Many of us will be familiar with acid reflux – an uncomfortable and painful condition where acid from the stomach travels back up the oesophagus, causing heartburn and nausea symptoms. It happens when the lower oesophageal sphincter – the ring of muscle that separates the oesophagus from the entrance to the stomach – fails…
ARFID In Children With Autism PANS And PANDAS
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a type of eating disorder characterized by a persistent failure to meet appropriate nutritional and/or energy needs. Individuals with ARFID may fear certain foods or strongly dislike certain textures and may also experience weight loss or nutritional deficiencies. It is more common in children with autism, PANS, and…
Kicking The Sugar Habit
Sugar is vital for life – it is an essential fuel source for all of the cells of our body. As such, it occurs naturally in all carbohydrate-containing foods, including vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products. Consumption of sugar in these forms, as part of a healthy, balanced diet, is not problematic for most people.…
Serotonin – The Happiness Molecule
What is serotonin? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, a signalling molecule that allows communication within the central nervous system and throughout the body via the peripheral nervous system. It is probably most widely known as a mood regulator – our in-built ‘happy’ molecule. But serotonin also plays a role in learning, memory formation, regulating body temperature,…
Aggression – Root Causes and Solutions
Aggression in autism is often seen as a “part of autism”. Very rarely are any medical investigations carried out to ascertain if there may be a root cause to what seems to us as a behavioural issue. Our children don’t harm themselves or others or behave aggressively towards others for no reason. It is their…
Calm their nervous system – first and always!
Most health issues can be helped with nutritional and lifestyle support, but it’s essential to start in the right place, or a lot of effort can be wasted. So, where do we start? We always start by calming cortisol and reducing your child’s stress first and foremost. What is Cortisol? Cortisol is known as our…
Does your child have sunlight deficiency?
We parents are constantly warned to protect our children from the sun so they can enjoy being outside without damaging their skin. But what if ‘sun protection’ is actually causing more harm than good? Many of us have been convinced that the sun is dangerous for our children’s delicate skin and the only safe way…
Natural Solutions For Your ADHD Child
Article written by Stella Chadwick for the Autism Eye Magazine for the Autumn 2021 edition Over the past two decades, more than 10,000 papers have been published on ADHD and the conclusion is that there is no single cause for this condition. When supporting a child or adult with ADHD it is imperative to consider…
Food and Mood
Article written by Stella Chadwick for the Spring 2021 issue of the Autism Eye Magazine Can certain fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices cause negative behavioural issues for our children? Many of us know, or have figured out through personal experience, that food colouring, additives and flavourings can impact our children’s behaviour and mood. But…
Can’t Eat Won’t Eat
Written by Stella Chadwick for the Summer 2021 edition of the Autism Eye Magazine Feeding issues amongst children with autism are far too common. The challenges tend to be eating a limited food selection, showing anxiety or tantrums when presented with new foods, and/or having ritualistic eating behaviours, such as not wanting different types of…
