Autism Siblings: A forgotten child? No, Not mine.

She is My daughter.

She is His sister.

He has Autism.

She does not.

Brother and Sister.

Son and Daughter.

My beautiful children.

Disclaimer: I started out writing this post for Autism Sucks but I changed my mind. I'm posting it here and this is where it belongs, here, on my blog.

I have two children who I adore. One has autism and one does not. And you know what, it does suck. Because she is 3 and she has 'grown up' making accomodations that a 3 year old shouldn't have to make. Not for one minute, am I blind to this. And when she tells me that she doesn't like her brother "because he trashes her room", I get it. She isn't blind to the fact that her brother, twice her size, does things - things that are not allowed for her. I recognize this and a small part of me wants to say I am sorry. So, so sorry. And then I see the way she looks at him. I watch her do something exactly the way he did it or play with something 'wrong' just because that is how she knows. She worships him. He is her big brother. Her idol. Her role model. Her partner in crime. Her best friend.

Her Alex.

My children.

GFCF Kids Love Nana's Cookies

My son Alex loves Nana's No Gluten cookies. My favorite local natural food store recently started carrying pretty much the entire Nana's line - so we've tried out most of them now. He loves the Lemon Dreams the best. Last week when Jenny McCarthy was on Oprah she featured some gfcf products, including the Nana's brand. If you are looking to try a delicious gluten free, allergen free cookie - definitely check out the Nana's brand. Use coupon code "Jenny" you will get 10% off your first order. There's also a contest running to win a Nana's lunchbox packed with treats ($30 value) through October 31st. I hope we win one!

Related News Article:
JENNY MCCARTHY & JIM CARREY INVITE NANA'S COOKIE COMPANY TO PARTICIPATE IN LAUNCH OF GENERATION RESCUE

Submit to the Faces of Autism Project

Casdok from Mother of Shrek has created a new blog:

Faces of Autism

Please consider submitting your photo. Here is our entry.

Call for Submissions: Seeking Photos of Vaccine Injured Children

Call for Submissions: Looking for pics of Vax injured kids for video/montage . Please send this out to anyone who you know with vax injured kids

Melissa from facebook: VACCINES: A license to KILL!!! is making a video montage of children who have been vaccine injured. We are looking for pics of kids to include. Please send photo and the following info to: angeltouched20@hotmail.com

Include:
First name & age (only)
What vaccine believed to push them over the edge (so to speak)and what damaged this has caused (Autism, SIDS, etc etc)

Check out my vaccination choice video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqvCBHnt_Nk

Can a Fever temporarily cure Autism?

My son came down with a fever last night. He had an amazing day yesterday and then when we were out to dinner with family he layed down in the booth and fell asleep. This is not like him - so I felt him and he felt a little hot, but the diner was sweat-inducing so it was hard to tell. When he got home he fell asleep on the staircase and then basically went to bed. My son is a puker. Before he went on the gfcf diet he was a frequent vomiter linked to dairy consumption. Now gf/cf - he pretty much only throws up when he is sick, as it should be. But if he is sick - I can usually count on at least one night interupted by him throwing up at 2am (usually in MY bed). I just got new furniture, and I've been trying to keep him off of it because I don't want it to be 'blessed' within the first week of ownership. Welp, as I write this he managed to throw up in the toilet. Poor kid. He has had very little appetite and has only drank a little bit of juice and some Neocate EO28 Splash.

He woke up chipper and his fever appeared to be gone. Still, I kept him home from school today. Tomorrow is a Jewish holiday and the kids have off so I figured I'd give him a day of rest and recooperation. He did keep on demanding to go to the doctor - he even entered the doctor's name and address into my GPS. I didn't take him thinking that he'd just sleep it off and will take him tomorrow if he is still sick. He seemed so 'healthy' and 'normal' this morning. We dropped his sister off at preschool and went to Costco. He sat quietly, asked me specifically for a few items that we needed (like Heinz Ketchup). He held the receipt like he always does and was so good. I texted my husband about the good behavior, "almost angelic" is how I described it. We went and picked up his sister from preschool and headed home. I could feel his fever starting to boil up at this point and he ended up napping. He later asked to eat, but didn't keep it down - and it would appear that there is a small wetspot on the couch. He got it, darn it.

But, back to the topic of this post: The Link between Fever and Autism.

It has been proven that fever can affect kids with Autism and they can show improvements in behavior and autism symptoms. When Alex has a fever he pretty much just sleeps but when awake his communication does seem to be better - more back and forth and what little bit of stimming he does do - he doesn't do when sick. I've always attributed to the fact that he is just too tired and sick to engage in them. But, maybe just maybe - it has to do with the fever. The studies certainly point that way.

Q: How does your child on the autism spectrum act when they are sick with a fever? Do you see a marked improvement in their behavior?



Related Articles:
WebMd Report: Fever Improves Autism Symptoms
NPR: Autism Study Lends Credence to 'Fever Effect'
Huffington Post: Can a Fever Cure Autism?
ABC News: Fever May Improve Behavior in Autistic Kids

Autism Extreme Sports - Parasailing

Kids with Autism going surfing? That's old news.

Two teens with Autism from Brick, NJ have gone parasailing for the past four years. "The family has found that parasailing is a way for their two children to experience the bigger world."

I went parasailing on a vacation with my husband many years ago, before kids- and I was terrified. Yet, at the same time I can totally see where this could be an experience that Alex (who has Autism) would love. Last year on our Disney trip he loved the Soarin' ride at Epcot which simulates flying through the skies over California.

Check out this video & news article of the Gallagher teens parasailing:

Parasailing helps autistic teenagers expand their horizons

Jersey Shore Autism Walk 2008 - Alex's Army Photos

Alex's Army 2008

Another Autism Walk at the Jersey Shore has come and gone. Today marked the 3rd walk at the Jersey Shore and the 2nd for Alex's Army. The first was on our wedding anniversary and we were out of town, we still raised money though. In 2007, our team was 30+ strong (counting many children/toddlers) and raised over $2,000. This year, our team was significantly smaller and the economy did effect our total which is somewhere around $1000 at the time I'm writing this. We'll continue to accept donations through December on our Alex's Army team page.

The weather the past few days has been less than encouraging. A lot of rain, wind, and grey skies. Thunderstorms were anticipated for today and I honestly expected we wouldn't attend. We made the decision that even though the walk was to be held rain or shine, that we would stay dry and warm should it rain - and be there 'in spirit'. This morning when I woke up the skies looked grey and it was misting. My morning was made up of a series of phone calls and emails with team members letting me know that they would not be attending. I was getting discouraged but I had said so myself that we'd stay in if the skies weren't with us. My husband and I talked and decided that we would at least go to the Pre-Walk "party" and check-in. The walk was being held just 3 miles (if that) away from our house, so we felt we really should at least go and check it out.

We got there to find an amazing parking spot and a manageable crowd. In 2007, parking was a bear and the crowd was overwhelming. I am sure that the weather definitely kept people away, though it was OK out - and the worst thing was a bit of mud if you weren't careful where you were walking. Alex did great. He started out with his headphones on but by the end of the day he had them off and walked right in front of speakers that were blaring music. Why do these big Autism events play loud music? I don't 'get it' considering so many of our kids are riddled with sensory issues and don't deal well with Shakira being blared louder than loud? Still, Alex did amazing and the kids had a great time.

Our day in pics:

Alex & Mrs. Beth from Camp Bridge

Playing at the Key to Me Therapy Bean Table

Look - No headphones, notice those BIG speakers -

they were blaring and he didn't even flinch.

Great job, Alex!

Bouncing high! Better here than the couch

If you would like to make a donation to Autism Speaks, visit our Alex's Army page
http://www.walknowforautism.org/siteapps/teampage/ShowPage.aspx?c=pkLXJ4MMKrH&b=3627115&teamid=2760427

11 years and this is what I get!

So, today is our 11 year anniversary. My husband and I didn't make a big deal of it because we are getting a brand new television - a big one, a really big one. I am buying it using the money that I made at Epinions. This past year I have bought a laptop, a new digital camera and now a 50" TV using epinions money. Last year I paid for a 7-day trip to Disney out of that fund. Love it. My husband works very hard to bring home a paycheck to pay the bills. If I can supplement it while staying home with the kids, even better.

So, this morning I asked Alex if he wanted to make me an anniversary card. He's big into drawing and I love his creations. Of course, when you want him to draw of course he won't play along. He looked at me like I had 5 heads and purple eyes and told me "No!". I felt for a minute like I was going to cry and then he came back with.

"I want an American Greetings card for your anniversary".

I chuckled and said that I wanted an Alex-greeting card instead. We went back and forth and when he saw I wasn't giving he announced.

"We can go to the American Greetings Store at the Ocean County Mall and the Food City".

Of course, little sister had to get in on this conversation when she heard the mention of food.

"There are restaurants at the Ocean County Mall"

To which I responded, we WERE NOT going to the Mall food court or any restaurant at the Ocean County Mall (I think there is Burger King, Friendly's and Applebees - not exactly anniversary faire) for my anniversary.

She paused, and then said:

"Oh, is just the grown-ups going?"

ha!

So a few hours passed, the kids ate, we ate and we discussed the possibility of going out "just the grown ups" later on.

Alex had a grand idea. A gift!

He dumped one of those small cardboard storage boxes that my daughter uses to contain the gazillian microscopic pieces for her Calico Critters and filled it.

So proud of himself!

Belle was sitting next to him but then got up and pitched a fit when he looked at her wrong.

Here's what I got: A ton of pocket change - I should seriously go to one of those Coinstar machines, a happy meal toy, a couple of crayons, and some screws.

I'm LOVED and that is the best gift ever!

11 Years

GF/CF Friday: What's more fun than Alphabet Soup? Alphatots!

What's more fun than Alphabet Soup?
What's more fun than Alphabet Soup AND Gluten & Casein Free?

Why, Ian's AlphaTots - of course!

• Wheat Free
• Gluten Free
  Egg Free
• Milk Free
• Casein Free
  Nut Free
• Soy Free
  

These fun Alphabet Shaped "Fries" are a huge hit in my house. Alex goes nuts when I buy them and gobbles them all up. Of course, only after a good dose of playing with his food first.

out with the old.. in with the new

Out with the old, in pieces on the curb, in the rain....

In with the new! (pics from my redberry)

The couch is not a trampoline

When I was pregnant with Alex, so about 8 1/2 years ago - I asked my husband for a new couch for my birthday. We had a scary 1970's brown plaid sectional that served us well in our post-college apartment, a temporary town-house we lived in, and then our first home. The couch had been in his mother's basement - it was very old but in surprisingly good shape for its years. It was time for it to go. We put it on our curb and some poor soul took it before the garbage-twuck could come and take it away. In its place we got a sofa that had double recliners and plus massage and heat and a reclining loveseat that rocked. I was pregnant, I wanted comfortable.

And then came Alex.

He jumped and climbed all over that couch and jumped and jumped some more.

Over the past year the couch died a slow but sure death. The springs went in one seat, and then another. And then the middle seat completely caved in. I had to cram folded up blankets and pillows into it and put a sheet over it to make it even partway functional. It was BAD. It needed to go. You couldn't even sit on it without it busting your ass. Forget about laying down or taking a nap. Not possible.

Tonight my husband disassembled the sad couch and loveseat and we carried them down and out of our house and to the curb. No one will take this furniture - its in pieces and it is not repairable. Hopefully the town will come and take it soon, very soon. It is outside in the rain and tomorrow new furniture is coming in its place. I am so very looking forward to welcoming my new comfy sofa and armchair that doesn't bust my butt every time I sit down.

We are going to have to have rules about the climbing and the jumping this time around.

Are you a Mother Warrior?

Jenny McCarthy defines a Mother Warrior as follows from her latest book, Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds :

A Mother who hears there is no hope for her child and, instead of retreating and mourning, breaks down walls, weaves her way through obstacles, follows her intuition even when people tell her she is crazy. She is a mother who believes in hope. A mother who believes in miracles and is able to carry on with strength and determination, even when her partner doubts her and offers no support. A mother who never gives up when she keeps hitting dead ends....

Are you a Mother Warrior? I am.

I am a Mother Warrior by Jenny's definition even though I am hardly her #1 fan. I am committed to "fighting" for Alex. Yes, I am.

I just finished reading Mother Warriors which I have reviewed at Epinions and Bella Online.

Have you read Jenny's latest book yet? Do you plan on reading it? What are your thoughts on Mother Warriors?

Jenny McCarthy says son HAD autism on Oprah

Jenny McCarthy was on Oprah and in the first 3 minutes of the show she corrects Oprah by saying her son HAD autism. Past tense.

Her appearance on the show coincides with the release of her latest book, Mother Warriors: A Nation of Parents Healing Autism Against All Odds. A large portion of the Oprah episode is dedicated to Jenny interviewing a mother who has lost her limbs but not her spirit as a result of flesh eating bacteria.


Jenny, who led up the Green Our Vaccines rally in Washington with her boyfriend Jim Carrey - made a statement on the show.

"This community that I represent, loudly, we are not an anti-vaccine community. We are an intelligent group of parents that know the importance of having vaccines. but we do believe it is about time we have safe ones. We deserve safe ones for our kids. We also think kids need to be tested to make sure their immune system is strong enough to handle them. These are things that I don't think are way out in left field. You know not everyone can handle penicillin. What makes us believe that everyone can handle all the shots all the time? Some kids cannot handle it. Vaccines are safe for some kids. Vaccines are not safe for some kids. Lets protect the ones who are weak. And thats what these warriors are saying. We believe in the protocol. We know we need them. But we deserve safe ones."

Oprah responded with a resounding "I GOTCHA" and then immediately followed up with the following statement from the AAP:

The AAP shares parents' frustration over the undefined causes of Autism and the lack of established treatment. We urge parents to be cautious when choosing options for autism and recommend scientifcally validated treatments. There is no valid scientific evidence that vaccines cause autism. But, because of unfounded fears about vaccines, the US is suffering its biggest measles outbreak in a decade"


I twittered/friendfeeded about this yesterday and invite you to join in on a 'friendly' discussion of this on Friendfeed *tidbits including someone informing me that "no one ever dies of autism" and that "vaccines are not moneymakers".

....And lets get back to where this started. Jenny said her son Evan, HAD autism.

This surprised me because in her both of her books she repeatedly says he is IN RECOVERY or RECOVERED from autism. She doesn't ever say CURED - though it is implied. In her book she says that if/when he is sick - his symptoms of autism resurface. So, then it is not really 'gone', right? And all the biomedical treatments did with him (the gfcf diet, supplements, threelac, b12, [chelation/HBot]) does she no longer need to do these? I'm just thinking out loud.

I don't dislike Jenny. I rather like her spirit and applaud her very loud voice. I like that she has gotten attention on issues like vaccines and biomedical treatments. I have a problem with some of the statements and her choice of words (ie. he HAD autism). Jenny self-appointed herself as a spokesperson for the Autism community except she doesn't speak for everyone - many "autism moms" aka Mother Warriors don't like Jenny.

So let's hear it Mother Warriors... What do YOU think of Jenny McCarthy?

Remembering Raggedy Ann - What Vaccines can do.

As a child one of my most favorite dolls in the world was Raggedy Ann. My older sister and I both had handmade Raggedy Ann dolls that were made by a "little old lady" who crafted Raggedy Ann dolls and sold them at local art shows and fairs. She would even embroider your name on Raggedy's heart so it was personalized. My sister had a whole collection of Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls including dolls that were nearly lifesize - I remember how much we played with them, they were so much more than simple ragdolls. We even had books that were all about adventures of the pair and we'd reenact the stories. We loved Raggedy Ann.

I just learned this interesting 'tidbit' about Raggedy Ann that makes this doll hold even more meaning to me. Raggedy Ann's creator Johny Gruelle made this doll for his daughter Marcella in the early 1900s. Marcella later died at the age of 13 after she was vaccinated without consent at her school for Smallpox. The Raggedy Ann doll later became a symbol for the anti-vaccination movement. I am not anti-vaccination, though I do stand firmly for vaccination choice.

Did you have a Raggedy Ann doll as a child? Does your daughter even know who Raggedy Ann is?

I just sent my mother an email asking if she still had my Raggedy Ann doll, I surely hope she did save it, so I can pass it on to my daughter. Who, I would like to hope, will love the doll as I did - or at least for a few moments, she could humor me.

I miss my dolly.

Show me Love, Show me Sweet Link Love

I created a button for The Bon Bon Gazette if you would like to link to me graphically - here it is with a handy dandy code grabber. Let me know if you've linked, so I can check you out!

<a href="http://www.bonbongazette.com" target="_blank"><img alt="BonBonGazette Blog" src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y260/hellokittiemama/bbgclipart/BBG125button.jpg" /></a>

Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake

My 3 1/2 year old daughter loves to dance. Tutus, Leotards, Tights, Slippers - she can't get enough. When she was just 2 years old she would see the dancers on reality TV shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" and try to imitate their moves and dance along. I knew at that moment that I needed to get her into dance class - and that I did. All week long she looks forward to going to dance and the minute class ends she can't wait until the next time she goes back. When I was given the opportunity for her to try out this Prima Princessa DVD, I was so excited for her. We waited until her older brother was off at school so she could enjoy it in all of its girly tutu-lovin' splendor. This was one of those moments that I truly LOVE being the mama of a girly girl.

Prima Princessa was developed by Mary Kate Mellow and Stephanie Troeller - both stay-at-home-moms of dance-loving girls from NJ (like me!). They recognized the need for age appropriate ballet DVDs for children and when they didn't find what they were looking for, they decided to make their own. I love it! They even have a blog called TuTuZone - check it out.

Prima Princessa brings real performances of Swan Lake by the Paris Opera Ballet right into your living room and more! I watched with awe as my 3 year old was captivated by the dancers and even followed along with the complicated plot of Swan Lake. Just when I thought she was about to lose her focus and attention the DVD changed to little girls in tutus learning how to do a pirouette. It reminded me a bit of the popular Baby Einstein movies that my kids loved when they were younger, except aimed for the preschool/dancing audience. My tiny ballerina Belle loved watching the other children on the screen and danced right along with them. Before I knew it she had dressed herself in one of her favorite leotards, her slippers, a tiara, and fairy wings and it was back to Swan Lake.

Prima Princessa includes 4 short acts from Swan Lake with intermissions. The intermissions are footage of little girls in tutus learning some basic dance steps & having a blast dancing around. I love that she got right up and danced along and didn't just sit there watching. This DVD held my daughter's attention the entire 40 minutes. I don't know what she loves watching more - the other little dancing girls that are just like her or the fancy Paris Opera Ballet dancers that she aspires to be- she loves it all. What a perfect gift the Prima Princessa DVD makes for a little girl who loves to dance.




For more information please visit www.PrimaPrincessa.com

I'm Amused - my 7 year old blog follower

I left my laptop open so I could give the little princess a bath - spaghetti for dinner at the local diner made for a messy little girl.

I came back to my laptop and found the following tabs open in my browser with Alex at the helm. These are the websites he decided to check out today.

Wegmans
Stop and Shop
Whole Foods Market
Rainbow Diner Restaurant - this is the kids fav. diner, I had no idea they even had a website!
Gluten Free Blog

Kid is no dummy! He doesn't miss a beat! Clearly from the Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Whole Foods Market and Gluten Free Blog - he clicked on those or read them on my earlier blog post and typed them in. But the diner site - that was all him. This is the same child who tried to google (at age 6) how to remove the web-page blocking software that my husband had installed - the same child who creates user accounts with passcode entrance and locked me out of my computer - the same child who switched my iPod to Russian one day. He's scary smart - I'm sure way smarter than me and probably smarter than my husband (who up until Alex was the smartest person that I knew).

Girls Gone Wild

Girls running free on a gorgeous Autumn day at Allaire State Park

Whole Foods Saturday

...Sigh... It would seem as if my local grocery and health food stores are all out to get me.

First of all my local Stop & Shop was kind enough to stop carrying our favorite allergen free Chicken which is a major bummer for me & the kids. They have recently expanded to carrying a lot more gluten free items - but not a lot that are both gluten & casein free - and no chicken nuggets. It was so incredibly convenient to be able to pick up a fast and favored dinner without needing a bank loan.

Next, Wegmans no longer carries our Wellshire Kids Chicken Bites which both of my children covet. Even my daughter who is not gluten free - LOVES these. Wegmans no longer carries these and the local health food stores want close to $8 for the small bag. I am currently holding my breath until the temperature drops and I can order my case of these online as I've done in the past. My kids have missed these all summer since I refuse to pay double for them locally or risk ordering them and having the whole package dethaw and go bad during shipping.

Which leaves me to going to my local health food stores and paying too much. I'll do this in a pinch - if I need small quantities but not when the freezer and pantry is close to empty.

Why is it that allergen free food is so expensive???

I was in desperate need to go shopping so yesterday I mentioned that I was going to go to have to go to Wegmans (and suck up the fact that they don't have Chicken Bites). I asked Alex if he would like to go with me since Wegmans has a cool train that goes around at the top of the ceiling that the kids love. The advantage to Wegmans is that I can get most of Alex's shopping done as well as for the rest of the family right then and there. I love Wegmans - it reminds me of home since it is from upstate NY where I hail from.

Alex absolutely no way, no how, did not under any circumstances want to go to Wegmans. He wanted to go to Stop & Shop. I explained that Stop & Shop didn't have his chicken. How about Whole Foods? Yes! "Wole Foods" as he calls it. Little Sister then started in on how she wanted to come too. It is so much easier to just shop with one child. Of course, if I announce I'm going someplace (like to the grocery store) they both want to go - so I can furgeddaboudit. Baby sister wanted to go to Whole Foods but she was wearing Princess Pajamas. I suggested she put on some clothing first instead of pjs which was a source of much angst for her.

To which I twittered:

3 year old is insisting to go to Whole Foods in her Princess Pajamas! about 21 hours ago from web

and got the following responses:
healingsoul @hellokittiemama Please let little princess go to whole food...this is what being 3 yo is all about! (o: about 20 hours ago from web in reply to hellokittiemama
mommastantrum @hellokittiemama let her go. there are worse things she could be insisting on...like snorting crack! about 21 hours ago from web in reply to hellokittiemama

Question for you all:

Do you let your kids go to the grocery store in Pajamas?

As much I would like to encourage her to go out in clothes (not pajamas) I probably would have let her go to the grocery store in PJs if she really wanted to. I'm sure she'd change her mind 20 times on the 40 minute ride there and demand I turned around and put different clothes on, anyways. As it turned out, she put on different clothes by the time we got organized enough to head out (and I took a nap first - bad headache).

hellokittiemama 3 year old did whole foods in a skirt with pants-- dressed herself!about 16 hours ago from TwitterBerry

And of course my husband's 2 cents on the trip:

kurtgw Trapped at Whole Foods with the Prius driving crowd. Such is the life of a dad with a GFCF kid. about 17 hours ago from TwitterBerry

The kids and I used our recyclable bags, to which my husband made fun of those too. Belle even loaded her organic animal crackers into a tiny pink hello kitty bag - tres cute. Oh, and - Alex's highlight of the trip - they had his coveted Wellshire Kids Chicken Bites. Aaaaah... yes!

The kids happily ate their gfcf dino nuggets and all was well in the world.

hellokittiemama overheard from the kitchen: "ate your head", "Ate your neck", "I'm eating you all right up". No - kids aren't cannibals. GFCF dino chicken about 15 hours ago from web

The End.

The Aliens Have Invaded

My kids really do enjoy playing together when they aren't killing each other. They were very quietly playing this afternoon, and I should have known something was going on that possibly shouldn't be.

Well..

they got into the magic markers, again!

...sigh...

My Ballerina

First Day at her new Dance School

My Tiny Ballerina

September 19, 2008

PTA Flu Shot Fundraiser - Who else wants to make a buck on the Flu Shot?

I'm part of 3 different PTA organizations - technically 2 PTAs and one "PTO" if you want to be technical about it. The beginning of the school year marks the time when you'll see fundraisers come home in backpacks - ok, for one of the schools my kids attend it was on the first day. "Welcome to school, now get out there and sell this!" Refusing to turn my child into a multi-level marketer, I open up my purse and write out the donation checks. As I said, I'm a good little PTA mama, afterall.


So the other day I read about a new PTA fundraiser at Age of Autism - I was mortified by it. It's a flu shot clinic turned PTA fundraiser and its "coming soon to a school near you".... Flu Busters. $30 gets you the flu shot with a portion of that going to your local PTA.

Fingers crossed, but it hasn't come to mine yet - and never will if I have my say about it.

Apparently everyone wants to make a buck off of the flu shot - the government, your doctor, the insurance company.. and now PTAs? You've got to be kidding me!!! Let's make a buck and hurt our kids along the way. This goes against what all the PTA's that I belong to stand for.

*shaking my head in disbelief*

__________________________________________________
Facts about the Flu Shot -

Please educate yourself on this vaccine before getting pricked (or snorting).

From Safeminds.org
Help Spread the Word About the Flu Vaccine
SafeMinds has developed a brochure providing information on the flu vaccine that is available to communicate the risks still posed by this thimerosal- containing vaccine. We encourage you to distribute this brochure in your doctor's office and other places you think people will pick up. Please feel free to download the file here or e-mail eksafeminds@gmail.com to receive copies of the brochure in the mail.

___________________________________________________
My experience with the Flu Shot:

I received 1 flu shot in my life - ever. It was when I was pregnant with my son. I followed my ob/gyn blindly because they told me that the flu shot was recommended for expecting mothers. My son received the flu shot as an infant. He actually only got part 1 of the 2 part dose (they give it twice to infants and kids receiving it for the first time) - and missed getting part 2 because the doctors ran out of it. My daughter has never received the flu shot and will not be receiving this thimerosal containing vaccine! Nope, not her. I wish I had known more about the shot while I was pregnant and my son was a baby. Shame on me for not doing my research - urging others, please do yours.

Check out our Vaccination Choice video on You Tube

Tell Me Where You Stand on Vaccination Choice

Yes, I'm talking about vaccines again.. and politics. A double whammy!

I get into this a lot when asked about my stance on vaccines. My kids do receive vaccines, but selectively so (ex: No Flu Shot!) and on a slow schedule (not the 8 vaccines at a time like my son had - and consequently... Autism). So, obviously, I have very strong feelings on this matter. My son got hurt and I'm sitting and watching more and more kids who are getting hurt, meanwhile more shots are being mandated. In New Jersey they mandated the flu shot now even though it still contains thimerosal - even the "thimerosal free" version which is hard to get and costs more contains thimerosal. This isn't a debate about vaccines causing autism - that is for a different time and place. This is the sheer fact that our vaccines as it is contain a lot of ingredients that are dangerous for our bodies (like aluminum, formaldehyde and mercury - among others).

Here's a not so little fact about the Flu Shot (from NJ-AICV)

Flu Shot:
First time flu shot is two doses. The flu shot contains 25 micrograms of mercury. The EPA “safety limit” is .1 (point 1) microgram per 2.2 pounds of body weight. That means that 25 micrograms is safe ONLY if you weigh 550 pounds. How can they approve this shot for anyone and they want to give infants the shot twice?!

In New Jersey, as it stands the only way to "get out" of receiving the flu shot and/or other vaccinations that are "mandatory" is by 1)medical exemption or 2)religious exemption. We want Vaccination Choice.

On 9/5/2008 a gathering of parents, children and concerned citizens came together on Louise Kuo Habakus's front lawn to rally for Vaccination Choice. I was one of those parents, and compiled this slideshow of the day. A democratic party fundraiser was taking place at the neighboring home. Sen. Obama & Gov. Corzine (as well as Bon Jovi) were in attendance. After the fundraiser Gov. Corzine stopped by and spoke to the rallyers. He put Louise Kuo Habakus in touch with Heather Howard, health commissioner.

A meeting has been scheduled for October 16th in Trenton where Louise Kuo Habakus, Claudine Liss, and a few others will be meeting with the health commissioner. That day there will also be a large vaccination choice rally at the State House.

Claudine Liss who attended fundraiser gave a packet of information to Sen. Obama and asked him his stance on Vaccination choice. His response was the neg. "I am not in favor of selective vaccination. I believe that it will bring back deadly diseases, like Polio". The same packet of information has been provided to McCain/Palin. On September 15th, an Allison Chapman, a mother of a child with autism (like me), hand-delivered more information to Obama about vaccines.

We, as citizens of the United States, need to know where our future presidents/VPs stand on this important issue/human right Vaccination Choice.

Autistic Living has created an initative called Tell Me Where You Stand which is asking the candidates for an official statement of their stance on vaccination choice.

If you would like to know where both of these candidates stand on this issue, please use the following link and ask them yourselves. An email has been prepared, which you will get a chance to review before sending. This email will also be sent to various members of the media, in addition to the candidates.

all you have to do is click - it is that easy!
Tell Me Where You Stand


Related Links:
USA = United States of Autism (Wake Up Obama & Anyone else who is listening!)

GF/CF Cooking with Kids - Blueberry Pineapple Easy Cake

I love to bake, but I don't have loads of extra time to do it in. So any time I find a very easy "no muss" & "no fuss" recipe that yields yummies - I'm all over it. I remember as a child my mother making a quick dessert out of 2 cans, a boxed cake mix and a stick of butter - it was called a "Dump Cake". Not the most appetizing of names, but the cake was delicious. The wheels started turning in my head that this would be a very easy recipe to convert to gluten & casein (dairy) free without majorly messing it up.

When I got a fresh pineapple last week from my food co-op I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Pineapple & Blueberry Dump Cake - except I hate the name "dump cake" so I'm calling it Easy Cake, because it is just that - EASY!
So easy that the kids can do it - and that is just what mine did (with supervision, of course).

Here's what you need:

• 2 Cups of cut up Pineapple
  
• 2 Cups of blueberries
  
• 1 stick of margarine or shortening - if you are dairy free, make sure that it is casein free. Fleischman's Light Margarine is dairy free.. note it does contain Soy.
  
• 1 box/package of your favorite gfcf Vanilla Cake Mix. I suggest Namaste Vanilla Cake Mix which is gluten free, wheat free, soy free, dairy free. Those not caring about gluten/casein free can just use any boxed cake mix

How to make it

I made this with fresh blueberries and pineapple that I had fresh frozen. I took them out of my freezer and let them dethaw in my fridge for a day so they were extra juicy. The original recipes to make this call for using canned pineapple and blueberry (or cherry) pie filling but why use it from a can when you can have fresh?

1)Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

2)Lightly grease a 9X13 cake pan - we used my Pampered Chef Rectangular Stoneware Baking Pan.

3)Into the lightly greased cakepan, dump in the cut up pineapple pieces with the juice. If you are using you may want to add in a little bit of fresh fruit juice or apple sauce for additional moisture (though not necessary if your pineapple is juicy).

4)Follow up by dumping in about half of the blueberries.

5)Take a spoon or spatula and smush it down. I gave each child a spoon and told them to have at it. They loved this step!

6)Pour about half of the cake mix (in powdered form still) over the fruit mixture and then smush again.

7)Pour the rest of the cake mix over (loose) and follow up with the remaining cup of blueberries.

8)Cut your butter substitute into small soft pieces and put them all over the top of the fruit and cakemix.

9) Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 350 degrees.

Alternatives: Use cherries instead of blueberries. Add in grated coconut or sliced almonds. We don't "do" nuts - so we didn't do this.

My kids and I had a blast making this super-easy cake. I love to bake with them but have learned that simple is better. Even better, there is little to no clean-up for this since you actually make the cake in the cake pan. The kids had a blast pouring everything in and smushing it all together. When the cake comes out of the oven it isn't exactly pretty - but the taste makes up for that.

If you are looking for an easy recipe to do with your gfcf/dairy free kids - try this!

I'm over the moon... crazy. Full Moon.

Photo taken from my front yard. The full moon right over my house around 11pm.

Beautiful

Tonight there is a full moon.

I should have known from the fact that my children were absolutely crazed this evening. I am a moonchild. A cancer. My emotions have always been affected by the moon - like the tides. My mother always said that whenever the moon was full - I was difficult. My kids are the same way. My son, who has Autism - even more so. Around the full moon his behavior is more stormy. I've shared with friends who are also parents of Autistic children who also tell me they notice a difference. Perhaps our children are more in tune with it, I wouldn't be surprised.

Tonight my son passed out in our bed long before his normal bed time. He took himself into our quiet room, laid down and checked out for the night. The child who normally tosses and turns and struggles to get to sleep - totally peaceful. I'm leaving it up to my husband to carry him up the flights of stairs and then up the ladder to his loft bed - he's far to big and heavy now for me.

On the opposite end of the spectrum - simultaneously, my daughter was having a full out meltdown. She is my "typical" child, the one without Autism. Tonight I couldn't go more than 5 inches away from her without her screaming, sobbing, or wailing. She isn't sick. She was simply inconsolable - needing Mama. I needed to run to CVS for a few things and she cried the whole 8 minutes I was gone. She finally passed out asleep in my arms clutching onto me. She may be 3 1/2 years old now, but she is still my baby.

I stepped outside for some fresh air and saw the gorgeous moon over the house.

The kids are sleeping peacefully.

Goodnight Moon.

Mama's got a Blackberry

... and a pretty red one at that!

Daddy was going to get the Instinct (iPhone clone) but went with the black blackberry instead.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun or something like that

Happy Birthday Wendy!!!

So.... last night was a "girls night" to celebrate my friend Wendy's birthday. Being that we are right at the Jersey Shore we were going to go and have some drinks at the Tiki Bar. Except, it was pouring pouring rain so we headed a couple doors down to Jenks. Here, we were witness to some of Jersey's finest people watching and outright ridiculous behavior. And because it is after labor day - this was all New Jersey so it is not even like we can blame it on the Bennies. I am so not from this state - how embarassing.

We had some drinks, and a lot of laughs. No real conversation - because the band and later the DJ was so loud that I still don't have hearing back more than 12 hours later. The band that was playing was Bitter X. The range of songs/artists they performed was most intriguing from NIN's Closer, Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer, and then Miley Cyrus's See you Again. Never in a million years did I expect that song to be played, by men, and for the crowd to go wild. So, as I mentioned - there was some celebrating, and the rest of what happened is classified info
You might learn a bit more about it if you check out Wendy's Birthday Blog post with more pictures over at There's No Peace!

GF/CF Friday Review - Nana's Lemon Dreams

TGIF and time for GF/CF Friday

Since it is back to school time, I'm going to be focusing on lunch box 'treats' that my son likes to take to school. These are a 'new' favorite for him.

I recently found Nana's brand cookies at my local healthfood store and picked up a couple of different varieties including some bar cookies and these Nana's No Gluten Lemon Dreams Cookie Bites to give them a try.

I liked that these cookies were individually wrapped for freshness as well as for "take along" purposes. I also thought that because the packaging said "Nana's" on it that my son would love it. Nana is what he calls one of his grandmothers - and she can do no wrong in his book.

Nana's Lemon Dreams Facts:

• No Gluten
• No Wheat
• No Dairy
• No Casein
• No Refined Sugars
• No GMOs
• No Trans Fats
• No Cholesterol
• No Egg
• No Cane or Beet Products
• Fruit Juice Sweetened, All Natural!
  

Ingredients (from package): rice flour (brown & white), fruit juice(pear, apple, grape), rice dextrins (a natural & un-modified starch), non-GMO expeller press canola oil, tapioca flour, lemon, natural flavorings, non-aluminum baking powder (leavening), natural vanilla extract, xantham gum, seal salt *Nana's will never knowingly use GMO's in any of their products

How do they taste?
Like any soft lemon cookie would be expected to, I thought. They aren't overly lemony and the texture is that of a sugar cookie - soft not crunchy but without all the sugar. To be honest, I wasn't sure that my son would like a lemon cookie. I do not believe he had ever consumed a "real" gluten laden lemon cookie - not that I remember and he tends to like foods that don't have any strong flavor or scent. These cookies smell heavenly by the way (like lemon cake).

Whatever I send in for school lunch & snack, the school will send me back any uneaten or partially eaten items so I know what's going on at school with regard to his diet (yes - what a treat at the end of the day in his lunch box... Yuck!). Needless to say, these cookies never came home this week when I sent them in every day. I also caught my son making a play to open a new box of them, which I did allow but have since hidden the box. I know that he could (and would) eat the entire box in a single sitting.

These Lemon Dreams cookies were indeed a bit pricey at close to $4 for a box of 5 cookies, but they looked 'normal' and that is half the battle with trying to get my son to eat and try new foods. I've found that I'm OK with spending a bit more at the local store to try something and then if he likes it I can go online and order it in bulk and get a savings. As it turns out, they are equally as pricey when ordered directly from the manufacturer website at http://www.healthycrowd.com/ $43 for a case (of 12) which is a total of 60 cookies or 72 cents a cookie. 72 cents a cookie doesn't seem "too bad" except they are not real large - about the size of a traditional bar cookie. Amazon.com has one of the best prices for these cookies and is currently selling a case for $29 which is more than 30% off - not to mention you can get free shipping. Woot! Run don't walk!

Learn how the Wii has helped my son who has Autism

I'm a guest author today at Bella Online - Autism Spectrum Disorders site with an article that I wrote about Alex using the Wii and how much it has helped him .

Consider the Nintendo Wii for Kids with Autism
Read the experience of one family who has achieved success with the Nintendo Wii and their 7 year old son on the autism spectrum.

Also put 2 quick videos up on YouTube

GFCF kids can enjoy Halloween too!

Dealing with Special Diets- Gluten & Casein Free & Food Allergies at Halloween

Being on a special diet around the holidays, especially food-centric holidays like Halloween, is possible albeit a bit of extra work. I want my son to be included as much as possible in school for parties and events but I also want to maintain the integrity of his diet which is gluten & casein free, no tree nuts, no red dyes and limited sugar. Most pre-packaged commercial candies are out for us.

So what do I do with all the candy and goods if he can’t eat it? We play "lets make a deal".

I make a trade with my son – he gives me the candy and I give him some pre-purchased gifts/prizes just for the occasion. Last year it was nothing extravagant - some fidget type toys, Webkinz Trading Cards and a Halloween Webkinz pet.

Then I take the candy and get rid of it.

No, I don't eat it all- though I do love Peanut Butter Cups (too much). By me there are a few dentist offices that will buy the Halloween candy back from the kids in the days after. What do they do with it? They send it overseas to our Armed Forces in care packages. All I know is that it is gone from my house so I don’t eat it all up myself.


How to deal with School festivities:

Send GFCF Snacks from Home
I find out when the party is and send in treats from home. Per my son’s IEP he is only to consume food that has been provided by home including snacks. I make my own special cupcakes or cookies so that he can have a treat at the same time as the rest of the kids. If you are looking for instructions and a recipe for making gluten & casein free sugar cookies for Halloween check out this video on YouTube.

A quick and easy way to make your own GFCF candy/treat that my kids (and I) love:
Melt down Enjoy Life Foods Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips in the microwave or on the stovetop. Dip or dunk marshmallows into the melted chocolate. Then roll the marshmallows in puffed rice cereal (rice krispies contains Barley malt and isn't GF but my natural foods section sells an organic gluten free rice cereal that is a worthy substitute. These are really yummy and you can also make rice crispy treats this way also by melting down the butter substitute of your choice and mixing that with the melted marshmallow, melted chips and puffed rice. If peanut butter is not on your list of foods to avoid I suggest putting in a teaspoon of peanut butter for some added protein and added yum.

Another yummy treat is to dip gluten free pretzels into the melted down chocolate chips.

All of the above snacks are good enough to share with friends who will have no idea what they are eating is gluten/casein free. They'll love it too & great for classroom parties.

GFCF Goodie Bags
A lot of the parents make up special goodie bags and send them in for each child in the class. The classroom teachers usually make sure these goody bags go right into the backpack and aren’t opened until they are at home so that gives me a chance to ‘sanitize’ them and pull out anything that my son cannot eat or play with. A lot of people know my son is on the gf/cf diet so they will provide things other than candy. Many send in those tiny play-doh canisters that are party favor size. Play-Doh is actually not gluten/casein free as it is wheat containing and it is transmitted through the skin. So a tip, if you are making up goodie bags for your child's class – if there are any children who are gf/cf you should also avoid sending in Play-Doh.

If you want to skip candy all together - go to Oriental Trading Company website and shop to your hearts content to all sorts of 'novelty' items. They have a better price than going to your local party store and a better selection than most of the Dollar Store chains.

Here is a cute "party" favor or goodie bag idea that is GFCF that I found online

"Creepy Hands"
§ 8 cups popped popcorn (important - air pop or pop the old fashioned way, most microwave popcorns are not GFCF)
§ Candy Corn
§ 6 clear industrial food handler's gloves
§ Orange or black ribbon
§ 6 plastic spider rings

Place one candy corn in end of each glove finger for fingernail (point down); pack glove tightly with popcorn. Close bag at wrist; tie with ribbon. Place a spider ring on 1 finger of each hand. Makes 6 "creepy hands".

But what about the candy??

Some “traditional” wrapped candies are gluten free & casein free – though not necessarily free of dyes, and clearly not free of sugar. If you are sorting your child’s candy to pull out what is free of gluten and casein some of the keepers are lolipops, hard candies, skittles, peeps, fluffy stuff cotton candy – obviously all are fully loaded with sugar and dyes both of which we try to avoid.

A place to start would be the GlutenFreeda site maintains a list of gluten free 'mainstream' candies. This list however is just for candies that are gluten free, it does not look at casein. So you will want to read labels carefully to sort out anything that also has dairy in it and eliminate that. I found this list at the Discussing Autism blog that started to tackle this 'mountain' already in creating a GFCF candy list. Of course, you'll want to double check any and all packaging and with manufacturers websites (or call them) to verify ingredients because the ingredients are always changing and what is GFCF "safe" one day may not be the next time you go and shop - ingredients are always changing.

BIG BIG BIG BIG NEWS!
Enjoy life just came out with a gluten and casein free candy bar called the Boom Choco Boom bar. They sell for almost $2 a bar but you can get a coupon at the Enjoy Life Foods website for 75 cents off that you can take and use wherever Enjoy Life Foods are sold.


Where to buy your GFCF treats for Halloween???

Amazon.com is a great place to start and carries Yummy Earth lollipops as well as Sugar Free Pops which are GFCF and available in bulk quantities.

Chocolate Emporium sells no less than 20 different items that are gluten free and also dairy free. They have some really adorable chocolate pops that are molded into kid-friendly shapes like dinosaurs, dogs, and also for holidays.

glutenfree.com - a smaller selection of gluten free candies is available many of which are only gluten free and not gfcf. They also carry the Yummy Earth lollipops.

Gluten-Free Mall - They carry the Enjoy Life brand chocolate bars as well as a host of other GFCF candy. The entire site is gluten free and each item is clearly marked on their website whether it is dairy free, egg free, nut free, soy free, etc.

College Farm Organic - They make hard candies and NATUREPOPS that are GFCF and also soy free, egg free, nut free, dye free as well as organic. My local health food store carries these.

Miss Roben’s Allergy Free Grocer carries candy for Halloween and the rest of the year as well as a host of other allergy free products. The site is not exclusive for GFCF so you will need to make good use of their easy to use allergen search engine . Simply check off gluten, dairy, and any other product you may be avoiding (like eggs, soy, nuts) and then the type of food you want (i.e. candy) and the site will only show you products that meet your restrictions.

I hope by now you'll feel relieved that there really are quite a few options for gfcf kids to enjoy Halloween and still be included in school events, trick or treat, parties and more.

Happy Halloween!

.. be sure to check out Part 1: Halloween doesn’t have to be a frightening: Autism, Gluten & Casein Free treats, Sensory Issues & other demons in the dark

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This blogpost in response to Autism Family Adventures Blog seeking info about Autism & Halloween!

Halloween doesn’t have to be frightening: Autism, GFCF ....

My kids having a blast at Brick SEPTA & Challenger co-hosted 2007 Fall Festival

Halloween doesn’t have to be a frightening: Autism, Gluten & Casein Free treats, Sensory Issues & other demons in the dark

Part 1: Planning & Preparation

Tip: Start Early
Halloween comes October 31st but I like to start planning for it in early September. The store shelves have already started to become full with decorations, candy and costumes. But, when you’ve got your hands full as I do with a special needs child (Autism), the gluten/casein free diet, as well food allergies and a neurotypical sibling it is not as easy as zipping off to the nearest Target and picking everything up in one trip. Absolutely do not put it off until the last minute unless you want to bring on lots of unnecessary stress.

The Costume Timeline: 1-2 months before Halloween. I actually suggest starting in early September after Back to School time.

When planning a costume for Halloween for a child with Autism you need to make some extra considerations in addition to usual ‘costume concerns’ for kids.

1. Easy to Take it on and off - especially for toileting reasons, getting in and out of the car, before and after any school costume parade, etc.
2. Able to move - mobility shouldn’t be restricted.
3. Vision/Hearing should not be limited by the costume
4. Comfortable so as not to cause sensory problems. – To give you an idea, my son hates tags, doesn’t like anything tight, doesn’t like anything heavy, and up until last year would not even consider a mask or hood. Some schools have rules about masks as well for safety.
5. Weather appropriate - Make sure the costume is not going to be too hot or too cold. For cold weather – can you layer underneath it.
6. Visibility – a costume that will stand out and be seen – especially if Trick or Treating after dark – reflective colors are a must.
   

Last but not certainly not least, if your child is fighting you on the costume....Don’t push it. The whole point is that it is supposed to be fun so don’t stress over the costume if you don’t have to.

Last year we did a lot of Halloween celebrating in Disney at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. They had Trick or Treating right in the Magic Kingdom. My daughter dressed up as Minnie Mouse and my son did not dress-up. I knew he would be most comfortable in regular street clothes.

This year my kids will be:

I miss the days when my kids both were too young to voice opinions on their costume but those days are long gone. I let both of my kids pick out their own costume (with some guidance). This year, my 3 year old neurotypical daughter made her choice immediately when she saw the costumes start to hit the racks over the summer at the Disney Store. She is going to be Ariel the Little Mermaid and I know for a fact that she will want every gazillion add-on accessory. My saving grace for her is that she absolutely will use it for dress-up play for many months to come so I'll get my money's worth.

Still, if you don’t have to buy your child's costume – even better. If you can get away with making a costume from your own wardrobe that is the best! In preschool my son went as Bob The Builder one year and wore a pair of overalls and a plastic construction hard hat. This made a very easy costume for a school party since I was able to send him to school in the overalls and simply pack the hardhat in his bookbag.

Ask around to other moms you know if they have extra costumes that are boxed up, most are glad to pass them on and clear out closets. Freecyle, Craigslist and Consignment shops are also a great place to go for cheap or free costumes. Or if you really want to plan ahead, shop for next years costumes immediately after Halloween when the stores want to get rid of left-over merchandise. One year I shopped at Target the week after Halloween and picked up costumes that were 75-90% off, my daughter has the best dress-up gowns now!

My 7 year old son on the Autism spectrum presents more of a challenge to find a costume. When I ask him what he wants to dress up as for Halloween he doesn’t respond appropriately to the question that I’ve asked him and will give me a Yes or No response or start talking about Trick or Treating. He was Spider-man for a couple years in a row which made things easier. In the past I have gone to the store and taken him with me and showed him different costumes until he picked the right one. I didn’t want anything “scary” or possibly dangerous (with weapons), or anything that is in the slightest bit violent which pretty much ruled out most of the costumes for boys that Target carried last year. Costume selection took forever and this year I vowed to do it differently. To avoid this stress, this year I looked up costumes online with him at Amazon.com's Kids Costume Shop and he picked out that he wants to be Wall-E. The Wall-E costumes are really pricey ($50!) so I’ve decided that I am going to try to find the time to make him one using a “good old fashioned” cardboard box and some goggles. The current plan is that we’ll make the costume together with him doing most of the drawing for it. If making it doesn't work out, then I'll cave and buy it.

Make a Day of it – What is Your Family Tradition? Timeline: Month ahead (2-4 weeks beforehand)
Are you a person who goes all out with Halloween decorations? I’m not – but I absolutely love autumn and all that comes with it. Our tradition is going to local farm markets that have hayrides and pick your own pumpkin. Its often chilly and the ground can get muddy but we love to bundle them up and head out for day and let the kids pick out a couple of pumpkins. We do this in early to mid October and the whole family enjoys it.

Other fun Halloween Activities for your child:

Carve a pumpkin on line


Halloween coloring pages & coloring websites
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/halloween/color.html
http://www.ivyjoy.com/coloring/halloween.html
http://www.thecolorsite.com/Holidays/Halloween/Halloween.html
http://www.alphabet-soup.net/hall/onlinecolor.html

Halloween is here…Trick or Treating & Alternatives: Timeline: Halloween!
I grew up without trick or treating door to door – we always attended local Halloween parties put on by one or another organization and those included Trick or Treating. Some communities have special Halloween events, parties, mall trick or treating, parking lot “trunk” events, and other safe venues which may be more suitable than going door to door depending on your neighborhood. I like the mall trick or treating event because then weather is a non-issue and it is safer than taking the kids out in the dark with traffic. We also attend events that are sponsored in our community specifically for special needs children. Last year Brick SEPTA and Brick Challenger put on a Fall Festival for the kids with inflatables, a hayride, pumpkin picking & painting and more!

Our tradition the past couple of years has been to get together with neighbors and go Trick or Treating early. We go before it gets dark and just to homes that we know. My son likes to go Trick or Treating and has learned to say “Trick or Treat” and hold out his bag and then say “Thank you” afterwards. Even though he basically can’t eat any of the candy due to being on the gluten/casein free diet and other food restrictions– he still collects it and has fun going from door to door. Once he shows any signs of being tired, non-compliant, or anxious we turn around and head directly home. Usually we are out for about an hour to 90 minutes or so, which is definitely long enough, and then home for dinner and bed as usual. Helping to pass out the candy at home is also a fun way to include your child with the festivities (they can even wear their costume too!). If your neighborhood has kids who do late Trick or Treating, I highly suggest that you turn off your front lights and don't answer the door after say, 8pm (or whatever bed time you follow). Keep your routine as close to your usual routine as possible so as not to rock the boat.

Have a safe, fun, and enjoyable Halloween!

Part 2: Coming Soon… Dealing with Special Diets- Gluten & Casein Free & Food Allergies

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This blogpost in response to Autism Family Adventures Blog seeking info about Autism & Halloween!