Conference explores how special diets can help kids with autism
ONEONTA – More parents and doctors have found that diets free of gluten and dairy products can help children who have an autistic spectrum disorder, if not cure them in some very extreme cases.
But changing anything in an autistic child’s routine can be a tremendous struggle. Many parents fear the mere suggestion.
“Some parents are a little scared. Our little guys with autism are tough little people to change; these kids are used to what they want,” said Shelley Hubal of the Family Resource Network Inc.
Hubal is the coordinator of a conference on Saturday that will explore how special diets and sensory control can help kids with autism. The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 in the Howard Johnson’s Hotel Ballroom, 75 N. Broad St. in Norwich.
Featured speakers are: Lisa Lewis, Ph.D., the author of the “Special Diets for Special Kids” series; Charlie Erica Fall, a nutritionist for children with autism, who will discuss supplements; and Polly Godwin Emmons and Liz Anderson who are both educators and co-authors of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Sensory Integration” and “Understanding Sensory Dysfunction: Learning, Development and Sensory Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Bipolar Disorder.”
Hubal’s own 11-year old autistic son has followed a special diet for six years. She said it has cured his intestinal pain, and that, in itself, has been worth the effort.
“It’s a lot easier than you think to do the diet. And, the more knowledge that we have as parents, the better off we are. I look at diet as just something else that I add to my tool chest. It might not help everybody, but it could be an answer for some,” she said.
One in every 150 American children develop an autism spectrum disorder. Some of the stumbling blocks the disorder presents can be the inability to understand humor, body language and words that have more than one meaning. In extreme cases, some victims may not be able to communicate verbally at all.
Sensory issues are pervasive throughout a lot of disabilities, not just autism. Certain noises like running water and bright lights that are normally tuned out can be distracting and even painful for children with certain sensory disorders.
Autistic children are puzzles that parents have to try to figure out, and therapies and strategies can improve their abilities and overall well-being.
“Fortunately, we’ve gotten very good at figuring it out. We have a lot of therapists who can do that,” said Hubal.
Parents or individuals living with autism may attend for free. Educators and physicians who work with families or children with autism and may be interested in dietary changes as a medical intervention tool are encouraged to attend.
Registration is required. The first 90 people to register receive a free copy of an Anderson and Emmons’ book courtesy of Early Childhood Direction Center. For more information, call the Family Resource Network at 1-800-305-8814.
But changing anything in an autistic child’s routine can be a tremendous struggle. Many parents fear the mere suggestion.
“Some parents are a little scared. Our little guys with autism are tough little people to change; these kids are used to what they want,” said Shelley Hubal of the Family Resource Network Inc.
Hubal is the coordinator of a conference on Saturday that will explore how special diets and sensory control can help kids with autism. The conference will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 20 in the Howard Johnson’s Hotel Ballroom, 75 N. Broad St. in Norwich.
Featured speakers are: Lisa Lewis, Ph.D., the author of the “Special Diets for Special Kids” series; Charlie Erica Fall, a nutritionist for children with autism, who will discuss supplements; and Polly Godwin Emmons and Liz Anderson who are both educators and co-authors of “Unlocking the Mysteries of Sensory Integration” and “Understanding Sensory Dysfunction: Learning, Development and Sensory Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Bipolar Disorder.”
Hubal’s own 11-year old autistic son has followed a special diet for six years. She said it has cured his intestinal pain, and that, in itself, has been worth the effort.
“It’s a lot easier than you think to do the diet. And, the more knowledge that we have as parents, the better off we are. I look at diet as just something else that I add to my tool chest. It might not help everybody, but it could be an answer for some,” she said.
One in every 150 American children develop an autism spectrum disorder. Some of the stumbling blocks the disorder presents can be the inability to understand humor, body language and words that have more than one meaning. In extreme cases, some victims may not be able to communicate verbally at all.
Sensory issues are pervasive throughout a lot of disabilities, not just autism. Certain noises like running water and bright lights that are normally tuned out can be distracting and even painful for children with certain sensory disorders.
Autistic children are puzzles that parents have to try to figure out, and therapies and strategies can improve their abilities and overall well-being.
“Fortunately, we’ve gotten very good at figuring it out. We have a lot of therapists who can do that,” said Hubal.
Parents or individuals living with autism may attend for free. Educators and physicians who work with families or children with autism and may be interested in dietary changes as a medical intervention tool are encouraged to attend.
Registration is required. The first 90 people to register receive a free copy of an Anderson and Emmons’ book courtesy of Early Childhood Direction Center. For more information, call the Family Resource Network at 1-800-305-8814.
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