Problems solved:
Child: Extreme picky eating, learning difficulties, sensitivity to noise, not talkative. Mom: Damage after vegetarian diet, IBS, gallbladder issues, anxiety, disordered eating, Lack of self-acceptance.
I started this journey when my son was 13 and felt it was too late, but it never is. I felt people on the course with younger children were the lucky ones, but now it’s what you make of it for yourself.
My son was a picky eater that was the most challenging thing. I’ve realised my anxiety around food and tending to his every need affected his eating. Last year, my son ate such a limited diet; now, it’s practically everything, and he tries all sorts now. It’s like a miracle. I came from a place of stress, unhappiness, fear, and bitterness and I felt the world was against me; I was a victim.
I became sick being a vegetarian, I ended up with IBS, Gall bladder problems, and always having a crampy and bloated stomach. My Asthma was bad too. It’s been a long journey for me to be able to eat what I do now, and it’s so different from what I was eating a few years ago. It’s completely turned around.
My sleep isn’t interrupted at 3 am anymore I just sleep through, and so does my son, who struggled to get to sleep for years.
My son is no longer constipated since I cut out processed food, especially Quorn; what a disaster to the body. His Ticks have stopped, and I believe grounding has been the reason. My middle son also had a tick and always coughed, and this has gone.
We eat dinner together every evening and help each other with food preparation and washing up and we chat, catching up with everyone’s day, it’s so lovely and so important.
When I ditched his iPad that drove him crazy, he learnt to play the piano after I listened to one of your podcasts about you buying Bertram a keyboard. I went into the loft and dug out an old keyboard, and he loved it. Absolute saviour through the lockdown. So thank you.
He now has a lovely grown-up keyboard and an electric guitar and his brother a drum kit. They spend quality time together playing. If it weren’t for you, would this of happened? Turns out he’s very musical and wants to go on to make Music at College. I mean, I worried so much about College before.
So now we can eat out at restaurants, and he deals with it all, and his brother too because he hated loud noises.
My Daughter is happy ( had awful mental health problems) and doing a job she loves, I don’t think I could have supported her in the way I did without my own belief. She eats healthier now as before was eating KFC all the time. We still have little fallout, but I’m the parent and can handle it better. I see so much of myself in her and realise this isn’t just about healing your child with autism it’s about healing yourself and your other children, too without you realising.
He goes to an outstanding school that supports him well, but they have said he’s become chatty, talking to adults, becoming more confident, has a lovely group of friends, and is reaching goals to do GCSEs next year.
I love the phrase, “What has Autism come to teach me”?
Patience, speaking up for myself, nature, unconditional love, being grateful for every day and every moment, cherishing experiences, and learning from them. Being compassionate. Not judging and learning from it when I do catch myself doing so.
He talks more, and we have conversations, and he answers me when I ask him a question. He still shies in public, but we are working on that, and he spoke to the barber.
He does his chores and does better self-care.
The best thing is that my anxiety was holding everything back, I was scared and walked on eggshells around my son. Now I have recovered from this way of being, my son has room to be himself and grow.
I wanted to see where this journey would take me. I wanted to see the alternatives to the system as I love a holistic approach. It’s been so worth it and I know I have the tools to get through life.
Praying has helped me feel at peace and helped me stop searching for answers everywhere.