Green Options

A friend has a daughter with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Vijay and her husband are so honest and open about their challenges with their younger daughter, and their intelligent perspectives have helped me understand a bit more about these families. She recently posted a note about acceptance and autism, and I thought it was important to share with you.

Vijay: I was asked by a friend,

Are you telling me that you would NOT be interested in a cure for autism?

And here is my answer:

Certainly dealing with Violet has been harder than dealing with a “regular” kid, but sometimes challenges are good for people to kind of push us to open our minds. It’s humbling to be faced with someone who is difficult to figure out. But that there is a lot to be learned from the experience. There’s no way to find out if Violet understands that she’s different, or if she would change that if she could. Yet.

These kids are different. So what should change? The kids? Or society?

In 2005, helpful big sister Brittney Maxson tried to enter an A&F dressing room at the Mall of America to assist her younger sibling, 14-year-old Molly, who is autistic.

She was confronted by store staff, who said that Abercrombie policy didn’t allow more than one person in a dressing room at a time in an attempt combat shoplifting. The girls had encountered the same policy at another store, but they allowed the sisters in the dressing room at that store after they understood the situation.

At Abercrombie & Fitch, Brittney explained her sister’s special needs, but was still refused. Their mom, Beth, tried to talk to management and the girls were still refused. Beth even called a customer service hotline while at the store and the request was still ignored.

Four years later, the clothing store has been ordered to pay $115,264 for discriminating against a disabled person.

Augh! Writing that title almost made me gag.

But a new article on the University of California, San Francisco site claims that neuroscientist Michael Merzenich has performed research that may make some leaning toward formula fulling tip over the edge.

Merzenich tested newborn rats by dosing them with the proportionally even amount that newborn humans get from human breastmilk of the chemicals PCBs and PBDEs. The outcome, he said, was

brains that were more degraded in their organization developmentally in these rats than we have ever seen before

So it’s as simple as that, eh? Breastmilk causes autism. Not so fast, there, Nestle.

Kids of moms who have an autoimmune disease such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease have up to a three times greater risk for autism, according to a new study.

The first two have been linked in earlier research. But the surprise might be the last disorder, which is more commonly recognized as an intolerance to gluten. (Not “intolerance” as in: “I don’t want you in my club,” but as in “My body gets crampy and nasty and sick when I eat you.”)

Coincidentally, perhaps, there has been a four-fold increase in the incidence of celiac disease over the past 50 years.

Researcher William W. Eaton, chairman of the Department of Mental Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, said of the study,

This finding reinforces the suggestion that autoimmune processes are connected somehow with the cause of autism and autism spectrum disorder. This finding is on the pathway of finding the cause of autism.

There may be an overlap in the genetics of some of the autoimmune diseases and autism that would not be trivial. Autism is strongly inherited, but we don’t have the faintest idea where. But this may point a flashlight to areas of the genome that connect to autism.

He pointed out that these sensitivities might be factored in with environmental triggers.

If your life has not been touched by a child with autism, you friend’s probably has.  Autism rates are on the rise leaving parents, doctors, and scientists scrambling to find a reason.

Vaccines are often blamed, as the increase in the number of childhood inoculations seems to correspond with the increase in autism; however, a new theory is being proposed.  “Extreme Male Theory” blames endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) for autism.

The cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have risen dramatically over the past 30 years, so much so that there may be 50 percent more cases than previously suspected.

Up to 250,000 children have autism or a related condition on the autistic spectrum, but have not been diagnosed, researchers say. They are in addition to the 500,000 children who are known to be affected.

The study, conducted by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, found that the increase was due to better detection and intervention.

This is disputed by a U.S. study at UC Davis, which said that California’s 7- to 8-fold increase was due only in small part by better detection, and stressed that environmental factors must be studied as a possible cause.

So now the opposite sides of the pond, and coasts for that matter, are in dispute.

A Swedish study found that the rate of autism is higher for children in houses that have PVC vinyl flooring. The children in the study were apparently affected by the phthalates that are emitted from the material.

Infants and toddlers who had vinyl floors in their rooms were twice as likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than those with wood or aluminum floors.

This beautiful little girl is the youngest of my five children. She is the one who makes me break out into a sweat any time we venture into a grocery store, doctors office, library (or any other new location). She is the angel who needs her blankets on in a specific order, her favorite stuffed toys (pandy and puppy) each on their side and six rounds of “huggy and kissy” before she will settle into bed.  She is possibly one of the rising numbers of children on the Autism Spectrum.

Around age two, we begin to suspect that we weren’t just dealing with a more difficult or strong willed child.  At that time, I had no idea what we were dealing with and I kept telling myself “this is just a phase, it’ll pass”.  But the phase never passed.  Behaviors became more pronounced, social interactions and transition became exceptionally difficult.

Our “Little Critter” as she is dubbed in the online community is exceptionally bright, active and speaks beautifully so Autism Disorders were not considered in our early well child checks.  She walked at 7 1/2 months unassisted and has never stopped since, she wasn’t a cuddly baby from birth… rolling and scooting around on her belly by 2 1/2 months.  This was a baby who wanted to go.  I figured she was eager to play with her big sisters and therefore had no desire to be a baby.  She hit all the milestones on time or early and boy was she messy!  Always touching, feeling, running, jumping, twirling.  Now we know that she has sensory processing disorders which cause her to seek stimulation in some situations and over-react to stimuli (lights/noise) in others. We began to learn about Aspergers Disorder and Sensory Perception Disorder and saw our child.

I often write about our gluten free food finds since two of my children are on a GFCF diet (one for Celiac, one for ASD).  Recently, a box arrived on my door step containing some new breakfast and snack options to try out.  This morning, my little munchkins enjoyed Nature Path’s Organic Whole O’s and were THRILLED.

In the past, I’ve brought home other O type gluten free cereals which couldn’t pass the kids taste test. So, I was thrilled when this tasty option arrived.

The O’s are crunchy and the texture closely resembles the original O cereal we all know and love.  The ingredients include: organic brown rice flour, organic corn flour, organic evaporated cane juice, organic pomegranate juice concentrate, sea salt.

Whole O’s is certified USDA Organic, Vegetarian, Low Sodium, Trans Fat Free and Gluten Free.  A 2/3 cup serving boasts 110 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.  Our kids enjoy Whole O’s with a light drizzle of Agave and sliced bananas or berries.

The EnviroKidz/Nature’s Path story has already been told on Eco Child’s Play, but we are always thrilled to try new products and flavors.  Nature’s Path is a company devoted to producing high quality, organic foods in a sustainable method.