I just attended a continuing education over the weekend that was about Biomedical and nutrition approaches for intervention. Taught by a nutritionist and a physician, they presented much eye-opening information about immune systems, biochemical processes, effects of toxins on our body and the balance of nutrients necessary for optimum function. I was truly enlightened!

The most interesting things were these:
The presenters use a continuum to view the following disorders, from mild to severe: allergies/asthma; learning disabilities; ADD/ADHD; Aspergers; Pervasive Developmental Disorder; Autism. Interesting to think that all this issues are on the same continuum.

The other thing was the doctor's response to my question as to whether she noticed any patterns in her practice (1500 clients on this spectrum I just listed) regarding higher intelligence/creativity associated with greater levels of sensitivity, autoimmune symptoms or reactions to environmental toxins and nutritional imbalance. Her response was, without hesitation, "yes." She said that some of her most sensitive individuals (ie: reactions to toxins, reactions/allergies to foods, sensory issues, etc) have amazing creativity and/or intellect, even if in just one specific area.

I'm going to start referring EVERYONE to specialists who do this - I even think my own son presents signs of potentially having a yeast overgrowth that might be causing some of his symptoms (irritability, spaciness/distractibility, craving carbs, itchiness).

The presenters said that this approach isn't right for everyone, but it works amazingly well for 1/3 of people, makes small changes for another 1/3 and does nothing for the other 1/3. Seems like a reasonable thing to try with those odds. They even presented info about management of "mental health disorders" such as bipolar and post-partum depression with nutrition and supplements.

Anyone on this board have any experience with this stuff? I have a couple of kids on the spectrum who are benefitting, but just didn't realize how many areas could be impacted by this approach.

Debbie,

I agree with everything you are saying and often wondered if there was a link between physical sensitivities and intellectual ones. I have several auto immune problems going, I won't list them and risk boring you to tears. One summer I was just crashing. I went to a D.O. in Chicago and an immunologist, board certified, graduated from Duke medical school. Guess which one helped me? The D.O. said I was sensitive to a variety of foods, especially wheat/gluten. After cutting that stuff out my asthma symptoms seemed to disappear. My asthma doctor said it was simply because I lost weight, he didn't believe in food sensitivities. Well I did lose weight, probably because I cut out the foods my body seemed to be rejecting. If anyone is on the Chicagoland area and needs a reference, private message me for the info. I would be interested to know if any others have had similar experiences.

Best of luck,
Incog

dajohnson60, I believe I read that you are an OT, correct? I'm a PT working with children similar to what you describe. It's no coincidence that many gifted children have asthma and allergies. It's also no coincidence that many 2E children have asthma and allergies. Through my own research and trial and error with my children, I found some nutritional products that are very helpful. I have since shared this information with my clients and I have received great feedback from them. This isn't the entire solution but I think it's helpful. If a person's body is fighting chronic inflammation on a daily basis, how is there energy to other regular functions? Our environment alone causes great overload and food allergies or lack of nutrition only heightens this sensitivity. Great post, it really made me take a step back and look at DS2 and his sensory issues again.

Mommy2myEm:
yeah, I'm an OT. Nice to meet you! I agree with you - this isn't the "cure all that ails you" approach. I don't think anything is, because so much of what causes these problems is multifactorial. There has to be a multifactorial approach to intervention.

Do you have experience in working with any nutritional approaches to hypotonia and dyspraxia? At this course, the nutritionist presented these supplements as helping:
Hypotonia: Vitamin E, B complex (especially B1 and B2, Carnitine, Co-Enzyme Q 10 and alpha lipoic acid.
And for dyspraxia: Omega 3 fats (DHA/EPA, Vitamin E complex and Phosphatidylcholine.