, Low Oxalate Diet, Body Ecology Diet, Feingold Diet and Weston A. Price dietary principles.
Doctors now recognize that the bodies of children with autism are unique and require very specific care, including special enzymes for digestion, medical treatment for yeast infections and other common conditions found during testing, attention to digestive issues, special dietary requirements (autism diets), nutrient and fatty acid supplementation, behavioral therapy, and more.
Parents begin with simple steps: more fresh fruits, vegetables and grass-fed meats whenever possible. They read labels for ingredients and clean out their cupboards. They shop for organic foods in order to remove antibiotics, hormones, pesticides and PCBs from the dinner table. They naturally avoid pre-packaged, canned or frozen foods that contain preservative, additives, colors and artificial ingredients. They immediately decrease the amount of sugar they feed their children. The guidance of a qualified nutrition profession is always recommended. After the initial clean up steps are completed, parents embark on the implementation of an autism diet, which typically begins with removing gluten and casein—as implemented in the GFCF diet. Gluten is the protein found in wheat, rye, barley, commercial oats, kamut, and spelt. Casein is the protein found in dairy. The GFCF diet has become popular for autism and the general population, and there are many GFCF foods available in stores. Parents applying a GFCF diet cook from great recipes they find online and in autism diet friendly cookbooks.
When I began researching nutrition intervention for autism 10 years ago, 1 in 166 children had the disorder; in the early 1980s it was 1 in 10,000. Current government (CDC) statistics indicate that it’s now 1 in 91. General prognoses under traditional approaches are considered grim and offer little promise of improvement for these children, as many believe that autism is a life-long condition. But parents are not waiting for answers from a mainstream medical system that holds an antiquated perspective of their child’s condition. The outdated model sees autism as a “mysterious” psychiatric disorder that begins and ends in the brain—and reports that little can be done to impact its effects. Through the breakthrough work of the Autism Research Institute a more appropriate “whole body disorder” (the brain is affected by the biochemistry generated in the body) perspective of autism has emerged.
Autism Research Institute (ARI) surveyed thousands of parents and found that 69% of those applying the GFCF Diet saw improvement. For the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, 71% noted improvement. In recent autism diet research funded by Autism Speaks, 82% of parents reported “definite improvement” in their child's skills.
When seen as a whole body disorder, parents and physicians are more likely to identify the physical symptoms of autism that often get overlooked including diarrhea, constipation, bloating and GI pain, inflammation, and frequent infections. With this broader comprehension it becomes apparent that there is a great deal that can be done to address these challenges. Step one is to take charge of diet.
For the parent of a child with autism, the food that they choose to serve their children is vitally important to their healing. Autism diets are an important first step all parents should consider as they are creating a program for the improved health and well being of children.Julie Matthews is an internationally respected autism nutrition specialist and author of the award-winning book, “Nourishing Hope for Autism” and the creator of “Cooking to Heal: Autism Nutrition and Cooking Classes” (DVD). Julie provides diet and nutrition intervention guidance backed by scientific research and applied clinical experience. She presents at the leading autism conferences in the US and abroad. Visit www.NourishingHope.com
When parents correctly implement specific autism diets, improvements in gastrointestinal problems (including diarrhea and constipation), language, learning, focus, attention, eye contact, behavior, sleep difficulties, toilet training, and skin rashes/eczema have been observed. Parents around the world are beginning to share
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Researchers have studied food since ages, and it has always been a favorite topic. Lately, there has been a lot of momentum in determining whether certain healthy foods can help increase your memory and brain power or not. The concept of “Brain food” is not new, and there is ample research to show that some foods can indeed maximize your brain’s potential, make you more alert, enhance memory and prevent or alleviate brain disease. “Brain power” is characterized by how alert, energetic, and concentrated your brain is in response to a task. Food affects your brain power by affecting the production of neurotransmitters in your brain. The brain mainly uses carbohydrates for energy and omega-3 fatty acids to form its cell structure. B vitamins play an essential role in brain function. In combination with folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 help manufacture and release chemicals in the brain know as neurotransmitters. The nervous system relies on neurotransmitters to communicate messages within the brain, such as those that regulate mood, hunger, and sleep. In addition, foods rich in antioxidants nutrients, such as vitamin C and vitamin E and beta-carotene, help protect brain cells from free-radical damage. A balanced diet with protein, good fats and complex carbohydrates can balance the activity in the temporal lobes of the brain. Eating protein at every meal can help stabilize blood sugar levels, and help prevent the brain fog that sometimes happens after high carbohydrate or high sugar meals. The following lists would help you add foods to your child’s diet that will boost their memory and help with better brain food.
CRANBERRY - For memory and coordination They can protect brain cells from free-radical damage and the tartness in the fruit can enhance your child’s memory, balance and coordination. RAISIN BRAN - Prevent migraines and headaches Raisin bran provides carbohydrates, iron, B vitamins, folic acid, calcium and magnesium, which are all important nutrients for brain fuel, as well as health and vitality. In addition, magnesium is a mineral that helps relax blood vessels, preventing the constriction and dilation characteristic of migraine and tension headaches. KIDNEY BEANS - to improve cognitive function One cup of cooked kidney beans contains almost 19% of the RDV for the B-vitamin thiamin, which is critical for cognitive function because it is needed to synthesize choline. Kidney beans are rich in inositol, which again improves symptoms of depression and mood disorders. SWEET POTATOES, BEETROOT, CARROT - For nourishment of the brain. Tubers like sweet potatoes and beets are highly nourishing for the brain. They are rich in vitamin B6 as well as carbohydrates and antioxidant nutrients (vitamin C and betacarotene), which not only purify the blood, but also help increase brain power significantly. MUSSELS These and other shellfish, like clams are a good source of protein and iron. Getting your daily dose of iron is crucial for concentration. Iron deficiency has been linked to lower IQ. A protein rich lunch that is light in carbohydrates may help you r child stay focused in the afternoon
OMEGA -3 FATTY ACIDS - To improve brain activity These are a major component of the gray matter of the brain and can also improve brain activity. The fat in the brain is essential to proper nerve function, in nerve membranes and as a component of brain synapses. Flax seed, walnuts, olive oil, fish, tofu, beans and nuts are excellent source of these fats, and you should include at least 2% of your child’s daily calorie intake.
GREEN TEA Green tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia Sinensis plant. The super nutrient EGCG, a flavonoid in green tea, has been linked to enhancing learning and memory.
ANTIOXIDANTS - To boost memory Antioxidants in the diet can improve memory by decreasing free-radical damage. Food highest in antioxidants include fresh, colorful fruits and vegetables. The best antioxidants are found in berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries), spinach, brussel sprouts, plums, broccoli, beets, avocados, oranges, red bell peppers and cherries.
WATER Water is crucial for maintaining concentration. Even the mildest dehydration may affect your child’s ability to stay focused. A person should drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily in order to prevent dehydration. Remember that 85% of brain tissue is water. Dehydration can also cause energy generation in the brain to decrease.
SPINACH AND STRAWBERRIES - Prevent decrease in cognitive performance Spinach helps protect the brain from oxidative stress. Strawberryrich diets fed to animals have been shown to significantly protect the brain from the decline cognitive performance associated with aging. Both of these can increase your child’s learning capacity and motor skills.
HONEY The research carried out in 2007 on rats at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand shows that diets sweetened with honey may be beneficial in decreasing anxiety and improving memory. Honey may boost memory due to its antioxidant properties, which help to prevent free radicals damaging cells in the body. AVOCADO It is a great source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, which helps convert the energy we get from food into a form our cells can use.
EGG YOLK A healthy benefit of egg yolks is that it contribute “choline” to the diet, which is component of two fat-like molecules in the brain that are responsible for brain function and health.
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BioMedical Q&A By Debbie Mellen, Biomedical Practioner situation and is called auto immunity dysregulation. Food sensitivities treated can help reduce these symptoms and assist with behavior and learning. I frequently see grouped together problems like food sensitivities, yeast overgrowth, gut inflammation and damage to the GI tract. It is like a domino effect. Defective enzymes and intestinal permeability are found so we treat it. But there are chronic inflammation and auto immunity issues. Many times there is found a decrease in secretory IgA level (reduction in immune tolerance). When the IgA scores are low, there is often found an altered immunity consistent with the inflammatory response. The gut is now set up to grow yeast and other organisms that produce toxins. The body goes into a hyper-immune response. Now we have inhalant and chemical allergies or sensitivities surfacing. The immune system is now not working properly. Biomedically, we can try food allergy testing with a blood test. We will detect which foods have developed sensitivities. We then begin a dietary intervention which is very individualized. Most are taken off of casein and gluten. It takes a lot of patience and when the right combination of foods is found, the results can be dramatic. If you have not already done so, please eliminate sugars, junk foods and preservatives from the diet. As much as possible, eliminate toxins in food, water and environment. Replenish the body with probiotics and enzymes to give the intestines what it needs for optimal function. One example of an important enzyme is DPP4. It is responsible for digestion of opiate-like peptides contained in casein (milk protein) and gluten (cereal grain protein). Add vitamins, minerals and the essential fatty acids. To repair the gut options available to most are natural antivirals, antibacterials, antimicrobials, antifungals, and antioxidants. The hyperbaric oxygen chamber is really great for decreasing inflammation in the gut and in the brain. When there is a problem with the processes digestion, it can contribute to: immune function dysregulation, neuro-toxins, microbial imbalance, gut permeability, dysfunctional opiates and endorphins, gut inflammation, food sensitivities, allergies and more. Thankfully, we have been able now to connect the dots between food and behavior. Amazing things can happen with diet control.
Debbie Mellen ARNP is a nurse practitioner who blends traditional medicine with biomedical interventions. She is a biomedical practitioner at BodyMed Wellness Center in Davie, Fl. Dear Ms. Mellen, What is all this talk about “the diet” and autism? Why should I take my child off of milk and bread? These are things I grew up eating every day. Wheat and diary can cause a lot of problems for some people if they cannot digest it properly. The proteins found within the wheat (gluten) and dairy (casein) can turn into opiate compounds. This maldigestion of gluten/casein is possibly due to a lack of digestive enzymes. The gluten in wheat when eaten turns into gluteomorphin; likewise, the casein from dairy turns into casiomorphin. The gluteomorphin and the casiomorphin now pass into the blood stream and circulate throughout the body. When they travel into the brain, they settle on a receptor and make their home there. The receptor was not designed for the gluteomorphin or casiomorphin; it is designed for an opiate. This receptor is designed to work with chemicals or drugs like morphine to set into this receptor. So when the casein or gluten peptide sits on that receptor, it can cause serious neurological problems. The signs and symptoms of problems with casein or gluten when eaten by people who are sensitive to gluten and casein are: Foggy thinking, loss of pain sensation (hits self, bites self, bangs head) confusion and the child is content in his own world. Another biomedical problem related to food is food sensitivities (the inability to process a food). Food sensitivities can cause inflammation and gut injury. The inflammation adds to a problem with the intestine to ‘leak out’ food products that are not ready to move yet into the blood stream. Problems may show up in the behavior of our children that have food sensitivities. The behaviors that we see with food sensitivities are: Hyperactivity, restlessness, irritability, aggression, temper tantrums, depression, fatigue, being withdrawn, and physical symptoms like constipation, diarrhea, muscle aches, headaches, stomach pain and many more. (Rapp, 1991:195) What we end up with is a chronic inflammatory condition. Scientists and doctors have looked for evidence of inflammation in the brain and have found neuroinflammation in the brain of individuals on the autism spectrum. This is associated with an abnormal immune response to foods like corn, soy, gluten and many more. Food sensitivities can interfere with the immune response and “turn on” the immune system. The immune system becomes hyper-vigilant and attacks foreign bodies and healthy tissue too. This is a bad
Debbie Mellen Nurse Practitioner
Do any readers have any questions? Email at: autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com Subject Ask Ms. Mellen.
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Addressing Medical Issues for Children with Autism By Luciana C Leo We are finding that more and more children are being affected by autism than ever before. Each year we learn the numbers are higher. Currently the over-all numbers where we find a child on the autism spectrum is one of ninety one children; for boys it is higher, with one out of fifty eight on the autism spectrum. More and more children are being affected by this disorder, but what exactly is autism? The definition of autism is based on meeting certain criteria found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version 4 (DSM IV). Autism is considered a syndrome; meaning the affected person can have a group of symptoms that present at different levels of intensity for each individual. For example, repetitive movements, obsessive behaviors, high pain tolerance, lack of eye contact, delayed or no language development and head banging are just some of the symptoms that occur with children on the autism spectrum. Most people who have heard about autism are aware of the symptoms or behaviors just mentioned because these are expected behaviors with children on the spectrum, but what many people do not recognize is that the children have some other problems that are referred to as, “comorbid conditions”. These conditions are basically secondary disorders that present with the primary problem. For example, a person with hypertension can develop headaches and neck pain when the blood pressure is too high. The headaches and neck pain are considered to be the comorbid conditions. Children on the autism spectrum also present with many comorbid conditions happening simultaneously such as food allergies, sleeping problems, painful gastrointestinal issues, constipation, diarrhea, bacterial and viral infections, immune system dysfunctions, dermatological manifestations, lack of focus, aggression, poor concentration and more. Most of the time, these conditions are considered to be just part of autism because they present at the same time as the primary symptoms. Many practitioners share the idea that main problem for the children on the autism spectrum is really the “comorbid conditions”. Why? Because they are medical conditions, some of them are causing pain, and they need to be addressed. For example, if a child breaks his arm, it needs to be taken care of right away. Therefore, if a child with autism has gastrointestinal issued that are causing pain, they need to be taken care of right away too. Whenever these conditions are addressed, the behaviors can improve to one degree or another. Illness is an illness and needs to be treated. What is going on inside the bodies of the children with autism spectrum disorders and why do they have so many medical problems??? Well... We find that they have either an excess of something or a a deficiency of something. Excess conditions are finding things in the body that are not supposed to be in there; like
candida (yeast) or bacteria overgrowth, heavy metal toxicity or some chemical/metabolism imbalances. A deficiency would be that certain things that the body needs for optimal health is lacking, like enzymes or vitamins. Vitamins deficiency can be caused by a poor or imbalanced diet, mal absorption of the nutrients, or when the body is not able to break down or metabolize the nutrients properly. The goal in treating children with autism spectrum disorder is to balance their body by getting rid of the excess and replenish the deficiencies. One of the major problems with the children concerns their gastrointestinal tract. Seventy percent of our immune system lies in our gastrointestinal system. That means that if the gut is not functioning correctly, the immune system will not function correctly either. If a child is not properly digesting food it is usually because they are deficient in enzymes. This improper breaking down of the food can “leak” through the gut wall and into the blood stream. Immediately the immune system will defend the body sends its soldiers in to action, creating a constant war in the gut between the defense of the body (soldiers) and the food (enemy). As a consequence, there is a lack of detoxification, virus, yeast and bacteria overgrow, and more and more allergies appear. Without the ability to get rid of the heavy metals out of the body, they start to build up ion the body causing more problems. Do you know that mercury inside the body likes to stick to the nerve’s coat (myelin) like a strong magnet? Due to this the body thinks it is under attack sending the soldier into action against that protective coat, and as a result the nerves are exposed and the brain-body communication is diminished. This is just one of the many severe medical problems that we find with children on the autism spectrum. It has been prove that by treating the children’s medical symptoms their quality of life improves and most of the characteristics that are associated with autism diminish. Every child has the right to receive medical treatment in order to achieve their optimal health. Many children in the autism spectrum do not have a voice, we have to learn to read their expressions and their body talk. Everything they do has a meaning for them. For example, the child that puts pressure on his tummy by laying against the coffee table or the sofa may be having stomach pain, or the child that puts pressure on his ears can have ear infection. Follow your parents instincts and pay attention to what your child’s body is telling you.
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Book Review STRANGE SON by Portia Iversen Portia Iversen, is the mother of an autistic child, who describes an extraordinarily promising new teaching method pioneered by another mother from halfway around the globe. Furthermore, Iversen recounts how their joint search for better treatment methods and a cure has prompted leading scientific experts to question fundamental beliefs about autism and to undertake new types of research.
about the solar system and then asked him to give the definition of a galaxy. “C’mon! Show, show, show!” she commanded, prodding his knee with her thumb as she urged him on. Slowly, he spelled out “group of stars” – this from a nine-year-old boy who did not seem to know his colors, numbers, the alphabet, or how to spell his own name. Iversen was dumbfounded. “I could barely begin to comprehend what this meant,” she writes. “It meant that Dov was intelligent – far more intelligent than we’d dared to hope or than he’d ever been able to show us. It meant that he was not retarded. It meant that he’d been in there . . . all these years. I could barely keep from crying. The world can be changed forever in a day. Yesterday, my world as I knew it was destroyed. And on this day, an entirely new world was born. Everything I thought I knew about Dov, about learning and intelligence, about language and speech, about development and behavior, about thinking and being, was turned upside down.” The next day, Iversen and her husband watched in tears as Soma read to Dov about the meaning of the Jewish New Year. “What did you feel when you went to Temple?,” Soma asked. “Close to God,” Dov answered letter by letter. And then: “I hope this new year is a call for all like me to find some hope.”
After her son Dov was diagnosed with severe autism at the age of two, Iversen and her husband consulted every source on the subject they could find, and tried virtually every treatment available. They put their careers on hold – she as an Emmy Award-winning art director and sitcom writer, he as a movie producer – and struggled to maintain a normal family life for their two other children. They became dedicated autism activists and established the Cure Autism Now Foundation (CAN; cureautismnow.org), which quickly grew into one of the world’s largest private funding sources for autism research. Yet nothing brought about any substantial improvement in Dov’s condition. Then Iversen learned about a severely autistic boy from India named Tito Mukhopadhyay, who had an IQ of 185 and was an accomplished poet. His mother, Soma, had developed a revolutionary teaching method that allowed him to communicate by pointing at letters on an alphabet board, and later by typing on a laptop computer.
The miracles continued as Soma and Dov gave a demonstration at Dov’s school for autistic children. While Soma worked with Dov, his classmates seemed to pay no attention as they persisted with their usual flapping, rocking, running, and shrieking. But when the demonstration was over, the children ran to Soma one by one, sat down beside her, and began to answer her questions by pointing at letters as Dov had done. Now Iversen knew for certain that Tito and Dov were not the only two autistic people who could respond to Soma’s method – they were simply the first of many who could potentially be released from their inner prisons. Today, Soma and Tito live in Texas, where Soma has opened a private practice to help autistic children.
Iversen had to find out if Tito was a one-of-a-kind genius, or whether Soma’s technique could work for Dov and other severely autistic children as well. Perhaps they too had intact minds, despite their bizarre behavior and apparent lack of interest in communicating with others. Iversen set out to track Tito down in India, where he and Soma kept moving around because people were afraid of him. “If Tito was for real,” she writes, “his very existence meant that autism was not hopeless. Finding Tito was not optional. Finding Tito was a matter of life and death. Or perhaps I should say it was like being told that maybe, just maybe – you could bring someone back from the dead.”
Like Sylvia Nasar’s A Beautiful Mind, STRANGE SON is a profoundly touching story of human triumph that vividly portrays a mental state that is almost impossible to imagine from the outside. Blending the intertwined personal stories of Tito, Soma, Dov, and the Iversen family with news of cutting-edge autism research, it is a frontline dispatch from the deepest, darkest trenches of a secret world in the words of two boys who live there. An inspiring memoir of how two mothers from disparate parts of the world united in an untiring effort to communicate with their severely autistic boys, STRANGE SON offers badly needed hope and fresh knowledge for the families of autistic people.
CAN brought Tito and Soma to California, where Tito was put through a battery of rigorous tests whose results challenged the very definition of autism. Although autistic people had long been thought to have very limited language skills at best, Tito composed eloquent poetry and had a wry wit. Tito also raised the possibility that there were at least two different types of autistic people – not only those who preferred visual communication, who fit the standard definition, but those who were able to absorb information through hearing, like Tito. Iversen, who delved deeply into neuroscience, explains how Tito’s experience of a fragmented reality sheds new light not only on autism but on the workings of the normal human brain. Moreover, Tito’s poems, his articulate email exchanges with Iversen, and his insightful journal entries take readers on a fascinating and sometimes heartrending journey into the mind of an autistic person and what Tito himself calls “the rich experience of this strange life of mine.” Eventually Soma began working with Dov to see if her teaching method would be effective with him. After six weeks, she reported that there had been a major step forward, but Iversen remained skeptical. As it happened, Iversen went to see Soma and Dov work together on September 12, 2001. Soma read to Dov from a textbook
Focusing on all behavior issues and the autism spectrum
Aeleen B. Garrido-Tortorici MS LMHC P (954) 434-5784 - C (786) 251-9479 www.all4kidz.info
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Meetings Parent to Parent Miami (305) 271-9797 Registration required
IEP WORK GROUP Weekly on Fridays 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
TAKE THE LEAP
INDIVIDUAL WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT
Transition from Early Steps to Pre-K
Therapies
January 12, 2010
January 26, 2010
Project Stable Foundation
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Tuesdays and Saturdays
Horseback
(954) 680-8069
SEASONAL DANCES DJ Music, Dancing, Refreshments, Socializing and Fun Ages +18 EXERCISE PROGRAM Tree Tops Park (Davie) For ages 16 and up with developmental disabilities Monday 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free. The program is set to music and includes moderate to active head-to-toe movements. Exercises are performed standing, bending, and sitting on mats. Participants must be fairly independent and able to follow simple and basic instructions. Pre registration is required. For registration or further information, call Special Populations at 954-357-8170/8160
Friday, January 8, 7-10 p.m. Winter Wonderland Quiet Waters Park 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach, Shelter #10 954-360-1315 Friday, April 16, 7-10 p.m. Spring Fling Quiet Waters Park 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach, Shelter #10 954-360-1315 Friday, July 16, 7-10 p.m. Summer Social Tree Tops Park Pre registration required by Thursday, July 8, 2010 Call the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8160/8170. 3900 S.W. 100th Ave., Davie, Main Building 954-370-3750
BOWLING Strikers Family Sports Center (Sunrise) For adults with developmental disabilities. Tuesday 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. $5.50 includes two games and shoes. Participants will socialize and bowl two games to improve and maintain their bowling skills. Pre registration is required. For more information, call the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8170/8160
Join us for a nice evening!!! Network with parents, family members, professionals and other providers involved in the autism community. Friday, January 15 2010 From 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm 7450 Griffin Rd, Suite 250 Davie, Fl 33314
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PINS ‘N’ PALS YOUTH BOWLING Strikers Family Sports Center (Sunrise) For ages 8 to 21 with developmental disabilities Tuesday 4:30 to 6 p.m. $5.50 includes two games and shoes. There are two leagues -- one of ages 8 to 17 and the other for ages 18 to 21. Participants will socialize and bowl two games to improve and maintain their bowling skills. Participants should be fairly independent requiring minimal supervision, able to follow directions, and have independent bathroom skills. Family member(s) is (are) encouraged to attend or be readily available. The 16-week league ends December 15. Pre registration is required. For more information, call the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8170/8160
Recipe of the Month
By Sarah Sweeney
GFCF Chicken Nuggets with GFCF Onion Rings What is organic food? Onion Rings Ingredients
Organic food is food grown without pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.
Ÿ 2 medium to large onions Ÿ Potato starch, arrowroot, almond flour or other starch flour Ÿ 2 beaten eggs Ÿ 2 tablespoons of CF yogurt Ÿ 2 cups of finely crushed cassava bread or rice cereal Ÿ pinch of salt and pepper Ÿ canola or coconut oil for frying
The USDA has identified for three categories of labeling organic products: 100% Organic: Made with 100% ingredients
organic
Organic: Made with at least 95% organic ingredients
Chicken Nuggets Ingredients Ÿ 3 organic chicken breast (cooked) Ÿ ½ onion Ÿ 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise Ÿ 1 egg Ÿ 2 cups of finely crushed cassava bread Ÿ sat and pepper
Slice the onions into rounds. Push out the centers and save for another use. Add some of the starch you picked (start with 1/4 cup, you can always add more if needed) into a large ziploc bag. Take a handful of onion rings, put them into the bag with the potato starch and shake the bag to coat. (You can reuse this starch flour
Made With Organic Ingredients: Made with a minimum of 70% organic ingredients with strict restrictions on the remaining 30% including no GMOs (genetically modified organisms) Products with less than 70% organic ingredients may list organically produced ingredients on the side panel of the package, but may not make any organic claims on the front of the package. Top reasons to support organic food:
for more onion rings) Remove the onion rings from the potato starch bag, shaking off excess starch flour. Place the onion rings in a medium bowl with the beaten eggs and the CF yogurt, toss to coat well. Put some crushed cassava bread or rice cereal (about 1/3 cup) in a different ziploc bag and throw in a pinch of salt and pepper. Shake the bag to distribute. Take the egg-coated onion rings, shake off excess egg and quickly place into the bag with the crushed cassava bread or rice cereal. Shake to coat well. (Don't reuse the rice coating, toss it and add unused rice coating and another pinch of salt and pepper.) Remove the onion rings from the ziploc bag and place them in the fryer basket (or pot of hot oil). Cook in hot oil 5- 8 minutes or until golden brown. Drain and serve hot. Serves 4.
Reduce the Toxic Load: Keep Chemicals Out of the Air, Water, Soil and our Bodies Organic farmers work in harmony with nature Organic products meet stringent standards Organic food tastes great What to buy organic: Eggs, milk, poultry, meat (grass feed), potato, lettuce, spinach, peach, nectarines, apples, grapes, pears, strawberries, cherries, celery, peppers, baby foods, juices and corn.
1. Mix the onion, the mayo, the egg and the chicken breast and blended to make a thick paste. 2. Use your hands to give form of chicken nuggets to the prepared paste. 3. Prepare a bowl or a Ziploc bag with the crushed cassava bread, salt and pepper. 4. Toss the chicken nuggets in the bowl or bag with seasoned flour mix. 5. Fry in skillet with 1/2 - 1 inch oil. Turn to cook on all sides.
Other important aspect to consider: Remove: offending foods: by keeping a food diary and rotating foods you can identify the harmful foods and remove them. Remember to make one small change at a time. Remove artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, MSG, aspartame, corn syrup, high fructose, trans-fats, nitrites and sugars. Add: Enzymes, probiotics, supplements, omega, minerals and water. SPECIAL THANKS TO:
FOR SUPPORTING THE AUTISM COMMUNITY
Note: To make oven-baked chicken nuggets, spread 2 tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. Arrange coated chicken nuggets in a single layer. Bake in 375 F oven for 30 minutes.
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