Text detailing case of an
Autistic Child, His US Citizen mother, and Canadian Injustice !!!
Date:
Wed, 2 Mar 2005 14:34:28
-0500
From:
Christine Howarth <christineconklinhowarth@gmail.com>
Christine Conklin Howarth
959 Dunsmuir Road
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V9A 5C4
(250) 360-0537
christineconklinhowarth@yahoo.com
christineconklinhowarth@gmail.com
March 1, 2005
To all those interested in Autism,
My name is Christine Howarth and I am a US citizen. My son Timothy
(born April 21, 2001 in Vermont) is a dual US/Canadian citizen . My
son was diagnosed with AUTISM in July 2004.
I am a single parent facing an ongoing struggle (since May 2004)
involving the notoriously over-zealous and blatantly corrupt Ministry
of Child Protection here in Victoria British Columbia Canada, as well
as a Removal Order from Canada issued by the Department of
Immigration.
Basically, this Ministry has CRIMINALIZED my child's AUTISM. Let me
elaborate.
My situation prevents me from returning to the USA , yet the Ministry
of Human Resources has failed to provide me adequate monthly financial
support. I am prohibited from seeking employment in Canada . I moved
to Canada in 1999 and was married to a Canadian citizen. At the time
of our marriage my husband undertook an intent to sponsor me for
status as a permanent resident of Canada. I was granted approval in
principle status but did not attain landing because we could not
afford to pay the right of landing fee. My immigration status was
further complicated when I had to leave Canada on two occasions to
attend to family matters in the USA. In the spring of 2001 my mother
was diagnosed with uterine cancer and required surgery. I traveled
to
Vermont to assist my mother in her recuperation. At the time, I was
seven months pregnant and my doctor felt that it would be safe. to
make the trip and return the following month. On April 21, 2001
Timothy was born 10 weeks early and needed to stay in a Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit. I had arrived in Vermont in March and was unable
to return to Canada until June. I returned to Vermont again in October
2002 to help my mother. During my absence from Canada, Immigration
officials issued an Exclusion Order against me. My legal aid lawyer
has exhausted all possible appeals to this decision and the Canadian
government will not consider a new application for residency based
on
my son's legal claim to citizenship in this country. A Pre-removal
Risk Assessment appeal was filed and denied in 2004.
I ended the relationship with my husband in September 2003 to escape
domestic abuse. My son's father does not provide any financial support
and has not fulfilled any other parental responsibilities. I face a
constant struggle to obtain the basic needs for living. In October
2003 I applied for Canadian social assistance (welfare) only to be
told that due to my immigration status we did not qualify for any
benefits. For the next five months I paid rent with funds donated by
local churches. I utilized food banks for groceries. During this bleak
period I reached out to local advocacy groups in Victoria for help
and
support. One of these organizations held a rally on my behalf and
succeeded in pressuring the Ministry of Human Resources ( February
2004) to grant me a monthly hardship benefit while I await the
enforcement of my removal order from Canada. This monthly hardship
amount has been reduced by one third since my child remains in the
custody of the Child Protection Ministry.
While I have provided this background information to describe my
general circumstances, I would like to point out that my main focus
for contacting you involves the nature of the Child Protection matter.
The MCFD removed my son Timothy from my care on May 13 2004. Here I
will set forth to construct a TIMELINE of the removal . I feel that
the following information will clearly illustrate that the MCFD
apprehension was not only unwarranted but has proven detrimental to
my
son's health and development. As for how this ordeal has affected me,
I can not even begin to describe the level of devastation and stress
that this has caused in my life. My advocates and supporters regularly
compliment me on my ability to cope. Sharing this information with
you
gives me hope that this matter will be investigated and ultimately
resolved.
May 2004
MCFD appears at my residence (May 11) claiming that it has come to
their attention that there are concerns relating to my "ability to
parent." My requests for specific information regarding this claim
are
not granted. After their departure I contact MCFD offices and schedule
a meeting to discuss this matter the following day. The first forty
-five minutes of this meeting pass and I am still not informed as to
the nature of their investigation . MCFD views my repeated requests
for specific information as inappropriate and demanding. Finally I
am
informed that a person in my neighborhood contacted the Ministry to
report "bizarre behavior" on my part.
It is important to note that the person who approached the MCFD with
"concerns" is someone who I had previously reported to police for
harassing me. Several months earlier I had contacted police to report
that this woman had harassed and followed me . This information had
been provided by a woman whose behavior and utterances I would qualify
as "bizarre." When I moved to this neighborhood last summer this woman
expressed her displeasure that my leashed German shepherd had urinated
on the telephone pole across the street from her residence. Following
that incident this person regularly verbally abused me when I had the
misfortune to encounter her in the neighborhood. I avoided using her
street to eliminate further interaction with her. In December 2003
this woman stalked me for over an hour and appeared at my door where
she announced: "Now I know where you rent." I responded by notifying
the police who then warned her to stop harassing me. I was advised
to
seek a no contact order if her activities persisted. I am certain that
her false claims were made in retaliation to my police complaint. MCFD
has refused to discuss this matter and has not so much as considered
questioning the validity of this woman's report. At the close of the
meeting I was advised that MCFD would be visiting my residence in two
days for a fifteen minute walk through to inspect the living quarters.
While this meeting took place my son had been waiting in a room down
the hall with an attendant. I could hear him crying and left the room
to attend to his needs. MCFD states that I "abruptly ended the
meeting." From the start of this investigation I am depicted as
unwilling to cooperate and also there begins a pattern of instances
in
which my intentions to provide care for my son Timothy are thwarted
or
depicted as cause for concern. MCFD did not come to inspect my house
on the day they scheduled. Instead they chose to conduct the removal
of my son without warning or explanation the following afternoon.
For the next five months my son Timothy remained in Ministry custody.
Despite my lawyer's efforts and letters of support from community
members, my son was not returned to my care until October. As I am
sure you are well aware, the power of the Ministry is such that a
removal can be ordered based on nothing but the slightest suspicion
of
risk to a child. Throughout my ordeal with MCFD this alleged "risk"
has shifted focus on many occasions. In addition to the concerns
alleged by the woman in my neighborhood, MCFD has alleged that I am:
Medically Negligent regarding attending to my son's development
Too self focused to provide care for my son
Too financially insecure to care for my son
Mentally Unstable and/or Mentally ill
Unable to communicate my concerns regarding my son
Unable to take "ownership" for my estranged husband's abusive natureHaving
unusual ideas about my son's diet
Unable to work with medical professionals involved with my son
Too lenient with regard to my son
Too passive with regard to my son
Too over-protective with regard to my son
Unable to cope with stress
In March 2004 I had noticed that at times Timothy was becoming less
responsive to me. Sometimes he seemed oblivious to sounds ( a door
shutting, someone entering a room). I called my local Public Health
Unit and scheduled a hearing test. Bonnie Daudlin, an experienced
speech and language pathologist advised me that my son's hearing was
normal , but she referred him to Queen Alexandra Children's Health
Care for assessment of a possible communication disorder. Prior to
the
spring my son Timothy had appeared to be developing normally. Although
he had not developed speech yet, at the time that I had brought him
to
the Public Health Unit my son appeared to be on the verge on speech.
He experimented with vowels and consonants and was able to able to
say
Mumma and Go Go Go and a number of other words. Ms. Daudlin arranged
to provide weekly speech therapy sessions with me and my son. Ms.
Daudlin praised me for the hard work and subsequent progress she was
observing. Over the next month and a half. Timothy was making great
strides as far as increased eye contact and communication turn taking.
It is a shame that this progress was derailed with the Ministry's
involvement in our lives.
The last time my son Timothy saw his speech therapist over the next
three months was the morning of the very day that they removed him
from my care. Naturally, I advised them about the weekly speech
therapy appointments which had been booked with Ms. Daudlin. Although
I have requested an explanation and filed a formal complaint within
the MCFD, I have never been given any clarification as to why MCFD
decided to deny my son the benefit of continued speech therapy
sessions. Throughout the summer I requested that the speech therapy
sessions resume. Sadly, my requests were repeatedly denied. I did
arrange to have an appointment scheduled at the Saanich Public Health
Unit with Ms. Daudlin so that she could observe the decline in my
son's speech and communication skills. My social worker at the time
(Carol Sawyer ) had verbally agreed to this meeting and the person
who
supervised my visits (Robin Heron of Nisika) accompanied us to the
appointment. The scheduled meeting with Ms. Daudlin never took place.
We arrived at the Public Health Unit only to be told that MCFD had
not
provided written consent for the appointment and since I did not have
legal custody of Timothy the appointment would not take place. Ms.
Daudlin was even prohibited from leaving her office to visit with us
informally. By late August, after my son had received an autism
diagnosis, a speech pathologist was assigned through Queen Alexandra
Health Care. Speech therapy appointments would begin at the end of
the
month. The new speech pathologist (Miriam Dirbach) however , was away
on vacation and Bonnie Daudlin was scheduled to provide the first two
appointments.
Bonnie Daudlin's observations confirmed what I had been asserting for
months. My son Timothy had indeed lost speech skills. Her findings
are
documented and state that my son was not being properly stimulated
in
foster care. Later that afternoon, Ms. Daudlin told me that after we
had left her office she shut the door and cried. She also immediately
faxed my MCFD social worker as well as other interested parties
including Miriam Dirbach. Ms. Daudlin also informed me that she had
spent some time with my son's foster caregiver
Wayne Belcher after I had left. It was her observation that Mr.
Belcher not only repeatedly ignored my son's communication cues, but
also that he admitted to her that he had little if any knowledge of
strategies to encourage communication with non verbal children. This
is especially interesting to note in light of the fact that Mr.
Belcher is the adoptive father of a nonverbal child with disabilities.
Although Ms. Daudlin invited Mr. Belcher to visit her office to work
on communication strategies, he never contacted her to arrange any
sessions.
In the Spring of 2004, following my first visits with Bonnie Daudlin,
I began to read about Autism Spectrum Disorder . Many parents (and
Doctors) are investigating possible benefits to autistic individuals
through implementation of a gluten-free/wheat free and dairy /casein
free diet. I made the decision to investigate this dietary approach.
Please note that at no time did I think that my son Timothy would be
"cured" of his communication disorder by removing the ingredients
mentioned above. When my son was removed from my care I requested that
his special diet would be continued. My requests were not honored.
It
is interesting to note that MCFD dismissed my interest in a GFCF
autism diet as "strange and unusual." In my care, my son appeared
healthy and energetic. He was thriving and had a good appetite. In
MCFD care my son has developed an iron deficiency and lost weight.
Foster caregivers have often reported difficulty with mealtimes. The
day that dairy was reintroduced in my son's diet he broke out in hives
covering a large portion of his body. I happened to have a supervised
visit with my son that afternoon. While changing his diaper I noticed
the hives. Some of the spots were crusted and scabbed over. I find
it
strange that Timothy's foster caregivers had not noted or reported
the
hives. MCFD social worker Carol Sawyer dismissed my opinion that the
hives may have resulted from the reintroduction of dairy products.
I
remember that she quickly suggested that it must be that the fabric
softener used at the foster home was different from the brand I
regularly used. My response to her was that I did not regularly use
fabric softener and if I did it was not a specific brand but rather
whatever was on sale. I include this as one of the early examples of
a
constant theme in my dealings with MCFD. On many occasions my
knowledge of my son Timothy and his needs has been dismissed . My role
as a parent has not been valued nor has it been respected by MCFD.
Visits with my son have been infrequent and irregular at best. Last
summer, the judge who heard my case stated that a minimum visitation
schedule should include supervised visits on at least four days per
week. This judge also advised that I could have additional visitation
if I could secure and arrange for a qualified person in the community
to act as a visit supervisor. I am assigned a Family Development
Worker named Robin Heron through an organization called Nisika. It
is
unclear to me as to the exact role that Ms. Heron serves in relation
to MCFD issues. The relationship with Ms. Heron has been problematic.
Initially I had been told that her role would be to transport my son
to and from visits. She also stated that she was qualified to share
parenting strategies with me. Unfortunately, I have not found her to
be of much assistance. Her presence has actually had the opposite
effect. I have included an example taken from a document I wrote (
Summer 2004) in response to concerns Ms. Heron had voiced to MCFD
concerning her observation that I was "unable to encourage my son to
play."
Concerning the issue of Timothy retreating from play
.
" When we visit playgrounds and my son has had enough play he usually
likes to retreat to his stroller for a brief time and relax, take a
drink or perhaps look at a book. Because I did not have my stroller
with me for these social visits my son developed a habit of retreating
to the Nisika worker's van. This worker felt that I should have tried
to redirect my son and encourage further play. She failed to realize
what I clearly understood: My son was communicating to me that he was
tired (perhaps over stimulated) and that he needed quiet time. I now
make a point of bringing my son's stroller to playground visits and
he
no longer runs to the worker's van when he has had enough activity."
On another occasion Ms. Heron offered me a parenting strategy. During
visits in my home Timothy often fixated on the door . After about an
hour into the visit he would stand by the door and attempt to turn
the
knob. This door was kept locked since it was at the top of a flight
of
stairs. More often than not, Timothy would become upset and have a
tantrum at this point. As a rule I would attempt to redirect my son's
attention to another activity. This did not always work. On several
occasions these tantrums would escalate to the point where Timothy
would wildly flail and thrash on the floor . I handled this by doing
my best to console him and by making certain that he did not hit his
head or otherwise injure himself. Ms. Heron advised me to "ignore
Timothy" and walk away to another part of the room. I refused to
follow her advice and was later criticized by her as well as MCFD
Social Worker Carol Sawyer. When I related this incident to speech
pathologist Bonnie Daudlin, I received positive feedback . Had I
followed the parenting advice offered by Ms. Heron my son could have
easily injured himself. Ms. Daudlin also pointed out that because my
son is non-verbal it would have been the worst possible strategy to
ignore his tantrum . My son was communicating that he wished to open
the door. To complicate matters Ms. Heron would not accommodate any
spontaneous excursions to my yard or a nearby park at home visits.
I
remember that she explained this as her need to see how I responded
to
stress in my home. These occasions when I have been prevented from
responding to my son's needs because of limitations placed on me due
to the removal have been frustrating to say the least.
I have found Ms. Heron to be unfairly critical of me during visits.
For instance, on a hot summer day when a playground visit was arranged
Ms. Heron reported concerns regarding my interaction with my son. This
playground was equipped with a children's water park including several
fountains which sprayed water . We had visited this playground before
and Timothy had not shown any interest in getting wet. I should note
that my son had developed a fear of water including tub baths and
showers during his first foster placement.
For this reason I was especially pleased when he expressed great
interest in exploring the water . There was a large group of kids
enjoying the water park and my son was watching their activities
intently. I held my son's hand and followed his lead as he moved
closer to the fountains. I was very surprised and happy that my son
was eager to enjoy the fountains with the other children. I can still
remember his giggling and happiness that accompanied this new
experience. I can not imagine how anyone could find fault with the
events that I have just described. Robin Heron's report notes that
she
felt that "I stood out from the other mothers in the park in an
unusual way ." She thought it was odd that I did not seem to mind
getting sprayed (indirectly) by the water . She criticized me for not
having removed my son's sneakers. Please note that this water park
was
not a swimming or wading pool, but a surface similar to a basketball
court . The children would either stand near or run through the spray
created by the fountains. Children with autism often have difficulty
engaging in traditional meaningful play. Many times they show no
apparent interest in other children or activities in their
environment. On that day at the playground my son had made a momentary
breakthrough. As the parent of a child with autism I do not take these
moments for granted. Such moments should be cherished not criticized.
Speech Pathologist Bonnie Daudlin often complimented me for my being
in tune to my son's needs. She once told me that the way I interacted
with my son was "beautiful" and noted that I am "very patient with
Timothy." During speech therapy sessions she discussed the strategy
of
encouraging communication by "following my son's lead" and "mirroring
play." Ms. Heron has often misinterpreted my implementation of these
strategies as indication of a "passive" approach to parenting. Last
Fall Ms. Heron accompanied me to a speech therapy appointment with
Ms.
Daudlin. Ms. Heron was critical of my interaction with my son and Ms.
Daudlin actually told her to sit quietly or "it would be necessary
for
her to leave the room." Ms. Daudlin later confided to me that she had
observed Ms. Heron to be unfair and harsh in the way she treated me.
She also noted that she felt Ms. Heron lacked knowledge about autism
and my son's particular needs.
>From the time they first contacted me to the present time MCFD has
regularly failed to recognize my strengths as a parent.
I immediately contacted my lawyer , Peter Golden, after the MCFD
visited my residence on May 11, 2004. Peter Golden had been my legal
aid lawyer for my immigration matters and (with additional legal aid
funding) he agreed to represent me for this matter as well. My lawyer
had advised me that the MCFD had enormous power especially in the
court appearances prior to the Protection Hearing. He spoke to me of
the fact that this power is such that the removal of a child from
parental custody can take place with only the slightest suspicion of
the possibility that a child could be at risk. I can provide you with
a detailed account of the manner in which MCFD has abused this power
at the expense of me and my child.
>From the very start the MCFD has questioned my mental stability. As
I
stated before, I do not nor have I ever suffered from any form of
mental illness . My family doctor who had known me for four years
provided a letter stating that she had never questioned my ability
to
parent nor any concerns regarding my mental health. Still, MCFD stated
that I would need to pass an Individual Psychological Assessment
before a return of my son Timothy would occur. MCFD required that I
complete this requirement yet they were reluctant to arrange for this
evaluation within any reasonable amount of time. I was told by my
social worker Carol Sawyer, that she had put in a referral with USTAT
a local agency that would be able to conduct an evaluation. Ms. Sawyer
assured me that testing would be arranged by this agency within a week
or two from the time of the referral. Several agonizing weeks passed
as I awaited an opportunity to disprove MCFD allegations regarding
my
mental health. After approximately two weeks I called USTAT to inquire
about whether an appointment had been set up. I was told by a
representative at their agency that USTAT only handled clients in
acute need of psychological testing (suicidal individuals, etc.) This
representative also told me that she could not understand why MCFD
was
referring me to their agency. She added that USTAT had previously
instructed MCFD to discontinue referring clients to their agency.
USTAT then sent my referral to another department of the Vancouver
Island Health Authority (VIHA) , called General Psychology. After at
least another week passing with no word of an appointment I called
this agency and was told that there was a waiting list of 3 to 4
months. Because of my economic situation I was not able to arrange
and
pay for this testing on my own. At this point, I contacted many of
the
psychologists listed in the Victoria telephone directory. Also, my
lawyer was investigating the possibility of applying for Legal Aid
funding to pay for an evaluation. Eventually I located a qualified
professional who had availability. Sadly, I was not successful in
arranging funding to cover the psychologist's fees. Had I been able
to
pay for this evaluation I am sure the next few months would have been
quite different for me and my child. At this time Carol Sawyer stated
that although MCFD was not willing to cover costs for an Individual
Psychological Assessment , they would pay for a complete Parental
Capacity Assessment . The Individual Psychological Assessment would
have included 1-2 consultations with a psychologist and cost MCFD
approximately twelve hundred dollars. The Parental Capacity Assessment
was not completed until the beginning of September and I have been
told that the cost was more than five thousand dollars. I challenge
anyone to name a price that would cover the pain and loss experienced
by myself and my son . We had now been separated for over three
months. I passed the Parental Capacity Assessment. I was not found
to
be mentally ill. Carol Sawyer had stated that if I passed the Parental
Capacity Assessment she would "see no reason to keep Timothy". Another
month would pass before my son would be returned to my care under a
three month supervision order. Had it not been for the fact that my
son's foster caregivers wanted to go on a vacation I believe that MCFD
would have continued to stall the return . I had agreed to this
supervision order under the advice of my attorney. By agreeing to this
order I would avoid facing immediate removal from Canada . Although
Canadian Immigration has an enforceable Exclusion Order against me,
they have not yet acted upon it since MCFD became involved with my
case. MCFD advised me that the three month supervision period would
allow me to plan my departure from Canada. Please note that Canadian
Immigration could at any time decide to enforce this Removal Order.
Also, a local attorney informed me of an archaic law still in effect
by which I could be removed from Canada without my son Timothy and
refused re-entry to the country!
I have read documentation prepared by a local agency named HARC who
examined Timothy in the days following his abrupt removal from his
home and family. Here my son's response to removal is described as
behaviors consistent with those seen in "children with severe
depression." Prior to MCFD involvement, my son Timothy was a happy
and
healthy boy. In fact, all summer my son's smiling face could be seen
on the cover of the Victoria and Vancouver Island Kids' Guide available
at brochure racks throughout Western Coastal British Columbia as well
as in Washington State. I had entered Timothy's photo in a contest
sponsored by Island Parent Magazine Group. His photo had been judged
and selected to be representative of Summer Family Fun . MCFD
initially placed my son with two female caregivers. Within less than
a
month's time, the caregivers had notified MCFD of their wish to
discontinue this placement since they had found my son's behaviors
too
challenging. I can remember the first time I saw my son after the
removal. Four days had passed. His eyes had a glazed sort of look and
he avoided eye contact. I have listed below some of the disturbing
changes that presented themselves over the summer of 2004. Also, I
can
provide documentation that supports my argument that these changes
are
directly related to the trauma surrounding MCFD removal.
First Foster Placement
DELIBERATE AND REPEATED HEAD BANGING (beginning the day after removal)
(Please note that my son had never exhibited this behavior prior to
removal)
THROWING HIMSELF TO THE FLOOR AND REMAINING IN A FETAL POSITION FOR
EXTENDED PERIODS
REGRESSION TO INFANTILE BEHAVIORS SUCH AS CRAWLING
DIMINISHED EYE CONTACT
"FLAT EFFECT" PRESENTATION CONSISTENT WITH DEPRESSION
FEEDING PROBLEMS, INABILITY TO THRIVE
SLEEP DISTURBANCES
SUDDEN FEAR OF WATER (TUB BATH, AND ESPECIALLY THE SHOWER SPRAY ATTACHMENT
Because Timothy is non-verbal he cannot express his needs and feelings
in the way that most children of his age would typically communicate.
Communication between a parent and child develops long before speech
skills are acquired. MCFD has served to rip my son Timothy from me,
his loving mother and main communicator. Imagine the frustration for
my son in foster placement. He can no longer count on someone
understanding and responding to his wants and needs. Daily routines
are no longer in place. Everything familiar has been replaced by the
unknown. Children with autism benefit from a life that includes
predictable routines. MCFD has robbed my son of this security.
One would think that these horrifying changes in my son would have
prompted someone to reconsider the removal. MCFD did not act upon my
repeated pleas to address the physical and developmental decline of
my
child. Instead they chose to attribute these behaviors to maternal
"abuse and neglect." The attorney for MCFD even went so far as to
suggest that perhaps my son did not even have autism. He suggested
to
the court that these behaviors could be the result of abuse. Instead
of even considering the possibility that the removal had triggered
such negative behaviors and dramatic change, MCFD used these behaviors
as a baseline for my son. New routines developed. Strange faces became
familiar over time. Some of the behaviors listed on the previous page
seemed lessened. MCFD asserted that these "improvements" confirmed
their belief that my son was better off not in my care. At one court
appearance my lawyer presented the judge with letters from individuals
and agencies located in Greater Victoria. A letter from one agency
states that I "would be an ideal candidate to mentor new mothers."
I
had hoped that these letters would move the judge to look more closely
at my case. I am not even sure that he actually read them.
My son's second foster placement at the home of Carol and Wayne
Belcher was in some ways an improvement upon the initial choice of
caregivers. The second placement was in a home with two parents and
three other children. I was told that they were a Level Three foster
care , which meant they were qualified to care for children with
special needs. I later learned that they had no experience with the
special needs of children with autism. For the first few weeks I was
able to have supervised visits at their house. Often I would visit
my
son for an hour and a half. Travel time to their house included two
bus rides each way for a total of a three hour commute. I can remember
a conversation with Mr. Belcher in which he was telling me about some
of the troubled parents of children that he had fostered over the past
16 years. He remarked that I did not seem to have anything in common
with these parents. This arrangement went smoothly until I reported
safety concerns regarding the Belchers' often unlocked front door .
I
had noticed on several occasions that the Belchers did not keep their
front door locked. This door opened directly to the outside of the
house (there was no storm door) and their yard bordered a busy street.
The back sliding screen door was not safe either. The screen was
ripped out at the bottom and the four dogs and three cats staying at
the Belcher residence let themselves in and out of the house through
the large tear. Children with autism often engage in repetitive
behaviors . My son has always been interested in doors of all kinds.
With the onset of autism Timothy developed an interest in doors and
would often fixate on opening and closing them. On several occasions
at their home I witnessed him opening the unlocked front door. I was
horrified to see how easy it would be for him to open the door and
slip outside undetected. I shared my concerns regarding my son's
safety with Robin Heron , the family development worker. She assured
me that she would have the social worker Carol Sawyer look into the
matter. In speaking with me Ms. Heron had agreed that the Belcher's
front door should be kept locked as a safety precaution. The following
week Ms. Heron told me that Belcher's had felt that my concerns about
the door were unnecessary and critical. The Belchers did not treat
me
in the same way after I made this report. In fact, within a matter
of
a few days time it seemed as if they had a total reversal in their
opinion regarding my ability to parent my child. I was told that they
even questioned my ability to play with Timothy. I provided the
following response to these accusations in a document I submitted to
MCFD at the time:
There should be no concern as to my ability to play with my son. I am
a creative and imaginative person and I am fully capable of providing
my son with opportunities to play. Also, I choose to join my son in
play whenever possible. The foster parents have noted that on one
occasion I stepped back and watched my son while he was playing in
the
sandbox in their backyard. The Summer 2004
Island Parent publication contains this tip for parents: "Watch your
children play. Doing so shows children that you value what they are
doing." Stepping back to observe my son should not be equated with
an
inability or unwillingness to play. The foster parents have also
remarked that I had to be encouraged to show my son how to play with
sand toys. I would like to add that there were no sand shovels or
buckets in the sandbox. I can remember that my son was sitting on a
large Tonka truck and I sang him one of his favorite songs about a
bulldozer. Carol Belcher emerged from the house with a brand new set
of sand toys. I thanked her for bringing out the toys and shared them
with my son. It is also not true that my son was unfamiliar with
balls. In fact at home one of his favorite toys had been a large blue
beach ball. I would also like to add that I always bring toys and
books for my son during visits.
On one of the earlier visits before our relationship changed, Mr.
Belcher had told me that a foster parent had once accused him of
having an alcohol problem. I do not now what prompted him to share
this information with me. As he described it he had returned from
spending time at a bar with a friend and returned to his home. He made
no secret of the fact that he had been drinking. He said his wife had
been looking after the children. A parent of one of the foster
children happened to be there for a visit with her child. Mr. Belcher
said that this woman had filed a complaint about his use of alcohol.
In the next few weeks I would have reason to wonder if he did have
an
alcohol problem. The events below took place at a local hospital while
we waited for my son to be called in for an ultrasound appointment:
At the ultrasound appointment last month I did not remove my son from
his stroller against Wayne Belcher's wishes. I simply responded to
my
son's cues and he was enjoying walking in the hallway with me. Mr.
Belcher's conduct at this appointment displayed a side of his
personality that I had not yet seen. He was very short tempered that
morning. Mr. Belcher removed my son from me and placed him in his
stroller. He then commanded that I sit down. He also stated angrily
that whenever my son is with me he "acts nuts." I advised Mr. Belcher
that I would not sit down if I did not wish to. Mr. Belcher did not
think it was appropriate for me to sit my son on my lap either. I
decided to remove my son from his stroller and I took him into the
bathroom next door to the waiting area. My son and I enjoyed our visit
in the small bathroom. I sang him some of his favorite songs. We
worked on communication building. My son made excellent eye contact
with me . I attended the ultrasound exam and held my son still for
the
procedure. I did mention that Mr. Belcher's eyes looked bloodshot.
I
did not insinuate that he was using drugs, although he had told me
several weeks earlier of a complaint that the mother of a foster child
had reported. Mr. Belcher was loud and intimidating. I removed my son
to the bathroom for the purpose of spending time with my son in a
peaceful environment.
A meeting was called. I attended this meeting with my advocate from
Vancouver Island Human Rights., Meg Meredith. Carol Sawyer was
present. Family Development Worker Robin Heron sat across from me.
Carol Belcher was in attendance . There were several others present
who I was not familiar with. The topic of the unlocked door was
discussed. Again, I brought forth my concerns regarding the safety
of
my son. Ms. Belcher said that it was "ok to leave the door unlocked
because Tim was always supervised." My advocate supported my position
and asked those in attendance to consider what it might be like for
me
as a parent to have so little control over anything related to my son
. She spoke to the group regarding my need for peace of mind. Would
Ms. Belcher be willing to lock the door ? The answer was a clear "No."
Although Ms. Heron has often agreed with me in regard to the validity
of concerns regarding my son's health, safety and well being in foster
care I have found that all too often she is unwilling to bring these
concerns to the social worker or otherwise address these issues. On
occasion she has even expressed her sense of the futility regarding
reporting my concerns to MCFD. She has regularly chosen inaction
rather than reporting and resolving concerns that are brought to her
attention.
OCTOBER 2004
When my son was returned to my care I immediately became concerned
with disturbing behaviors and fears that did not exist prior to
removal. Because MCFD had never upheld the court ordered minimum
standards for visitation I was not able to fully understand these
behaviors until my son was returned full time to my care. I
immediately voiced concerns including the items listed below to my
son's psychologist Katherine Cass:
WAKING IN THE NIGHT/ NIGHT TERROR
HOLDING URINE FOR UP TO 17 HOURS AT A TIME
RAGE AND HEAD BANGING ACCOMPANYING RELEASE OF BOWEL MOVEMENTS
HIDING AND COWERING UNDER BEDSPREAD AFTER RELEASE OF URINE AND/OR B.M.
UNWILLINGNESS TO HOLD MY HAND
FREQUENT PROLONGED EPISODES OF CRYING
FEAR OF WATER (TUB BATH/ SHOWER)
PREOCCUPATION WITH GENITALIA
FEAR OF SWINGS AND SLIDES AT PLAYGROUNDS
BITING AND SLAPPING HIMSELF (AND ME)
I noticed that my son was screaming and raging with every release of
urine and bowel matter. Right away I took my son to a medical clinic.
Medical tests were performed and ruled out any intestinal parasites
or
urinary tract/kidney infection. Within a few days I began to see a
disturbing pattern. My son would retain his bodily fluids and
throughout the day you could tell that he was preoccupied with
preventing their release. I have always made sure that my son has felt
comfortable about his body and body functions. Eventually nature would
take its course and my son would no longer be able to prevent release.
He would repeat "Uh oh ,Uh oh" and cry and either cower under a
bedspread or sometimes run to another room and hide. On a number of
occasions, upon urinating he would wake up from a sound sleep and rage
and tantrum to the point where had I not been right beside him, I am
sure that he would have injured himself. At these times I would
comfort and reassure Timothy. I let him know that everyone pees and
poops and how proud I was when he did it too. I began to be able to
piece together things that I had observed over the summer while my
son
remained in foster care. During the Summer, foster parent Mr. Belcher
had told me that Timothy was regularly having difficulty sleeping
through the night. He had mentioned that my son often screamed in the
night. I now realized that my son had been having these troubles since
July. At the Belcher's my son slept in a crib in a room separate from
the foster caregivers. Throughout the summer my son always seemed to
have bruises and bumps especially concentrated to the facial and
forehead area. My son has a scar below his lip from an injury he
received during the night while in his crib. I was told that he had
been having a tantrum in the night and injured himself by thrashing
and hurling himself at the crib rails. I have always kept my son in
the same room with me at night. Also, my son had not slept in a crib
since he was an infant. I asked the MCFD social worker to request that
the foster caregivers place Timothy in their bedroom at night so that
they could quickly respond to any troublesome night time awakenings.
They refused. In light of the fact that my son has a communication
disorder that currently prevents him from vocalizing his needs I can
not understand why such a simple request could not have been granted.
Over the next few weeks I continued to reassure and praise my son .
As
the days passed my son became more comfortable with toileting. My
son's speech pathologist mentioned that since his return to me Timothy
looked more content and healthy. I kept in contact with his
psychologist who commended me for the progress I had been making. I
learned from her and MCFD Social Worker Carol Sawyer that the foster
parents had NOT been attempting any toilet training. Many of the
behaviors that I noticed are consistent with those typical of abused
(often, sexually abused ) children. At this time my son was just
beginning to receive a minimal amount of therapy in the Early
Intervention Autism Program at Queen Alexandra Children's Health Care
(QA). My son's behavioral consultant expressed that she believed that
my son's toileting difficulties were related to a tactile defense
related to his Pull Ups Training Pants. I was certain that this was
not the case. My son had worn Pull Ups training pants for over a year
without any problems. She advised me to dress my son in two layers
of
diapers. I questioned the purpose of this. How would an additional
layer of diaper reduce a tactile sensory defense? The behavior
specialist told me that I should diaper my son in a traditional
diaper. My son did not fit in any of the more absorbent diapers that
I
was aware of on the market. I asked her to look into finding a brand
that would meet his needs. The behavior specialist told me that a
toileting plan would be implemented. For the month of November my son
would be required to wear the traditional diaper. No Pull Ups allowed.
I agreed to this plan. However, by the last week of October my son's
toileting rages had ceased and he was still wearing Pull Ups at the
time. I include this detailed diapering information only to illustrate
what follows:
The last week in October my lawyer Peter Golden received a fax from
MCFD stating that I was not in compliance with the rules laid out in
the supervision order. I was very surprised to hear of this concern
since only approximately two days earlier I had met with MCFD social
worker Carol Sawyer at length and she never mentioned any concerns
at
all. MCFD said that I :
Had not attended all scheduled appointments for my son. This is FALSE.
My son missed several appointments because he had been up at all hours
of the night as I described earlier. On such occasions I called the
voice mail number that I had been provided by Queen Alexandra
Children's Health Care. I later learned that the number I had been
given was NOT the voice mailbox for Timothy's autism interventionist
but belonged to another worker with the same first name. I had been
given the wrong number! Also, a number of the appointments had been
cancelled by the autism interventionist. These appointments took place
at the daycare facility where I had been required by the MCFD to
enroll my son. I remember another occasion when I brought my son to
the daycare only to find that Timothy's Autism Interventionist and
the
daycare worker had both cancelled. No one had notified me of any
cancellation.
Was not following the advice of medical professionals. This is FALSE.
I am motivated to provide my son with any possible benefits that he
might receive by Autism Intervention. I simply had stated that I felt
that my son's diaper issues were not related to a sensory defense.
As
it turned out, my observations had been correct. I can provide
documentation from a number of medical professionals who have enjoyed
working with me and my son. These professionals have testified in
court as to MY WILLINGNESS AND MOTIVATION to work with them. When my
lawyer asked MCFD Social Worker Carol Sawyer why she thought that
these medical professionals contradicted her assertion she replied
" I
believe these people tell Christine what she wants to hear."
My lawyer told me that he would prepare a response to the MCFD fax.
He
never got the chance. On November 3 MCFD removed my son a second time.
I returned to my home that evening with my son and was shocked to find
my residence in complete disarray and my dogs were missing. A short
time later there were seven police officers standing in my living
room. I was told to prepare my son for removal. On the previous day
my
son had been injured at the daycare. My son's autism interventionist
had not been supervising him closely. She later told me that she had
been looking through her bag for learning materials. My son was
allowed to play on a concrete step in the daycare. He fell and
received an injury that required stitches. I was told by an employee
of the facility that "other kids had been injured on that step" and
that "they ( the daycare) had wanted the step removed." My son
sustained this injury within minutes of being left in the care of the
daycare. I had not yet left the building though because I was asked
to
fill out a Who to Contact in Case of Emergency Form. MCFD has stated
that my reaction to my son's injury was not normal. They even
attribute his crying at the time of the injury to having been caused
by me. My son cried when he was injured because his injury caused him
pain!
Since my son's second removal he has been sick more often than not.
He
has had upper respiratory infections, lost six pounds in a month, and
suffered with an untreated rash in the anal area for about two months.
I can prove that the MCFD has been medically negligent with regard
to
the care of my son. On many occasions I have requested for my son to
see his family doctor. Advocates have acted on my behalf to voice
these identical concerns. How can a Ministry whose mandate is to
promote the best interests of children explain the documented fact
that my son's physical and mental health and well-being has seen
nothing but a dramatic decline while in their "care."
The current foster placement is a definite conflict of interest. My
son's foster caregiver is an employee of the daycare facility where
he
was injured. I have been told that this person is a single woman who
works two jobs outside the home. My child spends 5 days a week in a
daycare for most of the day. He also has 20 hrs of autism
intervention. In my care my son was not kept in daycare. I spent
meaningful time with him. He interacted with other children at
playgrounds and I had enrolled him in several playgroups/classes with
local recreation centers. His current schedule is one which creates
unnecessary stress for him. Also, I do not feel that he can be getting
the full benefit of Autism Intervention due to the excessive time
spent in daycare.
My son's physical appearance has changed dramatically since removal.
Not only has he lost weight, but he has grown taller and not gained
body weight either! He now fits in a baby diaper that did not fit him
a year ago! His ribs and vertebrae are visible through the skin. MCFD
Family Development Worker Robin Heron observed in December that "HE
LOOKS LIKE HE HAS LOST BODY MASS." Yet she refused to follow through
with having this matter addressed by MCFD or her employer who is
contracted by MCFD. Upon request I can provide "before" and "after"
photos that illustrate this sad fact.
In November the foster caregiver cut my son's hair short to the point
that when I arrived for a visit I did not immediately recognize him
.
The day before she cut off his hair I had provided written instruction
stating that I would take care of any hair trimming. My son had always
been complimented for his red curls. I do not even have one of these
curls for his keepsake book.
My son is often dressed inappropriately by the foster caregiver.
Although she receives an adequate monthly allotment for clothing, my
son is often dressed in ill fitting second hand clothing. On one
occasion when my son was visiting at my house I dressed him in a pair
of jeans and shirt that I had purchased for him. In response to this
the foster caregiver wrote these entries in the communication log in
use at the time: "Timothy is not a doll to play dress-up with.
Changing his clothes was against his dignity." She also indicated in
this same entry that she felt I knew nothing about parenting.
The foster caregiver has exhibited unusual behavior at several of my
son's medical appointments. On one occasion she observed (through one
way glass) a speech therapy session that I attended with my son. At
the end of the session I lifted my son's shirt to show his dramatic
weight loss to a medical professional. Upon seeing this, the foster
caregiver abruptly burst into the room and demanded that I keep my
son's shirt on. The two professionals in the room have reported that
her behavior was shocking and defensive. Earlier that same day the
foster caregiver had argued with the speech pathologist and threatened
to pull my son out of his therapeutic sessions. The speech pathologist
had asked that she remain in a waiting area while I attended the
session with my child.
My son has continued to lose all speech. He no longer calls me Mumma
MCFD insists that I am unable to work with professionals . They have
created a requirement that I prove to them my ability to work with
professionals. MCFD dismisses my documented ability to work with many
professionals already involved in my son's therapy. Further to this
matter, following the above mentioned outbursts featuring the foster
caregiver, MCFD/QA have not included me in my child's autism
intervention and/or speech therapy.
MCFD has not provided reasonable visitation. MCFD attempted to cut
corners and save a few bucks by relying on my unpaid Human Rights
Advocates to serve as visit supervisors. Recently on a weekend day
the
foster caregiver prevented my Human Rights Advocate from bringing my
son to my home to visit . She felt that I had "already seen him
enough" that week. On several occasions I have waited two weeks
between visits. At Christmas time I had no visitation with my child.
Bonnie Daudlin, my son's original speech pathologist had kindly
offered to supervise several visits in my home over the holidays. MCFD
never returned her phone calls. Thinking that I knew nothing of this
offer , MCFD informed me that there was no one available to supervise
the holiday visits. MCFD did not want Bonnie Daudlin to have the
opportunity to further document my son's decline!
MCFD social worker Alys Pivetta has allowed my case to stagnate. For
the second removal MCFD has asserted that they believe I have a
problem with anger management. Certainly if I had an anger management
problem ,one would think that it would have been detected and
addressed at the time of the first removal of my child. While I do
not
feel that I have a problem managing anger, I have always agreed to
taking an anger management course. Alys Pivetta waited three months
before arranging this anger management program. My advocates were not
successful in their attempts to see that this course would be made
available within a reasonable amount of time. Last month I asked Ms.
Pivetta she intended to tell the judge regarding the three month wait
for getting thew anger management program set up. She told me that
she
was going to say that I had "refused to comply with attending the
course." MCFD Social Workers Alys Pivetta and Carol Sawyer do not
hesitate to lie before a judge.
My Human Rights Advocate recently spoke with Alys Pivetta about the
Anger Management Course. I have attended all sessions and have one
session remaining. My advocate asked Alys as to what would happen next
if "upon completion of the Anger Management Program it was decided
that Christine does not have an Anger Management Problem." Her
response: "THEN THAT WOULD BE THE PROBLEM."
I CURRENTLY RECEIVE NO VISITATION WITH MY CHILD
A month ago I asked Alys Pivetta why I was not allowed unsupervised
visits with Timothy. She said she had concerns that I would have
problems dealing with the transition of drop off and pick up of my
son. MCFD manufactures "problems" to suit their needs. The following
week when asked the same question by my Human Rights Advocate, Ms
Pivetta had forgotten her original reason and come up with three new
ones 1. I would have to prove that I could write down a log of what
I
did with my son during the visit. 2. No chocolate….
The next week Alys
added five more ridiculous requirements to the list.
Alys Pivetta announced at last month's case conference that she thinks
the reason there is a communication problem between me and MCFD is
due
to my alleged "UNDERLYING MENTAL ILLNESS!" I have undergone a complete
Individual Psychological Assessment as well as a Parental Capacity
Assessment. It is a violation of the Social Workers' Code of Ethics
for a social worker to attempt a diagnosis or make a statement
regarding the mental health of an individual with no documentation
to
support it!
MCFD is causing damage to the MOTHER/CHILD BOND! MY SON HAS AUTISM.
HE
CAN NOT TELL ANYONE THAT HE MISSES HIS MOTHER! HE HAS NO VOICE! MCFD
HAS EXPLOITED MY SON'S COMMUNICATION DISORDER .
MCFD 's attorney opened his legal presentation by stating that I was
supposedly "NEGLIGENT WHEN I WAS CARRYING MY SON IN MY WOMB!" The MCFD
attorney stated that while pregnant, I had traveled by airplane from
British Columbia to Vermont against the wishes of my doctors. THIS
IS
A LIE! I had been granted permission to travel by my doctor Jerome
Dansereau who just so happens to be the Director of Obstetrics for
Victoria!! In August 2000, a little over a month prior to the
conception of my son I MISCARRIED A PREGNANCY in the FIFTH MONTH due
to Incompetent Cervix. SHAME ON THIS ATTORNEY TO EVEN SUGGEST THAT
I
WOULD DO ANYTHING TO ENDANGER MY THEN UNBORN CHILD!
Even my dogs have not been spared the CRUELTY of the Ministry. On
November third (Day of 2nd Removal) MCFD informed the Victoria Police
that my dogs were VICIOUS and acting upon this information the Police
pepper sprayed my dogs and took them to the local dog pound. My german
shepherd ran from the house blinded by the stinging substance. Since
the pepper spraying she has developed a skin condition and chewed most
of the hair from her body. I assure you that my dogs are docile.
Further to this, MCFD had known me since May and visited my house on
dozens of occasions. If my dogs were vicious why is there not one
shred of documentation to support their assertion. I have
documentation from the first removal that states that the dogs needed
to be put in a spare room at that time because they were busy LICKING
THE PAPERWORK OF THE POLICE OFFICERS AND SEEKING OUT ATTENTION! In
fact the animal control officer APOLOGIZED for what was done to my
dogs. The Police Apologized .
WHEN WILL MCFD TAKE OWNERSHIP FOR THEIR CRUELTY?
Unfortunately the nature of the Ministry's power and the fact that
this case has not been investigated has put me in a position in which
I stand accused and judged with little opportunity to shed light on
the truth regarding my character, the needs of my son, as well as the
clearly evident mishandling of this case. I thank you for reading my
statement. I would like to add that I have never been arrested for
anything in my life. I also have never had any drug or alcohol
problems. I love my son and my only hope for his return is to shed
light on these matters. To be frank, I also fear reprisals from the
Ministry of MCFD for even contacting you. Any and all support will
be
sincerely appreciated. I have included important contact information
below:
Christine Conklin Howarth (250) 360-0537 email:
ChristineConklinHowarth@yahoo.com
Another email address that should be copied in is
ChristineConklinHowarth@gmail.com
as I will also be sending and receiving correspondence from that email
address.
Please note that I have restricted phone service and can not make long
distance calls.
Also, I do not have an answering machine. Please feel free to contact
my brother Gene Conklin in Massachusetts, USA at the number and/or
email listed below. Messages CAN be left at his number and he will
alert me. Gene Conklin (413)664-0760 email:
genetconk@yahoo.com
Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition Society (250) 382-3012
My lawyer: Lex Reynolds (250) 383-8685 Fax: (250) 383-7973
Ministry
In Victoria, call Client Relations: (250) 387-7027.
If you are outside Greater Victoria, please call Enquiry BC
(toll-free): 1-800 663-7867. Ask to be transferred to the Ministry
of
Children and Family Development in Victoria at (250) 387-7027.
Email: MCF.CorrespondenceManagement@gems2.gov.bc.ca
Mailing Address:
PO Box 9770 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC
V8W 9S5
Media Inquiries and Communications
Public Affairs Bureau
Phone: (250) 356-1720
Fax: (250) 356-3007
Minister's Office
PO Box 9057, Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC
V8W 9E2
Phone: (250) 387-9699
Fax: (250) 387-9722
Glyconutrients
(saccharides), TRANSFER FACTORS, AND AUTISM
"This is about my son, Zane. He is 2 years old and suffers from allergies,
asthma, speech delay and expressive language development. In so many words,
he does have a lot of characteristics of a child with high-functioning
autism. We started giving him Goji
juice and he is responding much better to us. His eye contact is
better and he is really trying to talk a lot more. This week, when his
speech teacher came, she noticed a change in him and he did not have one
single tantrum during his session with her. Nor did he ask her to leave.
In the past, as soon as she came to our house Zane would tell her “bye-bye”
hoping she would leave. And he always had a few tantrums during his session.
Today his occupational therapist came and he did a wonderful job, again
having no tantrums, responding to her requests with good eye contact, speaking
to her and sharing and giving her his toys. It might not sound like a lot
to you in reading this, but, I, as his mother, do see a wonderful difference
in my son." Darlene S., New Jersey
Note: Darlene's
original story was written two years ago. I spoke with Darlene today
(July 2005) and she told me Zane is now 4 years old, still drinking Goji
juice, going to school and progressing wonderfully. She said his initial
turn-around began when she first started giving him Goji juice, about two
years ago! Her story is very interesting, heart breaking and heart warming.
She told me that Zane was a normal, healthy and happy little boy until
he was about 18 months old. About that time he had some of his “shots”
and suddenly he was a different child altogether. She now believes he will
again be the happy, social little boy he was the first months of his life!
Matthew Silver, MD - "An associate in her early fifties
who had suffered for many years from the toxic effects of chlorine poisoning
from inhaling vapors from an over-chlorinated swimming pool. This had resulted
in many severe health challenges including extreme chronic fatigue and
breathing difficulty that kept her housebound and dependent on oxygen.
Even minimal exertion led to extreme shortness of breath. After just three
days of drinking
Goji
juice, she reported that all of her symptoms improved dramatically
and that she was able to leave her house without oxygen and work in her
garden, which she had not been able to do in years.
Goji's 22 polysaccharide (glyconutrients)
compounds are a major asset in the battle against nutritional deficiencies
The potential for Goji Juice
to modify health problems is unparalleled in my 40 years of medicine."
- Dr. F.E. Nicley, M.D., University of Tennessee
College of Medicine
"The results that I have
seen with hundreds of people are truly astonishing... I consider Goji Juice
the cornerstone of my approach to health and vitality. Virtually every
one of your important physiologic systems can benefit from Goji."
- Dr. Ron Friedman, M.D., residency done at Harvard
Medical School
"I would recommend Goji Juice
to practically anyone. The results I have seen are nothing short of astonishing."
- Dr. Marc Westaway, M.D., University of Queensland
Medical School
"In the 25 years I've worked
in the wellness industry, I've never seen nor experienced greater benefit
than I have with Goji Juice. I don't think it's unreasonable to call Goji,
literally, the Fountain of Youth." - Dr. Sandra
Lee Boice, M.S., Ph.D. in Clinical Nutrition
"Although my personal benefits
from drinking Goji Juice have been quite impressive, the results that others
with whom I have shared it with have often been absolutely astounding.
The Goji berry is nature's perfect food because it has such a high density
of nutrients." - Dr. Matt Silver, M.D., Family
Practice physician with more than 18 years clinical practice
" Goji Juice helps people
feel happier, allows them to sleep better and improves their immunity better
than anything I have ever seen in my medical career." - Dr.
Carlos Orozco, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Doctorate in Reproductive Biochemistry
and Immunology
learn
more about the health benefits of Goji berry juice --- 
Free
Goji ebook ----
Goji
juice ingredients
Dr. Jennifer Reid, N.D. - "As a naturopathic physician, I have
been working with autistic children since 1997. I was introduced to these
nutrients three years ago and was very skeptical even though the science
looked good. I decided to try glyconutrients with five of my most extreme
cases. One of these five patients was a severely autistic child. With this
child, I saw what appears to be a recovery of all previous symptoms. I
have worked with over 150 autistic children. All children are unique, but
in general, what I am seeing is that within the first month, the child's
verbal communication increases, their "stimming" decreases, and their color
improves. As health continues to improve, behavior problems will diminish.
The need for many additional supplements will also decrease after starting
glyconutrients. Glyconutrients give the body the nutrients to naturally
chelate itself of many toxic substances. Families using glyconutrients
with their children are having amazing results with autistic characteristics.
The results and improvements are definitely undeniable."
Autism - Former Seattle
Seahawks footall player find helps with autistic twin boys
Our 7-year-old autistic twin boys began taking glyconutrients six weeks
ago. I am already seeing differences in their behavior. They are talking
more and what they say is much clearer. The boys are more aware of things
around them. They have better eye contact. They're even playing with each
other a little bit more. Our most severely autistic son sat through a one-hour
and 45-minute therapy session last week without any autistic behavior.
He's never done that! I was skeptical about the benefits of glyconutrients
because we hear of so many new things for autism. We decided not to say
anything to the boys' therapist, their speech pathologist, our support
group, and friends. After the first month, it was undeniable that glyconutrients
were helping not only our boys but the whole family. We all take them.
After only one week on the glyconutrients, the speech pathologist asked
what I was doing differently.The therapist started noticing their speech
was clearer and they were working better.Last week we had our friends over
for dinner. It was the FIRST time ever to sit through a dinner without
any behaviors. We were amazed. We are thrilled at the results we are seeing.
We have actually found joy in being their parents. - Curt and Ana Warne
Other
Sources of Saccharides/Glyconutrients (where to buy)
Application
of Transfer Factor in Autism
In a landmark study, Dr. H. Hugh Fudenberg, M.D. found that of 22 Autistic
children, 21 improved significantly and 10 were considered to be recovered
and mainstreamed in their schools following Transfer
Factor treatment. After the treatment was discontinued, some showed
regression, but none returned to their prior baseline levels. Dr. Fudenberg
used the lymphocyte based Transfer Factor in his treatment, and while these
results have been replicated using that treatment protocol, they have not
been replicated using the colostrum based treatment. Recent Publications
Authored by Dr. H. Hugh Fudenberg (NOTE: Dr. Fudenberg used Transfer
Factor "classic formula", not the "advanced " or the "Plus" formulas)
Autism:
Our Son's Amazing Improvement with Glyconutrients (saccharides) and Transfer
Factor Nutritionals
Testimonial about a 2 year old autistic child's recovery from
autism
Our son Mason was born in November 2002 happy, healthy and beautiful.
He developed normally and reached all of his milestones. After Mason
received his 1st year immunizations, he completely withdrew from us and
the rest of the world, spending the majority of his time staring at his
fingers, spinning, or gazing into space. His preferred companion
was a pen or any other vertical object he could find. He lost
his ability to walk up and down the stairs, feed himself and began to self-select
foods leaving him with a total of 2 foods in his diet. Mason also
broke out with severe eczema all over his body and became irritable anytime
we tried to cuddle with him. read
more...
Dr. Buttram M.D. "At
the present time there are growing public and professional concerns about
the safety of currently mandated childhood vaccine programs, as reflected
in by a series of annual Congressional hearings in Washington DC that have
taken place since 1999, sponsored by the U.S. House Government Reform Committee
under the chairmanship of Congressman Dan Burton. At an annual conference
of the American College for the Advancement of Medicine during April 2001,
with several hundred physicians in attendance, when one of the speakers
asked how many in attendance had concerns about
the safety of current childhood vaccines, a large majority raised their
hands. The Autism Research Institute of San Diego is now widely known as
an active support group for families with autistic children and is one
of the more active organizations in this field. Its founding director,
Bernard
Rimland, Ph.D., has provided the statistics that, in their experience,
from 50 to 60% of parents with autistic children believe that their children
were damaged by vaccines. In our own office we have seen many autistic
children in recent years, and our own experience has been very similar,
many parents reporting that deterioration of their children took place
following vaccines" more about the danger
of vaccines
Children and adults are being
exposed to thousands of trillions (quadrillions) of mercury atoms each
day primarily from dental amalgam fillings in
the mouth, which leak toxic vapors twenty-four hours a day seven days a
week. Most recently though, mercury has been increasing in the foods we
eat, especially in the form of fish. It is also increasingly in the air
and the water we drink and is entering into the soil where it is just beginning
to threaten biological activity there. In the next ten years, we will pollute
the world with approximately another sixty to ninety thousand tons of mercury
after already adding over 600 thousand tons during the past century.
"A few years ago, I was diagnosed with heavy metal and chemical poisoning.
Among the many toxic substances in my body, mercury from the fillings in
my teeth was a major culprit. Having neither health insurance nor
the money to pay for these expensive treatments, I began searching for
alternative ways to eliminate these poisons--a major cause of immune system
breakdown--and thus, the source of various diseases. Eventually, my search
led me to a book, Using Energy to Heal, by Wendell Hoffman. Through his
own research, Hoffman found that a special bentonite (a very fine volcanic
clay) used in a bath can actually draw out toxic chemicals through the
pores of the skin. After many experiments, he concluded that optimum
results are obtained by immersing oneself in a tub of very warm water mixed
with a special bentonite clay for exactly 20 minutes!"
Specially formulated clay baths have been shown to literally pull pollutants
out like a magnet, getting rid of years of toxic accumulation many times
in just one bath. Their unique formulas use a negatively charged clay which
magnetically pulls toxins from the body. Most chemical and heavy metal
toxins have a positive charge, whereas the clay has a negative charge.
Thus, the toxins cannot resist being drawn towards the clay! Through his
own research, Hoffman found that a special bentonite (a very fine volcanic
clay) used in a bath can actually draw out toxic chemicals through the
pores of the skin. After many experiments, he concluded that optimum
results are obtained by immersing oneself in a tub of very warm water mixed
with a special bentonite clay for exactly 20 minutes!" click
here for detailed information
Do you have a question or need guidance? Patricia Wilson volunteers her time to provide guidance and support in your quest to find relevant information. She
can be reached at 206-222-1619 or 281-581-2424 (USA) or
.
