by Amy Wright Bham

Where to start? Your child has just been diagnosed with autism. First, take a deep breath. You’ve been dealt a tremendous blow. You need time to let it sink in, and to grieve. But not long; your child needs your help, and he needs it now. So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get moving.

Education First

The first thing you need to do is educate yourself. Because you can’t battle what you don’t understand. Your physician is one source of information, but there’s so much more out there. If you’re like most people these days, you’ll head straight to the Internet. Autism.com and talkaboutcuringautism.com are good places to start. Attend conferences if possible, and find a support group if you can. Many parents of autistic children say other parents are their primary source of truly valuable information.

Once you’ve done the research, one thing should be undeniably obvious: autism is treatable and in some cases even curable. And you can help your child tremendously by implementing a well-conceived, comprehensive treatment plan to reduce biological stresses on their physical systems.

It sounds like a monumental task, and it’s not going to be easy. Particularly if your child has behavioral or nutritional issues. It’s no picnic getting a stubborn, non-verbal six year old to swallow a pill or change rigid eating habits. But what could possibly be more important than helping your child? So, take another deep breath and get to work.

Clean It Up

Start by cleaning up their diet. Children with autism have problematic digestive systems and need  special diets designed to address the problems. Most diets, like the Gluten Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet, are elimination diets which remove offending foods and combat intestinal microorganisms that hinder proper digestion and interfere with brain function.

ASD children are also very sensitive to chemicals. Unfortunately, we’re bombarded with chemicals every day. You can’t clean up the whole world, but you can clean up your home. Removing items like cleansers, dryer sheets, candles, and air fresheners is a good first step. Some parents stop their extermination services, or avoid chemical carpet cleaning. Basically, any time you can remove a chemical from your home, you should.

Some researchers believe autistic children are sensitive to “electrical pollution,” which is basically the result of too many electric currents and magnetic fields being emitted the electrical stuff we live around every day. Once again, you can’t shut down the power grid, but you can reduce electrical pollution in your home by removing things like baby monitors and portable phones.

Testing Time

Next, it’s time to get a clear picture as to what’s going on with your child internally. Does he have food allergies? Are heavy metals present? Are there issues with specific digestive enzymes? Obviously, you can’t pick up these tests at the drug store. Blood work, urine and stool analysis, and other tests need to be performed and reviewed by a medical professional experienced in biomedical treatment for autism.

Chances are your pediatrician won’t fall into this category. But you can easily locate a physician who works in this field, as well as labs and other resources, at www.autism.com/ari. Be aware the insurance may not pay for these tests, but, again, can you think of anything more important you need to spend your money on? Or even to use your credit card for?

The results of these tests are invaluable, as they will determine the treatment plan for your child going forward. Food allergies will impact the diet. Nutritional deficiencies will determine what supplements are needed. The presence of heavy metals, toxins, or viruses will drive additional treatment choices. The needs will be clear, the plan will be formed, and you can start healing your child.

The Importance of a Plan

In far too many cases, parents are given the diagnosis of autism, and then left standing there, with little idea about what to do next. Truth is, the mainstream medical community really isn’t sure what to do next, so they choose not to recommend. For a parent, this is pure torture. You want to be doing something to help your child.

These first few steps will give you the plan you need; the roadmap you so desperately want. It won’t be easy, and probably won’t be cheap. But with hard work, dedication, and the love of a parent determined to heal their child, it will get you and your child where you need to be.

The Parent Autism Mind Map

If you’re like most parents of an autistic child, second only to wanting a cure, you want a plan. You desperately want to help your child — you just need someone to tell you what to do. Unfortunately, the challenge of treating autism has the medical community stumped. Collectively, they haven’t agreed what to do, or what to recommend. So they tend to say almost nothing. And that leaves many parents feeling stressed, hopeless, and helpless.

But there is hope, and there is help. Truth is, autism can be treated, and in some cases cured. And the Autism  Parent  Plan Mind Map is  a plan; it’s a step-by-step guide parents need to design a comprehensive treatment plan to address many of the biologic stresses their children are experiencing and facilitate healing.

It’s not a simple plan, nor is it a complete plan. Because autism is not a simple condition, and treating it is not a simple process. But if you’re a parent or caregiver, there is nothing more important than helping your child. And you are up to the challenge. Click here to see the Autism Mind Map in graphic form. (you can also download a pdf version)

Mind MapStep 1:

Education

If your child had cancer, you’d read everything you could get your hands on. Heck, if your child had ringworm you probably scour the Internet for information about it. The same is true —probably even more so — for autism. The first step you logically take is to learn all about the disorder that’s affecting your child. Most parents agree other parents are an excellent source of information, so support groups are a great resource, as are conferences, lectures, and other professional gatherings. Autism.com and talkaboutcuringautism.com provide invaluable information as well. And because we’re learning more about autism every day, your quest for information should be sustained and ongoing.

Mind Map Step 2:

Diet & Environment

Most experts agree children with autism are very sensitive to toxins and other substances in their environment, including the food they eat. That being said, cleaning up a child’s diet and environment is at the top of your to-do list.

Children with autism have fragile digestive systems, and special diets are advisable to help ease the distress caused by gastrointestinal problems. We’re not just talking about gas or diarrhea, but difficulties so dramatic they impair brain function.

Elimination diets, including the Gluten Free, Casein Free, and SCDiet when, are the go-to diet plans for removing offending substances and controlling harmful intestinal microorganisms.

Removing chemicals from your child’s environment is also key. Of course you cannot control the air they breathe outside, but you can control what’s in your home. Cleansers, candles, air fresheners, dryer sheets, insecticides, and other chemicals should be removed from your home. Of course never use plastic wrap or containers in the microwave as those chemicals will be driven into your food.

Mind Map Step 3:

Information gathering

You need to know exactly what’s going on with your child’s physical systems, and this requires testing. A series of tests, including blood, urine, stool, hair, and allergy tests will help pinpoint you child’s weaknesses and deficits. This information will play an invaluable role in creating your child’s system-wide treatment plan.

As you can probably imagine, your pediatrician will probably not recommend or perform all these tests, and your insurance company may balk at paying for them. Which is why you should seek the care of a physician or other professional with experience in the biomedical treatment of autism.   The parent plan lists common tests ordered for the evaluation of autism,  your  child may not need to have all of these  test done, the list gives you a sample of many of the tests used to evaluate autistic children. You can find a doctor, lab, and other resources at www.autism.com/ari.

Mind Map Step 4:

Nutrition

Because they have limited diets, which are usually a symptom of gastrointestinal distress, children with autism are frequently deficient in important nutrients. What’s more, many of these nutrients, such as fish oils and amino acids, are essential for proper brain function. Therefore, a program of nutritional supplementation must be implemented. Getting an autistic child — particularly a stubborn, challenging child with feeding difficulties — to take supplements can be a daunting task. But with some creativity, tenacity, and if necessary, sheer force, you can do this. Remember: you child’s recovery — and even their life — depend on it.

Mind Map Step 5:

Digestion

As mentioned before, ASD children often have delicate digestive systems. Honestly, dysfunctional could be a better word. You’re probably aware of this because of their irregular bowl patterns, which can include long bouts of constipation and frequent loose stools. Many of these issues are caused by poor nutrition, as well as an imbalance in digestive enzymes and yeast. Parasites and toxic bacteria can also contribute. The good news is imbalances can be corrected, and parasites and bacteria eliminated. Once again, this will require the introduction of probiotics and other materials, which can typically be mixed with food and drinks. The test results will help determine which treatments are needed.

Mind Map Steps 6 & 7:

Toxins, Heavy Metals, & Viruses

We’re all exposed to toxins, heavy metals, and viruses on a daily basis. The difference is autistic individuals are often less capable of metabolizing, battling, or eliminating these offenders. As a result, the invaders build up, thrive, and have a devastating impact on the body and the brain. Our job is to give these children the tools — whether it’s medication, supplements, or homeopathic therapies — to get the upper hand against these deadly trespassers. Once again, the results of the testing will help pinpoint some of the problems, and establish what treatment routes need to be taken.

Helpful Links:

Why special diets and which diets?

What about drugs?

How to introduce supplements

Hyperbaric

Detoxification

Biofilms and your child’s chronic bowl inflammation

Inflammatory bowl disease and autism

Chelation therapy

Detoxifying your home