By Shannon Penrod

I'm very fond of saying "I've never met an Autism parent that I didn't like."  It's true.  I don't know why we were chosen to be members of the "Autism Parent Club", but I do know that I count myself lucky to be surrounded by truly amazing people in that club.  Karen Delaney is one of those people.  I don't know how many times our paths must have crossed in life but if it weren't for Autism I probably never would have met her - and that would have been a loss.

I went to college in the small port city of Oswego, N.Y. and years later I returned to my Alma mater to teach.  All together I have spent close to a decade of my life in Oswego, and I never met Karen Delaney until she called in to the first ever Everyday Autism Miracles radio show.  I was thrilled to have a caller and I thought it was crazy kismet that she was from Oswego.  It was like getting a call from home.  Except she wasn't a happy caller, she was mad.  We talked and then when the break came we continued to talk.  Somewhere in the break we became friends and we have stayed friends every since. When I came back to Oswego 2 years ago to teach in a two week summer program Karen and I tried to work out a time to meet face to face. Our schedules didn't mesh, and it just wasn't meant to be.  Instead, we hosted a radio show together! And we kept in touch.

2 Days ago I got to meet Karen face-to-face for the first time.  I was in Oswego for less than 48 hours but a few of those hours happened to mesh with the set-up for Oswego's annual Autism Walk and Family Fun Event.  It wasn't a long visit, but it didn't matter.  I got to hug one of my close friends on this journey through Autism, a Mom I'd never actually met, but someone who had made a difference in my life.  There are blessings on this journey and Karen Delaney is one of them.  

Join us this week as Karen Delaney makes a return trip to Everyday Autism Miracles, co-hosting the show.  This is chat that has room for everyone.  If you're feeling left out, don't! There's a seat at the table for you too! Call in to the show at 877.864.4869

Matt Asner was no stranger to Autism even before his son was diagnosed. His half brother had already been living with a diagnosis for more than a decade.  Still, it was a shock when his own son was given a diagnosis as well. Matt's career as an entertainment producer, writer and actor couldn't possibly prepare him for hearing the word Autism in conjunction with his own child. He became an outspoken advocate and began to host his own radio show, Autism America Radio which can be heard on Sirius/Xm Family Radio.

Recently, Matt was dubbed the Executive Director of the Southern California division of Autism Speaks.  Matt joins Everyday Autism Miracles today to talk about this week's mega event, the 10th annual Los Angeles Walk Now for Autism.  Tune in to hear the details of this amazing event and to find out how you can participate even if you don't live in the Los Angeles area.  

Participate in the conversation by calling 877.864.4869.

Keri Bowers is a speaker, filmmaker, advocate and mother of talented young man with Autism. She is the founder of Normal Films which has produced three films about Autism : NORMAL PEOPLE SCARE ME, THE SANDWICH KID and ARTS.  She is also the co-founder of  The Art of Autism and the editor of a book by the same name.  The Art of Autism by Debra Hosseini,  features 215 full-color illustrations by 77 artists and poets of all ages, from all parts of the world. Included in the book are four pieces of art which have been selected for United Nations’ World Autism Day Autism Awareness stamps. Over one million of these stamps will be offered for sale in this month. 

Keri's work as an advocate, key note presenter, workshop leader, and social skills facilitator has touched the lives of thousands of people over the past two decades. The core of Keri's work began when her son, Taylor, was diagnosed with autism. Taylor, now 23, and Keri have made 3 films together and have travelled all over the world to present their talks and workshops. Past clients include The Army, Marines, Autism Society of America, The ARC, United Cerebral Palsy, Centers for Disease Control, numerous universities and colleges, and more. Keri’s highly charged and inspirational talks get participants up on their feet with highly interactive and innovative approaches to utilizing the arts as key “power tools” for interventions. 

This week on Everyday Autism Miracles, Keri shares her story and how you can be involved to help celebrate Autism and the Arts.

If you haven't been watching The A Word, you should.  This is a really important, ongoing, documentary being made by The Center for Autism and Related Disorders following a little boy and his family on their journey through Autism and ABA therapy.  The weekly episodes clearly show the progress, the frustration, the heart ache and oh, yes...did I mention...the progress.

If you ever longed for a way to watch quality ABA therapy across a span of time, The A Word is your answer.  If you've ever longed to be able to show a family member or colleague the progress that can be made doing ABA, but the toll it takes on a family...The A Word is your answer.  If you've ever longed to peek into someone else's house to see if you are the only one who is feeling how ever you are feeling...you guessed it...The A Word is your answer.

Join us this week on Everyday Autism Miracles as we talk with filmmaker Suzanne Oshinsky about this important film and it's onging impact on the Autism community and the world at large.  Catch episodes of The A Word on YouTube www.youtube.com/theawordautism 

by Shannon Penrod

What do you do when life gives you lemons?  You make lemonade, of course!  Well, if you're Cindi DeWet you make lemonade and find out how to use that lemonade to help yourself, your child and a wide range of other children.  Cindi DeWet is a Naturopath, and Autism Mom, a Tourette's survivor and the driving force behind one of the largest organizations looking to help children with Autism, in the state of Texas.  Go Cindi!

Tune in to today's show to hear how Cindi cured herself from Tourettes, how she helped her son and the amazing progress he is making.  Cindi will also share her mission in starting The Assist Autism Foundation and how you can be a part of their Family Fun Day on April 7th in Tyler, Texas. This is a perfect opportunity to have some fun, raise awareness about Autism and enjoy a day of fun and sun!

Have questions for Cindi?  Give us a call during the live show...877.864.4869.

By Shannon Penrod

If you have a child on the Autism Spectrum you will hear from time to time about treatments and supplements that have the potential to help your child.  What's hard is knowing what's worth trying. I've gotten really good at asking, "What's the science behind it?" whenever someone starts to tell my about the newest, greatest discovery.  It's not the only thing I ask, but it's the first thing.  When the science is there to back up the claim, it really peaks my int

erest. Recently I heard two different people talking about camel milk and its benefits.  So I asked the question...and it turns out the science is there and growing.  I thought to myself "It's time to take a closer look".

Christina Adams joins Everyday Autism Miracles this week to explain the science behind camel milk and how she became the first private citizen in the U.S. to be given permission to import camel milk.  More importantly she'll tell us what effect this rare liquid has had on her son.Imagine my surprise when I had the opportunity to meet one of my Autism idols, Christina Adams, author of A Real Boy: A True Story of Autism, Early Intervention and Recovery, and she started talking about CAMEL MILK as well as her 6 year journey to import it in to the U.S. for her son!  Now my interest was more than peaked, it was time to delve in!

This is one story you won't want to miss.  Join the conversation by calling 877.864.4869.

by Shannon Penrod

Recently a Mom admitted to me that she had not begun ABA therapy with her son on the Autism Spectrum, because she feared it would have a devastating effect on the life of her daughter.  This Mom knew that intensive ABA could help her son, but what would that schedule mean to her other child who was developing typically?   She would be drug from session to session, her agenda lost in a sea of her brother's needs.  The mom was torn up about the decision, but had ultimately decided to forgo getting her son help. 

I was struck by the tragedy of the situation and reminded the Mom that it was entirely possible that her daughter would benefit from the therapy.  It might mean that down the road her brother would be so much improved that her life would be freer and in the moment she might actually find a benefit from being included in the therapy.  I told the Mom what I knew of Penelope Yates.  Penelope is the daughter of famed Special Education Attorney Bonnie Z. Yates and Penelope is also the sister of Nick Yates, who recovered from Autism after many years of ABA therapy.  I remembered a couple of years ago Bonnie telling me that she dragged her daughter to every session that Nick had, and that she believed that her daughter was only better for it.  Could that be true?

I think it's always beneficial to hear from parents how they survived the journey through Autism and how they kept their families intact.  But in this case, I think it's even more important to hear from the source what it was like to be "the sibling".

Join us today as Penelope Yates shares her story.  Listen up parents as she shares her experiences; the good, the bad and the ugly.  You may be surprised at what you hear!

 There is something majestic and wonderful about a horse.  They are patient about making eye contact.  They fo

rgive us for our lack of social graces and they communicate in myriads of ways, sometimes to words but also by gesture, sound and touch.  What does this have to do with our kids on the Autism spectrum?  Maybe a lot. 

We all know that finding something deeply rewarding is a way to "key into" our kids on the spectrum.  When they find something that is uniquely exciting to them, they are willing to work through their skill deficits in order to participate. Equine therapy is something that is deeply rewarding to many children.  It is not unusual to witness a child "rise to the occasion" to communicate with a horse or to attend to its needs.

Special Spirit is a unique organization which provides equine therapeutic opportunities to children with special needs, including Autism spectrum diagnosis.  On this week's Everyday Autism Miracles, Special Spirit founder, Eva Lund joins us to talk about this amazing therapy and how more and more families are seeing the benefits of horse therapy with their children.

Have a question about equine therapy?  Give us a call at 877.864.4869.

Author and advocate Sueson Vess knows first hand what it's like to have dietary restrictions.  An accomplished chef herself, Sueson has multiple food sensitivities and a Celiac diagnosis, which have led her to devote her time and talents to creating healthy recipes that provide clean nutrition to those with dietary limitations.  A regular contributor to magazines, Living Without and The Autism File, Sueson's book Special Eats: Simple Delicious Solutions for Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cooking is an absolute must for anyone cooking with restrictions.

By Shannon Penrod

50 years ago it was not uncommon for parents of child with Autism symptoms to be told to institutionalize the

ir children and not look back.  The were told it was hopeless.  To save the rest of their family there was only one thing they could do...walk away.  Today we shudder at the idea.  What happened to those children and to the families who let go.  It is a story that is not being told.  Sheila Appleby-Williams is one of the first family members to speak out.

Her older brother was instituionalized when he was 5.  Sheila was only two at the time and had no memory of a brother whose name was never spoken in her home.  When she was 8 years old the family journeyed to see her brother.  The visit was an a tragic failure and they never returned.  A shattered family, they shouldered the shame and secrecy and attempted to go on.  It left a whole that could not be mended.  More than 50 years later Sheila felt compelled to find her long lost brother.  It was a bittersweet journey, and now Sheila is speaking out, telling a story that has needed to be told.  Where is Autism's lost generation?

Tune in to this week's Everyday Autism Miracles to hear Sheila's tale of forgiveness and healing.

by Shannon Penrod

Every once in a while a hero steps forward and challenges what everyone knows but one no one can seem to overcome.  Jesse Saperstein is on of those heroes.  A young man in his twenties, living with an Asperger's Syndrome Diagnosis, Jesse has taken to jumping out of airplanes to draw attention to bullying.

Today on Everyday Autism Miracles Jesse will join us to talk about his book ATYPICAL and how you can help him to end bullying in 2012.

By Shannon Penrod

The skin is the largest organ of the body, as such it is greatly effected by chemicals, medicines and immune issues.  Children with Autism will often have strong sensitivities that are reflected in the skin.  Eczema, rashes, hives, blisters and discolored areas are not uncommon in our kids.  As a parent choosing what to put on your child's sensitive skin can be a frightening minefield.  What's safe?

Shelly Maguire of Ice Elements Skin Care joins us this week on Everyday Autism Miracles to tell the story of how her own battle with Cystic Fibrosis led to the creation of a skin care line that is not only pure and natural but also restorative.

This is a story of inspiration, hope and triumph.  Tune in on Monday at 4pm PST.  Join the conversation by calling 877.864.4869  

by Shannon Penrod

Earlier this year we did a show about Hyperbaric Oxygen dives for the treatment of Autism.  We talked about the benefits and logistics of it.  Since that time Biomed Mom, Joanne Allor had the opportunity to use this therapy with her son.  Tune in to today's show to hear all about the "Summer of HBOT" for Joanne and her family.  Join the conversation by calling 877.864.4869.

By Shannon Penrod

If there is one thing that Autism has taught me it's to take the time to stop and appreciate what you have.  So today, I want to stop and appreciate my awesome mom who is turning 70-something today!  Tune in to hear my mom co-host the show.  We'll talk about her fascinating life and how she continues to serve as my inspiration!  If you want to call in to wish my mom a Happy Birthday you can at 877.864.4869!

By Shannon Penrod

As parents of children with Autism, we spend thousands of dollars a year trying to help our children to be happy, focused, learning and communicative.  We invest in supplements, therapies and interventions to decrease our children's stims and increase their awareness of the world around them.  What if we could accomplish some of the same results by changing the paint on the walls and the layout of our furniture?  Sensory Designer and Color Expert Lauren Henry works with families to create rooms that are "sensory friendly" for children on the Autism spectrum.  Her company, With a Brush of Love, has transformed the rooms and lives of many children, creating calmer more focused children. 

On today's special edition of Everyday Autism Miracles listen in as Lauren Henry shares her secrets of creating a unique room that can help your child and not overtax their senses.  Take a moment to consider how making a few design changes can create a more productive home environment for you and your child!

By Shannon Penrod

A year ago, while Biomed Mom Joanne Allor and I were at the Fall Autism Research Institute (DAN) Conference in Long Beach CA, I attended a talk about Autism and the Immune system.  At the end of the session the speaker urged all of the parents in the room to get screened regularly for cancer.  In particular for breast, colon and prostate cancers.  For whatever reason they were seeing a trend in their practice of parents being diagnosed with these three cancers.  It sent a shiver up everyone's spine.  Like it isn't enough to have a child on the spectrum - we need to worry about cancer too??

The reality is that cancer touches all of us.  Having a child on the spectrum doesn't exempt you. This was made painfully obvious to Joanne when she lost a second sister to cancer this summer.  That's when her son's doctor recommended she read “Anticancer – A New Way of Life” by David Servan-Schreiber.  On this week's Everyday Autism Miracles Joanne is going to join us to talk about this important book and how is has changed how she looks at things.  She'll tell us why it is so important that we know this information and make changes in our children's lives to ensure they live longer and happier.

Of course we are also going to take a few minutes to celebrate the fact that California has become the 28th state to pass Autism Insurance Reform.  They said it couldn't happen - but somehow it did!  Join us at 7pm EST and 4pm PST to hear all the news.  Better yet, join the conversation at 877.864.4869.

We've all heard about the "Mozart Effect", this is the study that was done that suggested that listening to Mozart could help improve short term memory.  But is it possible that simply listening to certain sounds could have a significant impact on the brain of a child with Autism?  Today on Everyday Autism Miracles we're joined by award-winning author Sharon Ruben.  Sharon's book Awakening Ashley details her daughter's journey through Autism using the Tomatis method listening program.

Listen in as Sharon Ruben talks about her daughter's miraculous recovery and hear how this treament may help the child in your life.  Join the conversation by calling in to the live show at 877.864.4869.

On today's Everyday Autism Miracles we are going to have a refresher course on IEPs.  Here's a hilarious and ultimately sad video (sad, because it is so close to home sometimes) poking fun at how districts prepare for an IEP, through the eyes of a parent!

Believe it or not it's time to get ready to send our kiddos back to school.  For an Autism parent it's more than just a sail through the back-to-school shopping frenzy.  Tune in to today's special show to learn about all the things you can do to get yourself, your child and your child's school ready for a successful new year!

Being an Autism Parent can seem like the loneliest job on the planet.  From time to time over the years that is how I have felt.  I don't think I'll ever be able to feel that way again after the last few days.  I just got back from 3 days in Palm Desert, where I attended The Center for Autism and Related Disorders' annual retreat.

I saw and heard some amazing stuff...stuff that parents don't normally get to hear.  I heard it and I'm ready to share!  I also have a surprise guest!  One of my favorite things about the retreat was a presentation made by three young men...who have recovered from Autism.  It was heaven on a stick!  One of those gentleman will join me in the second half hour - you won't want to miss it!

by Shannon Penrod

I love to hear other parents tell their stories of how they made it through or are making it through the "Autism Journey".  I always feel less alone afterwards.  Recently, I have been asked a lot to share my family's story.  On today's Everyday Autism Miracle show I'm going to spill the beans, air the dirty laundry and tell the tale!  Beware, there are some less than pretty parts, but all in all it is a wonderful love story with a happy ending.

Have you had an Autism miracle in your livingroom or kitchen?  Give us a call during the live show 877.864.4869 or send an email to shannon@everydayautismmiracles.com

Here's the deal... When my child was in the thick of Autism and we were all fighting to get him out of the other world fog he was in, I was too busy to take on any side projects.  It was all I could do to fight Autism in my home, I didn't have time to fight it on Capitol Hill.  I mentally thanked those who had the time, energy and contacts to fight for those of us who couldn't.  My child got incredibly lucky, because of where we lived and the time that he was diagnosed.  Luck shouldn't have anything to do with it!  I promised myself I would do everything I could to help my child and then I would help as many other families as I could.  This is my official notice that I am fully joining the fight for Autism Insurance Reform and I'm in it to win it.  Who's with me?  We are more than half way there.  26 states and counting, but it needs to be available to everyone.  Seriously, who is with me?

Food.  Let's face it, it is at the core of a lot of our experiences.  The kitchen is the nerve center of most of our homes.  Holidays are largely about food.  We eat everyday, multiple times. We spend our hard earned money on food.  Saying it doesn't matter what we eat seems ridiculous to me.  Anything we do consisently surely impacts our life.  We sleep everyday but how we sleep, the quality of how we sleep and how long we sleep clearly impacts our life.  Surely the same is true for food.  What we eat, how we eat impacts our lives.

It's hard enough to know what to feed ourselves, let alone our kids.  So what is right for our kids?  Are we really feeding them what they need?  How do you know for sure?  Today we are going to talk about the food we bring into our homes and feed our children.  We'll cover strategies for doing better.  We aren't striving for perfection but surely we can do better. 

by Shannon Penrod

Having a child with Autism is really stressful.  I don't know anyone who has gotten through it without picking up a resentment or two.  How could you.  I also don't know a single parent who has gotten through it or is going through it that doesn't have health issues.  Could all the pain and frustration and resentment be adding to the stress and making us sick?  That's not helpful to our kids.  Who would we be if we could get rid of all that negative energy?

I am reading Bryon Katie's book, Loving What Is,and I am seeing myself in a way that I haven't ever before. I'm learning how to process that anger and resentment and turn it around to something that is powerful and life changing! I can't wait to read the rest of the book and see what else can happen if I do "THE WORK". Is it really possible that I could turn into one of those really happy, present people who oozes peace like a Buddha on a Benadryl. I think I would like that.

This week Bryon Katie will be joining us to work through what ever needs working through.  Got something you want to work on so you can embrace your inner Buddha? Give us a call during the live show and you can chat with Katie! Simply call 877.864.4869 during the live show. For more information on Bryon Katie and "The Work" that she does visit www.thework.com. You can find her book, Loving What Is, by visiting here.

Every once in a while you just need a good old fashioned RANT.  If you never get the things that are bugging you off your chest you eventually get sick.  Of course it's always a good idea to balance a good rant with a RAVE about something fabulous that you are grateful for. SOOOOOOO...today we are RANTING and RAVING!  Got something to RANT or RAVE about? Join the conversation by calling 877.864.4869

Yeast!!! If your child has overgrown yeast, you know it’s a never ending battle.  What really works to reduce yeast?  Can you do it with diet alone?  Are antifungal drugs safe for children?  Can it be treated homeopathically?

These are the questions we are tackling today on Everyday Autism Miracles.  Our special guest is Defeat Autism Now practitioner Geoffrey Radoff.  He is a board certified medical doctor and homeopath.  Tune in to see how you can solve your child’s Candida issues.