Geoff & Simone Sewell
We live in London and although we are miles away from Godzone, family and loved ones in NZ, we are eternally grateful for the services of some incredible people at Autism House.
Thanks to the wonderful world of technology, and a trip ‘home’ once a year, we are able to access the skills, dedication and sheer hard work of people like Dr Debbie Fewtrell, Dr Leila Masson, Dr Bill Reeder, Gina Wilson, Sam Walker, CARD NZ and Mary Henderson; all of whom have helped us beyond measure on our healing journey with our 6 year old daughter Sienna.
Sienna has autism and was diagnosed when she was almost 3 years old. She couldn’t speak, hit her head constantly, screamed through the day and night and hardly ever slept. Through various interventions and treatments over the past 3 years provided by the caring specialists at Autism House, Sienna continues to heal, learn and thrive. Now she is a totally different child – she talks loads, has a delightful sense of humour, she’s fun, happy, attends mainstream school successfully with a 1:1 shadow, has lovely friends and a sweet relationship with her sister, she’s physically strong, loves gymnastics and is academically very bright . The world is her oyster and we are so proud.
We can never thank those people enough who have contributed to Sienna’s exceptional healing and who continue to be passionate members of her team..... We are huge believers in HOPE for all those with autism; that improvements can be made at any age and if the hard work is put in with a positive attitude then anything is possible.
We strongly encourage parents – new to autism or new to these kinds of treatments – to GO FOR IT. Be in action. Being in action means taking the power into your own hands by finding out what you can do for your child and how you can help. Feeling powerless to help your child is the worst feeling in the world so our grateful thanks to all those at Autism House for showing us the way...
Geoff & Simone Sewell, London UK
Thanks to the wonderful world of technology, and a trip ‘home’ once a year, we are able to access the skills, dedication and sheer hard work of people like Dr Debbie Fewtrell, Dr Leila Masson, Dr Bill Reeder, Gina Wilson, Sam Walker, CARD NZ and Mary Henderson; all of whom have helped us beyond measure on our healing journey with our 6 year old daughter Sienna.
Sienna has autism and was diagnosed when she was almost 3 years old. She couldn’t speak, hit her head constantly, screamed through the day and night and hardly ever slept. Through various interventions and treatments over the past 3 years provided by the caring specialists at Autism House, Sienna continues to heal, learn and thrive. Now she is a totally different child – she talks loads, has a delightful sense of humour, she’s fun, happy, attends mainstream school successfully with a 1:1 shadow, has lovely friends and a sweet relationship with her sister, she’s physically strong, loves gymnastics and is academically very bright . The world is her oyster and we are so proud.
We can never thank those people enough who have contributed to Sienna’s exceptional healing and who continue to be passionate members of her team..... We are huge believers in HOPE for all those with autism; that improvements can be made at any age and if the hard work is put in with a positive attitude then anything is possible.
We strongly encourage parents – new to autism or new to these kinds of treatments – to GO FOR IT. Be in action. Being in action means taking the power into your own hands by finding out what you can do for your child and how you can help. Feeling powerless to help your child is the worst feeling in the world so our grateful thanks to all those at Autism House for showing us the way...
Geoff & Simone Sewell, London UK
Sebastian At Building Blocks
When we first took our autistic son Sebastian to the Building Blocks playgroup, we were still coming to terms with the diagnosis. I was going through the exhaustion, confusion and isolation that is typical of parents of preschool autistic children. I was used to people staring and not helping when my son had tantrums in public, and thought the playgroup would end up being just more of the same. Like most children their first time there, Sebastian did tantrum and protest at almost every stage. But unlike every other time this had happened in a public setting, I was reassured by those around me that they’d seen it all before and it was OK. I was so grateful for those few simple words of support that I actually went into tears at the time in front of them, and that was OK too.
Over the weeks, the tears there started giving way to smiles and laughter, and not just for Sebastian – as parents we’ve come to enjoy our Building Blocks sessions more than any other activity we do each week with our son. Through it all we’ve also learnt an enormous amount about his autism, how to implement some important basics of ABA therapy in a hands-on way, and have made the friends we needed most – other parents going through the same daily struggles.
Through the therapy and attention he receives at the playgroup, Sebastian has learnt to point, to make much better eye-contact, and to follow and enjoy activities like action songs and obstacle courses. He loves the predictable routine as well, enjoying each stage because he knows what is expected of him – he even loves tidy-up time! We’ve seen these benefits transfer to his everyday life in all other settings too. I have no doubt that this is only the beginning of what he will learn there, and I can’t think of a more accepting and enjoyable environment and group of people to do it with.
I have seen other new parents to the group go through the same experiences we have, I’ve seen them go into tears like I did that first time, and I’ve in turn done my best to encourage and support them. I hope this testimonial helps other parents of autistic children give the Building Blocks playgroup a go, and stick at it – the road ahead for us as parents is long and hard, but this playgroup can help make it that much easier and more enjoyable, and means you don’t have to do it alone.
Linda Kimpton
Over the weeks, the tears there started giving way to smiles and laughter, and not just for Sebastian – as parents we’ve come to enjoy our Building Blocks sessions more than any other activity we do each week with our son. Through it all we’ve also learnt an enormous amount about his autism, how to implement some important basics of ABA therapy in a hands-on way, and have made the friends we needed most – other parents going through the same daily struggles.
Through the therapy and attention he receives at the playgroup, Sebastian has learnt to point, to make much better eye-contact, and to follow and enjoy activities like action songs and obstacle courses. He loves the predictable routine as well, enjoying each stage because he knows what is expected of him – he even loves tidy-up time! We’ve seen these benefits transfer to his everyday life in all other settings too. I have no doubt that this is only the beginning of what he will learn there, and I can’t think of a more accepting and enjoyable environment and group of people to do it with.
I have seen other new parents to the group go through the same experiences we have, I’ve seen them go into tears like I did that first time, and I’ve in turn done my best to encourage and support them. I hope this testimonial helps other parents of autistic children give the Building Blocks playgroup a go, and stick at it – the road ahead for us as parents is long and hard, but this playgroup can help make it that much easier and more enjoyable, and means you don’t have to do it alone.
Linda Kimpton
bright sparks - making the connection
My name is Frank Arsego, the former Head Coach of the New Breakers basketball team (2003-2005) and I am strong supporter of the wonderful Bright Sparks program. It has been sometime since my time in NZ, but I have recently discovered that the bright sparks program has continued to evolve over the years and now is on the verge of becoming a national program for people with ASD. This is wonderful news.
Having a passion for sport (especially basketball) and a son with Aspergers Syndrome, I have seen first hand how the two can come together to create an environment of learning, enjoyment and excitement for all concerned.
It was through basketball that a chance meeting occurred with Tony Henderson; the then Tall Black Men’s basketball team manager and our discussions lead to families and the common ground with both of us was having a son on the Autism spectrum. This developed in a great friendship with the family, especially Mary Henderson who was and still is actively involved Autism in NZ. As a parent with a child with Autism, you are always on the look out for anything to help your child fulfill their potential in life, whatever level that maybe.
So after sometime Mary told me about Bright sparks and I thought that is an organization that I would love to support and use the New Zealand Breakers to do it. So we had a basketball clinic for the kids and it was a great morning for all concerned, the kids, the players, the coaches and the parents.
I kept thinking what a great way to bring some fun and learning to these kids through sport.
These passions lead me to help Mary gather support for the opportunity of opening up a Bright Sparks program in the Waitakere area of Auckland. So a meeting was organized and with the support of the Waitakere trust the program was introduced, with great success.
I have since moved on from NZ and I am working in Singapore as the Head coach of their professional team the Singapore Slingers. When I am with my son and involved with his sport I think of experience with the Bright Sparks program and how that would be a great program to have in Australia (my home is in Canberra).
From the experiences and programs that we as a family have grown up with in our son’s development, we are finding that as he heads into his adult life the support services and programs are starting to thin out. We have had early intervention, primary school LSU, and a high school LSU but then it get a little harder with college (year 11 and 12) and finally tertiary studies, we are not to sure about yet. Also what support is out there in his potential working life?
But the one thing that has helped him continue to grow and develop his life skills is his involvement with sport. He has had the opportunity to learn how to make friends, working as a team, commitment to training and have fun in a safe environment.
Therefore hearing that the NZ government has allocated funding to researching and evaluating the Bright Sparks program and is now about to complete its finding and commence a roll out of the program throughout New Zealand is fantastic. Credit should be given to the hard working people that have made it all possible. Well Done!
The final comment I would like to make is that I believe for a program to be effective, that it needs to focus on the practical support . It is “hands on” then that in my experience is the best way to learn. Some support programs are in books or on a DVD and sit on shelves and rarely get looked at. This program is a “to do program”, there is interaction, a key life skill if there ever was one.
I wish the program all the success it can handle and that is brings hope and happiness to all involved. I will be watch with great interest and maybe one day it will be a global program of the highest standing. If not Australia would be a great place to start.
Frank Arsego
Father to the greatest kid in the world & basketball coach
Having a passion for sport (especially basketball) and a son with Aspergers Syndrome, I have seen first hand how the two can come together to create an environment of learning, enjoyment and excitement for all concerned.
It was through basketball that a chance meeting occurred with Tony Henderson; the then Tall Black Men’s basketball team manager and our discussions lead to families and the common ground with both of us was having a son on the Autism spectrum. This developed in a great friendship with the family, especially Mary Henderson who was and still is actively involved Autism in NZ. As a parent with a child with Autism, you are always on the look out for anything to help your child fulfill their potential in life, whatever level that maybe.
So after sometime Mary told me about Bright sparks and I thought that is an organization that I would love to support and use the New Zealand Breakers to do it. So we had a basketball clinic for the kids and it was a great morning for all concerned, the kids, the players, the coaches and the parents.
I kept thinking what a great way to bring some fun and learning to these kids through sport.
These passions lead me to help Mary gather support for the opportunity of opening up a Bright Sparks program in the Waitakere area of Auckland. So a meeting was organized and with the support of the Waitakere trust the program was introduced, with great success.
I have since moved on from NZ and I am working in Singapore as the Head coach of their professional team the Singapore Slingers. When I am with my son and involved with his sport I think of experience with the Bright Sparks program and how that would be a great program to have in Australia (my home is in Canberra).
From the experiences and programs that we as a family have grown up with in our son’s development, we are finding that as he heads into his adult life the support services and programs are starting to thin out. We have had early intervention, primary school LSU, and a high school LSU but then it get a little harder with college (year 11 and 12) and finally tertiary studies, we are not to sure about yet. Also what support is out there in his potential working life?
But the one thing that has helped him continue to grow and develop his life skills is his involvement with sport. He has had the opportunity to learn how to make friends, working as a team, commitment to training and have fun in a safe environment.
Therefore hearing that the NZ government has allocated funding to researching and evaluating the Bright Sparks program and is now about to complete its finding and commence a roll out of the program throughout New Zealand is fantastic. Credit should be given to the hard working people that have made it all possible. Well Done!
The final comment I would like to make is that I believe for a program to be effective, that it needs to focus on the practical support . It is “hands on” then that in my experience is the best way to learn. Some support programs are in books or on a DVD and sit on shelves and rarely get looked at. This program is a “to do program”, there is interaction, a key life skill if there ever was one.
I wish the program all the success it can handle and that is brings hope and happiness to all involved. I will be watch with great interest and maybe one day it will be a global program of the highest standing. If not Australia would be a great place to start.
Frank Arsego
Father to the greatest kid in the world & basketball coach
UPDATE BY GABBY HOGG - ADULT WITH AUTISM 2011
2011 Update
I thought it was about time that I updated my testimony.
Well it is now 2011 and last year was a fantastic year for me. Last year I got to speak at four different events around New Zealand and I had a great time doing it, although I was quite anxious but done the less I succeeded it and am very proud of myself for achieving these things.
The places that I got so speak/present at were at a local SPELL course before Autism NZ lost the funding to keep it going, at National Autism Conference which was a very big event for me considering that I had never been to a conference before so as well as it being my first to present at a conference it was also very new for to be at the conference. I also had to stay in a flash hotel, which I wasn’t used to, but lucky I had a good friend with me helping me out where ever I needed it. The best thing of all about going to conference last year, was that I got to meet Donna Williams, and believe me when I say she is absolutely fantastic. Autism NZ lost her power point but done the less she knew exactly what to do, and still pleased the crowed. If you ever get the chance to go to any of Donna Williams seminars, I advise you to go see her because she is that good, no words can describe how good she is. Donna Williams is a fantastic person that promote Autism as a cluster condition, all you parents out there, and individuals with ASD will understand why she calls Autism a cluster condition, because simply there is no person out there with just ASD alone and no other co morbid. I also got to speak at the Respite Weekend for Autism House, and that was really cool to do, and once again I had achieved something by speaking at the Respite Weekend and that was staying in a hotel room all by myself, which was a first, which I am rightly proud of myself for doing. Also I got to speak at MOSAICS in Napier (it’s a day place for individuals with disabilities), I got to speak to the clients there about Autism and how the Biomedical Intervention has helped me.
At the beginning of this year I was contacted to give a speech at Rainbow Umbrella Afterschool Care, which they mainly cater for individuals with ASD, up to the age of 21, although they do have other people with different disabilities go there as well. I got to speak to the staff about Autism, and I had a focus on Sensory Sensitive’s and what could be done to help these individuals. I also got to touch on the diets as well, after a staff member asked me what I done to help myself.
At the beginning of the year I also contacted MINDD Foundation about their conference and wonder if I could have a sponsored place to go to the conference and they emailed me back and they said sure we would love to have you here. And they said they wanted to film me while I am over there, and that they want me to give a small speech about my recovery. They also wanted to know if I wanted to have a interview with Dr Martha Herbert, who is currently writing a book, and I said sure that will be cool.
So from then on I have been trying to fundraise for me to get to the conference and for my accommodation while I am over in Sydney. So far I have fundraised $450, the local MP in Napier Chris Tremain gave me $200 towards my fundraising, and there have been businesses all around NZ that have been chipping in to help me, one company gave me a gift basket of goodies to help me fundraise. I am planning hopefully to do a half or shorter day seminar in H.B on Autism and the Biomedical Intervention. I think there is a great need for it. I don’t how it will all work out, but I am going to give it a go anyways.
So far I have challenge WINZ about not including the supplements in my Disability Allowance. A really good lawyer by the name of Simon Buckingham who also has ASD as well, has been helping me with my case, and he is bloody damn good. So far I have had to Benefit Review Committee meetings with WINZ, the first one we were discussing the supplements whether to include them or not. It also was brought to their attention that they had the wrong medical information about me in their files. They agreed for me to go see to a Dr, but I and Simon interpret it wrong, we thought literally that they wanted me to go see a Biomed Dr with broad understanding of ASD. But it was actually a Dr with broad understand of ASD. That is why we had to have a second Benefit Review Committee to discuss it more, and it turned out that no where in the medical file they have of me that it states that I am Autistic, all it states is that I am mentally retarded, which of course is not true at all. So that is why they want me to see one of their Neuropsychologists to confirm that I am actually Autistic before we can move on to look at the supplements. Quite frankly I am sick of seeing specialists over and over again and it seems like I never get any where with them, which is why I prefer to go to someone in the Biomedical Specialist Community to help me, because other specialists do not have a clear understanding of how Biomedical helps in Autism and some specialists I see have said well since you have ASD that rules out any other disorders that you could have. Which is totally wrong, because as Donna Williams states Autism is a cluster condition and I have ever met someone with just ASD alone?
Just for Mary Henderson’s sake, she asked me what chocolate would do to me, and what might happen for children when they have chocolate over and over again. I call this Recipe for Disaster
Recipe for Disaster
If you give me chocolate and I eat it:
Now what would happen to me?
1. Phlegm will automatically develop in my throat
2. If it is coated with food colours like M&M’s
Hyperactivity will follow and sneezing will develop
3. Brain fog will develop as well, which then will lead to miss interputations of what I hear, see, and feel
4. Cocoa/caffeine will make hyperactivity worse
5. Next will come headaches/migraines
6. Next every sensory sensation will intensify which then will lead to sensory overloads
7. Next selective mutism will kick in
8. And in some cases will be followed by hypoactivity
All this happening is a disaster waiting to happen!!!
If you have a child or adult that is non-verbal, they won’t be able to tell you what’s going on, even verbal children and adults have trouble as well. That’s when you have to be a detective.
All this happening, no wonder why I/they won’t be available to learn.
Overall I am really looking forward to what 2011 is going to bring me.
So some of my friends with ASD and other people are wanting me to be where they are, one wants me to move to Wellington and go to Victoria Univeristy and study under a Autism Specialist there, another thinks that Waikato University might be good for me as they have good disability supports at the uni and apparently for Aspies/Auties there my age, one wants me to go to Tauranga, and the rest want me to got Auckland. Decisions, decisions, where do shall I go. I WANNA GO WHERE THERE ARE MORE ASPIE/AUTIES MEN ARE!!
So I can find that special someone!!
I thought it was about time that I updated my testimony.
Well it is now 2011 and last year was a fantastic year for me. Last year I got to speak at four different events around New Zealand and I had a great time doing it, although I was quite anxious but done the less I succeeded it and am very proud of myself for achieving these things.
The places that I got so speak/present at were at a local SPELL course before Autism NZ lost the funding to keep it going, at National Autism Conference which was a very big event for me considering that I had never been to a conference before so as well as it being my first to present at a conference it was also very new for to be at the conference. I also had to stay in a flash hotel, which I wasn’t used to, but lucky I had a good friend with me helping me out where ever I needed it. The best thing of all about going to conference last year, was that I got to meet Donna Williams, and believe me when I say she is absolutely fantastic. Autism NZ lost her power point but done the less she knew exactly what to do, and still pleased the crowed. If you ever get the chance to go to any of Donna Williams seminars, I advise you to go see her because she is that good, no words can describe how good she is. Donna Williams is a fantastic person that promote Autism as a cluster condition, all you parents out there, and individuals with ASD will understand why she calls Autism a cluster condition, because simply there is no person out there with just ASD alone and no other co morbid. I also got to speak at the Respite Weekend for Autism House, and that was really cool to do, and once again I had achieved something by speaking at the Respite Weekend and that was staying in a hotel room all by myself, which was a first, which I am rightly proud of myself for doing. Also I got to speak at MOSAICS in Napier (it’s a day place for individuals with disabilities), I got to speak to the clients there about Autism and how the Biomedical Intervention has helped me.
At the beginning of this year I was contacted to give a speech at Rainbow Umbrella Afterschool Care, which they mainly cater for individuals with ASD, up to the age of 21, although they do have other people with different disabilities go there as well. I got to speak to the staff about Autism, and I had a focus on Sensory Sensitive’s and what could be done to help these individuals. I also got to touch on the diets as well, after a staff member asked me what I done to help myself.
At the beginning of the year I also contacted MINDD Foundation about their conference and wonder if I could have a sponsored place to go to the conference and they emailed me back and they said sure we would love to have you here. And they said they wanted to film me while I am over there, and that they want me to give a small speech about my recovery. They also wanted to know if I wanted to have a interview with Dr Martha Herbert, who is currently writing a book, and I said sure that will be cool.
So from then on I have been trying to fundraise for me to get to the conference and for my accommodation while I am over in Sydney. So far I have fundraised $450, the local MP in Napier Chris Tremain gave me $200 towards my fundraising, and there have been businesses all around NZ that have been chipping in to help me, one company gave me a gift basket of goodies to help me fundraise. I am planning hopefully to do a half or shorter day seminar in H.B on Autism and the Biomedical Intervention. I think there is a great need for it. I don’t how it will all work out, but I am going to give it a go anyways.
So far I have challenge WINZ about not including the supplements in my Disability Allowance. A really good lawyer by the name of Simon Buckingham who also has ASD as well, has been helping me with my case, and he is bloody damn good. So far I have had to Benefit Review Committee meetings with WINZ, the first one we were discussing the supplements whether to include them or not. It also was brought to their attention that they had the wrong medical information about me in their files. They agreed for me to go see to a Dr, but I and Simon interpret it wrong, we thought literally that they wanted me to go see a Biomed Dr with broad understanding of ASD. But it was actually a Dr with broad understand of ASD. That is why we had to have a second Benefit Review Committee to discuss it more, and it turned out that no where in the medical file they have of me that it states that I am Autistic, all it states is that I am mentally retarded, which of course is not true at all. So that is why they want me to see one of their Neuropsychologists to confirm that I am actually Autistic before we can move on to look at the supplements. Quite frankly I am sick of seeing specialists over and over again and it seems like I never get any where with them, which is why I prefer to go to someone in the Biomedical Specialist Community to help me, because other specialists do not have a clear understanding of how Biomedical helps in Autism and some specialists I see have said well since you have ASD that rules out any other disorders that you could have. Which is totally wrong, because as Donna Williams states Autism is a cluster condition and I have ever met someone with just ASD alone?
Just for Mary Henderson’s sake, she asked me what chocolate would do to me, and what might happen for children when they have chocolate over and over again. I call this Recipe for Disaster
Recipe for Disaster
If you give me chocolate and I eat it:
Now what would happen to me?
1. Phlegm will automatically develop in my throat
2. If it is coated with food colours like M&M’s
Hyperactivity will follow and sneezing will develop
3. Brain fog will develop as well, which then will lead to miss interputations of what I hear, see, and feel
4. Cocoa/caffeine will make hyperactivity worse
5. Next will come headaches/migraines
6. Next every sensory sensation will intensify which then will lead to sensory overloads
7. Next selective mutism will kick in
8. And in some cases will be followed by hypoactivity
All this happening is a disaster waiting to happen!!!
If you have a child or adult that is non-verbal, they won’t be able to tell you what’s going on, even verbal children and adults have trouble as well. That’s when you have to be a detective.
All this happening, no wonder why I/they won’t be available to learn.
Overall I am really looking forward to what 2011 is going to bring me.
So some of my friends with ASD and other people are wanting me to be where they are, one wants me to move to Wellington and go to Victoria Univeristy and study under a Autism Specialist there, another thinks that Waikato University might be good for me as they have good disability supports at the uni and apparently for Aspies/Auties there my age, one wants me to go to Tauranga, and the rest want me to got Auckland. Decisions, decisions, where do shall I go. I WANNA GO WHERE THERE ARE MORE ASPIE/AUTIES MEN ARE!!
So I can find that special someone!!
Gabrielle Hogg - Adult with ASD
I will be 22 in November. I have had numerous diagnosis over my life.
I had chronic ear infections as a kid. They originally thought I was deaf but hearing tests ruled that out. And I had other immune problems as well. I had speech and language therapy from the ages of 3 1/2 to about 8 1/2. At age 10 I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia and Dyslexia.
At age 12 I was diagnosed with Asperger's over in Australia at the ISADD. But my mum did not want to believe it at the time because Dad only tested me to try and keep me in Australia saying my mum was a bad mum. So I don't blame my mum for not wanting to believe.
At age 16 I was diagnosed with Asperger's and borderline Global Intellectual Impairment.
But I believe that the diagnosis should of been High Functioning Autism as I showed many signs of Autism as a baby. There are pictures of me as a baby being totally spaced out and staring out to space. I talked and walked late. I did not crawl at all. I also chewed on my hands constantly all the time when I was a baby, even showed that sign when I was maybe not even 6 months old. Half the time I was in a world of my own. I believe the speech and language therapy moved be along the spectrum.
Halfway through 2008 I attended a seminar on Biomedical Interventions to treat Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other varying disorders out there. The Biomedical seminar was very beneficial to me and I got a lot out of it then I would off from other specialists that I have dealt with in the past. I found out loads of information about why I had an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and other disorders I had been diagnosed with over the years in the first place. This was the only implantation to actually make sense to me. When I was diagnosed with an ASD and a borderline Global Intellectual Impairment at age 16, all they could do was to suggest to me and my family that information on ASD should be provided to us. That was really no help to me at all. I am not saying that the people that diagnosed are not good people, all I’m saying is that, that approach did not work with me because it was not helping me to achieve the goals I needed to survive in this world.
After the seminar Natasha Delgarno introduced me to Gina Wilson, and I set up an appointment with her. The first thing Gina told me to do was to go on the Gluten Free and Casein Free diet, and also to stay off Aspartame and Flavour Enhancers. She also got me to have a blood test done to see what supplements I would need. Gina took the information to Dr Lelia Mason so she could read the information and advise Gina on what I should take. (Although I didn’t see the Dr Lelia Mason as she works with children I want to thank her anyway for her help.) I was on the GFCF diet for about a month before I started the supplements. Just that alone made a real difference in my life. In that first month my racing thoughts started to go down, as well as eliminating the exscma, chronic migraines, and the other immunity problems I had. The blood test revealed that I was extremely low in vitamin D, low in zinc, and other important nutrients. So Gina got me started on B Complex Forte, Cod Liver Oil, Zinc oral drops, and a Probiotic to help with the gut.
At age 16 I was diagnosed with Asperger's and borderline Global Intellectual Impairment. My high school at the time thought that I wouldn’t be able to even go to university or do anything else, they didn’t exactly tell me that but that’s certainly how they treated me. (But it’s not their fault, they were just under educated when came to students with an ASD). I also overheard at one stage in my life that I should have been put into a group home as they thought I would not be able to cope.
Going onto the GFCF diet and taking supplements to help myself and the ASD behaviours, has improved my IQ, I am no longer considered intellectually impaired and I fall in the average range now. Also before I started the biomedical intervention I had chronic migraines every single day I could not think clearly, I was in selective mustism half the time because of chronic anxiety I could not communicate to my family whether I was hot/cold well anything along the lines of feelings, but now since I have been on the diet my migraines have vertically gone, I'm starting to think more clearly, the anxiety is starting to go down. My communication is getting way better as my mental health support worker says 'that she has noticed that I'm beginning to communicate more and more, it may not be in the conventional ways of what NT's would communicate" but this wanting to find ways of communicating is very new for me and I have never done what I am doing at the moment before, and best of all I can actually start to look people in the EYES, I may not be able to read the eyes yet, but I have never been able to look in a persons eyes before, and now I'm noticing that I can look in peoples eyes with out freaking out as I say I was doing before I started biomedical intervention. And I put this all down to the biomedical intervention and I believe there is still more that I can achieve going the biomedical way. But I also know that it will never take away who I am, ASD will always be apart of my journey in life, biomedical will always be apart of a long life journey as well, I know I always will be different from other people, but I also know that the biomedical intervention can stop and prevent alot of the behaviors in ASD that I don't like, for example the constant biting of my fingers because of high anxiety and also the rocking backward and forwards and the thumb sucking. I know biomedical doesn't cure ASD but what it does do is lessen the severity of it and stop the stomach pains, the constant immune system problems, etc. By me going the biomedical way does not mean that I don't like ASD or ASD people, all it means is that I'm wanting to help myself to become a better person that I can be, that God created to be. As my friends in church say that “anyone can be cured from any disorder they have if this is God’s will to be done, if that means going the biomedical way, let that be”.
Although there have been times where people have not supported me in choosing the biomedical over conventional ways, including the time when over in Australia when I wanted to go live there, my family there did not choose to want to support me, so I regressed over that 4 weeks while I was there. It ended up with me coming back to New Zealand as I knew my family and friends over here would support me in what I want to do with helping with my ASD. Believe when I say it has been a hard road, I never want to go off the GFCF diet ever again, it was hard enough to get back on it when came back to New Zealand. I know the consequences if I do choose to eat the foods that I’m not allowed to have, and I have a personal choice to not make myself sick any more then what I am based on how my mother brought me up as a child, my mother used to always say “you need to look after yourself including your body because God has loaned us the bodies we have until we get to heaven and we need to respect that”, I believe that also means we need look after our bodies by what we put into our bodies for example the foods we eat.
There is still a long road ahead of myself; I’m willing and committed to taking this journey to healing myself. Who else will join me on my walk to healing myself? Whether it be that you have ASD yourself, or you have family members with ASD, are a professional and want to learn the ways of biomedical, or you simply are a kind enough person to join us in the walk together to healing ASD and others disorders. Those of you who already chose this walk with me and those of you that want to join us in the walk, I commend you all for your hard work, patience, tolerance, and understanding to make it a better world for those of us that experience an ASD on a regular basis.
I want to especially to thank Gina Wilson for getting me onto this pathway with the rest of the professionals, families and other kind people out there. Thank you for your continuing support for helping those families and people in need and especially the children with ASD and other disorders and of course myself.
Gabrielle Hogg
I had chronic ear infections as a kid. They originally thought I was deaf but hearing tests ruled that out. And I had other immune problems as well. I had speech and language therapy from the ages of 3 1/2 to about 8 1/2. At age 10 I was diagnosed with Dyspraxia and Dyslexia.
At age 12 I was diagnosed with Asperger's over in Australia at the ISADD. But my mum did not want to believe it at the time because Dad only tested me to try and keep me in Australia saying my mum was a bad mum. So I don't blame my mum for not wanting to believe.
At age 16 I was diagnosed with Asperger's and borderline Global Intellectual Impairment.
But I believe that the diagnosis should of been High Functioning Autism as I showed many signs of Autism as a baby. There are pictures of me as a baby being totally spaced out and staring out to space. I talked and walked late. I did not crawl at all. I also chewed on my hands constantly all the time when I was a baby, even showed that sign when I was maybe not even 6 months old. Half the time I was in a world of my own. I believe the speech and language therapy moved be along the spectrum.
Halfway through 2008 I attended a seminar on Biomedical Interventions to treat Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other varying disorders out there. The Biomedical seminar was very beneficial to me and I got a lot out of it then I would off from other specialists that I have dealt with in the past. I found out loads of information about why I had an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and other disorders I had been diagnosed with over the years in the first place. This was the only implantation to actually make sense to me. When I was diagnosed with an ASD and a borderline Global Intellectual Impairment at age 16, all they could do was to suggest to me and my family that information on ASD should be provided to us. That was really no help to me at all. I am not saying that the people that diagnosed are not good people, all I’m saying is that, that approach did not work with me because it was not helping me to achieve the goals I needed to survive in this world.
After the seminar Natasha Delgarno introduced me to Gina Wilson, and I set up an appointment with her. The first thing Gina told me to do was to go on the Gluten Free and Casein Free diet, and also to stay off Aspartame and Flavour Enhancers. She also got me to have a blood test done to see what supplements I would need. Gina took the information to Dr Lelia Mason so she could read the information and advise Gina on what I should take. (Although I didn’t see the Dr Lelia Mason as she works with children I want to thank her anyway for her help.) I was on the GFCF diet for about a month before I started the supplements. Just that alone made a real difference in my life. In that first month my racing thoughts started to go down, as well as eliminating the exscma, chronic migraines, and the other immunity problems I had. The blood test revealed that I was extremely low in vitamin D, low in zinc, and other important nutrients. So Gina got me started on B Complex Forte, Cod Liver Oil, Zinc oral drops, and a Probiotic to help with the gut.
At age 16 I was diagnosed with Asperger's and borderline Global Intellectual Impairment. My high school at the time thought that I wouldn’t be able to even go to university or do anything else, they didn’t exactly tell me that but that’s certainly how they treated me. (But it’s not their fault, they were just under educated when came to students with an ASD). I also overheard at one stage in my life that I should have been put into a group home as they thought I would not be able to cope.
Going onto the GFCF diet and taking supplements to help myself and the ASD behaviours, has improved my IQ, I am no longer considered intellectually impaired and I fall in the average range now. Also before I started the biomedical intervention I had chronic migraines every single day I could not think clearly, I was in selective mustism half the time because of chronic anxiety I could not communicate to my family whether I was hot/cold well anything along the lines of feelings, but now since I have been on the diet my migraines have vertically gone, I'm starting to think more clearly, the anxiety is starting to go down. My communication is getting way better as my mental health support worker says 'that she has noticed that I'm beginning to communicate more and more, it may not be in the conventional ways of what NT's would communicate" but this wanting to find ways of communicating is very new for me and I have never done what I am doing at the moment before, and best of all I can actually start to look people in the EYES, I may not be able to read the eyes yet, but I have never been able to look in a persons eyes before, and now I'm noticing that I can look in peoples eyes with out freaking out as I say I was doing before I started biomedical intervention. And I put this all down to the biomedical intervention and I believe there is still more that I can achieve going the biomedical way. But I also know that it will never take away who I am, ASD will always be apart of my journey in life, biomedical will always be apart of a long life journey as well, I know I always will be different from other people, but I also know that the biomedical intervention can stop and prevent alot of the behaviors in ASD that I don't like, for example the constant biting of my fingers because of high anxiety and also the rocking backward and forwards and the thumb sucking. I know biomedical doesn't cure ASD but what it does do is lessen the severity of it and stop the stomach pains, the constant immune system problems, etc. By me going the biomedical way does not mean that I don't like ASD or ASD people, all it means is that I'm wanting to help myself to become a better person that I can be, that God created to be. As my friends in church say that “anyone can be cured from any disorder they have if this is God’s will to be done, if that means going the biomedical way, let that be”.
Although there have been times where people have not supported me in choosing the biomedical over conventional ways, including the time when over in Australia when I wanted to go live there, my family there did not choose to want to support me, so I regressed over that 4 weeks while I was there. It ended up with me coming back to New Zealand as I knew my family and friends over here would support me in what I want to do with helping with my ASD. Believe when I say it has been a hard road, I never want to go off the GFCF diet ever again, it was hard enough to get back on it when came back to New Zealand. I know the consequences if I do choose to eat the foods that I’m not allowed to have, and I have a personal choice to not make myself sick any more then what I am based on how my mother brought me up as a child, my mother used to always say “you need to look after yourself including your body because God has loaned us the bodies we have until we get to heaven and we need to respect that”, I believe that also means we need look after our bodies by what we put into our bodies for example the foods we eat.
There is still a long road ahead of myself; I’m willing and committed to taking this journey to healing myself. Who else will join me on my walk to healing myself? Whether it be that you have ASD yourself, or you have family members with ASD, are a professional and want to learn the ways of biomedical, or you simply are a kind enough person to join us in the walk together to healing ASD and others disorders. Those of you who already chose this walk with me and those of you that want to join us in the walk, I commend you all for your hard work, patience, tolerance, and understanding to make it a better world for those of us that experience an ASD on a regular basis.
I want to especially to thank Gina Wilson for getting me onto this pathway with the rest of the professionals, families and other kind people out there. Thank you for your continuing support for helping those families and people in need and especially the children with ASD and other disorders and of course myself.
Gabrielle Hogg
Please see an exciting new update on Jed from the Belinder Walker
Belinda & Darren Walker
My name is Belinda Walker, together with my husband Darren and our 2 small children, Jed & Leroy, we live in London. Darren & I are both originally from NZ.
Jed was diagnosed with ASD in June 2008 at the age of 2 ½ yrs old. We were really fortunate to be back in NZ at the time and able to have the diagnosis done at the CARD in Auckland with Erika Ford. Erika gave us hope for Jed and recommended an ABA programme of 27 hours per week.
We started the ABA programme in August 2008 and at that time Jed had no recognisable language, there were sounds but no language. At the same time we started a Biomedical programme, initially with a gluten free/ dairy free diet and moved onto an SCD based diet. We met with Gina Wilson in October 2008 and she gave us invaluable suggestions and guidance for our first phase of Biomedical intervention.
We were back in NZ in January 2009 and met with Dr Leila Masson. At this time Jed had developed some language and increased play skills and on Dr Masson’s advice we began a more complex medical programme including methylation and detoxing.
The progress has been amazing and Jed has begun talking in sentences, able to tell us how he feels and what he wants. We have had a further consultation with Dr Bill Reeder in July 2009 and the results continue to come. Jed starts Pre-school at the end of September with an ABA shadow, he had a visit from his new teacher at the start of September 09 and then 3 weeks later, in preparation for Pre-school. The teacher commented that he could notice a difference in Jed between visits and we believe that he will be able to start School next year without assistance.
A key part of our success with Jed’s progress has been the guidance of relatives with ASD children (Mary Henderson), they also connected us with other families with younger ASD children. To have someone to ask questions, bounce ideas off and share thoughts with has been critical, both for helping Jed and for me personally to keep it together when we were given the ASD diagnosis. We now have hopes and dreams for Jed that we thought had gone.
If you have had an ASD diagnosis in your family you are truly lucky to have the group of professionals associated with Autism House, they are amongst the best in the world, that’s why we use them even though we live in the UK.
Belinda Walker
Please watch the youtube clip below to see Jed & Belinda and hear more of their story of the road to full inclusion
Jed was diagnosed with ASD in June 2008 at the age of 2 ½ yrs old. We were really fortunate to be back in NZ at the time and able to have the diagnosis done at the CARD in Auckland with Erika Ford. Erika gave us hope for Jed and recommended an ABA programme of 27 hours per week.
We started the ABA programme in August 2008 and at that time Jed had no recognisable language, there were sounds but no language. At the same time we started a Biomedical programme, initially with a gluten free/ dairy free diet and moved onto an SCD based diet. We met with Gina Wilson in October 2008 and she gave us invaluable suggestions and guidance for our first phase of Biomedical intervention.
We were back in NZ in January 2009 and met with Dr Leila Masson. At this time Jed had developed some language and increased play skills and on Dr Masson’s advice we began a more complex medical programme including methylation and detoxing.
The progress has been amazing and Jed has begun talking in sentences, able to tell us how he feels and what he wants. We have had a further consultation with Dr Bill Reeder in July 2009 and the results continue to come. Jed starts Pre-school at the end of September with an ABA shadow, he had a visit from his new teacher at the start of September 09 and then 3 weeks later, in preparation for Pre-school. The teacher commented that he could notice a difference in Jed between visits and we believe that he will be able to start School next year without assistance.
A key part of our success with Jed’s progress has been the guidance of relatives with ASD children (Mary Henderson), they also connected us with other families with younger ASD children. To have someone to ask questions, bounce ideas off and share thoughts with has been critical, both for helping Jed and for me personally to keep it together when we were given the ASD diagnosis. We now have hopes and dreams for Jed that we thought had gone.
If you have had an ASD diagnosis in your family you are truly lucky to have the group of professionals associated with Autism House, they are amongst the best in the world, that’s why we use them even though we live in the UK.
Belinda Walker
Please watch the youtube clip below to see Jed & Belinda and hear more of their story of the road to full inclusion
