This blog is a way of sharing the information and resources that have helped me to recover my son Roo from an Autism Spectrum Disorder. What I have learned is to view our symptoms as the results of underlying biological cause, which can be identified and healed. I say "our symptoms" because I also have a neuro-immune disorder called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

And, of course, I am not a doctor (although I have been known to impersonate one while doing imaginative play with my son)- this is just our story and information that has been helpful or interesting to us. I hope it is helpful and interesting to you!


Saturday, April 16, 2011

The Autism Family

It's April and therefore Autism Awareness Month once again.  This year, there have been some uncharacteristically good pieces done about autism.  This one, by Robert MacNeil of the MacNeil Newshour deserves a special note.  Many of us have believed that autism will begin to be fairly and accurately represented in the media only once members of the media themselves find their families affected, and this piece about Mr MacNeil's grandson Nick demonstrates that.  Nick's mom Alison is a Warrior Mom and she is given room to speak her mind.  The piece talks about Nick's regression from being a healthy baby into a very sick child, with mitochondrial dysfunction and severe gut injuries after receiving vaccinations around the age of 15 months.  I was also struck both by how much this little boy reminds me of Roo when he was 6, as well as what his sister has to say about being a sibling of a child with autism.  That part breaks my heart as I know that Roo's older brother has lived under the shadow of autism and I know how true this sister's perspective is about life as the sibling.



Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.
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