sue1957

Ceecee, He started getting over the food phobia, light sensitivity, water phobia, lining things up, avoiding everyone, rituals, and generally shutting himself off within days of removing fluoride. Muscle tone, general health, speech and his confidence and self esteem have taken longer. He still has a slight speech problem (particularly when he reads out loud). It gets worse if he is stressed, and dehydrated. Until recently he was still very passive, and very vulnerable to stress. He tended to shut himself off if he couldn't deal with something. He's now starting to stand up for himself, and argue. Physical health and his speech are now improved as well.

Carole, I've just bought a gizmo that measures the fields given off by mobile phones, I'm intending to do a few tests. Need to look at the technical bit some more first though It also measures electrical appliances. Haven't got a microwave any more but am planning to test a few relatives One point from the microwave article is that quote �1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue]. � Perhaps microwaves and mobile phones should both come with health warnings, particularly for anyone with a history of epilepsy.

Ceecee, maybe your daughter's adrenal glands withstood the first MMR, but the booster was just too much? I'm fairly sure my son's problems were adrenal gland related, just a thought but perhaps the common link in both our cases is that the adrenal glands managed to recover?

Malika, maybe the radiation issue is closer to home........ Quote from an article on microwaved food: "For example the weakening of cell membranes by microwaves is used in the field of gene altering technology. Because of the force involved, the cells are actually broken, thereby neutralizing the electrical potentials, the very life of the cells, between the outer and inner side of the cell membranes. Impaired cells become easy prey for viruses, fungi and other microorganisms. The natural repair mechanisms are suppressed and cells are forced to adapt to a state of energy emergency - they switch from aerobic to anaerobic respiration. Instead of water and carbon dioxide, the cell poisons hydrogen peroxide and carbon monoxide are produced." The same violent deformations that occur in our bodies, when we are directly exposed to radar or microwaves, also occur in the molecules of foods cooked in a microwave oven. This radiation results in the destruction and deformation of food molecules. Microwaving also creates new compounds, called radiolytic compounds, which are unknown fusions not found in nature. Radiolytic compounds are created by molecular decomposition - decay - as a direct result of radiation. Microwave oven manufacturers insist that microwaved and irradiated foods do not have any significantly higher radiolytic compounds than do broiled, baked or other conventionally cooked foods. The scientific clinical evidence presented here has shown that this is simply a lie. In America, neither universities nor the federal government have conducted any tests concerning the effects on our bodies from eating microwaved foods. Isn't that a bit odd? They're more concerned with studies on what happens if the door on a microwave oven doesn't close properly. Once again, common sense tells us that their attention should be centered on what happens to food cooked inside a microwave oven. Since people ingest this altered food, shouldn't there be concern for how the same decayed molecules will affect our own human biological cell structure? " The article in full is at http://www.mercola.com/article/microwave/hazards.htm

Not sure how relevant it is but here goes. In complementary therapy I have been taught, �structure follows function.� A bit like having a bodybuilder having to work a weak muscle (i.e. make it function) and slowly the structure would be built to match the function required of it, provided it has the raw materials (such as protein) to do it. But a stressed infant/child may be too busy reacting to their individual stressors. As �flight or fight� takes priority over digestion, elimination, perhaps certain brain functions will also have less priority than others. The ability to be say aggressive or hyperactive has more important �flight or fight� survival value than language, communication or planning. So perhaps that has something to do with certain areas of the brain either not developing or functioning typically, or regressing, or why some areas become hyper vigilant. Immediate survival comes first, but what skills each of us develop to survive will be different, and how we recover from any major stress may well depend on the health of the adrenal glands. There is potential stress from the womb, birth complications etc. But then there is vaccinations, chemicals in our food, our toiletries, our household products and food that looks, tastes and smells like �real� food but is really junk, etc . These sneak past our normal senses. We can sometimes no longer trust our senses to protect us. (Hyper vigilance?) Our stressed adrenal glands and our bodies know something our minds don?t maybe? Add to that our stressful lives generally, our adrenal glands just haven?t had time to adapt to the massive changes to society in the last 100 years. Because of a completely different set of stresses, maybe some mental functioning isn?t seen as having immediate survival value, or the body isn?t given the raw materials, so the structure doesn?t follow. (Like the person I know who didn?t develop frontal lobes). I don?t know a lot about Alzheimer?s I have to say, although my grandmother had it. Just a thought though, in Alzheimer?s maybe it?s the reverse problem, as development has already taken place. Stress of any description, plus lack of the raw materials to repair and nourish the body, such as insufficient protein, lack of healthy fats etc, whatever, may make it more difficult for someone to function typically. And a bit like the bodybuilder not working his muscles for weeks, maybe we use it or eventually lose it. Perhaps in some cases the body tries to protect the brain from chemical stress etc, by reducing blood flow. Perhaps slowly but surely, inability for the brain to function typically for whatever reason eventually causes deterioration in structure. I?ve been working on the �bodymind� principle. Sometimes my son?s body knows something his mind (and mine) doesn?t. For example his food phobia at 4 meant that everything he ate had to be �perfect� unblemished, white or off white, unthreatened by colours, rituals about plates etc. He carefully inspected every morsel that went into his mouth. His body knew something his mind didn?t. His "bodymind" knew he was being poisoned via his mouth, so his mind went to great lengths to check everything he ate. What his mind didn?t know was that it wasn?t from his food, it was from his toothpaste. When we changed his toothpaste, he was no longer being poisoned through his mouth, so his mind no longer needed the phobic behaviour in order to try and survive. It was now �safe� to eat. We?ve done other things, but now his body and mind are more in synch, survival and �flight or fight� are protected, he can function more typically, and happily. He is developing physically, emotionally and mentally in a much more typical way. Structure is following function. He had a stressful start to life, so for us its stress management, supporting the adrenal glands, and seeing what his body �knows.� I now think my son was reacting naturally in very unnatural conditions. His behavioural responses to stress were actually far more �neurotypical� than mine. For example I was subjected to the same chemical stresses, and I didn?t notice. I?m beginning to think I may be the one with the problem. Thanks all, this thread is really making me think.

Someone I knew had severe problems from childhood, and when he died at 50 at the autopsy they found he hadn?t ever developed frontal lobes at all. Maybe in some cases its long term chronic low level toxicity and stress that can lead to certain developmental problems in children, or conditions such as Alzheimer?s in adults, but intense acute trauma at any age can lead to personality changes. Some people feel that someone either hasn?t developed typically, or has "changed overnight" whereas in others it?s a gradual change over a long period of time. Perhaps it?s where you are at the time and the nature and intensity of the stressor. It might possibly be not just the brain trauma itself, but also the existing health of the adrenal glands. Someone who has healthy adrenals might recover much better from any form of shock, trauma or ongoing stress. But if a person has had a lot of stress prior to say a serious accident, whether it is from MMR, chemical stress, work stress, anything, then a domino effect might come into play. Perhaps sometimes a seemingly less damaging trauma can be the trigger to already overburdened adrenal glands. Everyone will be starting from a different place, so it will be difficult to measure or find a common link. With my son?s AS I can relate to several bits in the adrenal gland article. One is that maybe when my son reached the stage of development in the womb to produce his own stress hormones, perhaps I was using them It fits my own health and pregnancy pattern at the time. I definitely think he was born stressed, but appeared to recover by a year old. He isn?t vaccinated, but when he got his teeth and we started using a fluoride children's toothpaste the problems slowly started. He also had the pupil signs of adrenal problems, at the time I just couldn't work out why. The combined effect of being born stressed, long term stress of fluoride toxicity on the brain and body etc... I used fluoride toothpaste during pregnancy so maybe that set up a chemical predisposition. Removing fluoride (which accumulates in the pineal and is believed by some to make the blood brain barrier more porous, allowing other toxins to access the brain more easily) was the start of a major reduction in my son's AS symptoms. Interestingly I read on another forum recently that removing fluoride toothpaste was a part of a chelation programme. Have been working with adrenal function for about 4 weeks now, and the results have been good. Within days he became much less passive, and started arguing about things he didn't want to do, and responding more typically to everyday stresses. I'm fast coming to the conclusion that in his case his problems are related as much to the adrenal glands as anything else. In our case lifestyle and environmental factors (from the womb onwards) plus difficult delivery, fluoride etc and their effect on both the brain and adrenals might be more important than any genetic predisposition. I?m still wondering about it all though.

I've posted this in another section, so sorry if anyone is reading this twice I found an article about the adrenal glands and it has got me thinking about whether it could in some cases be a factor in late onset symptoms or - because they are involved with sex hormone production - existing problems sometimes worsening at puberty. As the adrenal glands produce the "flight or fright" stress hormones, vaccination is likely to be a big stress to them. The body goes to great lengths to protect the blood stream from sharp objects by having such as thicker skin under the soles of the feet etc, arteries and veins inside the body. Although there are risk areas such as wrists etc, on the whole the body tries to protect the internal organs and blood supply. With invasion by bacterial and viral contaminants the body has the skin as a barrier and if swallowed the body has a chance to vomit or eliminate from the bowel. Same with swallowed heavy metals. Then the body has its own built in chelation kit, via the hair. So what effect would bacterial/viral contaminants, mercury maybe but it could be any other vaccine filler, plus the shock of a needle being put through a major sense organ like the skin have on the adrenal glands? If someone already has stressed adrenals (for whatever reason) could they shut down maybe, causing stress related behaviours. Recovery or otherwise might be related to the individual's unique response to the stress of vaccination itself, and or any particular component of the vaccine. Theoretically though it could be any stress, not just vaccination.( My son isn't vaccinated, but was chemically stressed over a long period by fluoride). As "flight or fright" takes priority over immune function and elimination, maybe in some cases improving the health of the adrenal glands might in turn help immune function and elimination including chelation via the hair? The other interesting thing in the article was the effect of adrenal problems on the muscles, particularly causing tension in the "flight or fright" muscles in the legs, one of which is the muscle responsible for walking on your toes. There's also a bit on mercury and the adrenals. Sorry its a long article, and I don't think its referenced, but for anyone interested in looking at another angle the article is at http://www.tuberose.com/Adrenal_Glands.html

There's several threads about MMR here and in general discussion, but I'm researching vaccination as a whole from a different perspective and would appreciate some views. <'> By accident I found an article about the adrenal glands and it has got me thinking about whether it could in some cases be a factor in late onset autism, or - because they are involved with sex hormone production - problems worsening at puberty. It might have a bearing on vaccination during puberty. As the adrenals produce the "flight or fright" stress hormones, vaccination itself must be a big stress. The body goes to great lengths to protect the blood stream from sharp objects by having such as thicker skin under the soles of the feet etc, arteries and veins inside the body. Although there are risk areas such as wrists etc, on the whole the body tries to protect the internal organs and blood supply. With invasion by bacterial and viral contaminants the body has the skin as a barrier and if swallowed the body has a chance to vomit or eliminate from the bowel. Same with swallowed heavy metals. Then the body has its own built in chelation kit, via the hair. So what effect would bacterial/viral contaminants, mercury maybe but it could be any other vaccine filler, plus the shock of a needle being put through a major sense organ like the skin have on the adrenal glands? Already stressed adrenals (for whatever reason) could need to shut down maybe, causing stress related behaviours. It could be the individual response to the stress of vaccination itself, and or any particular component of the vaccine. As "flight or fright" takes priority over immune function and elimination, maybe in some cases improving the health of the adrenal glands might in turn help immune function and chelation via the hair? The other interesting thing in the article was the effect of adrenal problems on the muscles, particularly causing tension in the "flight or fright" muscles in the legs, one of which is the muscle responsible for walking on your toes. Anyway the article is at http://www.tuberose.com/Adrenal_Glands.html if anyone is interested.

I have mercury fillings, but my son isn't vaccinated at all. Fluoride in toothpaste was enough to trigger food phobia, light and colour sensitivity, and other things. Rituals about food, clothing (had to be dark colours), the need to wear "the hat" or he wouldn't go outside started. It was a gradual process that just got worse and worse. Within a few days of changing his toothpaste the rituals eased, and gradually they disappeared, with no other intervention. We then chose to quickly change all our toiletries and household products, but some do it one thing at a time. It wasn't any upheaval, it is just a change of brands. Some bubble baths contain things like formaldehyde, (which can sometimes be a vaccine filler) and I wonder sometimes if, having been primed to any toxic substance in a vaccination, the nervous system will react strongly when it meets it again. There are also colourings and chemicals that we may not choose to eat, but we are absorbing anyway. Cutting down on the amount of chemicals used whether from toothpaste, toiletries, soap powder, cleaning products or the new room sprays etc may open the way to the nervous system being less chemically stressed. Sometimes a change of bubble bath can reduce hyperactivity, or improve eczema. This is cheap (so I doubt research will be done on it) but it can be effective in its own right. In our case chelation wasn't necessary at all, but maybe, just maybe, if a child's nervous system is not being bombarded with chemicals, it will relax enough to allow the body to start eliminating at least some of the toxins without help. As the body's "flight or fright" response takes priority over elimination, removing the chemical "flight or fright" triggers, might help in some cases.

I'm a complementary therapist and work with children with hyperactivity and sleep problems. Although its natural, melatonin is a form of medication that treats the symptoms, but not the causes. That in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, if it means the family as a whole get a decent nights sleep. But over the long term, there is a lot that can be done to find out why a child cannot sleep. It may be that a child's seratonin/melatonin pathway isn't functioning as it should, in which case melatonin supplements might appear to work. Another option is to look at why it isn't working. It may be a nutritional deficiency, or lack of light, etc. If melatonin supplements don't work then the problem may be something completely unrelated, such as ongoing chemical stress, or a high carb diet stimulating adrenaline, etc. It may answer why melatonin seems to work for some but not for others, or only be partially successful. There are often several causes. It takes me between an hour and one and half hours to take a case history, preferably with the parent alone, and then I do an observation on the child. It is then possible to work with the parent to introduce some strategies such as toxin reduction, diet adjustments, perhaps full spectrum lighting, etc first, depending on the individual circumstances. You say that you have tried natural remedies and that they haven't worked. My experience is that in the long term they sometimes don't, unless you remove causes as well. Sometimes removing the causes is enough for the body to relax sufficiently and the remedies aren't needed at all. Whilst not every cause will be open to influence, quite simple changes can have positive effects, not just on sleep but on mood, anxiety levels etc generally.

My eldest (now in his 20s) went down with severe ear infections within hours of his first 2 vaccinations. Doctor said it was coincidence but I'm not so sure. He went on to be hyperactive. (But would suddenly zonk out regularly). I remember that they asked if he was allergic to eggs before the first vaccination. He hadn't had an egg at that time, but they went ahead anyway. Found out since that some injections had chicken tissue as one of the other ingredients, don't know if some still do, but it probably accounts for the question about egg allergy. My daughter and second son aren't vaccinated. (But then his problems were triggered by fluoride. ) Vaccination and fluoride together...? Don't even want to think about it. With what I've read about it, and my own experience, the risks to our family outweigh any possible benefit.

I definately wouldn't use any commercial bath salts with it, or soap, because of colourings, different chemicals etc. Its just to relax, I just chuck in the epsom salts, and soak for 20 mins or so. If you want a bit of nice smell you could make something up yourself. There are some recipes online such as: 2 cups epsom salts 1/2 c. sea salt 4-6 drops scented oil (I'd use pure aromatherapy oils) 2-3 drops food coloring (Although I definately wouldn't use this) The chemicals or the colourings in bubble baths can cause hyperactivity and sleeplessness in children. So I wouldn't add food colouring just to make it look nicer, I've also seen recipes using flower petals and things but its not my thing. Too much like hard work.

I've seen one or two sites that say 4 cups. I just find a handful enough, and not too drying. And cheaper. You may need more, but I started off with a smaller amount and just haven't increased it, for me it was fine.

On the detox sites I've seen 1-2 cups of epsom salts mentioned for an adult. For me thats too much unless you are doing a proper detox, so for relaxation I just use a small handful. I also find I need to have a drink beforehand, and keep a glass of drinking water handy, as it sometimes make me a bit thirsty.

You can get it from a chemist, which I believe is for internal use as well, so can cost a bit more. As its for external use only, we get ours from an agricultural group, Mole Valley farmers here in the south west or you could try a horse feed place. We get it in a 1.5 kg box for �3.09. Its used for treating muscle strains in animals. Its the pure magnesium sulphate we get, the grains seem a little courser than the chemist stuff, but it dissolves anyway so it doesn't matter.

Its supposed to be a muscle relaxant, and help calm the nervous system. Its used a lot for detox. I don't use it every day, but it is very handy if anyone in the family is stressed out, particularly in the evening. A lot of the bubble baths contain chemicals and colourings that stimulate or irritate the nervous system, so we avoid them completely. That alone can make a difference. I tend to use epsom salts as a "therapy" once or twice a week for a bit and then when it is needed, rather than every bath. I work on the idea that epsom salts might be more effective when it is used, if it is not used every time. Reducing chemical stress from toiletries generally has been really useful. Good luck

As far as preventing flu is concerned it works for some I think but not others. My mother (who's in her late 70s) has refused one for several years after having the jab and then going down with the worst flu she had ever had. My eldest son was ill within hours of his first two jabs as a baby. I was never convinced by the "coincidence" theory of the doctor at the time. Shortly afterwards he started to become hyperactive, and I believe vaccination was a factor in his case. But then my second son had symptoms on the autistic spectrum for some time, and he isn't vaccinated at all, so it wasn't a factor in his case, but fluoride was. Apart from the actual vaccine, there are the vaccine fillers, so it might be worth asking for an ingredients list of exactly what is in the injection. At least then you can weigh up any potential risks against any possible benefits. Hope that's balanced enough!!

My son is almost 8, and he hates using a knife and fork. He is perfectly capable but just doesn't like it. He was food phobic when he was younger, and would pick up and inspect everything on his approved list to make sure there was no hidden marks, or crust etc. I have to be honest I'm so grateful that he is no longer food phobic and will eat just about anything, that not using a knife and fork just doesn't bother me like it might otherwise. For him I think part of it is he likes checking the texture of the food, and maybe even a dislike of the fork in his mouth, a spoon doesn't seem as bad in his case. If we are sat at the table with a cooked meal with gravy or sauce then because it could be messy I remind him to use a knife and fork or offer a spoon, but I try not to make too much of an issue of it. He usually finishes up using his fingers, but with him I think its ts a sensory thing.

I really don't know much about this but ..... Quote from a previous post Primine: "As for stim that they don't attend - hand flapping, rocking, or toe wiggling, I don't know why we stop it. This is what I would research. Find out if it is pointless to try to extinguish the minor stims because they might really be beneficial. I mean it certainly is normal... everybody fidgets somewhat." I have read in a book on vision and light therapy that under stress the visual field can contract. From the diagrams it looks as if instead of seeing the whole picture a person sees smaller amounts, perhaps even to the extent of it being like looking through a biro tube. In this case hand flapping for example may be an attempt to stimulate peripheral vision. Removing the cause of the stress so that peripheral vision didn't reduce would seem a better option than trying to change the behaviour. Hand flapping may have a number of purposes we haven't thought of. My son's phobias, rituals, stims etc was caused by fluoride (he is extremely sensitive to it). Once ingestion stopped and it started to leave his body, he didn't need the behaviours any more, but it was his choice to drop them, we didn't do anything. In his case behavioural therapy to reduce the stims phobias and rituals would not have been appropriate, but then his did not include self harm. In that case behavioural management to stop self harm is one thing, but looking at causes and reducing stress would be important at the same time as well. I'm not happy about stopping stims that don't self harm just because we can, that in itself could be stressful to anyone who needs them for a purpose we don't understand.

I agree with Jaded that it can be a very healthy diet. It is possible in some cases to restrict the diet to rest the gut, allow any gut problems etc to heal and then gradually reintroduce things again in small amounts if you want to. It might help get you started if you decide to go the gf/cf route knowing that it needn?t be for life. I avoid soya products because there are health concerns now being realised. (I'll post a link to an article if you are interested). I got a nutrition book for the basics and for alternative sources for calcium etc. It doesn?t seem so daunting when you get started. To heal any gut problems quicker you could perhaps look to working with a nutritionist at possibly supplementing with vits, minerals, repopulating the gut with beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes etc. Each case is different, and how long it takes will be different, but when doing this the aim is to normalise gut function, so that eventually the occasional unexpected diet lapse won?t lead to major problems. Anyway good luck whatever your decision.

I've done some of the training seminars at BIBIC, its not far from where I live. Lovely place, lovely people, and I came away with lots of ideas. The seminars were marketed to schools mainly but parents were very welcome, and our input valued. I queried a couple of things later, and had a lovely letter back explaining it fully. We had a look round at the sensory room and the pool etc on the day as well, really interesting. I've since gone into complementary therapy and use a fair bit of what I learned there when working with ADD/ADHD/ASD. Glad you had a good time. Would be interested in how you get on with the programme they have given you.

Any allergy to coconuts? I am using coconut oil, which is solid when cold, I just spread it like butter to give a bit of moisture in a sandwich because I hate dry food. Doesn't really have a flavour but helps stick the filling to the bread! I am also using it for cooking sometimes as a change from olive oil. There are supposed to be health benefits http://www.mercola.com and search coconut oil brings up several articles or http://www.coconutoil.com/coconut_oil_21st_century.htm I have also used creamed coconut to make a "milk," (mix with water and stir, then leave for a bit and strain) or you can buy tinned coconut milk, I think there's some unsweetened ones about. Water anything down to taste, OK on cereals etc. Might be worth a try. Sue

Hi Jaded A therapist I sometimes work with does food sensitivity testing. He rents my therapy room one day a week, he does days in different places in the South West, using MORA bioresonance testing. He uses the MORA machine with a probe that first tests one of the acupuncture points, then a vial with the test substance is put into the machine and readings taken. What happens to the acupuncture point reading tells how the body can cope with the substance. You can see the dials, and hear the probe so my son was interested in it and didn?t mind having it done. We have come a long way with him anyway, using lots of other things. Removing fluoride was the major factor for us. He would no longer be classed as on the autistic spectrum, but is vulnerable to stress, which can lead to speech problems, insecurity and lowered immune function. Nothing major, and we know some of the triggers, but with one family tragedy we are looking ahead to puberty and beyond. He still has a �predisposition� so we are working to improve his overall health, so that he can handle change and stress better as he gets older. He is starting a new school in September, and his health and insecurity over the school holiday shows it!! When it comes to food sensitivity testing, interpreting the results is the tricky thing. For example for me the milk in the test was UHT milk, which I am sensitive to. I was also sensitive to honey. To be sure I took in several products that we use at home which the therapist tested for us. I am fine with organic unhomogenized whole milk, and raw organic honey. Most of the other things didn?t surprise me, I had already suspected them anyway. With the SCD route, I think from memory that people with severe problems may need to follow the diet for a couple of years in order to heal the gut. The fact that the SCD sites are mainly American may be a factor in that most of America has fluoridated water, which may be making problems worse in some cases. I?m not sure how much impact any environmental differences have. With my son I?m looking to give his system a rest from his �sensitive� foods, and then have him retested at 3 monthly intervals, gradually reintroducing things when I can. During that time I will be doing other things, and using supplements to help his gut heal and improve his immune function. I won?t be starting it until after he has settled in at his new school. In the meantime I am picking out some of the recipes from the SCD sites and trying them out for all of us. The microwave SCD recipes will be a definite no no. Won?t have a microwave in the house after what I?ve read. I am trying to completely avoid the things I have tested sensitive to, but its early days. But after going to the trouble to have the test done for me, I don?t think its fair to expect him to follow anything that drastic for 3 months that I am not prepared to do myself! Thanks for the other info, I?ll check it out. Sue

Hi Anyone had any experience of the specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) for the gut problems associated with ASD? I found a website http://www.pecanbread.com and an article at http://www.pecanbread.com/gottschall_veritas.pdf. The reason I ask is that I recently had my son tested for food sensitivities, and he is sensitive to most of the "illegals" they talk about. Still giving it some thought at the moment. Had myself tested this week -sensitive to wheat and sugar No surprise really. On day 2 of giving my system a "rest." Sue

IV chelation isn't new in this country, there's a clinic in Herts http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/chelation.html They also have a doctor who has a special interest in ASD http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/autistic.html Not sure if its IV chelation but there's also http://www.naltd.co.uk/conditions/autism.html. Their home page http://www.naltd.co.uk/ also has some info. As I said, we haven't used chelation, but if I felt it would help I wouldn't hesitate to go and talk about it and get some advice. Sue