My child is 6 years old and very hyper. He tends to bolt in school and very impulsive. We haven't started any therapy as of yet, we are in the process of starting Lovaas style ABA. He is in the regular classroom with the help of a SEA. The trouble is again he is hyper and impulsive.

Any suggestions would be great. Sometimes I am at my wits end. Thanks!

Most kids with autism are deficiant in calcium and magnisum. You can go to a healthfood store and buy a powdered form that has both inside. I usually give my 6 year old 1000mg of calcium powder a day. The powdered form absorbs better in the body. In addition to that, bath your son in epsom salts for 30 mins. You just put 1 cup of epsom salt in the hot bath and it will detoxify your son. Most kids with autism are hyperactive because they are lacking in certin minerals and cannot detox on there own very well. Try both and I bet you see a difference within two days.

What type of doctors do most of you mothers go to? I have never heard of Lovaas. Most of the time I only hear of vitamins, gfc diets etc.. here. Where is everyone getting there info from? I live in a small town but autism seems to be pretty common around here. My son recieves OT and speech, they are going to start OT in water therapy (he loves water) but thats it. Nothing else has been suggested to me. My husband and I are against using drugs to treat him.

Thanks for any response Megan

[This message has been edited by MeganPa (edited 10-02-2002).]

Lovaas is a type of behavioral therapy that is very intense and requires alot of time (40 hours a week sometimes)....it's very effective and if started at a young age, some kids will improve so much that the autism is hardly there. My son is doing distreet trial training with floor time playing, and t.e.a.c.h (our therapist likes to combine all of them. He also has an O.t, and speech. In addition to that, my son is doing N.A.E.T treatments to eliminate allergies permantely through a combination of kinesiology and acupressure, and he's also doing biofeedback eeg, and he doesn't eat wheat, food colorings, nitrates, or foods with sugar. He also gets a bath in epsom salts, takes herbs for natural detoxing, spectum compete (from kirkman labs), lots of calcuium and magnisum and he gets a cilantro chopped up in his food at night to help with chelation. He also takes a grain of thyroid everyday. If I need to use any type of oil in cooking, I will only use coconut oil since it helps heal the small intestine (great for leaky gut) I get most of my info on what to do with my son through a naturalpathic practioner he see's weekly. I also do alot of reading on the net and try to meet other parents of autistic kids to find out what worked and didn't work for there kids. Since there is no cure yet for autism, I refuse to put my son on any prescription meds in fear that I will damage him more so I only do non-abrasive treatments...and give him things that boost his immune system....so far, he's doing really good.

marie some people my not like it but ritalin my be what your son needs for the time .....children that are hyper my only hear every other word you are saying.. that makes it hard to get thru to them...how can we expet to help them when they are moving at the speed of sound ....my son was about your sons age when i but him on ritalin (and yes i felt like a horrable mom) but wow what a differance it made and at 16 still working wonders...the first day i gave it to him he sat down with a toy a played with it realy played with it ....i was so moved that i cryed i was never happyer for him ....but before you do anything always do your homework and do what is best for you and your child ...