where to go from here...

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hey, I'm in 100% agreement with you. I don't really care about curing but rather finding out what helps my son. that's why I'm here.

This is outdated information. There is no longer a PDD diagnostic catagory. All the PDD, Aspergers and Autism got rolled into one - its all called autism spectrum disorder today.

I know it sounds confusing. Its just because things have changed so much.

yeah I know.. he's diagnosed with asd from Kennedy kreiger.

I want to very strongly caution the OP on supplementing his son more than necessary. b-12 is generally safe as long as you use a reasonable amount. I would stick with non-methylated forms unless tests show that he has a methylation problem. That is safer for the body.)

Cod liver oil, in SMALL doses is fine too. But in big doses, you're going to hurt his liver. Personally, I would switch to an Omega-3 supplement, as research shows much more clearly that this kind of oil is good for developing brains. Just make sure you get the child's form and give him doses appropriate for his age. No mega dosing!

You can use supplements and aromatherapy and oxygen chambers. But understand that these things are not going to make your kid less autistic. If you end up correcting some problem, then yes, he will get a boost from the treatment. For example, if he actually had pernicious anemia, b-12 supplementing might help him learn. Anything that makes him healthier should make him more available for learning. But supplements don't cure autism itself.

I know it got to be terrible to watch your child lose skills. But its not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong to make this happen.

Let me say this again. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. It's not your fault. And there is nothing you could have done that would have prevented this from happening.

We can only move forward. Every alternative therapy you try should be making your son as HEALTHY as he can be. If the treatment seems to make him less healthy, stop it. No, he's not detoxing. Just stop it. Don't even go near that chlorine stuff they have out these days. It's not new and it doesn't work.

What does work is consistent, kind, and focused attention from an adult. Gently but firmly bringing your child out of that hazy dream place is important. I really like some of the newer teaching methods out there. It seems we are finally cycling back to an understanding that autstic kids can be taught with human dignity - they don't need to be trained like dogs. I like the floortime method.

(I'm also very interested in the programmming that the son-rise program offers. At least online, they have a great series of youtube videos. But Its very confusing because they also promote the idea that you can cure autism. And that's bogus. In fact, a lot of the kid on their videos that they promote as cured are clearly still showing the signs of so-called higher-functioning autism. They speak, but you can see that they are still autistic in how they move and communicate. So, that's one source that I would have you look at with a grain of salt. They seem to be pretty child-centered, but they have a autism-as-enemy stance that can be really harmful.)

The Kreiger institute is huge on ABA, the last time I checked. Go ahead and check that out, especially while he's young. but also do some reading on blogs from adults who were given ABA therapy. Lets just say that there are some downsides. A lot of them involve over-working small children. And older children almost universally report that it feels abusive. So, while I wouldn't tell you to just go without services in the short term; long term, you need to think carefully about your family's values and whether or not you want to use ABA.

Don't be afraid to check out the thread up at top:

RE: Kids w/ Classic Autism, PDD-NOS & Speech Delays

I know it hasn't seen much activity lately, but if you start to post there, some of our other families who have had similar experiences may perk up and find their way back to the thread to talk with you. The thread is there because there is a need sometimes to hang out with those who have had more of the same experience, and the parents whose children have regressive autism are a pretty small group here.