Mother Shares Her Thoughts on Autism

I asked Mother to share her story of raising 3 children affected, in varying degrees, by Autism. She was reluctant at first but finally decided that it may be a cathartic experience and a good way to find closure.

There is a lot of information out there about Autism, from research to treatments, and I devoted a year of my life to finding out about them all. There are many views and conflicting opinions but I have come to my own conclusions on certain issues (note: as with all opinions, everyone has one, so feel free to take mine with a grain of salt). When I hear the word Autism, I think of two different types. One type of Autism is not genetically linked, is a lifelong disorder that does not improve with biomedical treatments and has been in existence for many years. The other type of Autism is new and growing at an alarming rate. It has genetic links and is triggered by environmental factors, it may or may not be grown out of but it does respond favorably to biomedical treatments when caught before the age of 3 years and greatly improved in children above this age. I think the second type of Autism is a different disorder completely that needs to be reclassified and assigned a new name.

The following is a list of additional conclusions that I came to while conducting my research:

• There is a genetic link.
• It is an autoimmune disease.
• Environmental factors compromise an immune system that is genetically compromised.
• The environmental factors are unique for each child.
• Treatments and therapies are unique for each child.
• The uniqueness of environmental causes and treatments extends to siblings.
• Siblings can be affected by different environmental factors, respond differently to biomedical treatments, and have different degrees of Autism.

When I initially found out that my children had Autism, I wanted to know what it was, how it would present itself in the future and how it could be that more than one of my children would by diagnosed with it. I was surprised to find that there were treatments that were leading to a reversal of the diagnosis. It was at this point that I found several therapies that claimed to produce a reversal in children 3 years of age and younger and significant improvements in children over this age. What started as a quest for answers turned into a passionate and urgent search for a cure, as my child had just turned three when diagnosed.

The next few years would be a blur of biomedical treatments, physical therapies, educational therapies, behavioral therapies, lab tests, research studies, and meticulous journal keeping. Gone were the carefree days of baby book entries and sweet baby memories. In its place was constant monitoring of behavior and allergic reactions.

As the economy of the nation collapsed, we collapsed with it. Facing foreclosure on our home, bankruptcy, unemployment and foods stamps, I watch everything I hold dear fall from my fingers. All therapies came to a grinding halt. We would have to move 4 times in one year as we struggled to make ends meet. The children were traumatized and I would not only have to suffer their outrageous behavior but I would also have to deal with my husband’s anger as the finger pointing began. It would take everything I have to juggle it all, to provide harmony and balance, and to heal a marriage on the brink of ruin.

In the end, we were able to stop the blame game. We took the time to acknowledge the choices we made. It is so easy to lose sight of the goal when you are in the middle of the fight. Everything we did was for the children and given the same situation, we would have made the same choices.

After 5 years, I would achieve my goal and reverse the Autism diagnosis for both of my children and my youngest would avoid it, for the most part. From Autism to a cognitive and speech delay diagnosis, I was content. My children are social, funny, compassionate and engaging. I have utilized all of my knowledge and skills to reinstate the most beneficial treatments while on food stamps. We were able to sell our home a month before it went to foreclosure, my husband has started his own business, and we are on the slow road of restoring our credit and lives. 

“When you do nothing, you feel overwhelmed and powerless. But when you get involved, you feel the sense of hope and accomplishment that comes from knowing you are working to make things better.”