HELP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH ASPERGER'S & HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM

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The Connection Between "Leaky Gut Syndrome" and Asperger's

“We are concerned that our son with Asperger (high functioning) may have a leaky gut. How can we know for sure? Is this part of Asperger? What can be done to help with this problem?”

RE: “How can we know for sure?”  

The only way to know for sure is to do an intestinal permeability test, which is the most common test for Leaky Gut Syndrome (LGS). Your child will ingest a specified amount of a solution containing lactulose and mannitol (water-soluble sugar molecules). Over a period of six hours, you will test your son’s urine for elevated levels of lactulose and mannitol. Read the results. Mannitol is absorbed quite easily, while lactulose has larger molecules and is usually only partially absorbed by the intestines. Leaky gut syndrome is very likely if the levels of both sugars in the collected urine are high.

Part of the problems inherent in LGS is that the body is naturally designed to fight off foreign particles. Food particles that leak into the gut are “foreign” and cause the body to put the immune system into overdrive. Here are a few of the specific symptoms that indicate there may be a problem with a permeable intestinal tract:
  • skin rashes
  • shortness of breath
  • recurrent infections
  • bed-wetting
  • asthma
  • poor immunity
  • nervousness
  • diarrhea
  • discomfort in the abdominal area
  • disorientation
  • fatigue
  • gas
  • heartburn
  • indigestion
  • memory problems
  • mood swings
  • constipation
  • confusion
  • chronic pain
  • bloating
  • anxiety
  • aggressive behavior

RE: “Is it part of Asperger?”  

Some researcher suggests that LGS is a contributing factor to Asperger’s (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA). The digestive tract lining becomes irritated and permeable. Thus, undigested food particles leak into the blood stream, which can lead to disturbances in brain function.

RE: “What can help with this problem?”  

Here are some important tips for your son:
  1. Start a gluten- and casein-free diet.
  2. Avoid spicy foods.
  3. Avoid a diet that is high in carbohydrates, caffeine content, and drugs such as ibuprofen and antacids – all of which work to reduce the impermeable nature of the intestinal walls. 
  4. Vitamins and minerals that can be used in the treatment of LGS include: vitamins A, C, and E; selenium; methyl sulfonyl Mmethane (MSM); glutamine; digestive enzymes; co-enzyme Q10; and beta carotene.
  5. Other dietary supplements to treat LGS include: virgin coconut oil; olive leaf extract; lactoferrin; lactobacillus; Kolorex Intenstical Care capsules; garlic; bovine colostrums; Barley grass powder; and aloe vera juice.
  6. Shark liver oil often tops the lists of supplements that can be used to treat LGS.

Lastly, frequently track your son’s progress, and make sure to use a systematic approach for introducing different elements. After you dial-in the best diet to treat his LGS, the results can be dramatic. However, consult with your pediatrician before starting any new diet plan.

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My child has been rejected by his peers, ridiculed and bullied !!!

Social rejection has devastating effects in many areas of functioning. Because the Aspergers child tends to internalize how others treat him, rejection damages self-esteem and often causes anxiety and depression. As the child feels worse about himself and becomes more anxious and depressed – he performs worse, socially and intellectually. Thus, the best treatment for Aspergers children and teens is, without a doubt, “social skills training.”

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How to Prevent Meltdowns in Aspergers Children

Meltdowns are not a pretty sight. They are somewhat like overblown temper tantrums, but unlike tantrums, meltdowns can last anywhere from ten minutes to over an hour. When it starts, the Asperger's child is totally out-of-control. When it ends, both you and the Asperger’s child are totally exhausted. But...

Don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet. At the least provocation, for the remainder of that day -- and sometimes into the next - the meltdown can return in full force.

If your child suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, expect him to experience both minor and major meltdowns over incidents that are part of daily life. He may have a major meltdown over a very small incident, or may experience a minor meltdown over something that is major. There is no way of telling how he is going to react about certain situations. However, there are many ways to help your child learn to control his emotions.

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Parenting Defiant Aspergers Teens

Although Aspergers is at the milder end of the autism spectrum, the challenges parents face when disciplining a teenager with Aspergers are more difficult than they would be with an average teen. Complicated by defiant behavior, the Aspergers teen is at risk for even greater difficulties on multiple levels – unless the parents’ disciplinary techniques are tailored to their child's special needs.

The standard disciplinary techniques that are recommended for “typical” teenagers do not take into account the many issues facing a child with a neurological disorder. Violent rages, self-injury, isolation-seeking tendencies and communication problems that arise due to auditory and sensory issues are just some of the behaviors that parents of teens with Aspergers will have to learn to control.

Parents need to come up with a consistent disciplinary plan ahead of time, and then present a united front and continually review their strategies for potential changes and improvements as the Aspergers teen develops and matures.

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Aspergers Children “Block-Out” Their Emotions

Parenting children with Aspergers can be a daunting task. In layman’s terms, Aspergers is a developmental disability that affects the way children develop and understand the world around them, and is directly linked to their senses and sensory processing. This means they often use certain behaviors to block out their emotions or response to pain.

Although they may vary slightly from person to person, children with Aspergers tend to have similar symptoms, the main ones being:

=> A need to know when everything is happening in order not to feel completely overwhelmed
=> A rigid insistence on routine (where any change can cause an emotional and physiological meltdown)
=> Difficulties with social functioning, particularly in the rough and tumble of a school environment
=> Obsessive interests, with a focus on one subject to the exclusion of all others
=> Sensory issues, where they are oversensitive to bright light, loud sounds and unpleasant smells
=> Social isolation and struggles to make friends due to a lack of empathy, and an inability to pick up on or understand social graces and cues (such as stopping talking and allowing others to speak)

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Older Teens and Young Adult Children With Aspergers Still Living At Home

Your older teenager or young “adult child” isn’t sure what to do, and he is asking you for money every few days. How do you cut the purse strings and teach him to be independent?

Parents of teens with Aspergers face many problems that other parents do not. Time is running out for teaching their adolescent how to become an independent adult. As one mother put it, "There's so little time, yet so much left to do."

Parents face issues such as college preparation, vocational training, teaching independent living, and providing lifetime financial support for their child, if necessary. Meanwhile, their immature Aspergers teenager is often indifferent – and even hostile – to these concerns.

As you were raising your child, you imagined how he would be when he grew up. Maybe you envisioned him going to college, learning a skilled traded, getting a good job, or beginning his own family. But now that (once clear) vision may be dashed. You may be grieving the loss of the child you wish you had.

If you have an older teenager with Aspergers who has no clue where he is going in life, or if you have an “adult-child” with Aspergers still living at home (in his early 20s or beyond), here are the steps you will need to take in order to foster the development of self-reliance in this child.

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