vaccinate your kids, or else!!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

May I ask, was it a sudden change? Had he been a "normal" infant/toddler until that point? I think every parent worries most about that potential - their seemingly "normal" child just one day "changes" (for lack of a better word) into a completely different child.

Yes, I would say it was a fairly sudden change -- not necessaily a night-and-day change but a quite noticeable change. It really was like he just retreated into a shell and just peeked back out. Later we could see that he wanted to come out, but had no clue how.

I'll agree about that fear. It's so hard to figure out -- has he really changed or did he just hit a developmental hump?

I think it's wonderful he's doing so well, and obviously has a dad (and family) who care very much for him.

Well, his mom is a Kappa, so he's a lucky kid.

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

The best you can do right now is boost your child's health with several essential vitamins proven safe for developing children... I would "bathe them" with as much boosters as I could give them--organic, natural, pure, of course... It is expensive of course...

Don't I know it! We've been doing that, and as I said, he's doing well. I think part of the reason is that we have been doing what you suggested.

On top of that, I think there are psychological/emotional reasons that we have seen improvement (which means an easier time for him navigating the social skills world). Plus, he (and we) have been blessed with teachers and school administrators (yes, in the public school system!) who value him, who want to see him succeed, who are willing to try and understand how his mind works and use appropriate strategies with him, and who identify his strengths and play off them to help him with his weaknesses. But those things are another thread.

But, yeah, what you describe mirrors along with my (completely unprofessional) thoughts about it all. I have described it as "the perfect storm" between a pre-existing disposition and triggers that set things in motion.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

Don't I know it! We've been doing that, and as I said, he's doing well. I think part of the reason is that we have been doing what you suggested.

On top of that, I think there are psychological/emotional reasons that we have seen improvement (which means an easier time for him navigating the social skills world). Plus, he (and we) have been blessed with teachers and school administrators (yes, in the public school system!) who value him, who want to see him succeed, who are willing to try and understand how his mind works and use appropriate strategies with him, and who identify his strengths and play off them to help him with his weaknesses. But those things are another thread.

But, yeah, what you describe mirrors along with my (completely unprofessional) thoughts about it all. I have described it as "the perfect storm" between a pre-existing disposition and triggers that set things in motion.

Let me know if he catches a cold or something and how fast it clears up, I have a theory... You know how children catch things? And as always, follow your normal course of healthcare with your child--please do not withhold it!

All I want to know is the time he comes down with symptoms, what was his mental state, then when the issue became resolved to "normal" (with or without direct medical intervention). You can PM me.

It could be a cold, a scrape or bruise, cut, boil or sty--anything--so if he scrapes his knee, and you put neosporin on it, how long did it take to completely heal to relatively normalcy?

SPECULATION: Are there immune system problems in autism?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

SPECULATION: Are there immune system problems in autism?

Are you looking at the whole autism spectrum? Little MysticCat is Asperger's, and I love MysticCat's stories about him - he seems like such a neat kid.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Let me know if he catches a cold or something and how fast it clears up, I have a theory... You know how children catch things? And as always, follow your normal course of healthcare with your child--please do not withhold it!

All I want to know is the time he comes down with symptoms, what was his mental state, then when the issue became resolved to "normal" (with or without direct medical intervention). You can PM me.

It could be a cold, a scrape or bruise, cut, boil or sty--anything--so if he scrapes his knee, and you put neosporin on it, how long did it take to completely heal to relatively normalcy?

SPECULATION: Are there immune system problems in autism?

Off the top of my head, it seems like he usually moves through colds and other illnesses pretty fast, although like me, he's a had a runny nose for a week or so now. Other than that, he doesn't get sick that often.

This summer he cut his knee and needed stitches -- it seemed to heal in about the time the doctors expected it to. (When he went to get the stiches out, the dr. commented on how nicely it was healing.) If I think of or notice other examples, I'll PM.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Are you looking at the whole autism spectrum? Little MysticCat is Asperger's, and I love MysticCat's stories about him - he seems like such a neat kid.

Thanks! He is a neat kid. Technically, his diagnosis is high functioning autism. Although even the professionals often use HFA and and Asperger's interchangeably and we find it's often easier to use Asperger's because more people understand what it is, there is a technical diagnostic difference.