April is autsim awareness month and the second is " light it up blue" If you want to show your support wear blue or turn on a blue light. Autism is growing 1 in 50 children will be diagnosed with a level on the spectrum.

thanks for this i have a child with autism... but new studies now have it at 1 in 50 children it's growing at a rapid rate

Gwen, I have two myself. I hadn't heard that it was up to 1 in 50. It's astounding it's growing so fast and yet they don't know why.

I'm not a doctor just a mom but hopefully this can explain some

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidemiology_of_autism

I have one with autism too. In his case, it 100% wasn't vaccines. I suspect in our case genetics were a factor and if testing were done when I was a kid, I'd have a Asperger's diagnosis.

Just some random thoughts. No expert here.

The few that I do know with autism/aspergers (spelling) and ADD or ADHD, seem to have nutrition issues. Also, they have parents with issues, hoarding, relationship issues, drinking, drugs, etc.

I'm in no way saying that is true of all, just the ones I see. Don't want to offend anyone or start a riot or anything. My experience is limited, and in no way a total of the spectrum of the subject.

What I would really like to know, from those of you here, in your experience, if you have changed up the diet of your children and quit feeding them processed junky food, does it help?

Does a regular routine help? Does a neat and tidy house help?

Where I work, we regularly have kids with special ed issues come in through the local special ed program at the local high school, for work study, so any info I could get would be helpful to us in helping the kids.

I work for a veterinarian and we only get these children, usually about 14-16 years old, for an hour/hour 1/2 a day, a couple days a week. We try to spit it between mundane things like laundry and helping with the animals.

Any insights would be helpful so we could do a better job at helping these kids. They have so far all been fun and unique and we have enjoyed having them!

No, diet changes didn't help. Not that we fed much junky food to begin with, but none of it made a difference. We even tried going gluten/casein free. All that did was make him miserably constipated.

No hoarding, drugs, relationship, or alcohol problems here either.

Routine is very important. As is being very clear and exact when giving instructions. He doesn't mind a clutter type mess, but sticky/gooey food type messes bother him. Before OT, he wouldn't even stand barefoot in the grass. (He also has sensory processing disorder & an anxiety disorder in addition to the Asperger's.)

I agree diet wouldn't and hasn't helped my boys. I've had the genetic testing and the chromosomes from my side are frayed"unsure why" but diet changes has helped alot of others. I have two on total different sides of the spectrum and the only thing they ready have in common is routine is necessary. Never change the routine if you can avoid it. I have OCD traits and a few other issues but I have no idea if it plays a part in it.

My son has Asperger's and it is definitely genetic. My brother is undiagnosed but he has it. My other brother has a son who has Asperger's.

The biggest reason it has seemed to explode is that providers have gotten better at diagnosing it.

I too am incredibly interested in the causes of autism, but I think the whole world is.

I'm wearing light blue today!!

I don't have any children yet, but I've dabbled in the GAPS diet, which is supposed to help with autism tremendously. :: shrugs ::
http://gapsdiet.com/

I took to GAPS because of my crohn's disease- and wanting to heal my gut flora before I have children. Neither of my parents even have their colons anymore!