AutismWeb Forum

I just wanted to take a survey of what everyone's personal definition of recovered means.

I just want to preface this by saying that I have been reading a lot of stories where children are completely recovered, undistinguishable from their peers and are no longer getting therapy of any kind, taking supplements of any kind and are no longer on any specific diets - and remain to be completely recovered.

Now, I am starting to read recovery stories of children still taking supplements, still on special diets, etc - and it seems that the definition of recovery may have changed and I, along with quite a few parents I have spoken to, are quite confused because clearly - these are two very different things.

I choose other. I believe there are many roads leading to autism. For some you heal the gut and you recover the child. For others reduce the metals and heal the child. Others MB12 gets the child back. Others HBOT. Yet for most they may get their cognative abilities but still be sick physically. Most children have MANY issues so full recovery is not as easy.

Most of our recovered still do MB12. Most still do diets. Almost all do the supplements (probably to keep the immune system up so as to not crash unexpectedly)

For me, as long at the brain is functioning normally, the child is recovered from autism but the child may not be recovered from the assult on the immune system. The immune system in another animal outside of autism.

I can probably count on my hand and toes all those who are off of everything that are recovered in our practice.

Personally I use recover and cure. A cured child needs no support. A recovered child may have issues outside of autism.

I'm curious. If gut and metabolic problems aren't part of the diagnostic criteria for autism, why would the continued presence of gut/metabolic issues mean the child isn't recovered from autism?

It's not merely the presence of those issues that would mean the child is not recovered from autism. If you take away the supplements and diet and the gut and metabolic problems cause the autism to return in a child whom has been said to have been "recovered" - then the child still has the underlying issues for having the autism in the first place and what you have is a band-aid in place.

Please don't misunderstand me, I think for any parent or child, to get to the point where you consider your child recovered while on a special diet or supplements (and I just don't mean a basic multivitamin, I mean the arsenal of supplements our asd kids take on a daily basis) is just wonderful.

But I do think that the term recovered is quite confusing and misleading and that's all I'm saying.

Indistinguishable from their peers.

Our DAN believes the diet should remain in place forever. I don't believe once the body starts to repair on it's own it will require many supplements.

No therapies.

I chose other. "Recovered" to me means that they no longer meet the diagnostic criteria for autism.

When child is evaluated by a clinician and autism or PDD is no longer the dx, then that child is what I would consider "recovered."

I agree. If I take my daughter to the same doctor who told me 35 months ago that she was severely autistic, and he says "this child has no symptoms of autism" then I will consider her recovered.
I do expect her to be on the diet forever and most supplements to maintain her recovery.

This is my thinking as well. I have a feeling we will be on this diet permanently. But to be indistinguishable from peers.. Yes.. that to me would be recovery. I voted without supplements. I would think that recovery would also include the body being healed enough to not need such large interventions such as supplements beyond normal vitamin supplements outside of diet.

But that's just me

This is a great thread so far - I'm so glad people are posting and answering!

This will be a great reference to newbie parents starting on their journey to recovery - in whichever way they define the word!

I don't know what recovered means anymore. My son is indistguishable from his peers if his peers are hyperactive six year olds with expressive speech delays.

I doubt he can ever go off a CF diet since he is allergic to milk. I'm pretty sure he will have a rough patch as a teenager. I'm pretty sure he will need ADHD medications at some point. But, in my family ADHD meds and a mild learning disability and being a bit quirky are normal.

To me recovered would mean he no longer meets the criteria for ASD or PDD-NOS, it doesn't mean no therapies or no diet. The last developemental pediatrician said, he should be off the spectrum in the next two years, but he would still have issues with ADHD.

Same here. When getting evaluated, they don't often ask is your child on supplements or a special diet or any other sort of biomed treatment(though they should IMO). So if they don't need to know in order to give a dx and they were to say "not on the spectrum"

Then they are recovered

I agree and would change my answer to "other" if other means "no longer meets the DSM criteria for autism, PDD-NOS or Asperger's." If GI issues are not part of diagnosing autism, then I don't see how their continued presence should affect a child's status of recovery, remission, cure, or whatever the best word is.

If my son is free of the disabling effects of autism but still has to stay on the diet and supplements, I'll consider him recovered. I think of it like a diabetic on insulin. The diabetic can still lead a normal, fulfilling life and will just have to give some attention to diet and medical care. It's really no different with our kids - I hope!

Wish I had time to write a lot about this!!

Cognitively ok, but doesn't matter what you have to do to be there--even if it means you never touch another Twinkie!

A good example of this is me . I was as sick as my son when we began this journey--major brain fog (I mean, you wouldn't believe!!) and SOOO tired and digestive issues and on and on. I have followed along and pretty much just done what we did with my son. And today, I feel really good, look really good, am very functional (I wasn't before) and can live a normal, pretty high-energy life. AS LONG AS I DON'T EAT A VERY LONG LIST OF FOODS, AND KEEP UP WITH MY SUPPLEMENTS. I suspect my son will be the same.

I've been studying nutrition, and guess what? If you don't do a B12 supplement, and you don't eat liver or greens, then you are probably aren't getting any at all in your diet. Ditto with a long list of vitamins--Americans simply don't eat the stuff we should in the first place, and then commercial farming techniques have done a tremendous amount of damage to the food that we DO eat. And commercial food processing.

I am of the opinion that just about everyone in America should be on supplements, especially B12, from what I read. Reading about the state of nutrition in our country is very scary stuff--and so is the toxicity of our environment. I've turned into one of those environmentalist wackos, I guess!! But my son's autism, and the health of the rest of my family, has really opened my eyes.

[quote="Liz77"]I don't know what recovered means anymore. My son is indistguishable from his peers if his peers are hyperactive six year olds with expressive speech delays.
But, in my family ADHD meds and a mild learning disability and being a bit quirky are normal.

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Liz, your post reminded me that my other children have issues as well. Two of them have autism symptoms and my husband has social issues and four (!) of us have ADD. So, I need to change my response: if my ASD child is healed enough that she only looks as quirky as the rest of our family, then I would consider her recovered.

I also think that is what recovery is.

Indistinguishable from peers = Recovered

Still on the GFCF diet and supplements but is indistinguishable from peers = Recovered.

The diagnosis of autism didn't include a comprehensive evaluation of my DD's GI system and immune system so if DD still has residual immune and GI issues but she otherwise does not meet the DSM-IV criteria for autism then, in my eyes, she's recovered.