Celebrities reveal their family struggles with autism

By

Melanie Vanderveer

Celebrity Jenny McCarthy has recently gone public with her story and struggles. Everywhere you look lately, she is there speaking of her struggles with autism afflicting her son, Evan, 5, who was diagnosed at age 2 and a half.

Her book, “Louder than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism” that recently hit book shelves tells what she has gone through in the past three years and what has worked for her and her son.

She also was recently on Oprah Winfrey’s show, along with Holly Robinson Peete. Both hosts shared stories about how autism has affected their families.

One thing that has done wonders for McCarthy’s son was a serious change in diet. She started a gluten free/casein free diet as well as a no sugar diet with her son and saw almost immediate changes for the better. She also put her son on medication to eliminate the candida in his body and that has also had positive changes.

McCarthy recently was on the TV show, The View, and said, “I did want to acknowledge and confirm the fact that my son does, indeed, have an autism diagnosis.” She also told viewers, “I am willing to talk about it, and go deep with the emotional feelings.” She also spoke candidly with Larry King on CNN.

Rumors have been swirling around for quite some time that John Travola and Kelly Preston’s oldest child, Jett, also has a diagnosis of autism. They do not talk about it because their religion, scientology, will not allow it. So for now, it remains just a rumor.

There are very few people in the public eye that seems willing to tell their stories so it is certainly refreshing, to say the least, that a celebrity is sharing their story and struggles with this disorder.

Like McCarthy, Robinson-Peete has also recently started speaking of her son’s autism diagnosis. Her oldest child, Rodney Jr., or RJ, was diagnosed at age three and is now 9. He has come a long way since the initial diagnosis, thanks to the varieties of treatments. He has progressed so well that he currently is mainstreamed at his school.

He was diagnosed as a mid- to high-functioning autistic child. At that time, there was not the amount of resources as there are now so finding help wasn’t as easy.

Robinson-Peete’s fellow actress and friend, Tisha Campbell-Martin, also has an autistic son. When Robinson-Peete needs support, she finds it in the form of friends, Campbell-Martin and McCarthy. They find the support they need in each other.

The key seems to be the idea of support. Lack of it and resources may mean less effective treatments and outcome. If you are touched in some way by autism, find a support system and join in.

There is support in every state and area. In our area, the Pocono Autism Society is a great support system for anyone in need of some support.

Jennifer Ann McCarthy was born on November 1st of 1972 in Chicago, Illinois and James Eugene Redmond Carrey was born January 17th of 1962 in New Market, Ontario. These two are among the many celebrities making a difference when it comes to helping children. In May of 2007 it was announced that Jenny’s son had autism. In June of 2007 she became the lead spokesperson for the organization Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) and helping raise awareness for autism. On September 17th of 2007 Jenny’s book “Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.” Along with her boyfriend Jim Carrey, they have gone on a worldwide crusade in the search for a cure for autism as well as working with several children’s foundations.

Dads Use Touch Therapy with Autistic Children

For children with Autism, massage may provide relaxation, stress reduction and calm muscle spasms. Over time, touch therapy also helps the child to become more accustomed to tactile stimulation and aides in body awareness. Often by incorporating massage therapy into daily routines, children with Autism experience decreased issues with sleeping.

Research has demonstrated that this type of intervention may promote more on-task and social relatedness behavior during play, they show less erratic behavior, and are more attentive after receiving massage therapy. This nurturing, healthy touch, along with regular sensory integration, can be beneficial in reducing inattentiveness, touch aversion and withdrawal.

Considerations when massaging children with Autism

For many children with Autism, there is susceptibility to sensory overload, and they may lack feeling or awareness. So, it is important to begin lightly and gradually work deeper, while being very aware of all cues the child is giving you. For some of these children they may not use the same verbal skills as other pediatric clients, so it is imperative to be mindful of all non-verbal communication as well.

Seeing the great need to provide touch therapy for children with Autism is one reason I specifically developed my Pediatric Massage training. In this training we not only discuss approaches for providing touch therapy for children with Autism, but children with many varying special healthcare needs.

During my recent North American Touch Tour, I have provided training, education and guidance to new pediatric massage therapists throughout the U.S. and Canada who have already reported finding a valuable response with children and families affected by Autism and Autism spectrum disorders.

Practical tips for practitioners

As a practitioner working with children with Autism, be prepared to take it slow. You may not introduce massage at your first session together and this is normal. Start out by trying to make the child feel comfortable and introduce tactile stimulation by allowing the child to choose various items to touch and feel. You want to give the child the opportunity to participate in the session as much as possible. Be aware and observe cues which indicate permission to touch. You may not receive direct eye-to-eye contact or a verbal “Yes”. Vary your pace and pressure while recognizing the child’s individual needs. Deeper pressure is better received by many children who have been diagnosed with ASD. Skin-to-skin contact may not be immediately well received by the child with Autism, so consider providing touch over clothing or cloth, and beginning with the hands and feet may be more comfortable.

What about the Parents?

Many times parents feel frustrated at trying to provide appropriate loving and nurturing touch for their child, only to receive little or no reaction. Many children with Autism show characteristics such as impairments in social interaction, impairments in communication (both verbal and non-verbal), restricted interests and repetitive behavior. A child with Autism typically does not express any words of love, share hugs or show any facial expression in response to pleasure.

When working with children with Autism, it is important to involve parents by showing them techniques they can practice, as well as a variety of ways to introduce tactile stimulation throughout daily activities. The parents should be invited to sit in on your session, as long as both the parents and child are comfortable. Teaching parents massage therapy and nurturing touch techniques can be helpful in encouraging this healthy bond between child and parent.

Some big misperceptions about Children with Autism

It has been long believed that a child with Autism is incapable of forming attachment. However, research has demonstrated that these children do attach to their parents, but still remain incapable of acting on this attachment or responding appropriately.

Many times it is believed that children with Autism will not make eye contact and cannot react to receiving touch in a positive way. This is not always the case. There have been times when I am working with a child and they do make eye contact. I often fine, that once I have given them some freedom to choose the types of touch they wish to receive, and the position they wish to be in during a session, they respond with a smile. A reaction not always witnessed by those who are with the child on a daily basis.

Children with Autism have sensory malfunction and dysfunction of the tactile system making them averse to certain sights, sounds, smells or touch. Given that children with Autism have been reported to be opposed to physical contact, it is interesting that many massage therapists, and parents, are finding great success in the use of massage therapy with children who are Autistic, or considered to be on the spectrum.

How Massage Therapy Benefits Autistic Children

The massage therapy is a well-loved session of many. Celebrities, public officials, workers, students, and people from all walks of life succumb to their cravings to experience the soothing effect that massage promotes. Imagine a day of hard work, stress, and pressure. Wouldn’t it feel so nice to be subjected to the therapeutic human touch? However, it has been found out that massage doesn’t only benefit the normal individuals. Studies show how helpful and therapeutic it can be to the autistic children. This may be new to you but it is a fact. After all, these children also deserve the best that life may offer.

Autism Explained

Autism is a kind of brain disorder which normally gets tracked when the child is aged 2. The symptoms become recognizable at such a tender age basically because he falls short in developing the language along with the pertinent social interaction skills. Children should be able to start saying a few words and socializing. If they don’t, then there is a reason for the parents to start panicking. Among the common indicators of autism are withdrawal from the surrounding people and some other abnormal behaviors. There are some people who believe that this is a circumstance that can be cured while some strongly refuse to accept this possibility. Whatever is the case, concerned parents normally travel far and wide to discover the proper alternatives and treatment to address such condition.

Autism’s Impact on Parent-Child Relationship

There is nothing more painful for the parents than to see their children being heaped on with a very challenging disorder. They usually end up thinking that their children are innocent and that they don’t deserve it. Who deserves such illness after all? It is truly heartbreaking. A child who is said to be autistic fails to understand the difference between what is acceptable and what is not. He is unable to express his thoughts and feelings by means of words, gestures, or even facial expressions. He has his own world wherein no one can penetrate. Thus, there is no parent-child relationship that gets bonded.

Again, studies reveal that an autistic child can get attached to his parents yet he fails to react and respond properly. Many of these unfortunate children are even confronted with the tactile and sensory issues so they don’t readily respond to the sounds, sights, touches, and smells. They often seem oblivious with what is going on.

The Role of Massage in Cases of Autism

A large number of autistic children are being subjected to the therapeutic method of massage. In fact, many therapists and parents are finding out good results so far. These children react positively to massage and they are able to establish their connection to their parents because they love being touched by them. However, there is an exception. Not all autistic children respond in a similar way.

It is advisable that parents learn the basic techniques and a lot other methods which they may use prior to starting with the massage session. The mood of the child has to be set by letting the word “massage” sink into his consciousness. It has been discovered that those children who are given the therapy show lesser unacceptable behavior and are turning socially attentive. They are less likely to withdraw from their environment too.

Autism may be very frustrating but give the massage therapy a chance too. It can do wonders on the child.

Understanding The Right Autism Treatment For Autistic Children

Autism is often misunderstood. Autism treatment, particularly in the areas of language and social skills, is extremely important and should be started early on to help increase the chances of developing language and social skills. With the mainstreaming of classrooms, it is important to make a few special adjustments for autistic students. Autism treatment doesn’t require drastic changes to be made. In fact, changes are usually not a good thing when it comes to working with autistic children.

A set routine where the child knows what to expect next is an important part of autism treatment. Changes are difficult to process and can cause increased anxiety and even behavioral outbursts. Keeping a tight schedule will help the child to feel safe.

If the classroom becomes chaotic, the autistic student may need to regroup in a safe, quiet setting. A time out area is made for this. This time-out area is not a punishment, it is a place that the autistic child feels safe and is able to calm down and relax when their world has been turned upside down.

Autistic children have impaired abilities when it comes to social skills. This includes the ability to communicate effectively in many cases. An autistic child thinks quite literally and doesn’t always have a good command of language skills. Words do not necessarily come easily or even have meaning. While we are able to express our thoughts and feelings in words, an autistic child thinks in a more concrete form; pictures/images express the thoughts and meanings that an autistic child experiences.

Pictures or note cards can be used as visual aids to help autistic children communicate. When speech is achieved, visual aids may still be needed. If the child gets frustrated or just can’t put what needs to be said into words pictures create an easy, less stressful way to communicate.

Another way to help increase communication skills is to pay attention to what is said. Autistic children often have episodes of echolalia, a form of repetitive speech. Most of the time a repeated phrase has been related to something and it is what is easily said, although it is not necessarily what the child is trying to tell you. It becomes your job to figure out what those words mean. Perhaps it is the feelings that are evoked when they hear their favorite cartoon character say a phrase. Taking notes will help you to keep track of what phrases are used in which context, and soon you should be able to see a pattern.

When you are working with autism in the classroom you need to watch for patterns the student has. These patterns may not mean anything to you or even make any sense to you but they are important to the child. If you want to assist the child to gain social skills as well as language, you need to encourage speech. Starting with sign language is often helpful.

Keeping a structured classroom and structure in the home environment is the most important element of autism treatment. Try not to get frustrated, because when you are frustrated the autistic child’s frustration will increase. If you need to you can take a time out. Use pictures and images when you can to help the child develop language. Positive reinforcement and praise go a long way when used in Autism treatment.

Autism Treatments

If your child has been diagnosed with autism, you will want to know all you can about the treatments for the syndrome. There are different treatments available to treat the child with autism. Some parents are worried that their children will be given dangerous medications. It is not necessary to treat autistic children with dangerous medications. Some children might need medication for their symptoms, but there are others that do not require medication. There are other treatment plans available for autistic children that do not require medication. Many parents will try to treat their autistic children with a natural treatment plan, while others stick with the standard treatment. Here are some of the different types of treatments that are available for autistic children.

Medication
There are different kinds of medication that is used for the treatment of autism. The medications are generally for the different problems that an autistic child will have. Autistic children can have anxiety problems and there are medications that are used for that symptom. For children who are having severe behavior problems, the medications used are generally antipsychotic. The medications that are used are not a cure for the autism, but only a way to control the symptoms. The medications that are used can often come with some horrible side effects. It is necessary for the child to be watched very closely while they are taking them.

Occupational Therapy
The use of occupational therapy for autistic children is to help them learn to be more independent. They will learn how to dress themselves and bathe. There are many things in daily life that an autistic child will have to learn to do on their own. Safety issues are a major concern in occupational therapy. The children will learn to keep themselves safe in the home and outside.

Physical Therapy
Autistic children will sometimes require physical therapy because of the problems that many have with their muscle tone. This can also help autistic children develop their motor skills as well. There are some health problems that can be associated with autism and physical therapy can help to alleviate the problems.

Behavior Therapy
This type of therapy will teach the autistic child what kind of behaviors are appropriate and which are not. Generally behavior therapy involves a reward system for when they behave appropriately. The autistic child is taught how to behave in social situations. The therapy will involve the children and the child in their home. The parents must be taught how to handle their child’s inappropriate behavior.

Speech Therapy
This type of therapy is used to help the autistic child learn to communicate. There are autistic children who do not speak and they will need to learn how to communicate with other people. They will also be taught how to recognize and respond to body cues and non-verbal cues from other people. Autistic children who do not speak can learn to sign or use pictures to communicate. The therapist will be trying to teach the autistic child who does not speak to speak.

This is only a partial listing of the types of therapies and treatments that are available for autistic children. There will be children who require all of the therapies and some children only require a few. The doctor will help to devise a treatment plan that meets the needs of the individual child.

Managing Your Life With An Autistic Child

Life with an autistic child can be confusing and challenging as well as a joy and pleasure. Autism is short for autistic spectrum disorder, which is a neurological disorder. There are various levels and forms of autism. These levels may vary from a mild case of high functioning autism called Asperger’s Disorder, to more severe levels such as Rett Syndrome, which most often affects females on to a rarer form of autism called childhood disintegrative disorder or CDD.

Since every individual is different, symptoms of autism will vary from child to child. The most influential factor of being an autistic child is that of communication, both verbally as well as non-verbally, while other core symptoms may include problematic social relationships and interactions, intense focus on a specific object as well as limited interests in activities and play.

Although autism is present at birth, diagnoses of most children occur within the first three years of life. Adolescent and teenagers may seem to fall behind in their abilities to understand and relate to others, while they may also develop problems with anxiety, depression, or epilepsy. Autistic adults may or may not be able to live and work on their own, depending upon the severity of their condition.

There is an estimation of one out of every 150 children with autism; boys are more likely to have the disability with 1 in 94 boys with autism. With new cases, being diagnosed approximately every twenty minutes or 67 children per day. However, pinpointing a specific cause of autism is still a mystery and there is no known cure.

Living with an autistic child can at times be frustrating and challenging, however children with this disorder do function better when keeping with a regular schedule or routine within a safe environment. Sometimes language skills are problematic, at those times it is best to remember that issues such as repeated phrases have meaning for the child and not spoken to agitate the parent.

At times, it may seem that there are no strong emotional attachments concerning these children, but at these times keep in mind that autistic children simply have problems with these situations and should be encouraged to join in, while respecting that they become uneasy when large crowds and noise confront them. It is much easier to cope with autism if you remember that these children are different in their personal perception of the world we live in. Coping means trying to remain patient, while communicating with them simply and clearly, and although they may not seem to notice some things, they just might be paying more attention than is perceivable by others and that they have feelings as well as anyone else.

There are various means of coping with your own feelings while raising an autistic child. Some things you might like to try are allowing yourself the time to heal; talking about your feelings to someone you trust or even keeping a journal. Maintaining your own schedule is vital as well as joining a support group. There are various types of therapies that are helpful for relieving the stress felt by the child and its family.

Every autistic child has some individual level of difficulty relating to interacting with others, communicating or behavioral problems, which influences them in various ways. However, with early intervention and various treatments or programs, some of them are able to function independently while others may always need support in their working and living environments.

Treating Autism Symptoms With Vitamins and Supplements

Part 1: Why Do Vitamins and Supplements Work?

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) usually have a number of nutrient and mineral deficiencies. This could be due to diet or physiological abnormalities that cause certain nutrients to be poorly absorbed or misused by the digestive system. Many children with autism benefit from diets that exclude certain foods, but these limited kinds of diets can leave their brains lacking the nutrition that they need to function and develop. Whether the autistic child is on a special diet or inflicts a severely limited diet on his or her self, supplementation can help fill in the nutritional gaps and facilitate progress. The majority of autistic children can achieve higher brain function (like speech, language and social skills), have less repetitive and detrimental behaviors, increase immune system function and improve sleep patterns with the use of vitamins and supplements.

The Gluten-free/Casein-free diet and the Specific Carbohydrate diet seriously limit nutritional intake. This does not mean that you should waver from what is helping your child, but you should be aware that supplementation may be necessary. This is also true for autistic children that are very picky eaters, have texture issues with food or who are obsessive about controlling what they eat. Studies and parents have found out that most autistic children greatly benefit from vitamin and supplement implementation. Great developments have been seen in children that have no food allergies, as well as in the ones that need to be on special diets.

Vitamins, minerals and nutrients that autistic children are often deficient in include the B vitamins: B6, B12, B1, B3 and B5. Vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D, folate, biotin, Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), and omega-3 fatty acids are also commonly low. The brain can be greatly hindered by these deficiencies and it is no wonder that most autistic children have a very hard time progressing without nutritional supplementation.

A vast majority of autistic children have an elevated level of oxidative stress. This impairs their immune system and puts their nervous system into a hypersensitive state. The hypersensitive state is thought to be caused by the oxidative stress and a long-term inflammation of the body and nervous system. When the brain is inflamed, it tends to function on a primal level, often staying in survival mode. Cognitive skills, social skills and frontal lobe development are severely hindered when the brain is in this state. Children will often feel the need to exhibit stemming behaviors, which can include vocalizing loudly, tapping, hitting or stroking things, rocking, spinning and other repetitive behaviors. This keeps the brain focused on something other than their hypersensitivities.

Vitamins and Supplements have successfully been used to target inflammation, oxidative stress, immunity deficits, stemming, brain development and higher learning in autistic children.

“Part 2″ of this series discusses which vitamins and supplements target and improve the nervous and immune systems. Vitamins and supplements offer a safe therapy option that has given many autistic children a chance to overcome the challenges of autism. As a precaution, you should always talk to a doctor about a vitamins and supplements regiment before you begin.

Suffering From an Autism Food Allergy?

An autism food allergy is a very serious problem. In fact, autism induced by allergies has recently been identified and occurs when a child’s diet influences his or her autism symptoms. The children who are at the highest risk of an impact from an autism food allergy are those who have regressive autism. Regressive autism is the form of the disorder that occurs when the child’s first symptoms appear at around the age of two after having developed normally until then. Other autistic children at risk are those with behavioral and neurological problems in conjunction with serious digestive problems.

Kids with an autism food allergy struggle to digest essential food proteins such as gluten and casein. Gluten is a protein found in many kinds of grains, such as wheat, and is frequently added to food products during the manufacturing process. Casein is a protein found in milk and is also added to other foods as they are manufactured.

Some children with food allergies are unable to properly digest gluten and casein. These proteins are digested only partially and leave a byproduct to which the children react in a very similar way to the drug morphine. This substance is able to slip through the wall of the digestive tract, a condition known as ‘leaky gut syndrome’, and circulates through the bloodstream and into the brain.

When a child has an intolerance to gluten or casein an altered protein can also be found in the urine after the child consumed food containing these two compounds. It is believed that this occurs as a result of the creation and absorption of the morphine-like chemical created by the body of the child when trying to digest gluten or casein. The child may then behave in a “spaced out” way. Furthermore, it can create somewhat of an addiction in these children, causing them to crave foods containing gluten and casein.

Because children with an autism food allergy struggle to digest food properly, they are also unable to remove toxins and chemicals as efficiently as they should from their body. This can include not only waste in the traditional sense of digestion, but also fertilizers, pesticides, cleansers and detergents, pollution, artificial flavorings and colorings, preservatives, chemical food additives, and other forms of chemical that can build up and become toxic over time.

Symptoms of an autism food allergy usually appear within an autistic child at around the age of three. Though the symptoms may come about as a result of intolerance to pollutants in the food, others will react to chemical additives, and again others will react to the basic composition of the food. Though reactions can be caused by essentially anything, the most common allergies are to foods such as corn, citrus fruits, wheat, dairy and sugar.

Though the symptoms of an autism food allergy may not be obvious to those around the child, medical testing and observation shows frequent diarrhea, bloating, low blood sugar, excessive sweating, redness in the ears and face, rhinitis (runny nose), the inability to regulate the body temperature, and dark circles under the eyes are common.

The only way to treat an autism food allergy is to pinpoint the food of foods that are causing the problem and then eliminate it from the diet entirely. It is important to note that this won’t cure autism, however symptoms will often improve substantially when a diet free of those items that cause a reaction is followed. Parents will still be faced with the same issues in socializing and communicating with autistic children even after an altered diet is introduced, and change will still need to be carefully managed.

To discover which foods your child reacts to, an exclusion diet is a good way to determine what items are potentially contributing to their autism symptoms and digestive issues. However, before starting an exclusion diet ensure you consult a qualified health professional to ensure your child continues to receive adequate nutrition.

Once you have the go ahead, start by eliminating the common culprits i.e. wheat, dairy, sugar, corn and citrus fruits for a two to four week period and then slowly reintroduce the removed items one at a time and monitor behaviors and digestive changes carefully.

This process can help identify those food items that are problematic for your child. An alternative is to have blood testing done to look for antibodies that are produced when an allergic reaction takes place. Your doctor should be able to arrange this for you or refer you to the appropriate professional.

There is currently a study about to get underway being carried out by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston that will be scientifically studying the effects of gluten and casein on autistic children which should help to answer the autism food allergy question.

Improving an Autistic Child’s Communication - Using Sign Language

Those who have worked with autistic children have also become aware of the need to help them improve their communication abilities. These children become easily frustrated when they have difficulty expressing their needs and desires. As a result, their parents and teachers become more frustrated as well. Fortunately, there are strategies that teachers can use in order to improve the communication skills of their autistic students.

According to a fact sheet developed by the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities “Students with autism or PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorder) learn better and are less confused when information is presented visually as well as verbally. Interaction with non-disabled peers is also important, for these students provide models of appropriate language, social, and behavior skills. To overcome frequent problems in generalizing skills learned at school, it is very important to develop programs with parents, so that learning activities, experiences, and approaches can be carried over into the home and community.”

Although this seems simple to incorporate into a curriculum, there are many factors that create obstacles for teachers trying to implement these ideas. While the English language is mainly a verbal language, information should be presented visually as well to ensure students’ success. When autistic children have less advanced communication skills than their peers, it inhibits their interaction with one another. Most tools available to teachers require purchase and training, which makes it costly and not feasible for them to be used outside of the classroom.

Although these obstacles are present, there are ways that teachers can help their autistic students communicate better. Thirteen different research studies* have indicated that using American Sign Language (ASL) signs with an autistic child is a successful alternative teaching strategy. Results of these studies have shown:

• increased vocalizations
  signs were mastered and used in the appropriate context, even in different atmospheres and with different people

• self-stimulation decreased

•most autistic children acquired better communication - even if they were labeled mute
•sign language was superior to other communication systems for increased vocalization and mastered items for most autistic children

Why do American Sign Language signs work? By incorporating ASL into the classroom and by saying and signing the word together, students are able to absorb information not only verbally, but visually as well. Many signs are also iconic, meaning that they look like the actual object they define. When both autistic children and non-disabled children learn signs (which can be done together), their communication with one another becomes easier. Non-disabled children learn signs very quickly and they enjoy it. In addition, ASL can easily be incorporated in the home, with no cost. Teachers can simply teach parents the signs their children are learning.

These studies have proven that autistic children can improve their communication skills by simply including ASL signs into their daily routine. They will be less frustrated because they will be able to better express their feelings, therefore minimizing the frustration of their teachers and parents as well.

Children With Autism Helped by Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers (Hbot)

As more and more children get diagnosed with autism, scientists and doctors try harder and harder to figure out what triggers autism, how the symptoms vary in different kids, and any helpful trends with the disease. They’re also continually attempting to find a cure or way to alleviate some of the symptoms. One method that has shown most positive results is the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, or hbot.

Autism is usually detected and diagnosed within a child’s first three years, and can severely endanger normal brain development. Children with autism are often socially unskilled, making communication very difficult. Others are prone to acting out or causing injury to themselves or others. Psychotropic medication and changes in diet have all been previous methods of curing autism, but they have had mixed and disappointing results.

The hyperbaric oxygen chamber is used for 40 initial treatments, 60 minutes each at about 1.5 ata, once or twice per day. The hbot delivered better results by far. Children who were undergoing hbot treatment had less aggression and fewer outbursts or incidents of rage. The patients also seemed to interact with their parents more easily and were more able to understand commands. After hbot, their reasoning skills and academic achievement improved markedly.

It’s excellent that something like the hyperbaric oxygen chamber has been created, since this new method of helping children with autism has shown so much promise so far. The hbot has many other uses, too-it has been used to help cure ADD/ADHD, insomnia, memory loss, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and those who have suffered a stroke, head injury, or other wounds.

Should Health Insurance Cover Autism?

This is a question which has been tossed around extensively, especially during the past couple of years. It has been sort of like watching a tennis match, with parents and school districts asking for assistance and support from the insurance companies and the insurance companies lobbing the ball back to the other side of the court.

There is a good reason why insurance companies are being looked to for paying at least a portion of treatment for children who have autism. Autism is not only an educational issue, but it is also a medical one. To quote one spokesperson from Autism Speaks, a national organization that helps with research and awareness for autism, children with autism are “diagnosed by a neurologist [or other physician], not a schoolteacher.”

Again, this is not to say that autism is not an educational issue because it is. However, the educational issues brought about by autism are the symptoms and results of the disorder itself, which is a medical issue.

Insurance companies have managed to skirt the issue for a long time because schools had to deal with the symptoms and help educate children who had difficulties learning due to autism. The problem is that this does not really make sense and it is not fair.

If a child is born with a hearing disorder and needs implants or with partial or total blindness and needs special assistance, though schools help with their educational programs, it is doctors who diagnose and treat the child’s medical issues and the insurance companies who pay for the treatment, since the parents are paying for medical coverage.

It is only fair, say Autism advocates and parents, that the same be true for children with autism, which can be very expensive to treat and should not be paid for by the schools and out of the pockets of parents who are paying insurance premiums.

Several states have made it mandatory for insurance companies to cover at least a fair portion of autism treatment, and advocates are now asking lawmakers to make it mandatory for twenty more states to do the same.

With autism affecting at least 1 out of every 150 children and creating a financial hardship on many parents and families, it is time for all parties involved - especially insurance companies - to come to the table to look at realistic and reasonable solutions to the issue of covering treatment for autism.

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