Many children with autism have been found to have higher than usual levels of heavy metals.  This could be because they have less ability to excrete them or it could be due to overexposure. These heavy metals, such as mercury, aluminium and cadmium can be linked to some of the behavioural problems associated with autism.

Addressing the International Symposium on Dietary Therapy for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, mother and doctor Deborah Snyder reveals her first-hand experience of the ketogenic diet and its success in curing her son’s epilepsy.  She implores health professionals to recognise the efficacy of the diet in stopping seizures and aims to dispel the myth that the diet is too difficult or not worth the effort.

One of the biggest problems for children with disabilities is a lack of compassion, support and understanding at school, not just from fellow classmates but from teachers too.  If a teacher doesn’t understand common conditions such as epilepsy or dyslexia symptoms can often be mistaken for bad behavior.

First Aid for seizures typically involves making the person comfortable, keeping them out of harm’s way and timing a seizure to ensure that it doesn’t last more than 5 minutes.  However, when a person has a series of seizures in a row without gaining consciousness or a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, they could be experiencing what is known as status epilepticus.

Speaking at the 2008 International Symposium on Dietary Therapy for Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders, British Mum Emma Williams tells of her fight to get son Matthew on the ketogenic diet.  In an address that brought tears to the eyes of not only this brave Mum but many in the audience, she speaks of her rage at doctors refusal to take the ketogenic diet seriously and the subsequent brain damage her little boy suffered due to constant seizures. 

Hollywood star Meryl Streep was so moved by the Abrahams’ story that she decided to become involved in the fight to inform parents about the ketogenic diet.  She narrates and introduces the information video made by the Charlie Foundation which is available to parents across the world. 

Streep was close friends with movie director Jim Abrahams, who asked for her help to increase awareness of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for childhood epilepsy.  His son Charlie was successfully prescribed the diet and after a few days his seizures ceased completely.

Any parent who has a child with epilepsy will know the continual worry over when and how they’ll have their next seizure, particularly when they’re in bed asleep.  It’s impossible to monitor your child 24/7 and countless parents report years of sleepless nights, getting out of bed to check on their child after the slightest noise, only to find they’ve just rolled over in their sleep.

It’s well documented that many autistic children suffer from some form of digestive disorder.  For some that manifests as constipation, diarrhea, bloating or abdominal pain. Or they may have no obvious symptoms but within their digestive tract there may be inflammation, leaky gut and food intolerances which may be linked to their behavioral problems.

This groundbreaking treatment centre in Pennsylvania is providing much needed hope for children with conditions such as autism, epilepsy, learning difficulties and ADD.  What makes this centre unique is the focus is on recovery, rather than attempts to simply manage and control symptoms. 

If there’s one thing kids can’t wait to do when they reach their teens is pass their driving test and take to the open road.  It gives them a whole new sense of freedom and independence.  The keys to the car become their keys to adulthood... they can drive to work, the mall, their friends’ house or go on a road trip.  It’s only natural that a teen with epilepsy may fear they won’t be able to enjoy that independence and have a driving license.