Obby.
that's me :)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
ASD GF/CF MSGAF WTF
Nothing makes you feel important like an acronym. (read: sarcasm)
I usually cringe at acronyms these days, because in the autism world an acronym usually masks yet another complex concept that I'll need to integrate into my existence.
Take the GF/CF MSGAF diet. That all means: gluten free/casein free, monosodium glutamate and aspartame free diet.
Here's the theory in the extremely simplified mE-version: gluten, casein, and msg all break down in the body into a protein that the autism brain misreads as morphine. (Aspartame is just evil and shouldn't be in anyone's diet.) Eliminating the offending foods from the diet will eventually detoxify the body and eliminate the addiction in the brain.
Rather than list the foods EJ cannot have on this diet (who has time for that?) I'll list what he can have:
meat
fruit
veggies
Considering EJ's diet consisted of only 7 foods prior to this, he is down to basically apples only.
Oh, and marshmallows.
I usually cringe at acronyms these days, because in the autism world an acronym usually masks yet another complex concept that I'll need to integrate into my existence.
Take the GF/CF MSGAF diet. That all means: gluten free/casein free, monosodium glutamate and aspartame free diet.
Here's the theory in the extremely simplified mE-version: gluten, casein, and msg all break down in the body into a protein that the autism brain misreads as morphine. (Aspartame is just evil and shouldn't be in anyone's diet.) Eliminating the offending foods from the diet will eventually detoxify the body and eliminate the addiction in the brain.
Rather than list the foods EJ cannot have on this diet (who has time for that?) I'll list what he can have:
meat
fruit
veggies
Considering EJ's diet consisted of only 7 foods prior to this, he is down to basically apples only.
Oh, and marshmallows.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Sound of Silence
It was quiet. Too quiet.
I ran to check on EJ. He's perfectly fine, watching his favorite Sesame DVD.
With the sound off.
Hmm. I watch this for a while, and some things start to click: he's pointing to the words that flash on the screen. He understands that the letters are forming words. He is trying to say the words (he has this DVD memorized).
He was having sensory overload, and wanted to concentrate.
Every little decision opens him up just a little more.
I ran to check on EJ. He's perfectly fine, watching his favorite Sesame DVD.
With the sound off.
Hmm. I watch this for a while, and some things start to click: he's pointing to the words that flash on the screen. He understands that the letters are forming words. He is trying to say the words (he has this DVD memorized).
He was having sensory overload, and wanted to concentrate.
Every little decision opens him up just a little more.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Tricky Fishy
At 3 am, I was awakened by a hauntingly familiar sound: EJ was awake.
It has been over 2 weeks of the dairy-free diet, and he's slept through every night. I was practically in tears when I said to my husband "I just don't understand. Maybe it's not the dairy at all."
"Something must have....." he froze. "Cheddar Goldfish. I checked his school snack today for chocolate, but forgot about the Cheddar Goldfish."
If I hadn't been delirious with tired, I might have done a happy dance. The diet is working!!
Up next: GF/CF. this stuff ain't for lightweights.
It has been over 2 weeks of the dairy-free diet, and he's slept through every night. I was practically in tears when I said to my husband "I just don't understand. Maybe it's not the dairy at all."
"Something must have....." he froze. "Cheddar Goldfish. I checked his school snack today for chocolate, but forgot about the Cheddar Goldfish."
If I hadn't been delirious with tired, I might have done a happy dance. The diet is working!!
Up next: GF/CF. this stuff ain't for lightweights.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Don't judge a book by its bureaucratically dysfunctional cover
If you are the parent of an autistic child in NJ, the good news is that the state has implemented a preschool program specifically for autistic children. The bad news is that it's implemented by the state.
It took 4 months before we finally had a meeting with the child study team. There were about 10 people in attendance (who are these people?) and at times I practically had to stand on the table in order to get a question answered. They didn't even let us see the classroom. I was hopeful when the director said "We want to get him in here as soon as possible"- but as soon as possible in state-speak turns out to mean 6 weeks. I walked out of there with serious bad-bellies. Is my son going to be preschooled at the DMV?
A week later we had the classroom visit.
We sat in the corner and watched these little miracle kids singing and talking about the weather, and it just made me well up with emotion. The classroom setup was great- 3 teachers and 3 kids (EJ would be number 4). The teachers seemed super nice and eager to help the kids to grow, not simply function. The teachers gave us tons of info on how they derive their curriculum and I feel confident that they would tailor Elijah's days to what would be best for him. I left feeling lifted and positive, and really looking forward to when EJ can finally start.
I love pleasant surprises :)
It took 4 months before we finally had a meeting with the child study team. There were about 10 people in attendance (who are these people?) and at times I practically had to stand on the table in order to get a question answered. They didn't even let us see the classroom. I was hopeful when the director said "We want to get him in here as soon as possible"- but as soon as possible in state-speak turns out to mean 6 weeks. I walked out of there with serious bad-bellies. Is my son going to be preschooled at the DMV?
A week later we had the classroom visit.
We sat in the corner and watched these little miracle kids singing and talking about the weather, and it just made me well up with emotion. The classroom setup was great- 3 teachers and 3 kids (EJ would be number 4). The teachers seemed super nice and eager to help the kids to grow, not simply function. The teachers gave us tons of info on how they derive their curriculum and I feel confident that they would tailor Elijah's days to what would be best for him. I left feeling lifted and positive, and really looking forward to when EJ can finally start.
I love pleasant surprises :)
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