Autism... Lets Not Be *quiet* About this

April is autism awareness month. Many of the people reading this will probably have heard me voice my opinions on the difficulties concerning those affected, and how it impacts upon their families. Autism is a HUGE disorder; there may be many similarities and certain behaviours which comprise the diagnoses, but just as how we are all unique, so are the difficulties that surround every person who suffers from this disorder. I am an autism mum! I have been for the best part of three years now -well, knowingly at least - and I can tell you, it has truly been a journey of endurance, breakthroughs, frustration, joys and disappointments. I have taken on doctors, psychologists, therapists, politicians, the NHS, the Courts and the BBC... I have stood before them all, being judged as an over-reactive mother as I merely tried to ensure that my son gets a chance. A chance to achieve his full potential; to make his life and the inherent difficulties a little easier - things you would expect from our services if your child was "neurotypical" (i.e. ''normal''. I hate labels; every child is unique and what is normal for one is not for another, so let us please just refer to children as children.) Just like the world around us, things are not fair, and despite our living in a well-developed Western country, the services that are provided are not sufficient, and those of us who choose to fight this system... ...well, we come out battle-damaged. This shouldn't be the case; regular daily living can be hard enough. Take, for example, cleaning your teeth. How long does this take you? It can take thirty to forty minutes, daily, within an autism-affected family. Now I've set the scene a little. My child is High-functioning autistic, with ADHD. He has problems with social understanding; he has gastro-inflammatory troubles; he has physical problems; obsessions, compulsions, sensory problems and learning disabilities - All of which comprise what we know as autism. I could write a manuscript on each of these things taken from our own perspective; but instead I'm going to concentrate on one specific point over a few blogs - the elements that I feel I haven't given enough insight into (again, from our perspective). If anyone has caught any of the Parent-Speaker events - unless directly asked this is something I have neglected to address. You may have read about this in the media, but sadly not from a view of dispensing helpful or useful information; more for the purposes of "hitting the headlines" for the sake of sensationalism - for example, the reports concerning the possibility and probability of vaccinations - especially the MMR vaccination program - causing a rise and/or regression in autism. Science knows there has to be the correct environment for the development of autism; this is an area science is still heavily researching, and there are many varied ''environments'' that make someone more susceptible to the disorder. BUT: There has to be a trigger. My son had a normal delivery after a traumatic gestation, and things didn't get much better during birth; I had a rare allergic reaction to the medication which the hospital had given me, resulting in the possibility of my child having been starved of oxygen. As you can see: There are already many ''possible'' triggers. Thinking back, my son had many autistic traits from birth: He was a hungry baby; a VERY HUNGRY BABY. He would not sleep - perhaps a maximum of just forty minutes at a time. He would cry; my God, would he CRY! He had "head lag" - Pick him up and his head would roll back. All this, before he was eight months old. As time went on, his developments as regards speech, walking, and so forth were not delayed to a point of concern, although it must be said  that the word-sounds that he produced first are generally facets of speech that usually would develop a little later, suggesting perhaps that some sounds could have been repressed. The time came to administer the MMR inoculation; I come from a veterinary background, therefore I am a firm believer in the good that can result from a vaccination program - and of course a quick look into the epidemiology of disease shows how we can eradicate some of the worst ailments to affect mankind. Still, I undertook my own research before committing to this program - to the point where my son had his jab a little later than he should have. Still, he was fine. Until two weeks later. We had a very QUIET night; that in itself wasn't normal for us. My son had become limp and unresponsive, so I hurried him to A & E. The medical staff were uncertain what was wrong with him - until a little later his face and neck appeared swollen. MUMPS! My son was experiencing the symptoms of mumps; he was put on a program of anti-inflammatories, given fluids and before long we could return home. Was this normal? You are told there could be a slight chance of ''mild'' symptoms. These symptoms were not mild in my opinion. At three years of age, the obsessions and compulsions started to kick in; we got ''quiet'' days, and lots and lots of stimming (Finger-thumb touching, arm flapping and vocal stims). Did the MMR contribute to symptoms, or even exacerbate them? Of course, this will be something I will never know the answer to; I hold firmly to the belief that my son was born autistic, but there is no doubt that he had some pretty big adverse reactions to the MMR vaccination program. As science progresses and research is adding further pieces to this complex jigsaw, we must ask: HOW is science working to cure the incurable disease? It is a avenue that you do not receive access to from the NHS! You won't hear many NHS clinical psychologists suggest these methods of treatment to you - unless of course YOU do the research yourself, and take it to them! This way is the BIO-MED way. Bio-med - meaning bio-medical - is a term to describe treatment from a medical viewpoint. Bio-med uses medical testing to detect things such as excessive amounts of bad bacteria in the stomach, parasites, yeast, viruses, food allergies and heavy metal toxicity. These tests then show there is any type of problem with the subject's immune system, as well as  metabolism abnormalities and biochemical imbalances, which can cause disruptions in the brain and lead to autistic symptoms. These imbalances are then corrected with various treatment options: supplements, medications, all-natural remedies, homeopathy, chelation, HBOT and special diets. Parents have reported that their child's health has been improved, as well as observing betterment regarding their focus, attention and moods, resulting in the child gaining a firm base to receive other behavioural therapy options. This Bio-med world can be daunting and overwhelming at first. Things  seem to be referred to via abbreviations; Parents sound like they talk in code and everything seem to fliy over your head. You may just want to curl up into a ball, cry and give up; however, we have allbeen there,  so please take a moment and consider: ...There are some very simple things that you can do yourself to see if your child may benefit from a bio-med approach to treatment. My first step was to look in to dietary problems - reducing cows milk and dairy in general - my child appeared suffer from a smaller amount of sickness, phlegm and stomach cramping. This then gave me an anchor I could take to my GP and request the tests needed. There are some good books out there too; here are a sampling: Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Development Disorder: A Mother’s Story of Research & Recovery by Karyn Seroussi The Boy Who Loved Windows by Patricia Stacy Changing The Course of Autism by Bryan Jepson, M.D. Healing The New Childhood Epidemics by Kenneth Bock, M.D. Children With Starving Brains by Jacquelyn McCandless, M.D. Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD by William Shaw, Ph.D. You shouldn't pursue this kind of treatment on your own - not even the specialist dietary requirements -as you need to have a good network of specialists at your disposal; but the way you can keep this form of treatment moving is with knowledge; informing yourself - which in turn helps you to take control of your child's treatment, as you can liaise with the specialists and say what is working and what is not - and talking out about it to other parents in similar situations; when you receive the blow of the diagnosis, the autism world can be a very big, lonely and scary place, which it needn't be; but sadly you cannot sit back and expect the treatment to come to you when your child needs it most. Act early!

Oh Honey Honey... I'm an Archie's Girl.

There is nothing I love more than two of my favourite worlds being brought together, and my favourite of those two worlds has to be comics and cosmetics!

MAC have done it again.

This year they a going sugary sweet with their Archie's Girls range.

Whether you are more of a Betty or a Veronica, MAC have gloriously but together pallets of such sweet shades that you could contemplate eating them.

Once you know what kind of Archie girl you are, you can start to put together your new Spring look.

I choose the Beautiful Blonde-Next-Door Betty to be inspired by: a limited-edition colour collection with soft, innocent sexiness.

Lipsticks in peaches and pinks beam bright under layers of Lipglass of girly shades.

Nail Lacquer in ''Comic Cute'' and ''Pep Pep Pep'' all to win Archie's affection.

All packaged in exclusive designs.

 

But they are pricey... so my MUST BUY from this collection has to be Archie's Girls, Pearl Glide intense eyeliner, in shade Petrol Blue... Gorgeous, and can be worn in the day for a splash of colour or blended at night for sultry smoky eyes.

This entire range from MAC is super cute and will not fail to give your make-up bag a spring perk me up!

 

It's The Cat's Meow!

 

 

This Catwoman look first appeared in Batman # 210 (1969) and was designed Frank Robbins and the Catwoman during Selinas  admittedly infrequent early to mid 1970's appearances, after which DC returned to the classic purple evening dress in Batman # 266.

So this costume has been pretty much ignored by the toy companies except for a Mego in 1974.

So presenting my first Catwoman Barbie custom!!

She was created using mostly Games Workshop products. The paints are by citadel and the blue for her legs was mixed to create the correct shade.

Her mask, collar and claws were created using the two part epoxy Green Stuff.

To add some definition to the bodice and gloves I used a high sheen gloss by Windsor and Newton which could be painted over the top of the paint and layered to create the desired effect.

The boots, buckles and glove detail were made from milliput two part epoxy.

The stand is a classic Barbie stand painted black and the cats are by Schleich and again painted black and stuck onto the base with super glue.

Her tail was a little problematic as I needed to keep it in a position where the epoxy wouldn't drop; yet enough pressure against the body to stick.

But I got it to work.

Creating a fine start to my Catwoman custom collection, the question is now...

Which one should I make next?

Sugar Sugar!

Four days into a new diet...

 

My intention was to blog about this after my first week as I'm not looking at this as the many faddy diets I've been on over the past twenty years.

 

I want this to be a lifestyle change, I'm wanting to do this to better my LIFE, not just to fit into that bikini when summer rolls around.

 

To keep myself on track I've been keeping a diary of everything that passes my lips and planning my meals: this diet was recommended to me and it's the paleo diet.

After reading a book by paleo guru Robb Wolf, the science behind this diet sold me as to why this diet works and how I could benefit from it.

Saying goodbye to breads and dairy was not a big deal as we are a household of specialist dietary needs.

BUT there is one thing that I am seriously craving and writing this blog right now is stopping me sprinting to the supermarket and gorging myself in it's sheer beauty!!

One LARGE jar of Nutella sounds like heaven. Just give me a spoon! !

My god! the craving for that stuff is strong, to wash it down with a nice icy cold fizzy glass of Coke.

Nothing finer!!!!!

WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!! WRONG!!!!

I have to say this to myself as though I believe it, I'm not past that caving in to it's lure; but how in a blue moon have I got so dependent on this stuff?

Well the answer is simple, SUGAR is in EVERYTHING, and I mean everything.... even broccoli and other veg are grown providing sweeter varieties, and this is a very dangerous game in regards to our health.

We've grown up being told ''sugar is high in calories but it’s not addictive'' but research suggests the opposite may be true.

Scientists are saying the chemicals released when we eat sugar travel along the same brain pathways that heroin does.

So taking sugary foods out of our diet triggers powerful cravings, causing us to eat up to six times more than our normal intake.

Scientists also discovered that removing sugar from the diet of rats put them into a state of anxiety, experiencing symptoms similar morphine withdrawal.

So why do we like it so much!?

Sugar stimulates the release of endorphins, this makes us feel good.
Too much on a regular basis means we become reliant and our own natural endorphins no longer quite reach the mark, we ‘need’ sugar to feel good.

Keeping this firmly in mind...

I've kept away from hard drugs in my life as it's a very slippery route, so why would I want to take the legal equivalent?

The answer is simple, I don't, just that I have been doing and the seductive lure of sticky sweet products takes hold.

Mind Games work for me:

I WANT... MY GOD DO I WANT ONE OF THESE!!

But I combine it with something I HATE... Not just HATE but TERRIFIED of:

THOSE LEGS STUCK IN THAT CREME AS I BITE INTO THAT EGG!!!

yuck.

No thank you!....

It works for all other sugary treats too.

So whilst I have been typing this my craving has passed, and I can head to bed being happy with myself that I am one step closer to not being held hostage by the seduction of this saccharine sweet- talker.

Lois' Lost (and Looney!) Luvs!!!

Ah, Valentines day! The most loved up day of the year. When every lady sees their significant other as a Superman.

But there's only one lady who can actually claim that her beau is - and that's Lois Lane, comix' premiere ball-and-chain.

But it's not always been smooth sailing with the Kryptonian Kourtship; other silver-tongued devils have attempted to step in on the Big Red S's turf. In the Silver Age it seemed like every other week, some smoothie or big monster was laying on the love lyrics to Lois, and to celebrate this smoochy day, here are fifteen of the wildest:


15. Way to gloat Superman, you dick.

14. We all like a horny devil, a bad boy and they do say the devil has the best tunes; but....

13. ''Lois, my lung may be iron, but my heart is putty... in your hands!''

12. Last chance!? How old is she supposed to be???

11. He's either a gimp or a Mexican wrestler. Kinky!!

 

10. Why does Supes always wait 'til they're making wedding plans to reveal the terrible secret?

 

 

 

9. Spoiler: It am Bizarro - Flash.

 

 

 

8. To be fair he IS a beast...

 

 

7. He's so adorable every girl would contemplate a Herko loving!

 

6-4 A terrific trio of Dark Knight Dalliance!

 

 

 

 

And this one is a team effort!!!

 

3. If you think Lois is a jerk for marrying Lex Luthor, of all people, just read Superman's thought bubble:

 

 

 

 

2. It's like some screwed up Back To The Future.

 

 

1. .... But in the end, it always comes back to The Man Of Tomorrow, which is as it should be.

You can Look But You Better Not Touch....

Poison Ivy is arguably taking the silver position in Batmans female foes.
Created in the Silver Age and who was oddly skipped over for the 1960s Batman TV show, she achieved screen immortality with the well loved 1990s Batman Animated series; and it could be said, Uma Thurmans regrettable Mae West-lite take in the horrible Batman and Robin movie in 1997.

In studying her whole history from 1966 to present. It was decided to opt for an amalgam, picking the best features from every classic incarnation, as per my clients request.

She was created from a standard Ballerina Barbie with the accessories removed and painted green.

 

 

 

The leaves to form the bodice were sculpted from two part epoxy and built up one by one over consecutive days till completed.

 

 

 

Layering shades of green to build texture and individuality to each leaf.

 

 

The necklace and the head band were formed using a mixture of two part epoxy and wire to hold the leaves together and firmly in place. The colour for the eyes and lips was mixed using shades of citadel paints. I didn't want a shade too overpowering as I kept with a natural olive green for her eyes this links into the necklace and headband to place a continuity with the costume shades.

 

 

 

Using green craft wire that can easily hook around her leg, the same method for leaves was used and a vine was created.

 

 

It's rare with customising that the base of a figure is one of the most enjoyable parts of the creation, but for me this was certainly the case. I didn't want to distract overly much from the doll as this is going to a Barbie collector but I could see ways of taking this further into the realms of a foliage folly!

 

 

These leaves are created by bending wire into the desired shape and then either dipped or dragged into a liquid resin and left to dry.

The feet of the doll were placed into clay to give the base weight and super glued down. More clay was added to the surround to help balance and so the wire leaves could be placed and bent into the desired position.

 

 

The pattern on the base was created by cutting the edges from painted doilies and glued into place using a clear/green glitter glue.

 

 

 

Which then gives you the a Poison Ivy styled Barbie that's worth standing on any collectors shelf!

 

 

 

 

 

Idioms, Metaphors and Expressions...

After buying the book IT'S RAINING CATS AND DOGS, Written by Micheal Barton. I felt I needed to express my admiration.

It's a guide book for people who fall on the autistic spectrum written and illustrated by a high functioning autistic young man, who found the way we talk and the world we live in very confusing whilst growing up.

For someone who is autistic meanings are very literal. There is no Reading Between The Lines...

You will find a high functioning autistic person or someone who may have aspergers syndrome can be obsessively logical with their comprehension of language.

They often have very good memories and very good vocabularies. So people will over estimate the ability for them to understand some of the more archaic concepts.

This can cause a breakdown in communication between someone whose brain functions autistically to what we call neuro-typical, someone whose brain processes information and can easily think in context.

The idea for Micheal's book came about as he started to illustrate the phrases he found hard to understand and writing what they really mean underneath the picture so he would remember.
Over the years Micheal had collected folders and folders of these illustrations though he didn't know at the time, these were the start of this book.

The simplicity of this idea and being brought together into a nice companion for the everyday world we live in and the way we talk is perfect for young people growing up who are autistic and for those who are communicating around them.

Since buying this book my child and I have read it each evening, the humour it brings along with understanding makes it very near perfect for us.

Covering: Classic Idioms, Shortened Expressions, Everyday Expressions and Sayings, Double Meanings, Metaphors, Instructions and Statements...

Being written by someone who has achieved so much as Micheal Barton who is currently studying a degree in physics, talks at conferences, and plays jazz piano and french horn and I believe very good in judo, he serves as an inspiration and encouragement to parents, carers, teachers and friends of anyone who has autism and also helps to show a little more understanding and sense to this weird and wonderful world that can seem so overwhelming for children who are high functioning autistic.

So now you know what your Christmas present is going to be!!! ;-)