Autism Insider Newsletter January 2011

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January 2011 - Issue #16

South Florida Autism Newsletter

FREE e On e k Ta

타 For Parents and Caregivers of a Child With Special Needs: A Guide to Taking Care of Yourself 타 Biomedical Interventions For Parents: Recognizing Adrenal Fatigue 타 Major Step Towards First Biological Test For Autism 타 And Much More... 1 - Autism Insider Newsletter, January 2011 Issue


Inside This Issue... BioMedical For Parents and Caregivers

Contact Us. By Debbie Mellen Nurse Practitioner

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For general information or advertisement opportunities, please call us at (954)530-5992 or email at autisminsidernewsletter@gmail.com

GENERAL ARTICLES

Luciana C Leo (786) 306-4967

Major Step Toward First Biological Test for Autism

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Sarah Sweeney (786) 413-8017

For Parents and Caregivers of a Child With Special Needs: A Guide to Taking Care of Yourself

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The 4 essential things a child needs for optimal health

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Community Spotlight: New Therapy Center in Miami

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Major Step Toward First Biological Test for Autism From ScienceDaily (December 2, 2010) Lainhart said. "There is less directional flow to and from brain regions where there should be more information exchange," said Lange. The collaborative research group will further study and develop the test with more findings due out in a year or two. Future studies will look at patients with high-severity autism, younger children, and patients with brain disorders such as developmental language disorders, ADHD and OCD, who do not have autism. If the test demonstrates further success, it could someday replace the current subjective system of diagnosing autism, which is not biologically based. It could also someday lead to pinpointing how autism develops. "We can gain a better understanding of how this disorder arises and changes over the lifetime of an individual, and derive more effective treatments," said Lainhart. Co-authors included: Molly DuBray, Alyson Froehlich, Brad Wright, P. Thomas Fletcher, all of the University of Utah, Erin Bigler of Brigham Young University, Nagesh Adluru, Alexander Alexander, and Jee Eun Lee of the University of Wisconsin, and Michael Froimowitz and Caitlin Ravichandran at Harvard and McLean. McLean Hospital (2010, December 2). Major step toward first biological test for autism. ScienceDaily. Retrieved December 28, 2010,

Got Pea ce?

ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2010) — Researchers at Harvardaffiliated McLean Hospital and the University of Utah have developed the best biologically based test for autism to date. The test was able to detect the disorder in individuals with high-functioning autism with 94 percent accuracy. the week of November 29th in Autism Research. The test, which uses MRI to measure deviations in brain circuitry, could someday replace the subjective test now used to identify those with the disorder. It could also lead to a better understanding of autism and to better management and treatments of affected individuals. "This is not yet ready for prime time use in the clinic yet, but the findings are the most promising thus far," said lead author Nicholas Lange, ScD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the Neurostatistics Laboratory at McLean. "Indeed, we have new ways to discover more about the biological basis of autism and how to improve the lives of individuals with the disorder," said senior author Janet Lainhart, MD, Principal Investigator of the research at the University of Utah. The Harvard-McLean and University of Utah researchers used the test on two groups of subjects. One group consisted of individuals who had previously been diagnosed with high-functioning autism using the standard subjective scoring system. That system is based on assessing patients and questioning their parents about their functionality in a variety of areas including language, social functioning, and behavior. The second group studied was a control group consisting of normally developing individuals. The subjects were put in an MRI scanner that was programmed to be sensitive to water diffusion along the axons of the brain to measure microscopic features of the brain's circuitry. The Lange-Lainhart test employs Diffusion Tensor Imaging. "It provides pictures and measurements of the microscopic fiber structures of the brain that enable language, social and emotional functioning, which can reveal deviations that are not found in those without autism," Lange said. By measuring six aspects of the brain's circuitry, the test was able to correctly distinguish those who had previously been diagnosed with autism with 94 percent accuracy. A repeat study using two different sets of subjects showed the same high level of performance. "The differences picked up on the study correlate with clinical symptoms that are part of the features of autism,"

Puzzle Peace is a forum for local families trying to define themselves without allowing a developmental disorder to do it for them. Join the movement! Visit to say your peace, or contribute to our network of autism friendly faces and places.

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Proceeds from our groovy car magnet benefit the Evan Reed Dermer Scholarship Fund


BioMedical For The Parents and Caregivers By Debbie Mellen, Biomedical Practitioner We are all enjoying the Holiday Season! The seasonal change is not with snow in South Florida, but with twinkle lights adorning our palm trees and a stir in our hearts to celebrate and spend some time with family and friends. Let’s add some gift shopping and fill our calendar with parties and holiday activities. It can be so much fun at holiday time. But what do you do when your tank is on empty? Or when the holiday blues hit you hard and you are in a blue funk, while the rest of the world seems to happily go on its way? In today’s world we work harder than ever before, most companies have figured out how to get us to do the work of two people. It is not uncommon to be asked to take work home or stay late and we still have housework and the children to take care of; add a special needs child and the stress goes through the roof. We keep pushing on and forcing ourselves to perform because, we really don’t have a choice. If we continue with this fashion a full blown adrenal fatigue syndrome may become a long term visitor in your life. Most times adrenal fatigue becomes more pronounced after a significant event like an accident, surgery, illness or trauma. During the holidays, some people just need to push their schedule a little harder and symptoms become more pronounced as in: You wake up in the morning and you still feel fatigued. The adrenal gland may be involved. You have been fighting a case of asthma, the flu or allergies. This can lead to adrenal fatigue. You are experiencing decreased stamina and excess fatigue. Adrenal fatigue is a likely component. Low adrenal function is one of those problems that are invisible to modern medicine. You may not find help when you would normally expect to when you visit your doctor. Your doctor will most likely test TSH level and CBC and if you don’t have anemia or hypothyroid you just are told your lab work is normal and you go home. There is a lab test that would show Adrenal Fatigue it is a saliva test. You spit in a test tube four times in one day and send the specimens to a specialty lab. From there your cortisol level is measured and analyzed for adrenal dysfunction. The hormone cortisol which comes from your adrenal gland and has a particular rhythm it should follow for optimal health. When out of rhythm with the rest of the body, the symptoms appear. Here is a simple test you can do at home to test for adrenal fatigue. Darken a room and sit in front of a mirror. Then shine a flashlight across one eye (not directly into it) from the side of your head. Keep the light shining steadily across one eye and watch in the mirror with the other. You should see your pupil constrict immediately as the light hits your eye. If you have adrenal fatigue, when you shine the light across your eye it will

constrict but not be able to hold it, it will dilate despite having the light shine on it. It may look like a pulsing of the pupil where you can see it move as it tries to constrict. If the pupil cannot hold the contraction it is an indication that the adrenal gland is fatigued. When someone has adrenal fatigue they still are doing what needs to get done but it is harder to do it. Often, there is only limited sympathy for people going through this. Most often their symptoms are met with irritation and impatience from themselves and others. Your ability to function has been reduced and you have no visible signs of illness or disability, no lab tests that confirm your problem is real. What can you do to help yourself? Listed below are some general rules. 1) Be in bed before 10:00pm 2) Move your body and breathe deeply 3) Eat the foods your body needs 4) Combine carbohydrates, protein and fat at every meal 5) Take Vitamin C 1,000 mg daily along with 200mg Magnesium and Pantothenic Acid at approximately 2:00pm every day. Other supplements you may try are: Vitamin E is good for adrenal regeneration. When buying Vitamin E remember that a mixed tocopherol supplement is needed. Look for one that is specifically high in beta-tocopherols. Most Vitamin E supplements are dalpha-tocopherol. Too much d-alpha-tocopherol can actually suppress the beta and other tocopherols necessary for adrenal rejuvenation. So take 800IU of mixed tocopherol Vitamin E every day. Pantothenic Acid is given at a recommended dose of 1,500mg per day. It usually comes in 500mg tablets; you will need 3 tablets per day. This supplement works best if taken during the afternoon slump. Niacin is given at a recommended dose of 25 to 50mg per day. Niacin can make some people flush. If you turn red and tingle after taking Niacin, then buy the “nonflushing” type such as Niacin Hexanol. Vitamin B6 is given at the recommended dose of 50100mg per day. Some people have difficulty with Vitamin B6 and cannot seem to break it down to use it. One way of telling if your body can use the plain B6 is if you can remember your dreams. If you cannot remember your dreams, then you may need to take the Vitamin B6 in the form of P5P at 50mg per day. To give your adrenal a boost, for women add Siberian Ginseng Root (Eleutherococus senticosus). It will help support and rejuvenate adrenal function, increase resistance to stress and sustains energy levels. Eleuthero is a safe supplement overall but a word of caution to hold a dose if you find that your blood pressure is very high that day. Continue in the next page —–>

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Debbie Mellen’s article continues... For men to add an adrenal boost add Korean Ginseng Root (Panax Ginseng). It gives mild to significant results with energy and stamina. Start with a small dose and build up gradually. Ginko leaf (Ginkgo biloba) is an herb that is a powerful antioxidant that protects the adrenal gland. It improves blood flow and is a mild blood thinner. It decreases mental fatigue and elevates the mood in people prone to depression. The most commun solution for people who suffer from having low energy is to have one of the popular energy drinks. That is fine to do but read the labels as there are some ingredients that should be avoided. Things to avoid with adrenal fatigue are herbs like Ephedra, Ma Huang or cola nut. In short anything that stimulates the nervous system like strong black tea or caffeine in general is bad for the adrenal gland. It just makes you more fatigued when the results wear off. There are additional treatments for the adrenal glands and it may include taking adrenal cortical extracts and certain hormones that are helpful but they must be given under medical supervision along with a recovery program. So pace yourself, get some rest, take your supplements and enjoy the lights, the food and the holiday fun.

Married With Special Needs Children by Dr. Laura Marshak & Fran Prezant, M. Ed.,CCC-SLP

Although it is true that the divorce rate is comparatively higher when a couple raises children with disabilities, a strained relationship is not inevitable and many couples find ways to make their marriages thrive. This book was written for this reason. It provides a candid and realistic look at the ways having children with disabilities or health conditions can impact a couple’s relationship as well as helpful approaches to handling these issues. The content for this book is drawn from the combined professional expertise of the authors as well as input from hundreds of couples who offer insight into their challenges, the unique solutions they discovered and what they wish they had done differently. In addition to sharing their advice, these parents demonstrate that, despite difficulties, there is a way to have a good relationship when faced with great child-rearing demands. The authors also discuss many of the common pitfalls that can weaken a marriage while raising children with disabilities and health problems as well as proactive strategies. Suitable for a wide range of readers, it is useful for couples who want to maintain and strengthen their relationships while raising children with disabilities as well as those who are struggling or in marital crises. The content is also relevant to couples who are trying to “blend” families (that include at least one child with a disability) as a result of remarrying. Although written with parents in mind, professionals in social service, medical, therapeutic and educational settings who interact with families with children who have disabilities will also find this book helpful. For parents who have children with conditions resulting in intensified child-rearing demands such as: Autism spectrum disorders, developmental delays, physical disabilities, ADHD, learning disabilities, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mood disorders, serious food allergies and others.

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For Parents and Caregivers of a Child With Special Needs: A Guide to Taking Care of Yourself by Luciana C Leo LAc DOM “The care you give to yourself is the care you give to your loved one”. Yes I know what you are thinking while you read this phrase… it is so easy to say, but very hard to implement! I always give this advise to all the parents that bring their children to my office. I found out that parents have a hard time accepting this advise. But the reality is that most of the children that come for treatment to my office are healthier than their parents! Many studies showed that about 60% of caregivers show signs of clinical depression, anxiety, stress overload and burnout. Sometimes is hard to see beyond all the chores and tasks you have to do each day, and finding time to nurture yourself might seem impossible. But you owe it to yourself to find the time. Without it, you may not have the mental or physical strength to deal with all of the stress you experience as a caregiver. Give yourself permission to rest and to do things that you enjoy on a daily basis. You will have much more energy and you will be a better caregiver for it.

healthy option for either you or the person you’re caring for. So it’s important to watch for the warning signs of caregiver burnout and take action right away when you recognize the problem.

Tips for taking care of yourself:

Burnout is a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest or motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place. Burnout reduces your productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give. Most of us have days when we feel bored, overloaded, or unappreciated; when all the things that we are juggling in our lives are just to much; when dragging ourselves out of bed and staying up requires six cups of espresso. If you feel like this most of the time, you may be flirting with burnout. Having your own life outside of taking care of your child will help you maintain perspective, so that care giving doesn’t become your only reality. Once parents actually start to accept this advise, they bloom and so do their children.

Common warning signs of caregiver burnout: Ÿ You have much less energy than you used to. Ÿ It seems like you catch every cold or flu that’s going around. Ÿ You’re constantly exhausted, even after sleeping or taking a break. Ÿ You neglect your own needs, either because you’re too busy or you don’t care anymore. Ÿ Your life revolves around taking care of your child, but it gives you little satisfaction. Ÿ You have trouble relaxing, even when help is available. Ÿ You’re increasingly impatient and irritable with the person you’re caring for. Ÿ You feel overwhelmed, helpless, and hopeless.

Ÿ Do things and activities for yourself, even if you do not feel like it. Join the gym, a class of your interest, get a manicure and pedicure, take a bubble bath… whatever makes you happy. Ÿ Eat balanced meals. Ÿ Try to exercise daily, at least take a walk around the block. Exercise is a good stress releaser! Ÿ Try to sleep at least 7 hours at night. If you can’t sleep at night, take a nap while your child is in school, daycare or a therapy. Ÿ Learn how to manage your time wisely. Be realistic about how much of your time and yourselves you and your child can give. I see parents trying to do the impossible to schedule three or four therapies in a day for a child. They run all over the place, eating inside the car and fighting with the kids cause at one point there are exhausted too. Ÿ Disconnect from technology: It is very important that you Happy parents, happy kids! educate yourself about your child’s condition, but do not allow yourself to be “googling” or searching the web 24/7. Set up a “research time” and do not exceed it. Ÿ Laughter really is the best medicine. Try to be around positive people, go to a comedy show, or just watch a comedy movie. Ÿ Keep a journal. Write down your thoughts and feelings. This helps provide perspective on your situation and serves as an important release for your emotions. Ÿ Try to set a time for afternoons or evenings out. Seek out friends and family to help you so that you can have some time away from the home. It is important that you interact with others. Ÿ Accept your feelings. Taking care of your loved one with special needs can trigger a host of difficult emotions, including anger, fear, resentment, guilt, helplessness, and grief. As long as you don’t compromise the well-being of your child, allow yourself to feel what you feel. Don’t delay in getting professional help when you need it. Ÿ Allow people to help you by giving them a specific task to do. You do not have to do everything yourself. Remember that even though your main goal is to help your child get better and to progress in life, you also have a life to take care of. Because once you burn out, care giving is no longer a

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By Luciana C Leo LAc DOM There are four main important things that a child’s body needs in order to work properly: A proper nutrition, a good sleep pattern, physical activity and a regular bowel movement! The body is constantly in search of HOMEOSTASIS which refers to the body’s ability to physiologically regulate its inner environment to ensure its stability in response to fluctuations in the outside environment and the weather. The liver, the kidneys, and the brain (hypothalamus, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system) help maintain homeostasis. There are two ways in which this ability can be disturbed:

Use grass-fed/pastured meat and eggs. If your child eats lunch meats, make sure they are nitrates and nitrites free. Use as much whole foods and organic as possible. Include fermented foods in your child’s diet (they are good in probiotics which are good bacteria) like Kampuchea, coconut juice kefir or yogurt Always give a type of protein in the morning for breakfast, it will help your child with focus and concentration in school Try to divide your child’ plate in three parts: ½, ¼ and ¼ of a plate. In the half of the plate use vegetables, 1) If the body is in need of something… ¼ of meat (or other protein) and ¼ of carbohydrates (like rice, pasta, mashed potato) Probiotics, nutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids… Avoid: artificial coloring, flavors and preservatives; the only way children get all MSG, pesticides, aspartame and these things in their bodies is other artificial sweeteners, though the foods they eat or nitrates, nitrites, soy and corn. by giving them supplements. The body can also be in need of Proper Nutrition is one of the most a brake… That is why is so Nutrition important things for any child, important for your child to have especially a child with special a good sleep pattern. The rule needs because the food they of thumb is “the less your child eat can be either poison or sleeps, the more cranky he/she Optimal medicine for their brain. will be!”. The amount of sleep a Good Regular Bowel Diet for children with autism child needs varies depending on Sleep Health Movements is a very controversial topic. the individual and certain If you ask me, I believe that factors, including age: diet is one of the most 1 to 3 years old - at least 12 hours important things when talking 3 to 12 years old - at least 10 about interventions for any hours disease or condition. We are 12 to 18 years old - at least 8 Physical what we eat!. Implementing hours Activities a GFCF (Gluten Free and If your child wakes up at night Casein Free Diet) can be very and cannot go back to sleep, or beneficial of a child with if your child takes forever to fall autism, but there are other asleep, then you may have to diets that may fit your child better. It is important that you help by regulating the sleep pattern. Here are some tips: have the proper guidance to this process in order for you If your child needs to sleep with tons of pillow or with not to go “bananas” about it. Now, there are also parents someone sleeping next to him/her, then you may want that do not agree with trying a particular diet, that is ok, to try a weight blanket. but is doesn’t mean that your child’s diet doesn’t have to You can try melatonin with magnesium. Melatonin be clean up or expanded. will help the child falling asleep, and the magnesium will keep he/she sleep. Start with 1mg of melatonin Here are some dietary recommendations: and 200mg of magnesium 45 minutes before bedtime If you decide to try the GFCF diet, eliminate dairy first Do an early dinner, and do not let your child eat any for three weeks, and then start to eliminate gluten (Go sugars or starches after 5 or 6 pm. to tacanow.org or GFCFdiet.com for more Epsom salt baths can help children relax before information). Then you can go further and eliminate bedtime. Use 1 cup of Epsom salt and ½ cup of specific foods that your child may be sensitive to (there baking soda and put them in the bath tub. Let your is food sensitivity test available, go to child play in the water for at least 15 minutes and then www.foodallergy.com or call (786)306-4967 for more rinse. information) Take your child for a walk after dinner Article continues in the next page —–> 8 - Autism Insider Newsletter, January 2011 Issue


Article from page 8 continues here.

Community Spotlight:

2) if there is something in the body that is not supposed to be there‌

New Therapy Center in Miami

There are three ways that the body can get rid of waste: Urine, stool and sweat. So, what will happen if your child is constipated? All the bad stuff that the body is trying to get rid of is retained, and bad bugs (like bacteria or candida) or toxins stay in the body for longer than what they are supposed to causing some behavioral and health issues. It is very important for children to have a regular bowel movement. If you child is constipated, here are some ideas to help him/her regulate the bowels: Give soluble fibers. It helps prevent constipation Give 1 teaspoon daily of aloe vera juice that moistens the intestines with 1000mg of vitamin C to soften the stool Daily enzymes will help brake down foods properly. You can start by giving Digest Gold from Enzymedica. Probiotics are very important to promote colonization of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Vegetable juice is a simple solution, and you can be very creative when preparing the juice. Juicing is a great way of giving vegetables to children. Sometimes the problem is not constipation, but diarrhea. Many children with autism have very loose, watery and foul stools. Constant diarrhea can malnourish and dehydrate a child. Most types of diarrhea are due to dysbiosis (overgrowth of bad bacteria) or allergies to particular foods. In order to treat diarrhea, you must find the cause for it first. If you child suffers of diarrhea, make sure he/she drinks plenty of fluids. There is also a juice recipe that helps alleviate diarrhea: fresh juice of 50/50 blend of carrots and celery, you can also ad one apple as a sweetener. Last but not least on the list‌ physical activities. They are not only very important for developing children, but they are also a great natural way of making your child sweat and detox. Children with autism are more prone to avoid sports and thus run the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Perhaps the greatest risk however, is simply not having the opportunity to reap the benefits that regular physical exercise can provide, such as improved endurance, a chance to develop fine and gross motor skills and a self-confidence boost. A right exercise program can also introduce your child to a social environment and a chance to interact with his peers. Physical exercise is a proven way to help autistic children (and even children without autism) to burn off excess energy and be able to focus better on their school work or other learning opportunities. Luciana C Leo LAc DOM will be given a complementary lecture in Miami on January 20th. Check the back cover for more information.

GAIN Kids Therapy Center opened its doors in Coral Gables, Miami. This is not just another therapy center, it is an extension of GAIN of Venezuela (Group of Comprehensive Attention to Autistic Children). The team working at GAIN already has a significant 10-year trajectory where important goals toward the child’s integration into the school system have been achieved. It has also been successful in progressively diminishing repetitive behaviors and self-stimulation which are both highly recurrent in autistic children. With the methodology and therapies applied at GAIN, the children improve in achieving developmental abilities of age appropriate self-help and independence in their daily lives, as well as beginning to verbally communicate with their surroundings. GAIN offers intensive 40 sessions per week programs for children in the autism spectrum and related disorders, and support sessions of speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skills and academics for every child who needs it. The team at GAIN Kids Therapy Center joined forces with Luciana C Leo LAc DOM in order to provide families with all the possibly support to help individuals in the autism spectrum and other related disorders reach their maximum potential physically, mentally and academically. Luciana Leo has a Bachelor of Medical Science and a Masters in Oriental Medicine. She has been working with children with special needs for the past 4 years. Luciana Leo graduated from acupuncture and oriental medicine school. She is an LAc, a licensed acupuncturist with the Florida Acupuncture Board and is board-certified with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine as a Diplomate in Oriental Medicine. She attended the Defeat Autism Now! Clinician Seminars and General Sessions in 2007 (California); the First Clinician Seminar for the American Medical Autism Board in 2009 (California); the National Autism Conference in 2009 and 2010 (Weston, Fl); and the ASA Conference in 2009 (Orlando, Fl). She is certified in First Aid and CPR for adults, children and infants. Luciana will offer acupuncture, herbal and supplement consultations, dietary interventions, homeopathy and specialty labs for children and adults with special needs, as well as their families. GAIN Kids Therapy Center also promotes education and support for the autism community of South Florida by offering workshops and support groups. On January 20th of 2011, the center is hosting an open house at 351 Minorca Ave. Coral Gables, Fl 33134. There will be complementary workshops at 10 am and 6 pm. For more information check the back cover ad.

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Product Review: Daiya Cheddar and Mozzarella Chesse One of the main ingredients in many recipes, and the hardest to substitute when implementing the gluten/casein free diet is the cheese. Most of the cheese substitutes are based on soy, which many of the children also have problems digesting. Daiya cheese substitute is the only of its kinds that has a good taste and it melts. The company came up with Mozzarella and Cheddar flavors. The products are very easy to use in recipes and also they are child friendly. Kids love the taste! You can find this product in all the Whole Foods supermarkets Daiya Cheddar and Mozza Style Shreds are made entirely from plant-based ingredients and are: · Cholesterol free · Trans Fat free · Dairy free · Free of all animal products (Vegan) · Free of common allergens including: Dairy (casein and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts (excluding coconut) · Free of Artificial Ingredients · Free of Preservatives, Hormones & Antibiotics The full list of ingredients are as follows: Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavors, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor).

Taken from GFCFrecipes.blogspot.com

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1 cup cooked rice elbow macaroni ¼ cup finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon of the Earth Balance margarine ( buy the RED tub vegetarian) 1 tablespoon tapioca or corn starch Dash black pepper 1 ¼ cup Rice Milk 2 cups shredded Daiya American/cheddar cheese

Instructions: 1. Cook rice macaroni according to directions. 2. In a saucepan, cook onion in margarine until tender. Stir in starch and pepper. 3. Add rice milk. 4. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. 5. Add cheese. Stir until melted. 6. Stir macaroni into cheese. 7. Transfer to a 1 quart casserole. 8. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes – until bubbly.

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Luciana C. Leo LAc. DOM Specializing in care for children and adults with special needs and their families For the Individual with Special Needs

For the parents or caregivers

Is he/she constantly sick or with a runny nose? Is he/she having sleeping problems? Is he/she very lethargic or very hyper? Is he/she aggressive to him/her self or others? Does he/she has seizures? Does he/she have gastrointestinal issues? Like irregular bowel movements, foul stools, “beer belly” or acid reflux. Does he/she craves particular foods? Is he/she a picky eater?

“You need to take care of yourself in order to be able to take care of your loved one”

All of the above symptoms may be due to underlying medical conditions, and they can be treated.

Do you feel that you are running out of energy? Are you catching every single cold around? Are you constantly exhausted, even after sleeping or taking a break? Are you trouble relaxing, even when help is available? Do you feel that you are being less patient lately or you are you easily irritated? Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you having trouble sleeping?

if you have any other questions regarding your health or the health of a loved one, call to make an appointment at 786-306-4967 Services provided by GAIN Kids Therapy Center and Luciana C Leo: Intensive program for children in the Autism Spectrum and related disorders, Academic Skills Training, Special Education, After School, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Parents training, Support groups, Workshops, acupuncture, dietary interventions, homeopathy, and herbal and supplement consultations.

Thursday, January 20 of 2011 OPEN HOUSE Come visit us during our open house to learn about the programs and services provided and see the facility! Also, There will be two complimentary lectures. The lectures will be given during the morning, and repeating during the afternoon to be accessible for working parents. Lectures will be at 10 AM and 6:30 PM “Understanding your child’s behavior and recognizing medical issues” By Luciana C Leo LAc DOM “How to be involved in your child’s treatment” By Viviana Vethencourt Space is limited, please RSVP by calling at 786-306-4967 to reserve a seat for any of the lectures or for a complementary 20 minutes consultation to discuss your child’s situation and how we may be able to help. 12 - Autism Insider Newsletter, January 2011 Issue

A 351 Minorca Ave Coral Gables, Fl 33134


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