| Any parent will tell you their child is unique. I'm no | | | | help. |
| different. In fact, my precious son James is one in | | | | Then, just last year, Dr. Michael Steelman, a medical |
| 10,000. You see, one or two out of every 10,000 | | | | doctor specializing in diet and nutrition,showed me |
| children born are diagnosed with Asperger's | | | | some research about how diet, and nutrition can play a |
| Syndrome. Asperger's is a high-functioning form of | | | | huge role in helping kids like my son do better in all |
| autism. And this heartbreaking disorder was a struggle | | | | situations. |
| for our family especially since our son was not even | | | | I read several research articles on autism and the role |
| diagnosed until age 15, denying us the opportunity to | | | | that magnesium supplementation had played in helping |
| receive more of the specialized help he needed | | | | the autistic kids in the study function better. And the |
| throughout his school years. | | | | light bulb went on. James was already taking an |
| He is sweet, hardworking and loveable, but James isn't | | | | omega 3 supplement, but I immediately added another |
| like most kids. The most noticeable thing about | | | | supplement that had magnesium and potassium as |
| Asperger's kids is that, even though they have normal | | | | primary ingredients. |
| or high intelligence, they have difficulty socializing | | | | Well, slowly but surely over the last year, he has made |
| normally. For instance, in a conversation with my son, I | | | | substantial gains in all aspects of his life. He |
| could make statement about the weather and he'd | | | | communicates more effectively, puts his thoughts and |
| come back with a statement regarding what the cat | | | | words together better, and is better at reading faces |
| was doing, even though he had heard what I'd said. | | | | and expressions. He's also more coordinated and |
| That's just one example but, as you can imagine, in | | | | accepts change easier. He's not perfect, of course, but |
| most social settings like school, church, or organized | | | | he's made substantial, noticeable improvement |
| sports and activities, this did not go over well with his | | | | compared to a year ago. Finally, at age 19, he was |
| peers, and more often than not, kept him from making | | | | able to get a job for the first time. That was a day I |
| friends. When James was younger, it wasn't quite as | | | | never thought could happen! |
| much of a problem because younger kids are more | | | | Was his improvement because of magnesium and |
| forgiving and tolerant of those different from | | | | potassium supplements? I can't prove it scientifically, |
| themselves. But as he grew older, it became harder | | | | but I can tell you it was the only real change in his daily |
| for him to fit in with his peers and classmates. | | | | routine. You'll never convince me otherwise, because I |
| Research is ongoing in the areas of helping Asperger's | | | | live with this child and know firsthand the daily grind of |
| kids learn social skills to better cope in their world, as it | | | | constant reinforcement, attention and vigilance that he's |
| has been found that these kids are typically three to | | | | had over the course of his life. |
| four years emotionally younger than their peers -- | | | | I am sharing James' success story because I wish |
| something I can certainly vouch for. | | | | someone had clued me in years ago when I was |
| Schoolwork was also a challenge. The three to four | | | | struggling to keep our lives sane and trying to figure |
| hours we'd sit together each night to keep him on | | | | out how best to help my son grow up in a complicated |
| track and encourage him through his homework still | | | | world. If you are in a similar situation or know someone |
| haunts me to this day. But had I not been so diligent in | | | | who is, you can tell them there's hope for that child. |
| working with him, he would never have made it | | | | And more and more research is being done on autism |
| through high school, let alone junior high. | | | | with the hope of finding out what else can be done |
| Heartbreak is the only way to describe how I felt as I | | | | that can help kids like mine. There is hope for these |
| watched my boy struggle with everyday situations. | | | | kids and the people who love them. |
| Because as a single parent raising an autistic child | | | | And even though no product is a cure-all, I want |
| during a time that had little research in these areas; I | | | | everyone to know that there are products, nutritional |
| would get frustrated, irritated and tired of dealing with | | | | methods, therapies and other things that can be done |
| teachers, parents, classmates, friends and family who | | | | to make it easier for kids like James to not just |
| didn't understand why my son was the way he was | | | | survive, but to learn, grow, thrive and live a valued life. |
| and didn't have anything to offer in the way of real | | | | |