developmental delays Archives

Developing a Biomedical Plan for Your Child with Autism

If your child has autism or another neurodevelopmental disorder such as ADHD or Sensory Processing Disorder, it can be empowering to develop a biomedical plan. Use this biomedical plan as a symptom checklist to work with your practitioners to guide treatments, medications, biochemical interventions, therapies and evaluations. Now objectively think about your child and circle the symptoms that apply to him/her. Physical Symptoms Symptoms of Physical Motor Impairment (Fine and Gross) Falls easily Poor balance Difficulty navigating uneven surfaces Reduced fine motor skills Abnormal gait Walking on toes Poor muscle strength/low tone Overall muscle weakness W sitting Slumping posture Other______________________ Symptoms of Oral-Motor Difficulty Drooling Gags when eating Swallowing issues Oral motor weakness that results in food aversions (prefers pureed foods) Poorly chews food/exhibits mouth stuffing Poor articulation Expressive language delay Other______________________ Symptoms of Digestive System (GI-Related) Issues Vomiting Acid reflux Chronic constipation Chronic diarrhea Self-limiting diet to small number of foods (picky eating) Fluid refusal Weight loss Failure to…

The Epidemic

The epidemic means that least 54% of U.S. children have a diagnosed chronic health condition such as an autoimmune disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder or mood/behavioral disorder. Why? Why does 1 in 12 children have an anaphylactic food allergy? Why do almost 10% of kids have ADHD? Why does at least 1 in 8 children have asthma? Why does 1 in 36 children have autism? It wasn’t like this when we were kids ourselves. School nurses’ offices weren’t lined with epi-pens and inhalers. We didn’t know anyone who had autism; now, almost everyone knows of at least one kid with it. What changed? We’re here to help you find the answers to these and similar questions. Root Causes When our own children were younger, we often wondered if other children had as many diagnoses and were on as many medications as ours were. We, too, wanted to know why our kids were so sick with conditions like acid reflux, failure to thrive,…

More Than a Diagnosis: TBI, Cerebral Palsy and Dyslexia

We interviewed Emily Abbott and Jessica Burdg of the Who Is Carter Foundation and The Brain Possible project about the new book, More Than a Diagnosis. Instead of focusing on what your child can’t do, have you ever wondered what they could do? Emily and Jessica have connected with dozens of families who put blinders on to the noise of gloom and doom, of negative predictions or assumptions, of their children’s diagnoses such as: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions Cerebral palsy Autism Cystic fibrosis Dyslexia Spina bifida Down syndrome Epilepsy Rare genetic conditions PANS/PANDAS Through their work, they have discovered stories of hope of children with these conditions. Many of these parents looked outside the box of their children’s diagnoses and tried a variety of therapies that are typically not recommended by traditional, western-medicine doctors. However, by doing so, they have become empowered and informed by looking into non-traditional therapies such as: Orton-Gillingham multisensory phonics technique for children…

Soft Signs of a Compromised Immune System

We interviewed Beth Lambert and Patricia Lemer about soft signs of a compromised immune system, which are red flags of your child’s health. Soft signs are symptoms that affect the immune system. Typical soft signs are: One or two red cheeks after eating Chronic runny nose or cough Chronic mouth breathing Recurrent ear infections Chronic or recurrent sinus infections Cradle cap Dark circles or bags surrounding the eyes Colic, excessive crying or irritability in babies Chronic constipation or diarrhea Food sensitivities, intolerances and/or allergies These soft signs indicate that the immune system is dysfunctional, which can happen for many reasons such as birthing practices, antibiotics, diet and toxicity. Soft signs often precede more complicated diagnoses such as: Autism ADHD Allergies Asthma Autoimmune disorders Developmental delays Dyspraxia and apraxia Failure to thrive Emotional, behavioral and mood symptoms Learning disabilities PANS/PANDAS Sensory Processing Disorder Speech and language issues Because these symptoms many times precede these diagnoses, it indicates that even neurodevelopmental disorders…

Mitochondrial Dysfunction with Suzanne Goh MD

We interviewed Suzanne Goh MD about mitochondrial dysfunction, which is common in children with seizures and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. The best way to think of mitochondrial dysfunction is like thinking about economics: supply and demand. People with mitochondrial dysfunctions can’t supply enough energy to meet their bodies’ demands. Seemingly typical things to most people can cause an energy drain in those with mitochondrial dysfunction. Breakthroughs in neurological research have shown the essential role of mitochondria to healthy brain function and development. Key nutrients to target mitochondrial function can have a positive impact on language, communication, and social ability – from infancy to adulthood. Watch this webinar to find out more about this subject that might be more common than is currently suspected. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Suzanne Goh MD Dr. Suzanne Goh is a board-certified pediatric behavioral neurologist, a neuroscience…

The Importance of Preconception and Prenatal Care

We interviewed registered dietitian Vicki Kobliner about the importance of preconception and prenatal care in the age of chronic childhood diseases. Because Vicki works with many children with autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders, her passion is educating potential mothers about preparing their bodies for conception so that their children don’t end up as another statistic in the growing epidemic of chidren’s chronic diseases and disorders. Over 54% of American children have some form of chronic illness, whether it’s autism, ADHD, allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders, mood disorders, diabetes or obesity. When that many kids are sick, it’s time to take a look at helping potential mothers understand that their toxicity, gut dysbiosis, nutritional deficiencies and stress responses can get passed onto their children. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Vicki Kobliner MS RDN Vicki Kobliner is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with over 20 years of…

Recovering Children from Sensory Processing Disorder

We interviewed our own Maria Rickert Hong, author of Almost Autism, about recovering children from Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Sensory Processing Disorder isn’t a true diagnosis, yet, because it is not a standalone diagnosis in the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition). However, most children with autism have it, and many children with ADD/ADHD, PANS/PANDAS and Lyme disease also have it. It can also be a standalone disorder, meaning that a child is over- or under-sensitive to lights, sounds, motions, tastes, smells and more. The good news is that children CAN recover from it. In this webinar, Maria discussed: What led her to the world of “almost autism” What some of the key behavioral symptoms that a child with SPD has If there are any physical symptoms that are warning signs that precede symptoms of SPD When she realized that nutrition and sensory processing were related What some common practices that our medical advisors recommend that…

Vision Therapy for Autism, ADHD, SPD and Learning Disabilities

We interviewed Lynn Hellerstein, a developmental and behavioral optometrist, about vision therapy for autism, ADHD, SPD and learning disabilities. It can also potentially be helpful for children with Lyme disease, PANS/PANDAS, apraxia/dyspraxia, neurological symptoms, behavioral disorders and developmental delays. Did you know that vision problems are a CAUSE of many autism symptoms, such as stimming and sideways glancing that vision therapy can correct? Vision is NOT the same as eyesight; it is how the brain processes incoming stimulus through the eyes. Listen in to find out why having your child examined by a developmental optometrist – which is NOT the same as an ophthalmologist or even a typical optometrist – is so important. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Lynn F. Hellerstein OD FCOVD FAAO Dr. Hellerstein is a a developmental and behavioral optometrist who has inspired thousands of people to improve their vision…

Environmental Medicine for Healing Children

We interviewed John Green MD about environmental medicine for healing children from chronic disorders such as autism and ADHD. Dr. Green has evaluated and treated more than 3,000 children with autism spectrum disorders from all over the world. In his work with autistic children, he looks at: Diet and nutrition Toxic load factors Allergies and sensitivities Hormones Psychological influences such as stress Find out the role that these factors play in your child’s autism or other chronic health disorder and what you can do about them by listening to this webinar. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About John Green MD During the early years of his practice, Dr. Green trained in holistic medicine and environmental medicine, becoming a charter member of the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) and obtaining board certification in environmental medicine. Since the beginning of his practice in 1975, he has…

RoundUp, GMOs, Autism, ADHD and Other Autoimmune Conditions

We interviewed Stephanie Seneff PhD, a senior research scientist at MIT, about RoundUp, GMOs, autism, ADHD and other autoimmune conditions. Dr. Seneff is well known for her published, peer-reviewed research articles about the dangers of GMOs and the pesticide that is sprayed on them, RoundUp (glyphosate). Sometimes, it’s not necessarily the food that’s making our children sick, it’s what’s been done to it. Dr. Seneff’s research reviews how GMOs and RoundUp cause pathology in the body that can lead to: Neurodevelopmental damage Gut dysbiosis Inflammation Enzyme suppression Toxicity Nutritional deficiencies Her research indicates that sulfate deficiency throughout the body caused by toxic environmental chemicals is behind most modern diseases and conditions. Join us as Dr. Seneff explained how these factors contribute to conditions as seemingly diverse as autism, allergies, celiac, Alzheimer’s and cancer. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Stephanie Seneff PhD Stephanie Seneff…