This information is part of an autism recovery self-help program utilizing Comprehensive Organic Intervention. It may be best synthesized in conjunction with my book Climbing Out of Autism One Bite at a Time which describes Comprehensive Organic Intervention in detail. However, every attempt has been made to simplify Comprehensive Organic Intervention as outlined below.

Comprehensive Organic Intervention is a two-pronged approach for autism recovery that encompasses both dietary and environmental issues. Comprehensive Organic Intervention depends on homeostasis and zero tolerance. Progress is monitored by the Daily Report. While it sounds complex, it looks like this:

1. Ask yourself, "What foods can my child eat without causing a reaction?" These are dietary considerations. Dietary considerations can largely be determined through allergy testing.*

2. Ask yourself, "What can my child encounter (touch, smell) without causing a reaction?" These are environmental considerations. Environmental considerations can largely be determined through allergy testing.*

3. Practice zero tolerance by avoiding any food or environmental substance that causes a reaction. (Foods and environmental substances that cause reactions are the ones your child tests positive to during allergy testing). Zero tolerance means zero contact with a food or environmental substance that causes a reaction.

4. Maintain homeostasis, or physiological balance, by avoiding reactions. Maintaining balance requires practicing zero tolerance. Maintaining balance is how your child recovers.

5. Monitor your child's homeostasis by recording your observations on the Daily Report.

1. Use allergy testing or the elimination diet to determine baselines (the elimination diet is described in Climbing Out of Autism One Bite at a Time).

2. Establish homeostasis, or a balanced physiological state.

3. Maintain homeostasis through zero tolerance.

4. Record your observations on the Daily Report (sample follows testing information).

Additional testing can be utilized to determine deficiencies and imbalances. Testing options follow. (Autism Recovery Education is not associated with any of the testing procedures or facilities listed below).
Non-invasive Allergy Testing Procedures

a). Electrodermal Screening (EDS).

Electrodermal Screening, or EDS, is performed by a trained doctor (i.e., an osteopath, chiropractor, naturopathic doctor, or physician) and includes placing electronic sensors on the fingers (like an EKG machine) to determine reaction to various dietary and environmental substances. EDS is considered very safe and extremely accurate. Although I have not yet tried EDS, the literature I have reviewed indicates it may be the safest, fastest, least invasive, and most accurate testing system currently available. For a trained practitioner in your area, please call American Association of Living Systems Practitioners at (800) 888-9789.

b). Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (N.A.E.T.).

Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (N.A.E.T) was developed by Dr. Nambudripad as a system to identify allergens through muscle testing. Administered by a trained doctor, this is the testing technique I used for Raja. The process was comfortable and the results accurate. However, the technique also promises healing from allergies, with which we had no success. Based on our experience, I recommend the technique for testing only. To locate a practitioner in your area, please call (714) 523-8900 or www.Allergy-naet.com.

Invasive Allergy Testing Procedures

a). Antigen Leukocyte Cellular Antibody Test (ALCAT).

While some people are more comfortable with non-invasive procedures, others prefer knowledge derived from blood tests. The Antigen Leukocyte Cellular Antibody Test, or ALCAT, is described in the book Your Hidden Food Allergies are Making You Fat by Rudy Rivera, M.D., and Roger D. Deutsch. The ALCAT uses blood to determine food and environmental allergies and is considered very reliable. Although I have not used the ALCAT personally, I have reviewed the list of substances that may be tested and find the list comprehensive. Additionally, you can request to be tested for additional substances at a "per substance" charge, which is handy for testing substances common to your diet or environment that might not otherwise appear on their standard testing list. The ALCAT requires a blood sample. You may wish to speak to the company regarding testing a child to ascertain their recommendations. For information regarding the ALCAT, please contact American Medical Testing Laboratories at (800) 881-AMTL or www.alcat.com.

*Standard invasive allergy testing is performed using the RAST. Avoid the RAST. It is not sensitive enough to detect allergic response on the levels necessary to facilitate autism recovery. Use the ALCAT instead.

Testing for Amino Acid and Essential Fatty Acid Levels

Proper amino acid and essential fatty acid levels are critical for a properly functioning body and mind. Additionally, amino acid levels and essential fatty acid levels are typically deficient in autistic individuals. Moreover, in my research and experience, proper essential fatty acids contribute to improved digestion, which aids in calmer demeanor, ability to focus, extended attention span, and spontaneously improved eye contact.

Non-invasive Amino Acid Testing Procedure

A combination amino acid test is available from Great Plains Laboratory and uses urine for testing amino acid levels. (If your child is not potty trained, they may suggest attaching a plastic bag to catch the urine. While this is not easy, it is not invasive). Using the same urine sample, The Great Plains Laboratory will also complete a gluten/casein peptide test and test for intestinal yeast and bacterial overgrowth, including unspecified genetic diseases (this is considered one test and has one inclusive price). To order, request the Organic Acid Test kit from The Great Plains Laboratory at (913) 341-8949 or e-mail them at GPL4U@aol.com.

Invasive Amino Acid Testing Procedure

A 20-panel amino blood test (fasting plasma) is available from the Pain and Stress Clinic. If a urine sample presents problems or you prefer a blood test, call the Pain and Stress Clinic at (800) 669-2256 or visit their web site at www.painstresscenter.com.

Essential Fatty Acid Testing Procedure

The essential fatty acid test requires a stool sample that is sent to a laboratory for testing. In addition, the same sample is used for a Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, a group of 25 tests that measure gastrointestinal health. To find a health care provider who uses this test, contact the Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory at (800) 522-4762 or www.gsdl.com.

While many other types of tests exist, I believe that these three are necessary: a comprehensive food and environmental allergy test, an amino acid test, and an essential fatty acid test. With the dietary changes that will be necessary to achieve and maintain homeostasis, such as the elimination of sugars, certain imbalances that could be tested for, such as candida (yeast overgrowth), will stabilize. However, testing for candida is always an option. Additionally, if your child exhibited autistic symptoms after vaccination or you have reason to suspect heavy metal toxicity, you may wish to pursue a local alternative physician who can administer tests and suggest natural remedies to flush heavy metals from the system.

I have recently learned of two factors that may play a significant role in autism recovery: molds (in the home and other environments) and adrenal deficiency. Since research in the area is presently underway, I cannot yet offer resources for testing, but you may wish to check with your pediatrician or alternative health practitioner to secure testing information. Testing information will be provided on this web site as soon as it is available.

Homeostasis

Homeostasis, or a balanced physiological state, is the presence of wellness whereby the systems of the body and mind are functioning in a state of health. Achieving and maintaining homeostasis is necessary for recovery and therefore represents recovery's guiding goal. By achieving and maintaining homeostasis, the systems of the body and mind come into balance and signs of recovery become obvious. Lost milestones are recovered. Gross- and fine-motor skills improve. Demeanor, attention span, and social skills, including language development and use, normalize. In order to achieve and maintain homeostasis, all foods and environmental substances that cause reactions must be removed. This process respects the immune system's need for a zero-tolerance.

Zero Tolerance

The zero-tolerance approach is necessary because the autistic individual's immune system is overloaded and unable to properly process, or metabolize, food and environmental substances that would otherwise be perceived as harmless. For example, while many children can use bubble bath without experiencing an interruption in homeostasis, the ingredients in bubble bath (and most other common household and personal care products) will likely cause a reaction in your child. Because the autistic child's immune system is hypersensitive and also overloaded, it is unable to cope with contact of any kind (including inhalation) from substances that cause a reaction. While this may seem extreme, it may be helpful to understand that the immune system reacts to quality, not quantity, such that one bite, whiff, or momentary interaction with an allergenic food or environmental substance is enough to trigger a reaction. Every reaction gave Raja a three-day setback! Reactions are costly recovery deterrents. Recovery is advanced by avoiding reactions.

The Daily Report is a helpful tool in monitoring your child's progress. Click on the below button to download, view, and print this highly effective tool.

While it is possible to facilitate autism recovery using Comprehensive Organic Intervention, please know that this approach is not a magic bullet, a one-size-fits-all panacea, or a guarantee. Although every effort has been made to ensure that all information on this web site is as thorough, accurate, and well-researched as possible, neither these guidelines, nor any information offered in this web site, is offered as a guarantee that implementing Comprehensive Organic Intervention will cause or allow a child to experience any level of recovery from autism.

However, it is my firm belief that the most obvious and widely neglected aspect of autism is its potential biological foundations and the imbalances and deficiencies therein, and that correcting these imbalances and deficiencies can facilitate recovery. It is working for my son. I believe it will work for others. Although autism recovery is not an easy process, it is truly miraculous and worth the perseverance required to achieve it.