“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”–Maya Angelou

As the special needs population grows, so are the number of parents questioning, “What could I be doing better?”

Ben started receiving early intervention in 2006 for autism. He was 2.5 years old. I did what the speech, OT, PT, play therapists told me to do. I did what the developmental pediatrician told me to do. I did what the psychiatrist told me to do. I did what the social worker told me to do. I did what my pediatrician told me to do and the behaviors and symptoms never improved, but continued to become more intense and complex.

They would all ask me Ben’s symptoms. I would tell each of them. Ben doesn’t sleep more than 4-5 hours/night. Ben has really horrible gas and gets bloated after meals. Ben has really loose stools. Ben has a very limited diet. Ben’s has moderate-severe eczema. Ben is congested all the time.

With all that medical guidance, within all those appointments, not one of those medical professionals said, “Your son’s gut is messed up. You need to be educated about nutrition and the microbiome. Here is a referral to a nutritionist who specializes in nutrition for neuroplasticity.”

Why wasn’t I, because the field doesn’t exist! It seems pretty obvious by the above list of symptoms that the profession is desperately needed, but obviously the need for it has just emerged as more and more kids are having brain and gut issues.

It’s cutting edge information. Modern medicine has very little to zero training in establishing and maintaining a healthy microbiome, and everything that is required to heal the microbiome dramatically challenges the industries that drive our culture.

Can’t you see the disorganization of Ben’s brain? Just posing for a picture took so much energy and effort at age 11

To heal the gut, you as the parent have to be an informed consumer. You as the parent will have to do the investigating and find a team of professionals that feel the same. You want to team up with professionals that have a comprehensive plan and want to educate and empower you.

The purpose of this blog is to empower parents and professionals to consider better modalities that challenge the status quo. As parents, we are told to trust the agencies that profit most, when parents are uneducated and sit on the sidelines.

As a special needs parent, if you want to achieve neuroplasticity, it will require your journey to be unconventional.

As a special needs parent, you can definitely co-exsist within the current culture, but you and your family will have to come to terms that your goals are going to be different from your neighbor’s goals.

We are all placed on this Earth to learn from one another and special needs families have a tremendous amount to teach our current culture.

Food plays a huge role in our culture. Food plays a huge role in restoring one to a higher level of health.

You as the parent will have to do the research and stay the course. You as the parent will also understand that nutrition is just one piece of the puzzle. In order to achieve neuroplasticity, you need not just to focus on nutrition, but have a solid comprehensive approach.

I created this blog, because I want to share what a comprehensive neurological program has done for my family. To rally parents and professionals to learn how to be successful at getting special needs kids/adults to develop more independence.

Since, my son’s early intervention days in 2006, I have seen more and more business entities emerge that profit from special needs families. However, I have yet to see business entities emerge that educate and empower special needs families.

Kids dressing for jersey day at school. Ben is 11 years old and is having such difficulty connecting with others.

I see many families and professionals struggling to understand the behaviors or develop the pathways necessary for the brain to function at a higher level. I see kids being pushed through the various educational systems as parents are being pushed to concede with the current conventional methods.

I believe there are better modalities to developing the brain and empowering families to stay the course. Special needs families can offer such insight on how God has designed the body and brain to be restored if it gets injured.

As the gut heals and the brain develops, Ben is more aware and present. Ben is 15 in the above picture and 16 in the bottom picture.

There are a better ways to develop the brain and to empower parents and professionals than what the current conventional system provides.

Vacationing is getting easier and far more enjoyable. Age 16.

I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.”–Maya Angelou

This blog is for parents and professionals. We need one another to get results! For more information about neuroplasticity and nutrition.

www.familyhopecenter.com