A Trip to TEACCH, a Biomedical Update.. and Improvement!

Since Alec was diagnosed, I have not taken him to TEACCH. I'll be honest .... it's because I have heard a lot about the "battle" between the TEACCH method and ABA, and I feel that ABA is doing wonders with Alec.

But, TEACCH comes into the classrooms to help (or at least, they DID but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools seems to keep reducing the time they get with the kids), and so I wised up and took him yesterday for an initial hour-long appt. The two women that I met were extremely kind and seemed very knowledgeable about autism.

While I talked with one of the women, I watched Alec playing with the other from behind specially mirrored glass. Alec was doing great! He was involved, interactive and full of smiles. He was playing appropriately with the toys. The entire session lasted about an hour. Towards the end, the woman working with Alec was drawing numbers on the dry erase board (18, 20, 29, 15, 12...) and Alec was correctly citing them.

What is beginning to dawn on me is that something, the GF/CF, Soy and Corn-free diet that we've been on for about a week and a half, is starting to work. Or the new supplements from New Beginnings? Alec seems very clear. He is behaving very appropriately. I'm starting to get very excited.

When I walked into his school, the speech teacher Kelly stopped me and said that she was discussing with Alec's teacher, Miss Natalie, that something was different about Alec. I was glad she told me, but I have been having a tough time getting Alec to eat.

He's a terribly picky eater. But...I just received some tips from Lori Knowles of the Great Plains Laboratories including a document "Picky Kids, Eating, And Autism: Creative ways to get your child to eat healthy foods" by Lisa Ackerman.

I'm going to read up. In the meantime, I do believe that Alec is improving! This is mid-way through his second week of supplements and the GF/CF (and for Alec, corn and soy-free) diet.

I'll keep you posted!