Trying to Digest All the Information Out There

Many parents of a child with autism, after getting over the initial shock, want to learn as much as they can in order to know how best they can help their child(ren). I am no exception. And with the numerous resources available on the internet, research is not difficult for many of us to do. However, just because information is available on the internet doesn't mean that information is accurate. That is one of the reasons I decided to start this blog.

As I mention in my basic blog description, I am not intending to report what is real and what is presumed or suspected, but I will tell you what I found, what decisions I've made and why. Thus far, I have looked at information concerning vaccines causing autism, theories around mercury poisoning and thimerosal, and am about to consider the usefulness and benefits/detriments of GF/CF diets.

But to put it mildly, there is a lot of information out there, and the information comes from lots of different sources -- from the scientific community, the media, many advocacy groups as well as other places. This large amount of information can be very intimidating. Some of the information can easily be read as "This is what causes autism and if you don't follow these guidelines you are a terrible parent", which is and should be a frightening thought to all of us. Many of us have wondered on at least one occassion "What have I done to cause this to happen to my child?". It is easy to get lost in despair and hopelessness. When we start to feel this way, it is important for us as parents to recognize that we are advocates for our own children and knowledge is the source of our power.

Please continue to read this blog to learn how and why we have chosen the options we have.