Author Archives: Kristyn Crow

“Help Me, I’m Stuck in Autism.”

I once heard about a frightening scenario where a patient undergoing surgery is put under general anesthesia, but only the immobilizing aspect of it takes affect. The patient is able to feel the pain of the surgery and comprehends everything that is happening, but is powerless speak, move, or to ask for help. I can’t think of too many things more terrifying. Is it possible that autistic children are in a similar predicament? Do you ever wonder whether children with autism are imprisoned in a world of total sensory chaos, but on some level can comprehend what they are experiencing? … Continue reading →

A Simplified Look at Gluten-Free and/or Casein-Free Diets for Autistic Kids

If you start to delve into the massive amount of information available on dietary restrictions for your autistic child, you might initially be overwhelmed. How can you determine what should be eliminated from your child’s diet, and what shouldn’t? Or is diet even a factor you should be concerned with? All over the internet, you’ll find testimonials from parents who have eliminated one substance or another (or several) and observed marked improvement in their son or daughter’s behaviors. But are these parents only seeing what they want to see? Will dietary restrictions really help your child? It’s hard to know … Continue reading →

Why Kids with Autism May Need Vitamin Supplements

The new theory of autism is that it is a whole-body disease and not just a brain disorder. Autism, which is said to be linked to autoimmune illness and disorders of the GI tract, may also cause abnormal enzyme function, and thus inadequate digestion and nutrient absorption. Most of us already have observed that many kids with autism have very particular tastes in foods, preferring to eat the same things repeatedly and refusing to try anything new. So right from the start, these children are often at a nutritional disadvantage. But even if they did have a healthy diet, their … Continue reading →

Children Who Can’t Trust

When an infant has a need (such as the need for nourishment) which is not met, there is a big emotional response. That’s because the stakes are so great. If the child isn’t nourished, he will die. So he makes his needs known rather dramatically, crying and thrashing about. If this emotional response eventually brings him the sustenance he needs, he begins learning to trust. He discovers that when he is vulnerable, someone in his life will respond lovingly. As the child grows and develops, trust continues to build as the cycle repeats over and over again. For example, the … Continue reading →

A Memory Chip

It was Christmas Eve, and I was cooking a special meal for the family. Outside, a blizzard had just quieted to a few wandering flakes. A thick blanket of snow hushed all the early evening sounds. I checked the turkey in the oven and then went outside to marvel at how beautiful and peaceful it all was. Stars. Snow. I walked down the steps of our porch, across the yard. Then suddenly, I allowed myself to fall backward and make a snow angel. I wondered how old I was the last time I made one. Probably eight or ten. Then … Continue reading →

The Magic of Storytelling

Once upon a time, before Mario Party, Zelda, and World of Warcraft, before Nintendo DS Lights, Wii, Sony Playstations, and video I-pods, and even before television and radio, there lived storytellers. Now, storytellers were an interesting breed of human beings, who looked pretty much like everybody else, except for a certain mysterious sparkle in their eyes. People, especially children, would eagerly gather around to hear their tales of enchantment, misfortune, romance, adventure, and luck. The storyteller was animated. The storyteller was passionate. She made her voice dance with magic and her face glow with expression. She took every listener along … Continue reading →

Are Your Child’s Unique Special Education Needs Being Met?

The whole purpose of special education is to facilitate the unique educational needs that some students with disabilities have. However, sometimes the focus shifts from meeting these particular needs to just managing the child’s challenging behaviors. As the parent of a special needs child, you have the right to insist upon appropriate educational adaptations to help your child succeed in school. If you believe your child needs services or accommodations he isn’t receiving, you’ve got to speak up. You can begin by scheduling an IEP (Individual Education Plan) meeting with your child’s teachers and therapists. How do I know whether … Continue reading →

Macaroni and Cheese – Life Skills Style

In the aftermath of Kyle’s bullying incident, things have gone much better for him at school. His schedule was re-arranged so that he would not attend class with the two boys who harassed him. He started taking a life skills/cooking class—which I was hesitant about at first, because it was specifically for cognitively-impaired kids. The curriculum consists of activities like learning to use public transportation and purchasing items at a grocery store. Perhaps I just hoped if I pushed him along, despite his autism, Kyle would be able to stay very close to the mainstream, only needing a bit of … Continue reading →

“Hey Mom, I LIKE Gifted School!”

My eight-year-old son has embarked on his new journey into the gifted “spectrum” program in our school district. At first, he was very reluctant. He has several good friends who live within walking distance of our home who he liked to play with at school. Leaving those buddies behind was a little hard to face. “I don’t think I want to go to gifted school,” he said. Several readers urged me to have him attend anyway, because of the marvelous educational opportunity he had been given. Finally, somewhat hesitantly, he determined to give it a try. One drawback has been … Continue reading →

Autism: Disease or Disability?

Some experts are suggesting that autism is not a disability, but a disease, like cancer, leukemia, or diabetes. This is a new way of thinking for medical researchers. Their reasoning is that autism has become an epidemic, with numbers continually increasing, and genetic “epidemics” do not exist. The good news is that if autism is a disease, potentially it can be treated, prevented, and even cured. Chromosomal disorders, on the other hand, are not curable. If autism is written indelibly into a person’s DNA, we have to accept it as is, only working to improve the lives of those who … Continue reading →