There Are Two Forms of Autism

Genetic – Symptoms can present themselves within the first few months to a year old.

Environmental – Parents feel that there child was typically on track with sudden regression.

Unfortunately most doctors prefer to wait to diagnose a child with autism. Depending on parent’s assertiveness a diagnosis of autism is given between 2 ½ and 4 years of age. I personally don’t believe it matters if your child has a diagnosis or not, the key to getting on top of autism is aggressive early intervention. The older the child the more habitual patterns are set into their path.

Early Signs of Autism

Rolling Over – A healthy, more organized baby will roll over with ease, legs are extended as the back initiates the roll. When a baby ‘can’t’ roll over or eventually learns to throw his legs up into the air and allows their weight to bring him over to his side.

Not Recognizing Faces – Babies love to look at faces as they quickly learn from your expressions. A pre-autistic behavior is not looking into your eyes or reading your face. Notice if your child is looking away from you or through you.

Not Responding to Babble – Babies love to copy you sticking your tongue in and out. Smacking their lips, smiling and soon they are making sounds. Notice if you are trying very to get your babies attention or if interaction is forced. Keep an eye out if your child is not interested in having a ‘conversation’ with you.

Lack of Name Recognition – Mom and Dad will start to see eye movement that leads to excitement when a child hears their name or certain words, ‘hungry, milk, dog, brother, etc.’

Cranky or Fussy – Your child’s colic seems to go on forever. Parents might not realize that sensory issues are kicking in at a very early age. A parent needs to work with a doctor to rule out health issues. Parents should also take note if a child can’t tolerate tags, certain textures of clothing, needing their blanket or toy to go everywhere so they can sooth their child.

Warnings signs for regression after your child is over one year old:

Non-responsive - A healthy child starts to look if you say 'Where's Daddy? Where's the ball?" Suddenly you find yourself repeating it or saying it louder. Needing to touch or prompt your child to get their attention.

Staring - Babies and toddlers work the room. You don't loose a child into a good TV show until they're a few years older. If they seem like they're zoning out or loosing track of what they are doing or obsessing over one item for a length of time.

Sensory & Touch - Babies and toddlers like to explore there environment. If they once enjoyed food & getting messy now the suddenly have fear of smells, messes, touch and/or sounds.

Fear - Does your child suddenly have fears? Does the child suddenly cling to a parent or have separation anxiety? Lost a sense of calm or peace that they previously had?

Slouching - Babies and toddlers with a healthy nervous system don't slouch. Your child might suddenly seem heavy to pick up or carry around. They're not 'laid back' or easy going. Young children should be curious about the world around them.

How Movement Lesson Was Created

All that I am is for my family. I've always believed that if your family is strong - the world can be strong. With my husband, I have two beautiful boys. It is them who taught me how to do Movement Lesson.

My story, our story, starts with complications and regression do to my son's 13 month vaccine. He got the HIB vaccine and we lost him. This is more than just autism. I wish that it was only autism but he didn't develope the antibodies - he got the disease HIB (haemophilus influenza). The only problem was - it would take us another three years to get that diagnosis. Most doctors felt that I was a mother that couldn't handle the autism diagnosis - I needed a medical reason why this was happening to my son. At the end, all I got was "You were right."

This is what vaccine regression looks like. The CDC doesn't know about Graham and countless others. I have the diagnosis - of polysacchride ab deficient. He has no immune system due to the length of the infection and receives subcu infusions every week. This isn't about the vaccines = it's about trauma and recovery. The trauma from vaccine reaction can be so severe to a child's central nervous system that without intervention can lead to a diagnosis of autism and developmental delay.

He was two years old when Dr. Schenkein, pediatric gastroenterology, suggested that we go to California to the Anat Baniel Method (ABM) Center in Marin County. We were at Anat's new clinic on the day that the doors opened. Before going, his physical therapist told me that he's walking but shouldn't be. His body is not capable but he's doing it. Within two days of , he was walking heal to toe with his dad and he said to me, "I don't know what they are doing in there but you are going to learn how to do this." That's when my life changed.

This is a picture of him was taken after 10 ABM lessons in five days.

When I started my training, his speech goal was a one word self-help at the age of four "Mom, open, please." He was going to the Foundation for the Blind for PreSchool. He's now 7 and mainstreamed with resource for reading and writing comprehession. He gets 100% on all of his work and loves studing the Periodic Table, karate and Cub Scouts. He and his brother come to my clinic every week for their lesson.

It's been almost five years since that May. I have a wonderful clinic in Peoria, Arizona called Movement Lesson. My clients are babies - the biggest is 97! I wanted to concentrate on children with special needs. I quickly recognized that we all have special needs.

I use my personal experience with my professional training to help children avoid the same route Graham has taken. I continue to discover how our systems, so fantastic and complex, can be shown and new and more efficient way to move. I'm using this blog to grasp all these thoughts on paper.

I'm and expert on movement and pain, not at writing. I can't do this any other way than to Blog. To begin to formulate all that I'm learning and bring it to a form where I can articulate it.

I will be blogging about my clients to bring an awareness that children and adults with special needs, people recovering to trauma, neuropathies, strokes, etc can be helped by a Movement Lesson.

Bring me your questions and I'll try to answer them the best way that I know how.