Untitled Page

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Grant Money Still Available!

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Tip of the Month
It's Halloween Time!

The little ones are excited to go Trick or Treating. Let's keep everyone safe by following a few simple steps.

Be sure your child's costume fits well so he can walk with ease. Also, face makeup (if not allergic) is better than a mask that might obstruct his vision.

Never let your child go to anyone's home you don't know. Stay in familiar areas.

Have your child wait to eat any treats until they can be inspected by a parent.

It's a good idea to carry a flashlight so cars can easily see your child.

Remind your children to be polite and respectful.

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Applications for grant money are filtering in. The deadline is October 16th, so there is still time to apply! Everyone who applies has an equal opportunity to receive a grant. Please don't let the opportunity pass. Send in your application now!

Egan's Story-In November of 2002, Egan was a typical 1 year old baby. He said "mama, baba, dada, flower, dog..." all the usual baby words! At about 15 months of age, Egan changed. He lost his vocabulary and seemed to be in a daze a lot of the time. He also had terrible bowel issues with many diaper/underwear changes daily. The only things that made him happy were food (specifically milk and pasta) and moving. He loved his baby swing and would have stayed in it for hours if I let him. He was also very "moody", for lack of a better word. He was not my baby anymore...he was different and in a bad way. I was very confused about what was going on with him, so of course we ventured to the pediatrician. Mind you, I had two older children and was pretty versed in the normal and abnormal behavior of kids. I KNEW Egan's changes were NOT normal. I was reassured by the pediatrician that Egan had" two older siblings who talked for him" and that he was fine. Assuming I knew nothing and a medical person knew something, I relaxed, for about two minutes. I wasn't really sure where to go for help or what to do, but I knew he should be talking, so I thought I'd tackle that first! Egan began receiving speech/language therapy shortly after his second birthday. After a few months of speech therapy, Egan's therapist gently broached the subject of Autism. I had done some research on my own, but kept ignoring the signs and red flags, telling myself, "my son doesn't have Autism, no way." I initially said "HUH? You really think so?" and then moved on to discussing his progress or lack there of.
It was later that same day that it really hit..My
son DOES have Autism. So what now? How do
I fix him? I was advised to get a diagnosis, so I
did. Just before Egan turned 3 years old (2004),
he was diagnosed. It was official. After a good
hard cry, it was time to get to work! The next
few years were filled with tons of reading and
hopeful thoughts. It was the summer of 2008
we decided to try a new diet for Egan. We
had heard amazing things about the
Gluten/Casein Free Diet and gave it a whirl. It
has been the best thing to ever happen to Egan and us! His vocabulary grew immensely and no more tummy problems. Egan is just a happy, well-engaged, fun loving 7 year old. I get a ton of hugs and kisses every day and I can just tell Egan has changed again in a very good way. I encourage you all to educate yourself on options. It's a learning process. What works for one may not work for another. A lot of trial and error goes into finding what works...DON'T EVER GIVE UP!!!

Heartstrings will be a feature each month for readers to share personal stories. If you would like to submit a story for the newsletter, please send it to me at
AutismHearts@stny.rr.com Please know that this newsletter is on the internet, so anything you say can be viewed by anyone. If you wish to submit a photo, attach it to the story. Also, I must be able to reserve the right to edit for space and content if necessary. Sandy

Reader's Reviews
Have you read a good book on Autism lately?
If you have and would like to share a title and make a comment about it, please email it to me at
AutismHearts@stny.rr.com
I will then place it here for all to share! Sandy

Note: The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the AutismHearts organization.

I would like to begin this feature by recommending
The Horse Boy by Rupert Isaacson, an interesting story of a journalist and his quest to help heal his son through his love of horses.

CNN reports that there are more cases of autism in U.S. Kids than previously realized. Read the full story here .

Also, Autism Society of America and Education.com launch a special edition on Asperger's Syndrome. Read their story here .