Autism and herbal supplements

Many children with autism related conditions have Candida yeast or bacteria overgrowth in the gut. The disruption in the gut can directly affect the nerves located nearby. For yeast, the best results tend to come with using one of the enzyme product specifically designed for yeast. Yeast-targeting enzymes contain much higher amounts of fiber-digesting enzymes (like cellulases) to break down the outer cell walls of yeast cells. The product should also contain a high level of proteases to further clear out pathogenic yeast and reduce any die-off reactions. Parents find that combining a yeast-targeting enzyme with an herbal supplement such like that has yeast control properties is more effective than either alone. There appears to be a pronounced synergistic effect. Grapefruit seed extract and oregano are two herbs often combined with enzymes for yeast control. find more about herbal supplements at Herbal Nutrition Network.

Emerging research is finding many children with autism have underlying persistent viral infections. Viruses are notoriously hard to control and there are few options. When viruses are addressed, children show some permanent improvements in language, socialization, behavior, and cognitive ability. Several autism specialists are turning to Valtrex, a prescription anti-viral medication providing good results. Another alternative is ViraStop, a specialty blend of enzymes used between meals at higher, therapeutic doses (12 to 15 capsules per day). Two preliminary investigations with ViraStop resulted in a program that can bring excellent results. Combining this with other supplements having anti-viral properties, such as olive leaf extract, vitamin C, or monolaurin, increases the effectiveness against viruses. The high success of enzymes with autism and gut problems is probably because enzymes work on several areas at the same time. Enzymes actually deal with and heal underlying problems, such as healing a leaky gut, not just help control symptoms. Even though not all my son’s sensory problems disappeared completely, the head-banging finally stopped, he became much more social, his grades improved, and his general anxiety went away.

Activities for Autistic Children

Incorporating activities for autistic children into a child’s daily schedule is essential to an autistic child’s mental and physical development. Autistic children need challenging, yet fun, activities that they can participate in on a daily basis. Should they be expected to participate in all of the activities that other children engage in? Of course not, but there are numerous activities for autistic children to enjoy. Before you expect your autistic child or student to jump right in to the latest activity, consider the following:

  • Participants-Who else is participating in this activity? Is it the whole class, one or two students, or is this an individual activity? If you expect several students to perform the activity together, choose the group members wisely. Look for children that will be especially helpful to the autistic child. Be sure and monitor all of the participants, and be on the lookout for children who might try to ridicule the child with autism.
  • Activity level-What type of activity will the child be participating in? Will the child need to have good coordination skills? Will it put him at a continuous disadvantage next to the other children? Does it require skills that he doesn’t have or hasn’t had the opportunity or time to learn?
  • Potential problems-Are there any potential problems that might occur with the activity? For example, will the noise level be increased? Excessive noise can often be troublesome for children with autism. While the activity might be organized, will the intensity of it be a disturbance for the child, causing him a high level of stress? Is physical contact a necessary factor of the game? If so, this might also present a problem as some autistic people tend to shy away from or become extremely disturbed by prolonged physical contact.

Activities for autistic children should be fun and engaging, but if they become a source of frustration instead, the benefits of the action may be lost.

Selecting Activities for Autistic Children

Consider an autistic child’s capabilities, interests, and aptitude as you search for appropriate activities for him or her to enjoy.

  • Sensory activities-Games that include the senses are often enjoyed by these children. For example, play the game “I Spy” with your children. Describe the object that you are looking at, and see if the children can find and name that object from your description.
  • Songs and poems-Children often like the sing-song way in which a poem sounds, and they may also enjoy the repetition of certain songs. Choose several songs and/or poems to teach them, and use these every day. You can also incorporate some physical activities with these songs by jumping, skipping, hopping, etc. to the beat of the words.
  • Sports-Discovering a child’s love of a certain sport can open another world up to him. In many cases, close physical sports like football are difficult for autistic children to handle, but more individualized sports like golf, baseball, or even fishing may become a favorite hobby.
  • Art-Autistic children often find their niche in some form of the arts. This may be demonstrated through acting, drawing, painting, sketching, singing, and playing a musical instrument. Encourage this love as often as possible.

Finally, realize that an autistic child may not know exactly what his interests and favorite activities might be, so it is up to you to introduce him to several areas of interest. Once he discovers a new hobby, he probably won’t be shy about letting you know what he wants to do! Encourage him as much as possible, and let him participate with others when possible. This is an excellent way to not only encourage him to work on a particular skill or activity but to also hone his social skills as well. Get fast payment with payday loan

For Mothers of Children With Autism, the Caregiving Life Proves Stressful

This isn’t the most uplifting pre-Thanksgiving entry, but this new study really resonated with me. Holidays can be particularly challenging for children with autism and their moms. To help Paige (my 13-year-old daughter with autism) enjoy her five-day break from school, I’m going to keep her busy and spend as much time as possible outside.

If you know a child with autism, I know his or her mom would appreciate any moral support you can give. I give thanks daily for the many people in my life who help us in so many ways. The following is a news release concerns research originating out of the University of Wisconsin, Madison:

FOR MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, THE CAREGIVING LIFE PROVES STRESSFUL

Common wisdom tells us that to be the mother of a child with autism is to assume a heavier caregiving burden in life.

Now, in companion studies, the daily physiological and psychological toll on mothers of adolescents and adults with autism is documented, revealing patterns of chronic stress, fatigue, work interruptions and a significantly greater investment of time in caregiving than mothers of children without disabilities.

“On a day-to-day basis, the mothers in our study experience more stressful events and have less time for themselves compared to the average American mother,” says Leann Smith, a developmental psychologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Waisman Center who was involved with both studies.

The new studies, which currently (November 2009) appear online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, probe the daily experiences of mothers of adolescent and adult children with autism over a period of eight successive days. On four of those days, the researchers measured levels of maternal cortisol, a hormone released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. Cortisol levels were found to be significantly lower than normal, a condition that occurs under chronic stress, yielding profiles similar to those of combat soldiers and others who experience constant psychological stress.

“This is the physiological residue of daily stress,” says Marsha Mailick Seltzer, director of UW-Madison’s Waisman Center, an authority on families of children with developmental disabilities, and the leader of an ongoing longitudinal study of families of individuals with autism. “The mothers of children with high levels of behavior problems have the most pronounced physiological profile of chronic stress, but the long-term effect on their physical health is not yet known.”

Changes in the pattern of cortisol expression in the general population have been shown to be associated with chronic health problems and can influence such things as glucose regulation, immune function and mental activity. Autism is a widespread condition in the United States, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 children. It occurs on a spectrum of severity and is characterized by deficits in communication and social skills, and the presence of rigid, repetitive behaviors. Many with the condition require lifelong care.

For the “daily diary” study, mothers were contacted at the end of each day and asked a series of questions about time use, episodes of fatigue, leisure activities and stressful events. The data were compared with a nationally representative sample of mothers of children without disabilities drawn from a study known as MIDUS (Study of Midlife in the U.S.), directed by Carol D. Ryff, a UW-Madison professor of psychology.

For a mother of a child with autism, daily life includes at least two more hours of childcare than mothers of children without disabilities. These mothers were also more than twice as likely to be fatigued and three times as likely to experience a stressful event each day. Importantly, nearly a quarter of their days included work interruptions versus fewer than 10 percent of days in the comparison group, suggesting a potential economic impact.

The new findings also reveal a thread of resilience. Compared to mothers of children without a developmental disability, mothers of children with autism were just as likely to have daily positive interactions, serve as volunteers and lend support to others within their social networks. Together, argue Seltzer and Smith, the research results demonstrate the need to develop programs and networks of support for families of people with autism throughout life.

“We need to find more ways to be supportive of these families,” says Smith, noting that the added caregiving burden and potential health problems associated with chronic stress can be a devastating combination. More and better programs of respite for parents and flexible policies on the part of employers, she says, are good places to start. In addition, Seltzer notes that interventions that reduce behavior problems can improve the health and quality of life of both the child and the caregiving mother.

Both studies were funded by the National Institute of Aging, with additional support from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. In addition to Smith and Seltzer, co-authors of the daily-diary study include Jan S. Greenberg, Jinkuk Hong and Somer L. Bishop, all of UW-Madison, and David M. Almeida of Pennsylvania State University. Co-authors of the cortisol study include Greenberg, Hong and Almeida, as well as Christopher Coe of UW-Madison and Robert S. Stawski of Pennsylvania State University.

The Special World Of The Mentally Challenged

Once upon a time there lived a brain. This brain lived in a big city with many other brains. Some of them were older and some were younger, but they were all brains. This brain was a happy brain because it owned a body that was able to do many things. Every morning the brain awoke and did what ever it pleased with its wonderful body. It was a beautiful life until one day the brain noticed that its body did not function mentally as well as other brains. That is when the brain realized that it had a big problem. How was it going to be able to get all the goodies if it was mentally dysfunctional? The brain became full of vibrations and the body began to cry.

There are over five million Americans that are mentally challenged.This category covers all those that find it impossible to function due to brain or psychological limitations. Their enormous number is frightening. Many of them have severe social and substance abuse problems which lead them to break the law and wind up in prison. The lucky ones barely survive in a world that requires them to get along with others and make a decent living. The mentally challenged have established themselves as a class of people that lives outside the mainstream of society. And that class is growing without any solution to their problems in sight.

Nature is kind but it is also cruel. Its kindness is shown by the creation of billions of people with a brain that can learn and adapt to its surroundings. Those lucky billions have integrated themselves into societies all over the world. They work and raise families without the confusion that comes with being mentally challenged. But nature can also be cruel; it turns out tens of millions of people who can`t solve the puzzle of living smartly.. Those millions are with us and we have no choice except to watch them struggle to understand and survive.

The ball is in the court of science, only they can stop the explosion in the birthrate of mentally challenged children. Better methods are being discovered to screen those couples that are predisposed to have a mentally challenged offspring. New tests are given to warn pregnant women of the possible birth of a brain damaged child The millions that are born mentally dysfunctional are the innocent victims of nature. Those of us that are healthy are not to blame for their misfortune. All we can do is support science and have faith that their smarts will find a method to stop the spread of the mentally challenged .There is little else we can do.