When Aiden was a baby, he was born six weeks preterm and spent three weeks in the NICU. He is still very immature socially. At 5 1/2, he is a handsome, sweet, tirelessly curious boy who notices minute details in keys, cars, and architecture, and can recall them easily. He enthusiastically designs and directs family projects like car washes and time machines. Loves to play in water, is learning to swim, loves to dance, lawnmowers, helicopters, planes, dolphins, cats, dogs, and the idea of time traveling.
Autism is part of my son Aiden’s biology, as much as the shape of his nose and the color of his skin. I want the world to welcome him for the beautiful person he is. As a parent, an activist, and an ally of the autistic community, I want public acceptance of autistic people, not just autism “awareness.” I don’t want my son or any autistic person to be feared or pitied for a fundamental part of their being. I don’t want Aiden to feel ashamed of himself, or to have to hide who he is, to be included. That’s why I support the autistic community’s celebration of April as Autism Acceptance Month.
I didn’t come easily to this place of acceptance. My experiences of becoming a parent and my friendships with autistic people led me to it. So let me share with you my journey of raising my son Aiden. I’ll start way back, in the early days of my marriage.
Like every couple, my husband and I transitioned from the honeymoon stage to the reality stage, complete with arguments about toothpaste tubes and dishwasher loading. Our ideas of what should be happening, and what was actually happening, were compounded by military life. He had to go to Greenland for a year tour when we had only been married seven months. After trying to work through these difficulties on our own, I sought professional help. When he returned my husband sat on the couch with a psychiatrist who asked him, “How can I help you?” My husband replied, “It’s my wife. She’s having a really hard time. She’s upset that I have to be away for my job. She doesn’t want to do anything fun. Even when we see a movie, she ends up crying.” My husband looked at the psychiatrist holding his pen and pad. The psychiatrist replied, “Well, now we know why your wife should be here. Why are you here?”
We were both married previously. He has a daughter from his previous marriage. I didn't have any children. I had even seriously thought about adoption since I didn't conceive earlier in life after being married for five years. In 2008 my husband and I got lucky and I gave birth to a baby boy. What we didn’t know was that our baby had been struggling in utero. By the time he was born, he was very blue and whisked away to the NICU right away. He couldn’t breathe on his own. He couldn't eat and breathe at the same time for the first few days. He had a couple of rounds of jaundice. Our precious baby boy was in such bad shape that we weren’t allowed to hold him, touch him, cuddle him skin-to-skin, or any of the other lovely things that usually happen when a baby is born. Instead, I got up close and personal with a breast pump. Not how I thought I would be spending the days after my son was born, in a room trying to express milk for my son that would be stored when he would eventually be able to consume it.
By the time we left the hospital three weeks later, however, the doctors only told me that he may have learning difficulties later in life. They told me that a person from the local university would be in touch for continued early childhood screenings to make sure he is reaching milestones on time. I figured this was a good thing. I looked forward to the visits from Ms. Thea. She always told me that my son was on target developmentally. One time I noticed she thought Aiden's eye contact was odd. She said, hmmm... Does he sustain a gaze with you? I said, yes usually. It was not brought up again. Later on I noticed lack of eye contact, mainly at bedtime.
At his two month well baby visit. The neonatologist was concerned about his weight. He wasn't gaining like he should. The doctor was concerned about his brain development. I did as the doctor instructed, still lots of colic and spit up continued until his first birthday.
As Aiden passed his second birthday, I began keeping track of the ways his development differed from what I expected. He loved to play outside, but seemed more clumsy than a usual two year old. We went to the ER for a couple of his accidents. He still has a scar near his eyebrow from a doctor gluing his skin back together. He had a fit during bath time. Bath time became more and more of a struggle. He did not like to have his hair washed. I tried to hold him, but he was slippery from being in the tub getting clean and he banged his head on the soap dish in the tub while being upset with me for washing his hair. He reacted in ways I didn’t expect to noises, crowds, crying babies, and children. He seemed happy, but he was also extremely anxious. When I questioned the doctors, they stated categorically that it wasn’t autism, because he was too social and cuddly (a myth). Another professional said it wasn’t autism because Aiden responded to his name (another myth). A third thought we would have to wait to find out anything (also not true).
When Aiden was three, I put him in a home day care. At the time the lady running the daycare told me that my son should be tested for autism. She observed several behaviors that were red flags. I got a referral to a psychologist and was told that no my son does not have autism, he is very immature for his age and also displays ADHD tendencies. I was told to get a leash for my son. Be patient and come back in six months or so if still concerned. He also alluded to telling me that my parenting skills were subpar. I never went back to that specialist.
The following year he started preschool at our neighborhood school. All this time I keep thinking to myself that he has something going on... not sure if it is autism or not. I share my concerns with his teacher. She writes a letter. Again go to a doctor voicing concerns. This time went to a different pediatrician. Finally have a full evaluation done. January of 2013 I was told officially that he is being diagnosed on the spectrum. It wasn't totally shocking, but still a grieving process happened. That day I dropped Aiden off at preschool as usual and then went home and cried and cried. Cried almost as hard as the day my parents died. In a way was the day of a death of a dream. The dream that my son would not need any special services in his entire life. As the diagnosis sunk in, I thought – how can I fix this? What are the rules? I knew how to manipulate Aiden’s body to teach him how to move. How could I reach into my baby’s head and fix his brain?
I have a degree in special education. I dug out my old book from Greenspan and studied Floortime. A lot of it is usual preschool things. The aim of this therapy was not to enable me to “fix” my child, but to learn more about him: How Aiden processes sensory input and responds to the world, how he uses language, what makes him laugh, what frightens him. This philosophy laid the foundation for how I think about autism.
I thought autism was Aiden’s problem and I was going to learn the rules of fixing him. Instead, what I learned was that the problem was with me. I would need to question every assumption that society had taught me about my son. Me — I needed to challenge everything I had ever learned about autism.
We need to challenge how autism is defined — as a set of behaviors and deficits – because this description leads us inexorably to “fixing” autistic people. Autism is a way that the brain takes in, processes, and responds to information. This way of processing results in variations in the way the world is experienced and the ways that learning, communication, and movement occur. Autistic people develop skills on a different timetable or in a different order than expected.
But autism also comes with a set of strengths – a deep passion for interests, the ability to recognize visual, musical, social, or emotional patterns, and a strong individuality. When we ignore autistic strengths, we ourselves become stuck on fixing autistic people, rather than building on their natural talents.
We need to challenge how autism is portrayed in the media. Using fear, sadness, and pity to generate donations devalues autistic lives and terrorizes parents. Imagine never seeing a positive image of yourself or your child in the media. Imagine always being seen as an object of pity. The negative portrayal of autistic people and their families sends the message that their lives are joyless, worthless, and powerless. Instead of this unrelenting image of fear, we need to hear more stories of real autistic people’s lives – their joys, successes, and what helps them thrive.
We need to question the perception that disabled lives are pitiable. Our history and culture defines “normal” and anyone different is seen as less than. We are programmed to see those who are not white, male, and heterosexual, with certain physical and neurological characteristics, as not normal. This view explains why white skin is seen as the default and black skin is seen as different. It explains why women in business are told to think like men, and why any display of emotion is labeled a sign of weakness. It sends a message that anything different from “normal” is not good enough.
This is why I cried when I first learned that my son would have disabilities and be perceived as “different.” In that moment, my child’s potential was erased by my unconscious biases. Unknowingly, I had bought into the idea that anything other than a certain set of physical and neurological characteristics is a life of less than, a pitiful existence. What did that say about how I thought of as myself as a woman? What did that say about my relationships with black people? Gay people? About people with other disabilities? What did that say about my relationship to my own child? We need to challenge the belief that difference is less than. Our ideas about what is “normal” need to change.
We need to examine our response to autism. When we start with the incorrect premise that autistic people don’t understand or misbehave, we end up with behavioral programs directed at training them to act in “normal” ways. By recognizing that they already communicate and understand, we can identify the obstacles that make it difficult for them. We can move from trying to fix the person to giving them the supports they need. These supports include sensory-friendly environments, devices to assist communication, acceptance of moving around and stimming, and methods of learning that come most naturally to them. Creating supports like this are like building ramps for autistic people, instead of forcing them to climb stairs that exhaust and exclude them.
The Grand Lesson
After my child was diagnosed with autism, the grand lesson finally got through to me. Life isn’t about finding sets of rules. It’s about seeing my own child, other people’s children, and other adults behaving in ways that I didn’t expect, and then challenging my own prejudices and reactions. It’s about learning to broaden our narrow perceptions of normal, thinking carefully about what we mean when we say “different,” and how we define happiness.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Summer Reading Mid-June 2013
As I was thinking about what to write about books I am sharing with my son during the summer months, a major disaster has happened in our city. We are safe, but Colorado Springs is near more wildfires like last year. Last year it was the west side having to evacuate because of the Waldo Canyon Fire. This year it is the north side that is having to evacuate because of the Black Forest Fire. Already the Black Forest fire is worse than the Waldo Canyon Fire in terms of number of homes destroyed. This evening an announcement was made that two people have perished in the fire. They were trying to flee, but the fire was moving too fast.
Times like these make me pause and think about the small day to day life. Am I really making memories for my son? Memories that he will cherish for a lifetime? Memories that he will look back and say, "Wow! Mom and Dad loved me so much that I knew it in the way we lived each day together." I strive to create memories that he will remember and cherish forever. I hope and pray that he knows how much we love him.
A few of the simple day to day things include cooking together. My son has a soy allergy so a lot of convenience foods are out of the question. He is five years old and he likes kid-type foods. One of those things is graham crackers. I found a recipe for homemade graham crackers online. You can find it at www.weelicious.com and search for homemade graham crackers. I will put a link here.
During cooking activities, he helps get the ingredients out. I show him how to measure dry ingredients, liquid ingredients and show how to mix it all together. The best part of all is getting the dough out of the bowl and shaping it into a disk then rolling it out and cutting the crackers with cookie cutters for any shape you like.
It is a fun memory. We also went to the farmer's market today. He was able to get his arm painted there. Usually a bath is part of the nightly routine, but to keep the artwork on until tomorrow I gave him a sponge bath tonight. He wants to show his dolphin on his arm to his therapists tomorrow.
Here is a list of several books I am reading to him. There are two sets of books that he is starting to read. I will put that at the end of the list. Again, some are our own collection and some are from local libraries. Enjoy!
These are all from the base library.
1.4 Pups and a Worm by Eric Seltzer
2. Animal Playtime Kittens by Cathy Drinkwater Better illustrations by Steve Caldwell
3. It's Not Fair! by Anita Harper illunstrated by Mary McQuillan
4. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. illustrations by Eric Carle
5. Rabbit's Birthday Kite by Maryann Macdonald illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
6. Tumford's Rude Noises by Nancy Tillman
These are from our own collection.
Caillou My Storytime Box Set of 6 books
Adventures in Reading Disney Winnie the Pooh Leveled Stories for Beginning Readers Set of 10 books
Times like these make me pause and think about the small day to day life. Am I really making memories for my son? Memories that he will cherish for a lifetime? Memories that he will look back and say, "Wow! Mom and Dad loved me so much that I knew it in the way we lived each day together." I strive to create memories that he will remember and cherish forever. I hope and pray that he knows how much we love him.
A few of the simple day to day things include cooking together. My son has a soy allergy so a lot of convenience foods are out of the question. He is five years old and he likes kid-type foods. One of those things is graham crackers. I found a recipe for homemade graham crackers online. You can find it at www.weelicious.com and search for homemade graham crackers. I will put a link here.
During cooking activities, he helps get the ingredients out. I show him how to measure dry ingredients, liquid ingredients and show how to mix it all together. The best part of all is getting the dough out of the bowl and shaping it into a disk then rolling it out and cutting the crackers with cookie cutters for any shape you like.
It is a fun memory. We also went to the farmer's market today. He was able to get his arm painted there. Usually a bath is part of the nightly routine, but to keep the artwork on until tomorrow I gave him a sponge bath tonight. He wants to show his dolphin on his arm to his therapists tomorrow.
Here is a list of several books I am reading to him. There are two sets of books that he is starting to read. I will put that at the end of the list. Again, some are our own collection and some are from local libraries. Enjoy!
These are all from the base library.
1.4 Pups and a Worm by Eric Seltzer
2. Animal Playtime Kittens by Cathy Drinkwater Better illustrations by Steve Caldwell
3. It's Not Fair! by Anita Harper illunstrated by Mary McQuillan
4. Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. illustrations by Eric Carle
5. Rabbit's Birthday Kite by Maryann Macdonald illustrated by Lynn Munsinger
6. Tumford's Rude Noises by Nancy Tillman
These are from our own collection.
Caillou My Storytime Box Set of 6 books
Adventures in Reading Disney Winnie the Pooh Leveled Stories for Beginning Readers Set of 10 books
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Summer Reading 2013
Summer Reading is here for 2013. I always read to my son. Mostly I find the reading happens during the bedtime routine. I wanted to share the 10 books I read to him tonight. Most of these books I found at the public library, a few I found at the base library and one is our own personal book.
Here are the books I shared with my son tonight.
I found these at the base library. My husband is retired air force. If you have the privilege of using a military library, please use it. Recent budget cuts have even effected the libraries at military installations.
Arthur's Reading Race by Marc Brown
Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman
The Bike Lesson Another Adventure of the Berenstain Bears by Stan and Jan Berenstain
I found these books at the public library. Especially during the summer books, go to your local library and check out books. You know what interests your child. Build on those interests.
Arabella Miller's Tiny Caterpillar by Clare Jarrett
Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson
Chester the Brave by Audrey Penn illustrated by Barbara L. Gibson
Amelia Makes a Movie by David Milgrim
The Fantastic Mr. Wani by Kanako Usui
I Want Two Birthdays! by Tony Ross
This one is in our own collection. We have a lot of books in my son's room. Books are always part of special holidays. This book in particular has a very special message.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud illustrated by David Messing
I haven't decided how often I will update these posts about summer reading. We usually go to a library once a week, sometimes every other week. Suppose I will update as we get new library books. I will share what I am reading with my little guy and maybe it will inspire another parent to read more to their child or look for a particular book to share with their child. Happy reading! :)
Here are the books I shared with my son tonight.
I found these at the base library. My husband is retired air force. If you have the privilege of using a military library, please use it. Recent budget cuts have even effected the libraries at military installations.
Arthur's Reading Race by Marc Brown
Flap Your Wings by P.D. Eastman
The Bike Lesson Another Adventure of the Berenstain Bears by Stan and Jan Berenstain
I found these books at the public library. Especially during the summer books, go to your local library and check out books. You know what interests your child. Build on those interests.
Arabella Miller's Tiny Caterpillar by Clare Jarrett
Henry Builds a Cabin by D.B. Johnson
Chester the Brave by Audrey Penn illustrated by Barbara L. Gibson
Amelia Makes a Movie by David Milgrim
The Fantastic Mr. Wani by Kanako Usui
I Want Two Birthdays! by Tony Ross
This one is in our own collection. We have a lot of books in my son's room. Books are always part of special holidays. This book in particular has a very special message.
Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud illustrated by David Messing
I haven't decided how often I will update these posts about summer reading. We usually go to a library once a week, sometimes every other week. Suppose I will update as we get new library books. I will share what I am reading with my little guy and maybe it will inspire another parent to read more to their child or look for a particular book to share with their child. Happy reading! :)
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Things My Boy Says
Summer has just begun. Already have swimming lessons scheduled to start in June. Finishing preschool is bittersweet, however, we are all looking forward to adventures that will come in kindergarten.
Something that we are still learning is that there are times when Aiden hears things, he takes them literally. He was with me at the commissary earlier this week. We used the self-checkout. After I had paid for the items, the computer said, "please remove all bagged items." Aiden was upset. He said, "Oh, mommy! You can't take the milk. You didn't bag it!"
Also earlier this week I got a dum-dum sucker for Aiden. I left it on the kitchen counter and told him that I have a special treat for him with his name all over it. He went to the kitchen and looked all over the wrapper of the sucker. He said, "Hey! This doesn't have my name on it!"
They are just a couple of the things that we are all learning. My son was diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Some days are awesome and some days really test my patience. Perhaps on another day I will post about the not so awesome days. Right now I want to focus on these cute days and help him understand figures of speech and how not everything is literal. It is an on-going process.
Something that we are still learning is that there are times when Aiden hears things, he takes them literally. He was with me at the commissary earlier this week. We used the self-checkout. After I had paid for the items, the computer said, "please remove all bagged items." Aiden was upset. He said, "Oh, mommy! You can't take the milk. You didn't bag it!"
Also earlier this week I got a dum-dum sucker for Aiden. I left it on the kitchen counter and told him that I have a special treat for him with his name all over it. He went to the kitchen and looked all over the wrapper of the sucker. He said, "Hey! This doesn't have my name on it!"
They are just a couple of the things that we are all learning. My son was diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Some days are awesome and some days really test my patience. Perhaps on another day I will post about the not so awesome days. Right now I want to focus on these cute days and help him understand figures of speech and how not everything is literal. It is an on-going process.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
What Disability Do I Have, Mommy?
Well, I was hoping I would have more time before my son asked this question. However, today while he was having a snack he asked the question, "What disability do I have, Mommy?"
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Like most parents, I look at my son and see all the potential he has. Memories flash in my mind of when he was a baby. I have huge dreams for him. Even though I have come to acceptance that he has austim spectrum disorder, actually telling him that he has this is a very difficult thing to do.
The conversation started with handicapped parking spots. He points out the signs when we go places. He asks why they are blue, why the signs have a picture of a wheelchair. I explained how back in the 1990s a law was passed called the Americans with Disabilities Act. When that law was passed a lot of changes were made to public places to make it easier for people who are in wheelchairs and have other disabilities to access buildings and places more easily.
He then asks me the question, "What disability do I have, Mom?" I could have explained right there all about autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit disorder. Instead, I returned his question with a question. "Who told you that you have a disability?" I felt defensive. How dare someone tell my son that he has a disability. Whoever this person is, they were going to get an earful from me, the mamma bear. His response was, "No one, Mommy." Then he continued to eat his snack and did not bring it up again.
Eventually it will come up again. Mercy, he goes to four different therapies during the week. He asks me why I take him to speech, OT and PT. My response is to help him have a happier life. He asks me why Mr. Dan comes to the house. Mr. Dan is the ABA therapist. I tell him to also help him have a happier life.
My son is only five. Very smart kid. Recently, the weather has become more like spirng and we open the windows to let in some fresh air. He was asking my husband (Daddy) to please close the windows because he has allergies and the tree pollen gets in the house and he sneezes and his allergies hurt. He knows he is different, but can't quite explain why. I want to have more time to explain it to him. Explain it to him in a way that does not use his diagnoses as any reason for him to not try hard in life. I want to protect him, at the same time, I want to empower him. Mostly, I just want to love him and have him know that he is loved.
I will be better at getting the conversation rolling. All this time I have been concerned about his development and how therapies are progressing. While I also have another thing to think about, what children's stories to find that will help answer his question, "What disability do I have, Mommy?" I need to prepare myself for that, for it will be much better if the information comes from Mommy and Daddy rather than someone else. He is a sensitive child, I am concerned what his response will be when he is told that, yes, he does have a disability.
I wish it was something as easy as looking in the mirror with him and saying, yes son you have brown hair and brown eyes. Your eyes are a lot like mine. However, I get so emotional just thinking about how to tell him. Mostly, I will focus on loving him, loving him through easy days and not so easy days. Loving him as only I can, because I am his mother.
It hit me like a ton of bricks. Like most parents, I look at my son and see all the potential he has. Memories flash in my mind of when he was a baby. I have huge dreams for him. Even though I have come to acceptance that he has austim spectrum disorder, actually telling him that he has this is a very difficult thing to do.
The conversation started with handicapped parking spots. He points out the signs when we go places. He asks why they are blue, why the signs have a picture of a wheelchair. I explained how back in the 1990s a law was passed called the Americans with Disabilities Act. When that law was passed a lot of changes were made to public places to make it easier for people who are in wheelchairs and have other disabilities to access buildings and places more easily.
He then asks me the question, "What disability do I have, Mom?" I could have explained right there all about autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit disorder. Instead, I returned his question with a question. "Who told you that you have a disability?" I felt defensive. How dare someone tell my son that he has a disability. Whoever this person is, they were going to get an earful from me, the mamma bear. His response was, "No one, Mommy." Then he continued to eat his snack and did not bring it up again.
Eventually it will come up again. Mercy, he goes to four different therapies during the week. He asks me why I take him to speech, OT and PT. My response is to help him have a happier life. He asks me why Mr. Dan comes to the house. Mr. Dan is the ABA therapist. I tell him to also help him have a happier life.
My son is only five. Very smart kid. Recently, the weather has become more like spirng and we open the windows to let in some fresh air. He was asking my husband (Daddy) to please close the windows because he has allergies and the tree pollen gets in the house and he sneezes and his allergies hurt. He knows he is different, but can't quite explain why. I want to have more time to explain it to him. Explain it to him in a way that does not use his diagnoses as any reason for him to not try hard in life. I want to protect him, at the same time, I want to empower him. Mostly, I just want to love him and have him know that he is loved.
I will be better at getting the conversation rolling. All this time I have been concerned about his development and how therapies are progressing. While I also have another thing to think about, what children's stories to find that will help answer his question, "What disability do I have, Mommy?" I need to prepare myself for that, for it will be much better if the information comes from Mommy and Daddy rather than someone else. He is a sensitive child, I am concerned what his response will be when he is told that, yes, he does have a disability.
I wish it was something as easy as looking in the mirror with him and saying, yes son you have brown hair and brown eyes. Your eyes are a lot like mine. However, I get so emotional just thinking about how to tell him. Mostly, I will focus on loving him, loving him through easy days and not so easy days. Loving him as only I can, because I am his mother.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
The Autism and Allergy Overlap
I found this article and want to share it on here. It is written by Heather Fraser. She is the author of The Peanut Allergy Epidemic: what’s causing it and how to stop it (NY, Skyhorse, 2011). She is a Toronto-based writer and holistic health practitioner. Her son, now 18, was diagnosed with peanut allergy in 1995. Find out more at heatherfraser.org and peanutallergyepidemic.com.
ASD and food allergy rates have risen dramatically—and they often go hand in hand…
The food allergy and autism communities generally seen as separate groups have more in common than they may realize. One has only to look at the meteoric rise of both epidemics in the last 20 years to wonder if they are connected. In fact, I contend that they are the same story with the same causes and overlapping symptoms but with different outcomes. It is as though one overwhelmed child turned left while the other turned right.
Children with life threatening food allergies often have a “mixed bag” of health concerns that can include ADHD, environmental sensitivities and gut inflammation. Typically, parents of these children pay such close attention to the food anaphylaxis that these “lesser” issues are often dismissed or medicated away. And yet, if we view this mixed bag as a collection of meaningful symptoms, a very different picture emerges. This picture mirrors that of many children on the spectrum.
In “The Function of Allergy: an immunological defense against toxins” (1991), Margie Profet confirms that any mammal overwhelmed and unable to detoxify will defend itself with allergy. This evolved defense is designed to expel the toxin(s) as fast as possible by sneezing, vomiting, itching or to prevent it from circulating by a drop in blood pressure.
Toxic exposures—any combination from air, food, water, drugs, pathogens, or vaccines—that precipitate the allergies can also result in a host of other health issues. The so-called “neuro-typical” (NT) kids with severe food allergies are not NT at all if we ask additional questions about fine or gross motor skills, unusual “gifts”, attention deficit, rage, sensory processing issues, hyperactivity and more.
By illuminating the ground shared by the food allergy kids and children on the spectrum, a broader collective awareness may emerge. This awareness will bring greater pressure to bear on addressing causes and forcing change.
The “A” words
Like the word “autism”, allergy and anaphylaxis were coined early in the 20th century. These last two were created to describe reactions to sera administered for the first time in history using the hypodermic syringe. When children began to fall violently ill following the use of this new technology, doctors scrambled to understand why. Pediatrician Clemens von Pirquet in 1906 saw the symptoms as an “altered reactivity” or allergy. Anaphylaxis “against protection” was coined by Charles Richet around 1913 to describe the condition he created in animals during immunization experiments.
Autism was coined by a Swiss psychiatrist in 1912 and Asperger’s after the work of Hans Asperger in the 1930s. Leo Kanner in the 1940s provided a foundation for understanding the environmental causes of autism.
Food allergies and autism in children increased slowly until about 1990 at which time their prevalence abruptly accelerated.
The first wave of affected children
It seemed to happen almost overnight about 20 years ago. Something changed suddenly at the same time in many Western countries to make scores of children terribly unwell:
■Food anaphylaxis: severe food allergy increased abruptly in children, but just in certain Western countries including Australia (ACT), the US, Canada, and the UK. School teachers provided eye witness accounts of the sudden surge of severely allergic children who arrived for kindergarten in the early 90s. The timing is confirmed by hospital ER records. UK cohort studies indicated that peanut allergy in preschoolers had doubled in just four years through the early 1990s, from about 1% to over 3%.
■Autism: in the early 1990s, increasing reports of autism alerted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One startling report of a “cluster” of autism in Brick Township, New Jersey drew the attention of the CDC in 1997.[i] Children born in the late 1980s and early 90s were most affected. A steep increase in autism was noted at this time also in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Continued rise
This was the beginning of what are now epidemics of life threatening food allergies and autism. In the US, one in 13 children (8%) have food allergies with one in 40 (2.5%, 1.8 million) being life threatening. Childhood peanut/tree nut allergies tripled between 1997 and 2008 from .6% to 2.1%.[i] There has been a 265% rise in food allergy hospitalization among children (CDC).
Autism has spiked 1,500% in the last 20 years. One in 88 children is on the spectrum: 825,000 in the US; 89,000 in Canada; 131,000 in the UK.
Food/substance triggers
Many severely food allergic children have atopy—allergies causing eczema, asthma and behavior issues. Food allergies are the main causes of ADHD according to a 2001 study in the Lancet.[iii] The opiate effect of dairy and wheat proteins on some children is well documented. Unrecognized allergies to chemicals, molds and more can also cause behavioral changes.
It is not known how many children on the spectrum have severe allergy, but most avoid certain foods that make other symptoms worse. The worst of these according to Kenneth Bock, MD in Healing the New Childhood Epidemics (2007) are dairy, chocolate, yeast-growing foods, gluten and casein. Allergies and Autism (2010) by Michael Dochniak tells the story of a boy with multiple allergies who regressed after an anaphylactic reaction to latex. The role of allergy in autism can be profound and individual.
Defensiveness
Allergy and anaphylaxis function to defend the body against acute toxicity. The body may risk death to defend itself against perceived certain death.
Children on the spectrum can exhibit defensiveness. Cari Neal in “Tactile Defensiveness and Patterns of Social Behavior in Autism” (1997)[iv] explains that social withdrawal functions to limit tactile stimulation. Temple Grandin, quoted by Neal, confirms that for her, withdrawal is a defense from a “tidal wave of stimulation.”
Gender and age of onset
In 1944, Hans Asperger believed that girls were unaffected by the syndrome he described although he later revised his conclusion. The gender gap is as high as 10:1 for Asperger’s, and 4:1 for autism. In 1964, Bernard Rimland observed that boys tended to be more vulnerable to “organic damage” than girls.
Studies on peanut allergic children reveal that twice as many boys have the condition than do girls.
Many parents see the 18 month mark or before the age of two as a point of change or regression for children on the autism spectrum.
The general age of onset for life threatening peanut allergy (the first reaction) has been declining: from 24 months of age for kids born between 1995 and 1997; 21 months for those born before 2000; and for those after 2000, it is now about 14 months of age.
GI tract damage – gut-brain axis
Since Charles Richet’s 1913 Nobel Prize winning research, allergists have defaulted to the idea that food allergy is caused by digestive failure, or a “leaky” gut. Or it was, until the explosion of food anaphylaxis in children starting around 1990. It seemed impossible that gut failure could occur on such a scale and so suddenly.
The gut is integral to the immune system and the brain. Also called the “second brain” because it is connected by millions of neurons to the central nervous system, the gut will react immediately when challenged by toxin or trauma:
In cases of extreme stress … the higher brain seems to protect the gut by sending signals to immunological mast cells in the plexus. The mast cells secrete histamine, prostaglandin and other agents that help produce inflammation. This is protective. By inflaming the gut, the brain is priming the [it] for surveillance.[v]
The bystander effect occurs when compounds in the body/gut at the time or moment of the extreme stress become targets for allergic sensitization.
And it goes without explanation that children on the spectrum struggle greatly with gut inflammation. What could have the power to provoke this so early in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children?
Causes
Many following allergy and autism debates believe that both epidemics are man-made. And the medical community appears ready at last to consider this within the “hygiene hypothesis”:
The leading theory is about hygiene – with less infection thanks to city living, smaller families, vaccines, sanitation, antibiotics, etc., the immune system is less ‘busy’ with germs and may become more prone to attack harmless food proteins.
~ Dr. Scott Sicherer, pediatrics professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York (Sept. 12, 2012)[vi]
The hygiene hypothesis suggests that vaccination, antibiotics and bug-killing products have unhinged the immune systems of children. Humans have co-evolved with microbes and gut parasites/worms, and without them are vulnerable to inflammatory disorders. Our bug-free, vaccine obsessed, pesticide loving Western existence appears to have doomed us to allergy and autism.
Yes, the hygiene hypothesis has entered the discussion on causes of autism. A 2007 Medical Hypotheses article by K. Becker suggests that immune pathways affected by western hygienic practices may impact brain structure or function contributing to autism. Becker mentions “immunization” in this light but in confessing its “controversial” nature does not pursue it.
Clarifying the matter is historical fact. The abrupt rise of allergy and autism around 1990 coincided with reforms to the pediatric vaccination schedules of many Western countries.
In 1986, the US National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act in essence de-regulated vaccination: no one could sue a vaccine maker without government approval. Largely relieved then of liability, manufacturers moved to meet government demand addressing new “diseases of priority” established by the US Institute of Medicine.
Increases to the vaccine schedule in many Western countries began in 1987 with the Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine. By 1991, doctors did not hesitate to give this new conjugate vaccine to two-month-old children simultaneously with vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio. This move was unprecedented. In that year, more than 17 million doses of Hib vaccine were sold in the US alone. In 1992, additional doses of combination vaccines were included in the schedule. Hib was a revenue-generating “blockbuster product” according to a 1998 WHO publication.
At the same time, coverage rates for vaccination soared. Between 1993 and 1995, the Clinton administration’s Childhood Immunization Initiative provided federal funds aimed at 90% coverage of all infants. Vaccination became a requirement before entry into many preschools and daycare centers. By 1997-98, childhood vaccination rates reached record highs. Canada, the UK, and AU followed the American example.
In 1983, US children received 22 doses of vaccines (combined or single) for seven diseases (two months to age six). Today in the US, children receive up to 48 doses of vaccines for 14 diseases starting at birth to age six.
Unsustainable practices: Hib
The Hib, within an intense schedule that includes five-vaccines-at-once, has been the last straw in my opinion, tipping scores of children into peanut allergy.
Where the DPT-IPV with Hib is used en masse, peanut allergy follows: first in Western countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and ACT Australia, then after 2001 following its use with high coverage rates in Tasmania, Hong Kong, Singapore and most recently India.[vii]
Hib plays a role in autism according to Brian Richmand in “Hypothesis, Conjugate vaccines may predispose children to autism spectrum disorders”. Richmand suggests that the five-in-one with Hib has interfered with nerve myelin in the brain:
This period of hypo-responsiveness to carbohydrate antigens coincides with the intense myelination process in infants and young children, and conjugate vaccines may have disrupted evolutionary forces that favored early brain development over the need to protect infants and young children from capsular bacteria. [viii]
Richmand further suggests that girls who received this vaccine carry antibodies that have the potential to damage nerve myelin and result in autism in their children.
Undeniable disaster … leads to disaster capitalism
In “Save the children (and make money)” published in The Wall Street Journal (2009), writer James Altucher noted the massive rise in the last two decades in peanut allergy, asthma and more among children. The kids are sick and getting sicker, Altucher observed. So, he thought an “Autoimmune Index” would be a good idea:
Such an index would consist of the best mix of stocks that have good lower multiples that will supply the arms in our ongoing war against autoimmune diseases.[ix]
Altucher lists the drugs created for these conditions, their manufacturers, the status of their stocks and their billion dollar profits. And then without slowing he offers possible causes for the pediatric epidemics:
The increase in autoimmune illnesses and allergies in children may be due to high exposure to antibiotics and vaccines at an early age…
Are the products causing the epidemics made by the same companies now making the remedies? It seems investors can make money at both ends of the epidemics.
This is disaster capitalism.
Moving forward
The century old pattern of increasing drug and vaccine consumption in Western countries has meant profit for some but devastation for many more. The autism community is aware of the conflicted interests that underpin this pattern and the autism epidemic. And parents of anaphylactic children are listening. The stories of autism and life threatening food allergy are the same, with shared causes and overlapping symptoms. The “mixed bag” kids with life threatening food allergy are a mirror that, as dark as it is, brings with it millions of families equally worried about the health of their children.
With a growing awareness of the ground these communities share, my hope isthat they will connect meaningfully to force change leading to prevention of these serious — and altogether avoidable — health issues.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] M. Blaxill and D. Olmsted, Age of Autism (NY, Thomas Dunne, 2010).
[ii] Sicherer, et al., “US prevalence of self-reported peanut, tree nut and sesame allergy: 11-year follow-up,” JACI, Vol. 125, No. 6 (June, 2010): 1322-1326.
[iii] L. Pelsser, et al., “Effects of a restricted elimination diet on the behaviour of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (INCA study): a randomized controlled trial,” The Lancet, Vol. 377, (Feb. 2011): 494-503. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)62227-1/abstract
[iv] Cari Neal “Tactile Defensiveness and Patterns of Social Behavior in Autism,” (Illinois Wesleyan University, 1997). http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/psych_honproj/66/
[v] R.M. King, professor, Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia http://www.psyking.net/id36.htm
[vi] http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/12/peanut-allergies-seen-on-rise/#ixzz28eyzSyF7
[vii] H. Fraser, The Peanut Allergy Epidemic (NY, Skyhorse, 2011) pp. 124-126.
[viii] B. Richmand, “Hypothesis, Conjugate vaccines may predispose children to autism spectrum disorders,” Medical Hypotheses, Vol. 77, No. 6 (Dec., 2011): 940-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21993250
[ix] James Altucher, “Save the children (and make money)” The Wall Street Journal (Mon. Aug. 10, 2009) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124992390387319939.html
Heather Fraser is the author of The Peanut Allergy Epidemic: what’s causing it and how to stop it (NY, Skyhorse, 2011). She is a Toronto-based writer and holistic health practitioner. Her son, now 18, was diagnosed with peanut allergy in 1995. Find out more at heatherfraser.org and peanutallergyepidemic.com.
ASD and food allergy rates have risen dramatically—and they often go hand in hand…
The food allergy and autism communities generally seen as separate groups have more in common than they may realize. One has only to look at the meteoric rise of both epidemics in the last 20 years to wonder if they are connected. In fact, I contend that they are the same story with the same causes and overlapping symptoms but with different outcomes. It is as though one overwhelmed child turned left while the other turned right.
Children with life threatening food allergies often have a “mixed bag” of health concerns that can include ADHD, environmental sensitivities and gut inflammation. Typically, parents of these children pay such close attention to the food anaphylaxis that these “lesser” issues are often dismissed or medicated away. And yet, if we view this mixed bag as a collection of meaningful symptoms, a very different picture emerges. This picture mirrors that of many children on the spectrum.
In “The Function of Allergy: an immunological defense against toxins” (1991), Margie Profet confirms that any mammal overwhelmed and unable to detoxify will defend itself with allergy. This evolved defense is designed to expel the toxin(s) as fast as possible by sneezing, vomiting, itching or to prevent it from circulating by a drop in blood pressure.
Toxic exposures—any combination from air, food, water, drugs, pathogens, or vaccines—that precipitate the allergies can also result in a host of other health issues. The so-called “neuro-typical” (NT) kids with severe food allergies are not NT at all if we ask additional questions about fine or gross motor skills, unusual “gifts”, attention deficit, rage, sensory processing issues, hyperactivity and more.
By illuminating the ground shared by the food allergy kids and children on the spectrum, a broader collective awareness may emerge. This awareness will bring greater pressure to bear on addressing causes and forcing change.
The “A” words
Like the word “autism”, allergy and anaphylaxis were coined early in the 20th century. These last two were created to describe reactions to sera administered for the first time in history using the hypodermic syringe. When children began to fall violently ill following the use of this new technology, doctors scrambled to understand why. Pediatrician Clemens von Pirquet in 1906 saw the symptoms as an “altered reactivity” or allergy. Anaphylaxis “against protection” was coined by Charles Richet around 1913 to describe the condition he created in animals during immunization experiments.
Autism was coined by a Swiss psychiatrist in 1912 and Asperger’s after the work of Hans Asperger in the 1930s. Leo Kanner in the 1940s provided a foundation for understanding the environmental causes of autism.
Food allergies and autism in children increased slowly until about 1990 at which time their prevalence abruptly accelerated.
The first wave of affected children
It seemed to happen almost overnight about 20 years ago. Something changed suddenly at the same time in many Western countries to make scores of children terribly unwell:
■Food anaphylaxis: severe food allergy increased abruptly in children, but just in certain Western countries including Australia (ACT), the US, Canada, and the UK. School teachers provided eye witness accounts of the sudden surge of severely allergic children who arrived for kindergarten in the early 90s. The timing is confirmed by hospital ER records. UK cohort studies indicated that peanut allergy in preschoolers had doubled in just four years through the early 1990s, from about 1% to over 3%.
■Autism: in the early 1990s, increasing reports of autism alerted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One startling report of a “cluster” of autism in Brick Township, New Jersey drew the attention of the CDC in 1997.[i] Children born in the late 1980s and early 90s were most affected. A steep increase in autism was noted at this time also in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Continued rise
This was the beginning of what are now epidemics of life threatening food allergies and autism. In the US, one in 13 children (8%) have food allergies with one in 40 (2.5%, 1.8 million) being life threatening. Childhood peanut/tree nut allergies tripled between 1997 and 2008 from .6% to 2.1%.[i] There has been a 265% rise in food allergy hospitalization among children (CDC).
Autism has spiked 1,500% in the last 20 years. One in 88 children is on the spectrum: 825,000 in the US; 89,000 in Canada; 131,000 in the UK.
Food/substance triggers
Many severely food allergic children have atopy—allergies causing eczema, asthma and behavior issues. Food allergies are the main causes of ADHD according to a 2001 study in the Lancet.[iii] The opiate effect of dairy and wheat proteins on some children is well documented. Unrecognized allergies to chemicals, molds and more can also cause behavioral changes.
It is not known how many children on the spectrum have severe allergy, but most avoid certain foods that make other symptoms worse. The worst of these according to Kenneth Bock, MD in Healing the New Childhood Epidemics (2007) are dairy, chocolate, yeast-growing foods, gluten and casein. Allergies and Autism (2010) by Michael Dochniak tells the story of a boy with multiple allergies who regressed after an anaphylactic reaction to latex. The role of allergy in autism can be profound and individual.
Defensiveness
Allergy and anaphylaxis function to defend the body against acute toxicity. The body may risk death to defend itself against perceived certain death.
Children on the spectrum can exhibit defensiveness. Cari Neal in “Tactile Defensiveness and Patterns of Social Behavior in Autism” (1997)[iv] explains that social withdrawal functions to limit tactile stimulation. Temple Grandin, quoted by Neal, confirms that for her, withdrawal is a defense from a “tidal wave of stimulation.”
Gender and age of onset
In 1944, Hans Asperger believed that girls were unaffected by the syndrome he described although he later revised his conclusion. The gender gap is as high as 10:1 for Asperger’s, and 4:1 for autism. In 1964, Bernard Rimland observed that boys tended to be more vulnerable to “organic damage” than girls.
Studies on peanut allergic children reveal that twice as many boys have the condition than do girls.
Many parents see the 18 month mark or before the age of two as a point of change or regression for children on the autism spectrum.
The general age of onset for life threatening peanut allergy (the first reaction) has been declining: from 24 months of age for kids born between 1995 and 1997; 21 months for those born before 2000; and for those after 2000, it is now about 14 months of age.
GI tract damage – gut-brain axis
Since Charles Richet’s 1913 Nobel Prize winning research, allergists have defaulted to the idea that food allergy is caused by digestive failure, or a “leaky” gut. Or it was, until the explosion of food anaphylaxis in children starting around 1990. It seemed impossible that gut failure could occur on such a scale and so suddenly.
The gut is integral to the immune system and the brain. Also called the “second brain” because it is connected by millions of neurons to the central nervous system, the gut will react immediately when challenged by toxin or trauma:
In cases of extreme stress … the higher brain seems to protect the gut by sending signals to immunological mast cells in the plexus. The mast cells secrete histamine, prostaglandin and other agents that help produce inflammation. This is protective. By inflaming the gut, the brain is priming the [it] for surveillance.[v]
The bystander effect occurs when compounds in the body/gut at the time or moment of the extreme stress become targets for allergic sensitization.
And it goes without explanation that children on the spectrum struggle greatly with gut inflammation. What could have the power to provoke this so early in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children?
Causes
Many following allergy and autism debates believe that both epidemics are man-made. And the medical community appears ready at last to consider this within the “hygiene hypothesis”:
The leading theory is about hygiene – with less infection thanks to city living, smaller families, vaccines, sanitation, antibiotics, etc., the immune system is less ‘busy’ with germs and may become more prone to attack harmless food proteins.
~ Dr. Scott Sicherer, pediatrics professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York (Sept. 12, 2012)[vi]
The hygiene hypothesis suggests that vaccination, antibiotics and bug-killing products have unhinged the immune systems of children. Humans have co-evolved with microbes and gut parasites/worms, and without them are vulnerable to inflammatory disorders. Our bug-free, vaccine obsessed, pesticide loving Western existence appears to have doomed us to allergy and autism.
Yes, the hygiene hypothesis has entered the discussion on causes of autism. A 2007 Medical Hypotheses article by K. Becker suggests that immune pathways affected by western hygienic practices may impact brain structure or function contributing to autism. Becker mentions “immunization” in this light but in confessing its “controversial” nature does not pursue it.
Clarifying the matter is historical fact. The abrupt rise of allergy and autism around 1990 coincided with reforms to the pediatric vaccination schedules of many Western countries.
In 1986, the US National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act in essence de-regulated vaccination: no one could sue a vaccine maker without government approval. Largely relieved then of liability, manufacturers moved to meet government demand addressing new “diseases of priority” established by the US Institute of Medicine.
Increases to the vaccine schedule in many Western countries began in 1987 with the Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) vaccine. By 1991, doctors did not hesitate to give this new conjugate vaccine to two-month-old children simultaneously with vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio. This move was unprecedented. In that year, more than 17 million doses of Hib vaccine were sold in the US alone. In 1992, additional doses of combination vaccines were included in the schedule. Hib was a revenue-generating “blockbuster product” according to a 1998 WHO publication.
At the same time, coverage rates for vaccination soared. Between 1993 and 1995, the Clinton administration’s Childhood Immunization Initiative provided federal funds aimed at 90% coverage of all infants. Vaccination became a requirement before entry into many preschools and daycare centers. By 1997-98, childhood vaccination rates reached record highs. Canada, the UK, and AU followed the American example.
In 1983, US children received 22 doses of vaccines (combined or single) for seven diseases (two months to age six). Today in the US, children receive up to 48 doses of vaccines for 14 diseases starting at birth to age six.
Unsustainable practices: Hib
The Hib, within an intense schedule that includes five-vaccines-at-once, has been the last straw in my opinion, tipping scores of children into peanut allergy.
Where the DPT-IPV with Hib is used en masse, peanut allergy follows: first in Western countries including the UK, the US, Canada, and ACT Australia, then after 2001 following its use with high coverage rates in Tasmania, Hong Kong, Singapore and most recently India.[vii]
Hib plays a role in autism according to Brian Richmand in “Hypothesis, Conjugate vaccines may predispose children to autism spectrum disorders”. Richmand suggests that the five-in-one with Hib has interfered with nerve myelin in the brain:
This period of hypo-responsiveness to carbohydrate antigens coincides with the intense myelination process in infants and young children, and conjugate vaccines may have disrupted evolutionary forces that favored early brain development over the need to protect infants and young children from capsular bacteria. [viii]
Richmand further suggests that girls who received this vaccine carry antibodies that have the potential to damage nerve myelin and result in autism in their children.
Undeniable disaster … leads to disaster capitalism
In “Save the children (and make money)” published in The Wall Street Journal (2009), writer James Altucher noted the massive rise in the last two decades in peanut allergy, asthma and more among children. The kids are sick and getting sicker, Altucher observed. So, he thought an “Autoimmune Index” would be a good idea:
Such an index would consist of the best mix of stocks that have good lower multiples that will supply the arms in our ongoing war against autoimmune diseases.[ix]
Altucher lists the drugs created for these conditions, their manufacturers, the status of their stocks and their billion dollar profits. And then without slowing he offers possible causes for the pediatric epidemics:
The increase in autoimmune illnesses and allergies in children may be due to high exposure to antibiotics and vaccines at an early age…
Are the products causing the epidemics made by the same companies now making the remedies? It seems investors can make money at both ends of the epidemics.
This is disaster capitalism.
Moving forward
The century old pattern of increasing drug and vaccine consumption in Western countries has meant profit for some but devastation for many more. The autism community is aware of the conflicted interests that underpin this pattern and the autism epidemic. And parents of anaphylactic children are listening. The stories of autism and life threatening food allergy are the same, with shared causes and overlapping symptoms. The “mixed bag” kids with life threatening food allergy are a mirror that, as dark as it is, brings with it millions of families equally worried about the health of their children.
With a growing awareness of the ground these communities share, my hope isthat they will connect meaningfully to force change leading to prevention of these serious — and altogether avoidable — health issues.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[i] M. Blaxill and D. Olmsted, Age of Autism (NY, Thomas Dunne, 2010).
[ii] Sicherer, et al., “US prevalence of self-reported peanut, tree nut and sesame allergy: 11-year follow-up,” JACI, Vol. 125, No. 6 (June, 2010): 1322-1326.
[iii] L. Pelsser, et al., “Effects of a restricted elimination diet on the behaviour of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (INCA study): a randomized controlled trial,” The Lancet, Vol. 377, (Feb. 2011): 494-503. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)62227-1/abstract
[iv] Cari Neal “Tactile Defensiveness and Patterns of Social Behavior in Autism,” (Illinois Wesleyan University, 1997). http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/psych_honproj/66/
[v] R.M. King, professor, Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia http://www.psyking.net/id36.htm
[vi] http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/12/peanut-allergies-seen-on-rise/#ixzz28eyzSyF7
[vii] H. Fraser, The Peanut Allergy Epidemic (NY, Skyhorse, 2011) pp. 124-126.
[viii] B. Richmand, “Hypothesis, Conjugate vaccines may predispose children to autism spectrum disorders,” Medical Hypotheses, Vol. 77, No. 6 (Dec., 2011): 940-7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21993250
[ix] James Altucher, “Save the children (and make money)” The Wall Street Journal (Mon. Aug. 10, 2009) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124992390387319939.html
Heather Fraser is the author of The Peanut Allergy Epidemic: what’s causing it and how to stop it (NY, Skyhorse, 2011). She is a Toronto-based writer and holistic health practitioner. Her son, now 18, was diagnosed with peanut allergy in 1995. Find out more at heatherfraser.org and peanutallergyepidemic.com.
Living the Soy Free Life
My son is allergic to soy. We are on the journey of living the soy free life. When shopping we mainly buy foods in the produce section, milks and beef or chicken. Breads and bakery items are difficult to find without soy. I have been making baked goods from scratch since realizing my son has the soy allergy. I have found several things in grocery stores that are soy free. However, food companies change formulas from time to time so ALWAYS read the ingredient list. When reading the ingredient list it is also important to realize that the word "Soy" doesn't have to be there. It may be listed as MSG, natural flavorings, texturized vegetable protein, to name a few.
To help some others here are some items that I have found that are soy free:
Frito Lay's Sun Chips Newman's Own Chocolate Alphabet cookies Snyder's Sourdough Pretzels Amy's Organic soups (check the label, some do have soy) Cape Cod Potato chips Good Season's Italian Vinaigrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil dressing RUFFLES chips(although check the label PLEASE) does not contain soy as of now. Also peter pan peanut butter does not as of now.
French baguette bread is soy free. It comes in long sticks of bread so can freeze it. You can get it at wal mart in the bakery section.
SNACKS THAT GENERALLY DON'T CONTAIN SOY(but do check the label) - Corn or rice Chex - Dried fruit such as raisins or prunes - Certain brands of Baby cookies - Cheerios - some brands of chocolate milk mix syrup - Jello - Gummy bears and similar candy
Some things that are soy free are Fritos (original). Boboli pizza crust. (good for making pizza since it is the only soy free pizza crust) Horizon chocolate milk (it uses actual cocoa and sugar, most others have soya lecithin) Fresh fruits are good to eat as well. Most packaged food has soy lurking somewhere. I would recommend making food fresh to avoid most problems. Also consider investing in a bread machine. (so you can make soy free bread.)
In a way your child's allergy to soy will make them a healthier adult since they won't be exposed to soy and other harmful substances contained in so many foods that people eat when they consume prepackaged food. Be very weary of anything listing vegetable oil but not specifying the type. Soy is the most common and cheapest.
Some Wasa crackers are soy free. Walmart and Kroger's carry them. Try Newman's own Alphabet Cookies & Hain Animal Cookies Carr's table water crackers are soy free!
Just about EVERYTHING has soy. I would also recommend avoiding ANYTHING that contains CANOLA oil . In my research, I have discovered that Canola shares properties of Soy. Also, when you see VEGETABLE OIL, know that it is ALWAYS soy. It is very difficult to survive with this allergy especially when one lives in a high paced environment. Stick with High protein foods from scratch and avoid pre-packaged snacks and all deserts. Most ice cream, except for Breyer's vanilla, is full of soy. Lay's Plain Potato chips are now made with all sunflower oil. FYI: as a precaution, I also rinse out my canned vegetables just to be safe. Good Luck out there!!
I know that Macaroni Grill has quite a few things that are soy-free, and several of Panera Bread's items don't have soy, either. You always have to check, though!! Those are the two places I know of. Hope that can help!
Kraft macaroni and cheese is not soy free. Neither is their BBQ sauce. They inconspicuously label it "natural flavors". When I emailed them to ask if there was soy, the response I received was that they follow all FDA guidelines. What a dishonest company that won't even disclose if there is soy in their products to someone who has told them they have a soy allergy. My advice is to avoid Kraft products if you have a soy allergy.
Most breads have soy and dairy - except for the artisan breads that are usually wheat, water and yeast.
Avoid Chocolate because of the soy lecithin - which is in everything processed. Most candy, and even TEA can have soy lecithin in it.
The weirdest thing I've found is that Mountain Dew and Gatorade have soy in them. Mountain Dew has Brominated Vegetable Oil - which is soy oil, and Gatorade has either that or soy lecithin...quite aggravating.
The other thing to watch out for is Natural Flavorings, which sometimes means soy derived additives.
For breadcrumbs I have discovered Cream of Wheat works well, I coat fish and Chicken in it and use it in meatloaf. Any brand of Organic cracker/cookies I have found are soy free, these are life savers. He also likes "enjoy life" brand cookies and granola bars. Generic brands tend to have soy, good luck
To help some others here are some items that I have found that are soy free:
Frito Lay's Sun Chips Newman's Own Chocolate Alphabet cookies Snyder's Sourdough Pretzels Amy's Organic soups (check the label, some do have soy) Cape Cod Potato chips Good Season's Italian Vinaigrette with Extra Virgin Olive Oil dressing RUFFLES chips(although check the label PLEASE) does not contain soy as of now. Also peter pan peanut butter does not as of now.
French baguette bread is soy free. It comes in long sticks of bread so can freeze it. You can get it at wal mart in the bakery section.
SNACKS THAT GENERALLY DON'T CONTAIN SOY(but do check the label) - Corn or rice Chex - Dried fruit such as raisins or prunes - Certain brands of Baby cookies - Cheerios - some brands of chocolate milk mix syrup - Jello - Gummy bears and similar candy
Some things that are soy free are Fritos (original). Boboli pizza crust. (good for making pizza since it is the only soy free pizza crust) Horizon chocolate milk (it uses actual cocoa and sugar, most others have soya lecithin) Fresh fruits are good to eat as well. Most packaged food has soy lurking somewhere. I would recommend making food fresh to avoid most problems. Also consider investing in a bread machine. (so you can make soy free bread.)
In a way your child's allergy to soy will make them a healthier adult since they won't be exposed to soy and other harmful substances contained in so many foods that people eat when they consume prepackaged food. Be very weary of anything listing vegetable oil but not specifying the type. Soy is the most common and cheapest.
Some Wasa crackers are soy free. Walmart and Kroger's carry them. Try Newman's own Alphabet Cookies & Hain Animal Cookies Carr's table water crackers are soy free!
Just about EVERYTHING has soy. I would also recommend avoiding ANYTHING that contains CANOLA oil . In my research, I have discovered that Canola shares properties of Soy. Also, when you see VEGETABLE OIL, know that it is ALWAYS soy. It is very difficult to survive with this allergy especially when one lives in a high paced environment. Stick with High protein foods from scratch and avoid pre-packaged snacks and all deserts. Most ice cream, except for Breyer's vanilla, is full of soy. Lay's Plain Potato chips are now made with all sunflower oil. FYI: as a precaution, I also rinse out my canned vegetables just to be safe. Good Luck out there!!
I know that Macaroni Grill has quite a few things that are soy-free, and several of Panera Bread's items don't have soy, either. You always have to check, though!! Those are the two places I know of. Hope that can help!
Kraft macaroni and cheese is not soy free. Neither is their BBQ sauce. They inconspicuously label it "natural flavors". When I emailed them to ask if there was soy, the response I received was that they follow all FDA guidelines. What a dishonest company that won't even disclose if there is soy in their products to someone who has told them they have a soy allergy. My advice is to avoid Kraft products if you have a soy allergy.
Most breads have soy and dairy - except for the artisan breads that are usually wheat, water and yeast.
Avoid Chocolate because of the soy lecithin - which is in everything processed. Most candy, and even TEA can have soy lecithin in it.
The weirdest thing I've found is that Mountain Dew and Gatorade have soy in them. Mountain Dew has Brominated Vegetable Oil - which is soy oil, and Gatorade has either that or soy lecithin...quite aggravating.
The other thing to watch out for is Natural Flavorings, which sometimes means soy derived additives.
For breadcrumbs I have discovered Cream of Wheat works well, I coat fish and Chicken in it and use it in meatloaf. Any brand of Organic cracker/cookies I have found are soy free, these are life savers. He also likes "enjoy life" brand cookies and granola bars. Generic brands tend to have soy, good luck
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