Research and Luke's Little Personality

I have recently obtained a graduate research assistant position at the Autism Center at Sacred Heart Hospital. I am really enjoying the job. I assist a lady who is so bright and so experienced. I just love being around her and talking with her about the research that has recently come out about autism.

Did you know that there are over 6,000 syndromes? Yep, there are! Finding a syndrome that matches what Luke has going on is like finding a needle in a haystack. It's insane. Researching syndromes has really make me think about all the challenges that people are going through on a daily basis. Some of these syndromes are fatal, some syndromes cause major life-altering physical and mental problems, and others can just cause minor issues that doesn't effect the person's way of life. Dealing with a "not-yet-identified" syndrome is like a great mystery that may take years to solve. There is part of me that wants to know. Then, there is another part that just wants to let it go.

So, totally off subject- Luke's little personality is beginning to shine! He laughs and smiles. He is actually beginning to accert himself. He is beginning to attention seek and he is beginning to express himself when he is not happy. He is making awesome progress. We have been working on potty training a bit. The picture above is Luke telling me off about being on the potty :) He is starting to eat some cut up table foods like hot dogs, cooked carrots and peas, cooked apple chunks, and pancakes (yes, I know pancakes have gluten). I have began to introduce some gluten into his diet. I allow him to eat it one meal a week. It is an experiment. Research has shown that a gluten-free diet does not positively effect a child with autism. I actually think that the research I have read is correct, in a way. The researched was aimed at disproving the theory that a certain diet can effect children with autism. The research, indeed, proved that it does not directly effect the behavior. I have a different theory, though. I believe that certain people do not react well to certain foods. This pertains to any individual, not just an individual with a disability. In normal circumstances, the body takes each ingredient in the food we eat and processes it to give us energy among other things. The body uses the starches, sugars, proteins, etc to run itself. The people whose bodies do not process nutrients correctly, begin feeling the side effects of their body rejecting the ingredients. These side effects can trigger problem behaviors as well as many other health related issues. For instance, I notice that when Luke eats foods containing gluten he seems a bit more disconnected, grumpy, and he begins to produce mucus. The mucus causes congestion. The congestion may be the cause of the grumpies. Every system is connected. Even if you have been tested for allergies and the tests came back negative, your body may still be "sensitive" to certain foods. So, if you're feeling fatiqued, moody, sick all the time... begin looking at the foods you are eating.

The research I have been reading has really opened my eyes. It has also made me start thinking about what I want to do my Master's research on. Life is good :)