Not only Autism, Aspergers, or ASD but any neurological condition (such as M.S. depression and anxiety) will improve if you are able to make some lifestyle changes. Synthetic and chemical medications which can relieve symptoms actually cause more health problems in the long run so it’s empowering to discover that you can treat and improve these symptoms naturally. In fact I know of many children, who have hugely improved, shed their diagnosis and returned to mainstream schools using only natural therapies.
Here are some relatively simple and inexpensive things you can do to reduce or eliminate inflammation in your brain and improve relating symptoms, however severe:

1. DIET
I guess every parent of a child on the autistic spectrum knows how important diet is but I can’t begin to stress just how important it is. There is a huge link between the health of the gut and the brain and it is inflammation in these areas which cause symptoms associated with most neurological conditions.  Keeping things simple, I’ve found the main four things to remove from your diet are:

• Gluten and dairy – both leak proteins into the blood and then the brain. Those proteins are inflammatory.
• Sugar – the only sweeteners I’d recommend are raw local honey, Manuka honey, dates, Stevia and Xylotol. I’ve found all others to be harmful.
• Processed foods which are full of preservatives, colourings and flavour enhancers, all toxic for a child who already has a toxic overload.

Add to your diet:

• Organic meats
• Vegetables and fruits
• Bone broths. (These are high in glutomine which helps to fix the gut. Glutamine is one of the few amino acids that can directly cross the blood brain barrier – our ancestors really did know what they were doing when they dished up chicken soup when they were ill!)
• Sprouted nuts, seeds and gluten free grains

Now, I know that a child on the spectrum doesn’t like any change and will hugely resist changes to their diet. I know how hard it is, but I also know how worthwhile it is. Do it in stages, pick the easiest change first and build on it. Rejoice in your successes, find something they like, reward them and over the months build new habits.

2. SUPPLEMENTS
During my treatment of children on the spectrum I rely on supplements to help during the detox of the toxins which caused the problem. I will only use two or three at a time, but here are my favourites and why:

• Vitamin C. The best form is fat-soluble (ascorbyl palmitate) combined with water soluble (ascorbate). This helps control inflammation, it’s a great antioxidant so supports detoxification and it helps repair tissues and supports the adrenals.
• Omega 3 essential fatty acids. These support learning and memory, reduces gut inflammation and supports brain development and overall body health. It also helps with constipation – a common problem if you have a toxic overload. It is found primarily in fish oil and flaxseed oil so difficult to get through diet alone.
• Zinc builds key metabolic enzymes which help detoxification and helps maintain vitamin E levels.
• B complex – helps balance out neurotransmitters and supports detoxification.
• Probiotics, which enhance the good bacteria in your gut.

3. ESSENTIAL OILS
I reluctantly came to appreciate the healing qualities of pure essential oils. For many years I thought they were little more than a nice smell but I’m beginning to see they are much more than that and this is something that is relatively easy to introduce, and often embraced by children. My top 3 oils to help children with autism are:

• Vetiver. A study showed a 100% effective rating on treating ADHD with this oil.
• Cedarwood, which got an 83% effective rating in the same study
• Holy Basil, which is very popular in Eastern medicine and also helps relieve anxiety and depression.

I’d recommend making up a roller ball, almost full of a carrier oil such as coconut oil, adding 2 or 3 drops of any or all of the above and rolling onto temples and neck before and after school. Some children love to have their own bottle to use as a coping strategy at times. I also recommend doing the same with a bottle at night with Lavender, Roman Chamomile and Frankincense. They too support brain health and are also calming. Only pure essential oils will have these healing qualities. Get in touch with me to learn about the oils I recommend.

4. HOMEOPATHY
I am a fully qualified CEASE therapist. (CEASE stands for Complete Elimination of Autistic Spectrum Expression).  I have found that complete healing can take place over time and with work, using homeopathic remedies to totally detox the substance (or substances) which has caused inflammation, blocking the brain. Sometimes, but not always it is vaccinations which have caused this damage, so I use homeopathic remedies made from the substance which has been harmful.  They encourage the body to cleanse the toxin out, so during that time I support with some of the supplements described above, as well as cell salts and a remedy chosen especially for that child. I have seen huge improvements using this method. I’ve witnessed children who were non-verbal turning into sociable chatty individuals, I’ve seen children come out of a special schools go into mainstream schools and I’ve seen some of the common traits of the autistic spectrum just melt away. Tinus Smits has written a book called ‘Autism Beyond Despair CEASE therapy’ which describes this method he developed and some of his huge successes but the method has improved and been refined a lot during the past few years so although it is a great book for information I’d recommend a qualified homeopath and CEASE therapist supports you with this. Appointments are available both in clinic or using Skype. Do get in touch if you’d like more information.

5. LIFESTYLE
There are some other things you can do to support your child on the autistic spectrum. As I mentioned before they are already on toxic overload, so ridding your house of chemical toxins is very beneficial. Go through your house and replace all your commercial cleaning products, pesticides, air fresheners, anything chemical based with a natural alternative. With the fabulous help of Google or Pinterest you could make them yourself, or you can buy products from a health store.

Epsom salt baths are also very detoxifying and calming. I add a few drops of a favourite essential oil to increase the healing benefits. Don’t use Epsom salts if your child has seizures as there’s a possibility they can trigger them.
Adding smoothies in to their diet is brilliant if you can do it. You might have to build up to green smoothies, using only a few leaves at first. I’ve found a good recipe to start with is coconut milk, pineapple and a couple of spinach leaves (or kale). Sometimes I’ve had to add pure vanilla essence or a spoonful of raw honey but gradually reduce the sweetener and add the greens.

For more information or help please get in touch with me on 07725 520476.