Autism and illness don’t really mix in our house.
It’s hard enough with R, who isn’t particularly helpful in describing when he’s not feeling well… but then you have the Monster, who’s positively non-verbal when it comes to how he’s feeling. Continue reading
I’ve been very big about the fact that I’m not willing to do things without decent scientific evidence. Our kids are vaccinated, for instance, because the overwhelming evidence is that it’s what is best for them (and that it doesn’t cause Autism). We haven’t gone GFCF because there’s no evidence that the diet does anything to help with the symptoms of the Monster’s Autism.
But there are things where there’s a suggestion from a few decently-done studies that indicates that something might work… and you just have to try it. Continue reading
I think, for a lot of us parents with children with Autism, there’s this fantasy of a “magic treatment”. Something that we can give our child – if not a wand that we could just wave over them – and take away the worst of their challenges, and our challenges for coping with their behaviors, and make things as close to normal as possible without ridding them of their personalities…
On the other hand, there are the parents who would prefer not to tinker, for the concern that the other side of it isn’t all that rosy. That treatments and medications have all those side-effects, some of which might not be known for years, that might rob their child of what makes them unique.
Continue reading
I don’t really remember being as resistant about taking medication as the Monster is.
The Monster’s had a lingering cough for about two or three weeks now – he was sick earlier in the summer, but he’s started up coughing again more regularly, in a manner that makes it sound like he’s ill… though he’s not acting all that much different than normal. Save for being a bit more whiny than usual, and for being more difficult than usual about eating… it’s all par for the course. Continue reading