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!


Monday, April 16, 2018

Health and Holidays

Holidays can be a challenging time for many people, but for people dealing with chronic health problems- especially ones that involve food and eating- they can be especially difficult.  Below are some resources that can help us to cope with these challenges.

Basic information and suggestions from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology
Traveling on a Special Diet by Julie Matthews
Talk About the Holidays from TACA
Avoiding Holiday Havoc: Healthy solutions to avoid meltdowns and keep the holidays happy
Phenols and Christmas trees
Some tips for Thanksgiving from TACA

The Oley Foundation (support for people on feeding tubes and IV nutrition) has a page with a lot of resources Coping Strategies for IV and Tube Feeding that includes:
Holiday hints
from The Oley Foundation
Reducing holiday stress from The Oley Foundation
Coping with the holidays from The Oley Foundation
Holiday hurdles from The Oley Foundation

HALLOWEEN
Natural Candy Store has a wide selection of candy that is suitable for people with various allergies or who follow special diets.
Healthy Halloween: Trick or Treat Reinvented (from Julie Matthews' Site)
Halloween and trick or treating
(geared towards autism but widely applicable)
GFCF candy that is widely available