Coping with Autism - The Conventional Way?

It was one thing to learn that my son has a condition – Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD), it was another thing to discover that ADHD is inextricably linked to AUTISM.  A torrent or crazy wild thoughts ran through my mind the first time in February 2011, when I heard Japs had autism. I thought then that Japs would not attend mainstream school, nor get formal education because of his condition, a search therefore was to get an integrated school that offers quality learning, care and support to children with special needs. We visited an Education Assessment Centre prior to seeking admission at a school in Kisumu Town, Kenya that integrates children with special needs. My experience at the Assessment Centre was one that I will never forget, blatantly being told that my child has a mental disability shook me to the core, casually being told that my child may never talk crushed me, fear that Japs might never report anyone who abuses him because he doesn’t speak was unbearable, the reality that my son may never fall in love, marry, have children, be independent, etc was unfathomable – those were my thoughts at the moment – when I was still thinking, feeling, reacting inside the box – I underwent mixed reactions/feelings during the transitional moment – going through the status of denial to acceptance. It was not easy to come out of the grief, stayed in that status for almost a month, but then I realized that my son is still the same adoring little boy that I was in love with before I was hit by the word AUTISM. I decided to throw away the box, embraced my son with his condition wholly and embarked on a mission to help him cope. This is where the diet and occupational therapy came in. While no medical practitioner recommended special diets, I had heard of the success of such diets through counseling at the Assessment Centre, reading materials from Autism Society of Kenya, browsing the websites, and getting opinions and advice from friends and relatives. The science around such diets is sketchy, but there are plenty of anecdotal stories of special diets having a profound and positive impact on children with autism. The gluten (wheat) free, casein (dairy) free diet is the most popular of the specialized diets, and there is evidence that the diet is often helpful in lessening autistic symptoms such as impulsive behaviors, lack of focus, and even speech problems. But wheat and dairy are a part of almost everything we serve in our homes -- and keeping a child away from ice cream, bread, cake, milk, and most snack foods and cereals is no small task. Before I started on the Gluten Free Casein Free diet (GFCF) I had two options, to “dive in head first” or the slower, “get your feet wet” approach. Being the coward that I was, I couldn’t just get rid of gluten and casein from the family diet instantly, I am trying the GFCF diet on Japs but its damn hard, once in a while I get into the temptation of sins, I know am not helping Japs but hell…..I am weak and in love. However the little effort that I am making on GFCF is a tremendous help to me and a great improvement on Japs condition……