Dairy As Disaster For Taylor
This post is from Robin Rice, Taylor’s mom.
As a mother, I know the heartbreak of learning that your child may have challenges through Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. Like most parents, we were given little direction in our search for a cause or remedy. Our great breakthrough came through a small miracle that was begun before Taylor was born: My monthly letters to her from the time I learned I was pregnant. I discovered that we had changed from soy milk to regular dairy at age 1, when her pediatrician said it was okay. In reading back over the letters for clues as to why she was fine at 12 months, and then stayed at 12 months, I realized we had made the switch. Though our doc didn’t feel it was relevant, we decided to try no dairy. Within 3 days, there was a remarkable difference. Our doctor still said it could not be that, and would not pay for us to explore it. We went to Georgetown Pediatric Hospital to meet with a pediatric gastroentorlogist, and he shared 3 different studies that were 20 years old (35 years old now!) that detailed Taylor’s reaction. He said that for her, it caused a mucus in the brain, so that the electrical connections could not be made. With the dairy gone, the mucus cleared, and Taylor began to “make the connection” within three days.
She went through some speech therapy 6 months ago, before her diagnosis, for only a few short weeks. My husband was then laid off, and our new insurance would not cover therapy because she was not “autistic”. This was the time I knew I had to face “it”. After the holidays, I took her to the pediatrician with my long list, and there it was, the autism diagnosis. It was a mix of emotions. Thank goodness I had something to tell people when they didn’t understand why my child didn’t look at them or speak. But, yet, as I began to read about autism, I feared what this meant from a bullying standpoint, and from how my amazing daughter may not be able to understand me, and will probably think I’m stupid!
I found one of your videos on youtube, and I watched it 3 times. You are captivating, and amazing, and I appreciate you so much. I am still scared and unknowing, but I do know, I love my daughter more than anything, I will help her all I can, to understand herself and to communicate, and I will always consider this a difference and not a disability. At the moment, it’s hard to do so, because of the challenges of raising a toddler that cannot communicate. She’s incredible. So are you. And I hope one day I am able to hear her speak in the same eloquent way you have.
Thank you for helping me understand. I wish you only the best in life, and I will never forget you!
I watched the new video, and I cannot stop thinking about the diet issue. I know that I have always avoided dairy and rich foods because they made me feel horrible, and lately something has been screaming in my head “dairy dairy dairy!”. So, I am going to cut it from my daughter’s diet, and she will be going through allergy testing this week. We are awaiting several different programs, and I hate that she will be 3 before the best of therapy begins, but she is a sponge these days, so I am hopeful.
I was curious, do you have any siblings, Taylor? I have a 9 month old daughter who is possibly on the spectrum, but seemingly much lower than my first daughter at this point. I think one of my largest fears is how to keep things fair as far as foods eaten, attention given, etc. when it comes to the two, if the youngest happens to be more “normal”. And I completely agree – “normal” doesn’t exist! I realize “different” people, which is common in my family, are loved, and talented, and amazing! I’m glad you embrace it.
Libby
Dear Robin,
Today, the allergist called me to tell me that she doesn’t have a single allergy, but your words remained in my head, and as long as I see what I am seeing, dairy is GONE! After all, I cannot tolerate milk, and I wish my mother wouldn’t have forced me to drink it until I was nine. It was a villain in my life, and I will not make it one in hers!
Hi Taylor and Robin
My son Luke is 3 and we have just found out that he is autistic. We were obviously devasted and started looking up any information we could. We have watched many different vidoes and stories. I am very happy to have found yours which gives me much HOPE! Can you give me any other dietary clues. We have stopped the dairy products. But is it all bread products as well that contain the wheat proteins that affect the autism. Any more info. that you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.
Lisa
Hi! We didn’t do any other diet changes at all but some people do find that gluten is a big problem, it just isn’t something I had to do. Best wishes for Luke… he is lucky to have such a loving mom!
Hello, and first of all, thank you for a very nicely designed site on the subject of autism and Asperges. Taylor is extremely articulate and well spoken. I’m thankful for her contribution to autistic study.
This article on dairy has touched of a frenzy of research on my part about the dairy/wheat connection with Autism and Asperges. Some of the articles I read almost sound like dairy industry propaganda when they claim, “no connection at all”. It makes me angry that doctors assume that parents don’t even know their own kids. Kudos to you stepping up to the plate and proving them wrong.
I can find quite a bit on children with Autism, but less information is available on adults with Asperges. Taylor is still young, but do you think she will have to abstain dairy throughout her adult life? As a 37 year old, I have spent an entire life with Asperges symptoms without ever being officially diagnosed. By chance, when going on “South Beach” or “Atkins” style diets, I wound up feeling fantastic. Each time, milk was cut out. Of course you feel good by loosing weight, but things I didn’t notice were more clarity of thought, less effect from extrasensory influences and a general peacefulness that I rarely feel. One thing led to another and then before I knew it, I wsa eating dairy again. Everybody is handing it to you. But now, I have renewed resolve to keep off it. Since reading this post, I’ve been off dairy and clarity of thought has returned. I enjoy my job again. I’m able to concentrate on reading. If you have any more information on Adults , Asperges and Dairy I would appreciate it.
I’d just like to thank you and your daughter for these great video’s they tell people more about autism than anything that i have read in the past.
Im 17 live in the UK and didn’t accept that i was autistic until i was 16 even though i was diagnosed with it when i was 2, this helps me explain to a few close friends what its like to be autistic and reassuses me that i’m not weird because i have my own world when i’m playing soccar or while going on a long walk.
I can’t believe how similar i am to your daughter in respects to how we get away from the stress of this world to engage in “our own world”.
I can’t thank you enough!!!! ps could you forward me the dates for the live feed with the UK times please thank you
regards Alex
Hi Alex! It is great to hear from you. Right now we don’t have any live times scheduled, but we will soon. Stay tuned! Robin
i showed my closest friends today and they instantly understood why sometimes i need to be on my own and why sometimes i walk stright past them without seeing them.
Because i go to a residential college and i’m studying a level 3 in BTEC business i am always surrounded by people and sometimes feel its too much and go for a walk. i just can’t believe they finally understand thank you so much. I go to Hereward College by the way it may have some useful links in it for you to use.
This has really helped them to understand me and why sometimes i can be anti social. And why i cant stand sudden loud noises.