Autism recovery is a controversial and complex topic, “recovery” looks different for every child as we know each child's developmental path is unique and requires an individualized approach.
While there is no known “cure” for autism, many parents, practitioners, or clinicians are turning to holistic and integrative therapies to help children improve their health and in turn reduce or eliminate symptoms of autism.
“There is no way I’m going to accept that answer.” Terri Hirning, integrative wellness coach and mom from Arizona, said that after she was told they should be prepared to look for a residential program for her son when he was diagnosed with autism because they felt he would never live independently.
In this episode, we will explore the topic of autism recovery and provide tips for parents, like Terri, who believe this journey is possible.
We will share the inspiring autism recovery story of Terri’s son, Matthew, who recovered from autism, once non-verbal, he is now 19 and a high school graduate; loves to talk and use his great vocabulary, and is an aspiring writer!
It is all because Terri decided, “This isn’t going to be how my son’s story ends.” and so her child's journey to autism recovery began.
Chances of Autism Recovery
Although many people and practitioners say that chances of recovery from autism are not within reach, Terri as a parent, did not let people tell her what is possible for her child because she firmly believes that they can achieve anything.
That is why Terri openly shares the chances of recovery from autism and what factors can affect recovery and how recovery means different things to different people. Every child’s health and outcomes are unique.
Noticing Autism Recovery Signs: Can You See The Change?
Autism recovery signs may be subtle but they're certainly there. In this podcast episode, Terri and I share important insights on tracking your child's progress, signs that your child is on the journey to recovery, and potential triggers that might hinder their progress towards an independent thriving life.
How Nutrition Plays A Huge Role In Autism Recovery Stories
The role of nutrition in autism recovery stories, such as Matthew's, cannot be understated. Personal narratives of overcoming autism often highlight the transformative effects of dietary changes and nutritional therapy.
Every journey through autism is unique, presenting individual challenges and outcomes. Therefore, it's essential to understand that no universal dietary solution guarantees recovery.
However, countless anecdotes and research indicate the significant impact of proper nutrition on improving symptoms and promoting overall well-being in autistic individuals.
Autism recovery stories, like Matthew's, provide much-needed hope and connection for parents and caregivers and underscore the critical importance of nutrition in autism recovery.
These autism recovery stories remove the stigma surrounding autism and foster a broader understanding and acceptance of the condition.
Watch the full episode now:
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It can be hard to find the right interventions for your child. You may feel confused by the different options and opinions out there. You may wonder if there is anything you can do to improve your child’s well-being and quality of life.
You are not alone. Many parents face the same challenges and frustrations. But there is hope. There are experts who have dedicated their lives to helping children with these disorders. They have discovered the root causes of these symptoms and how to address them with natural and safe solutions.
And they want to share their knowledge and experience with you.
This special episode of the podcast will give you a sneak peek of what you can expect from the 10-day Autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder Summit that shares Intervention Breakthroughs and How to Navigate Options for Parents of Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Five world-renowned experts are reshaping the autism, ADHD, and SPD landscape. They share their insights and breakthroughs on topics such as brain imbalances, food sensitivities, allergies, inflammation, anxiety, posture, and more.
What you can expect are 5 snippets from the summit interviews. You’ll hear from Dr. Robert Melillo, a pioneer in developmental functional neurology; Julie Matthews, a certified nutrition consultant specializing in autism; Dr. Darin Ingels, a naturopathic doctor with 30 years of experience; Trudy Scott, a food mood expert and author; and Dr. Krista Burns, a posture and brain health expert and TEDx speaker.
Plus, you’ll get access to the free 10-day Autism, ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder Summit where you can learn more from these experts and others who have helped thousands of children with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Dive right into the special podcast now.
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Do not underestimate the power of creating a routine of small but impactful habits for your child to support their health! In this interview, Madiha Saeed, MD, shares with us parenting healthy brains and bodies – how we can put a child back into balance and reduce inflammation, with easy, cost-effective solutions that we can incorporate into their daily activities.
When dealing with neurodevelopmental challenges, we often feel hopeless and clueless on where to start. It leaves us questions like, “What am I going to do?” or “How am I going to afford this?”
If you find yourself confused about the complexity of dealing with various health conditions, then a good starting point are the simple solutions that Dr. Saeed shares in this podcast. They are easy to implement with little to no additional cost. This foundational approach can go a very long way in helping your child feel better and will support all of the other efforts you are making to help your child thrive.
In this episode, Dr. Saeed walks you through the routine she has with her family. These behind the scenes show you how practical these routines can be!
So please join me and listen (or read the transcript if you prefer) to the practicing board-certified family physician, health influencer, international speaker, and author of many amazing books, Dr. Madiha Saeed, as she talks about Parenting Healthy Brains and Bodies on a Budget!
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One of my favorite segments of the My Child Will Thrive Podcast are the interviews I do with all parents and caregivers. While our episodes with experts are packed with invaluable information, the parent interviews on The Parent Perspective are so insightful, relatable and sometimes it’s just helpful to hear from other parents who went through similar situations with their children.
Today’s episode of The Parent Perspective is with Kelly Meehan, a parent of three and new integrative health practitioner. Kelly shared with us her story of struggling to find answers with her daughter’s physical and mental health symptoms until she was finally able to get answers (and a diagnosis) of celiac disease. Since then, going gluten free and optimising her children’s gut health has completely changed the way her children are able to show up in the world. We dive into a lot of symptoms that you might not know are associated with a gluten allergy or sensitivity and so much more.
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Today’s Toolkit Tuesday episode is an important one because we’ll be talking about one of my favourite tools as a nutritionist, the Digestion Cheat Sheet. We all know how important digestion is in our children’s overall health and the topic is near and dear to my heart because as a nutritionist, I know we may go to great lengths to find the perfect combination of foods and nutrients for our children, but if they aren't digesting them properly, then we’re not going to see any benefits of that great diet that we’ve worked so hard to achieve for them.
We also know without optimal digestive function, it can and most likely will impact our gut microbiome which impacts so many parts of our overall health and wellbeing. For so many of our children, their gut microbiome is not functioning properly which leads to why I created the Digestion Cheat Sheet and how it can be a helpful tool for you and your practitioners.
Also, if you’re interested in learning more about the My Child Will Thrive Toolkit and how to access these free tools, here’s some more information.
The Toolkit includes:
- Researched and field tested guides, tracking tools, checklists and cheat sheets allow you to get to the root of what is causing your child's challenges. so that you don't waste time creating them yourself.
- Videos to walk you through some of the more challenging topics you will need to learn to help identify what your child needs.
- Using The My Child Will Thrive Tool Kit gives you a head start so you can focus on what is most important – your child!
I recommend watching the video on YouTube (see below on this page) to see the Digestion Cheat Sheet as I walk you through it. I hope you enjoy this episode!
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We’re back with another Toolkit Tuesday! What is Toolkit Tuesday for those of you that may be new? It is the day that we review one of the tools in the My Child Will Thrive Toolkit, which you can find for free on our website here.
The Toolkit includes:
- Researched and field tested guides, tracking tools, checklists and cheat sheets allow you to get to the root of what is causing your child's challenges. so that you don't waste time creating them yourself.
- Videos to walk you through some of the more challenging topics you will need to learn to help identify what your child needs.
- Using The My Child Will Thrive Tool Kit gives you a head start so you can focus on what is most important – your child!
Today we’re talking about a tool that you can use every single day, the Biomedical and Therapy Protocol Tracker or Daily Protocol Tracker. You can access that here. This is the tool that I created for myself so that I wasn't the only one in the household to know what we were doing. That way, if anyone else needed to step in for me, they knew exactly what to do for my child.
I recommend watching the video on YouTube (see below on this page) to see the tracker as I walk you through it. I hope you enjoy this episode!
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