Autism Action Month

April is Autism Awareness Month.

Is there anyone left who is not aware of autism? At this point, nearly everyone in our country should know someone on the spectrum. Every day is autism awareness day in our family. I can't even guess how many times a day I either say or type the word 'autism'. It is always on my mind. From navigating every day tasks to planning activities to help my son master new skills, it is always there.

Many of us have begun calling April 'Autism Action Month'. Sounds good to me...but what exactly does it mean?

This is a call to action to become more politically involved. Write to your state and local legislators. Contact candidates running in the midterm election this year and help bring the discussion front and center. We need to help them understand the real nature of what we are dealing with. They need to know that our families are suffering. And, they need to know the damage caused by the blatant disregard for the catastrophic rise in autism. Unless we act now, I suspect that they will continue to ignore us until this wave of children diagnosed with autism turns into a tsunami of disabled adults, unable to work and pay taxes.

Sport your t-shirts and ribbons. Attend a rally or two. But don't let it end there. Take action and let your voice be heard.

Product Review: GlutenFree Houston

I received a box of goodies from GlutenFree Houston to review. Sadly, the package arrived 15 seconds after I decided to consume only celery and water until I dropped to a microscopic size 0. However, once I opened the box and caught a whiff of the deliciousness inside, I knew what I had to do. I selflessly decided to take one for the team and sample the decadent treats. I regret that I have but one waistline to give to my gluten free community. :-)

The Cakes

Samples of the Sour Cream Coffee Cake Loaf, the Carrot Cake Muffin Loaf and the Gingerbread Cake Loaf were included in the package. Nothing short of fantastic, they were all very tasty and had great texture. I wouldn't have even guessed that they were gluten free. The Carrot Cake was my favorite. It was supremely moist and had fantastic flavor. I plan to serve this to friends and family and claim it as my own creation. (It's not lying if I announce my intention in advance, right?) *Note: Contains casein.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

We really enjoyed these cookies. Again, I wouldn't have guessed that they were gluten free. These giant soft-baked cookies had an abundance of chips inside too. A perfect addition to the kids' lunchboxes, but also great for Mommy when she needs her chocolate fix. *Note: Contains casein.

Burger/Sandwich Buns

I was really pleased with the Burger Buns. They are GFCF too! They had great texture and the size is perfect for sandwiches or burgers. I found that a few seconds in the microwave softened them up just right. My husband (who is no fan of gluten free bread) liked them too. In fact, he actually chose these gluten free buns over regular bread for his sandwich one day for lunch. There were 4 buns in the package. I sampled one, he had the rest. I'd say that's solid evidence of an outstanding gluten free bread.

GlutenFree Houston gets two thumbs up from me. I'm glad to see these quality products on the market. You can order them online at http://www.glutenfreehouston.com/.

The Return of the Refrigerator Mother

I truly thought we were finished with this nonsense. But here we are in 2010 watching the return of the 'Refrigerator Mother' theory. Decades ago, mothers were blamed for autism due to their supposed lack of bonding and affection. Though still a sore point within the autism community, this theory has been thoroughly and completely debunked.

An article on UPI.com cites a new study: "University of Miami researchers say maternal sensitivity may influence language development among children who go on to develop autism." The article does not go into much detail and it appears more information will be forthcoming when the study is published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. However, the general theme is clear and we are at great risk of being classified as Refrigerator Mothers once more.

For more experienced moms, we know that this is simply not true. In fact, every autism mom I know is actually far more sensitive and attentive to their children that the average parent. Most of us recognized that our children were in trouble long before the specialists noticed the signs. This study is nothing more than a colossal waste of time and money designed to divert the public's attention away from actual possible causes of autism.

Follow this one closely, folks. And, keep in mind that every day many more mothers will join us in parenting children with autism. It is our responsibility to make sure these new moms do not fall prey to the damages of a sham study such as this.