Autism Family Resource
Welcome Back! In this episode, we sit down with J.D. Barker, a New York Times bestselling author known for his thrillers, to discuss his inspiring journey as a neurodiverse individual. Diagnosed with autism as an adult, J.D. reflects on his career transformation, shares strategies for navigating neurotypical expectations, and offers invaluable insights for parenting neurodiverse children. This heartfelt conversation is filled with practical advice, empowering takeaways, and hope for families navigating similar paths. Guest: J.D. Barker is an acclaimed author of numerous bestselling books,...
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Welcome back to the Autism Family Resource Podcast! In this episode, we spoke with Kari Baker—a local podcaster, author, and an inspiring mom who is navigating life alongside her 13-year-old son, who has both autism and ADHD. Kari shares her journey through powerful stories, lessons, and insights on finding kindness in the everyday moments of parenting and how she has grown through her experiences. Guest: Kari Baker’s path took a transformative turn with the birth of her son, Brady, and his autism diagnosis at age three. Driven by a new perspective on success and purpose, Kari shares...
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Welcome back to the Autism Family Resource Podcast! Are you a parent of a child with autism struggling to find the right support and therapy for your child? You are not alone. Many parents find it challenging to navigate the world of autism care, especially with the numerous therapies and approaches available. But what if there was a different approach to autism care that focused on the whole family and was more collaborative and supportive? What if there was a therapy that was more play-based and encouraged intrinsic motivation? We have good news! There is. In this...
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Divorce is never easy, but when you have a child with autism or other special needs, the process can feel even more overwhelming. The Autism Family Resource Podcast is here to provide practical guidance and support during this challenging time. In this episode, we welcome Mary Ann Hughes, a compassionate and experienced special needs divorce coach and mother of two sons on the autism spectrum. Mary Ann shares her personal and professional insights to help families confidently navigate this difficult transition and prioritize their child's well-being. Guest: Mary Ann Hughes is a...
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Guest: Mitch Leppicello, LICSW, is a seasoned mental health professional with over 30 years of experience supporting autistic children and their families. Mitch is a Certified Autism Specialist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Social Work from Fordham University in New York. Website: https://eastmetrofamilycounseling.com/ Social Media: About this Episode: Raising a child with autism comes with unique joys and challenges. One of the biggest hurdles parents face is understanding and supporting their child's mental health. In this...
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In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, host Brian Keen welcomes back Lenora Edwards, head speaker and chief knowledge officer at Better Speech, to discuss the lingering effects of the lockdown on children's social and emotional regulation skills. Lenora shares her expertise in speech pathology and offers valuable strategies to help children, particularly those on the autism spectrum, improve their communication skills and navigate social situations effectively. Guest: Lenora Edwards is a distinguished Speech Language Pathologist at BetterSpeech.com—a nationwide online...
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In this episode of the Autism Family Resource Podcast, host Brian Keene engages in a heartfelt conversation with Lynn and Jonathan Greenberg, a mother-son duo, about their personal journey with dyslexia. Jonathan, a college student born with dyslexia, shares the challenges he faced and how he discovered a deep love for writing, reading, and drawing with the support of his mother. Together, they turned obstacles into opportunities, creating the children's book "Robby the Dyslexic Taxi." The book celebrates determination, creativity, and the power of collaboration. Guests: Joining us today are...
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In this taboo-busting episode, Brian Keene welcomes Cindi Seifert, a devoted mother and the founder of Preventa Wear to share her journey raising her daughter Kyla, a 25-year-old with autism and epilepsy. The taboo topic of diaper digging, a behavior many parents face in silence, takes center stage as Cindi opens up about the challenges she encountered and the innovative solution she crafted to empower families worldwide. Guest: Cindi Seifert, a compassionate mother and the visionary founder of unfolds her remarkable journey as a caregiver and entrepreneur. Her commitment to addressing the...
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Synopsis: In this episode, Brian Keene welcomes Manisha Snoyer, a teacher, tech entrepreneur, and host of the ". They discuss alternatives to the traditional education system, focusing on homeschooling as a customizable and flexible solution for families, especially those with special needs. Guest: Manisha Snoyer is a renowned educator, speaker, and innovator in the field of personalized learning and childhood education. With over a decade of experience, she has worked passionately to bridge the gap between traditional education systems and individualized learning methodologies. Manisha's...
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Synopsis: In this episode of the Autism Family Resource podcast, host Brian Keene interviews Justin Behnke, father of a nonspeaking child on the autism spectrum, who created the innovative safety product ScanMeHome.com. Justin shares his personal journey, the inspiration behind his product, and practical tips for enhancing child safety in the community. Guest: Meet Justin Behnke, father of a nonspeaking child on the autism spectrum and founder, director, and CEO of ScanMeHome.com, a QR code solution for child safety. Main Topics Discussed: ScanMeHome.com: A Lifeline for Parents: ...
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Karen Thomas is a mom and the author of "Naturally Healing Autism: The Complete Step-by-Step Resource Handbook for Parents.” She is passionate about spreading the possibility of drug-free recovery and is set to help parents whose children are on the autism spectrum get natural recovery. This passion was born out of her personal experience. She went through a long research process to get help for her son, who now lives without autistic symptoms.
Topics Discussed
Karen shares how her experience as a Cranial Sacral Therapist helped her to ignore the traditional treatment advice for Autism she got and sought to find a lasting treatment for her son.
When my son was diagnosed with Autism, now 17 years ago, I was told to drug him and try behavioral therapies but I didn't want to do that because I wanted to find out what the causes were, not just mask symptoms, especially with dangerous drugs. My background is that I have been a Cranial Sacral Therapist for over 20 years, which means I work on the bones of the head to balance the brain, and I have extensive courses and research on the brain. So I knew when my son was diagnosed that the brain can and does heal, but I didn't know that much about autism, so I began, like most parents on the journey, seeking various therapists and practitioners and people.
Some challenging experiences
He had extreme oppositional defiance, extreme OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trouble sleeping, would wake up screaming from stomach ache at 3 am, and constant headaches. I mean, everything was just pointing to these issues of health and behaviors. I knew that the behaviors had a lot to do with health, so I started to work with them, and today you wouldn't even imagine he could ever act in that aggressive way that he used to or have the irritability that he used to because today, he is so calm and easy going and kind and relaxed.
Karen shares how she overcame gut inflammatory problems by curating a proper diet plan for her son.
The gut controls the brain and controls the immune system. So if your child is always sick, it leads to a gut issue, which is why we need to start from the gut. We also need to start with detoxification support and pathway because even the dietary changes alone are going to start killing off the bad bacteria, and there is a work term that's called “die of” When these bad bacteria die off, they start to release more toxins, so you can see an increase in worsened behaviors of your child and this is happening. You have to support the detoxification pathway better with binders and mutational support.
The starting point of a detoxification process and Keren's experience with her son.
My food guide is the best resource to start looking at, and it explains why you want to remove these specific foods and the purpose behind them. When we have more education, we tend to take more responsibility, and knowledge helps us know why we want to continue pursuing it because it can be challenging… So for my son, I noticed that he started sleeping better and that was good because there were so many ups and downs that I didn't know then, that I do now, that I can lead parents now correctly through.
Karen talks about diet change and creating substitutes for autistic children.
I think if you switch to organic foods, that will help a lot even if in the beginning, you are getting an organic chicken nugget and it still has the gluten covering on it, things like that but at least, you are not getting the antibiotics and hormones and additional pesticides because our kids are already so toxic… So just start making some substitutions, it will be a process of trial and error to find the things that your child will eat and like.
Recap
● It is okay to refuse to accept the status quo when your child's health is concerned, no matter how long it will take, keep doing your research, and you will eventually get a break.
● Every child's level of recovery is different and the definition is to regain health.
● There are 4 stages of detoxification: Dietary changes, Heavy metal detox, clearing co-infections, and finding supplements. These stages have to be followed in the correct order for effective results.
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