Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Action: It's Okay to Have Mixed Feelings

Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Action...Can they coexist? I believe so!

In Episode 14, I'm covering the diagnostic criteria and rising rates of autism spectrum disorders, as well as the changes in formal diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5.

I'll be exploring various subtypes of autism, and the "communities" within the overall larger community of autism spectrum disorders (specifically the biomedical community, the neurodiversity community, and the traditional behaviorist community).

We'll talk about the difference between person-first language and identity-first language, and how the language we're using within the autism community really does matter... but it might matter differently to different communities within the larger autism community.

I share my own mixed feelings about Autism Awareness Month / day, and offer validation that it's okay for you to have mixed feelings too, if you do.

While there may be differences among the autism communities, I think everyone within the autism community really wants the same thing: For individuals with autism or autistic people, whichever that individual’s preference, to be able to live their best lives and be fully respected and loved.

Let's raise awareness. Let's teach love and acceptance of individuals where they are - always! But let's not forget: There's action to be taken for their individual health needs, and to move this conversation forward as a collective whole.

Push play below and listen in to Episode 14 to learn more!

Mentioned in the show:

BLOG: “Exploring Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions”

Episode 5: “Exploring Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions”

TACA Autism Statistics

Three Skills All Kids Need Before Developing Language: "Prelinguistic Skills"

In Episode 13 I'm covering 3 prelinguistic skills that all children need to develop before developing language:

1. JOINT ATTENTION; 2. IMITATION; & 3. SYMBOLIC PLAY

This list is not exhaustive of these prelinguistic / pre-language skills but we're highlighting 3 very important ones that you can easily incorporate into your daily routines with your child!

This podcast is for parents of children who are typically developing, have developmental delays, or children who have symptoms or a diagnosis of a known neurodevelopmental condition like autism.

Not only are these skills foundational to language development, they also support social communication skills as well!

Listen in to learn these prelinguistic skills and a variety of examples of how you can naturally weave these strategies into your child's day. Enjoy!

Gluten Free, Casein Free Diets (GFCF) For Kids with Complex Picky Eating and/or Developmental Conditions - Answering FAQs

Episode 9 builds onto the information shared in previous episodes re: complex picky eating and neurodevelopmental delays and disorders being whole body conditions, as well as holistic nutrition, gut health, gluten free/casein free (GFCF) Diets... If you're new to the podcast and these topics, please go to earlier episodes in this Season 1.

I'm answering frequently asked questions that parents of these children often ask me when they're considering or starting the GFCF diet trial...

How do you know if they're getting or not getting the nutrients that they need? Can GFCF diets create deficiencies?

We specifically explore zinc and calcium and related factors to think about with these nutrients when implementing a GFCF diet.

Is the GFCF diet a lifelong change or temporary? How long until you see results? What would those results and improvements look like?

And lastly, I offer some guidelines and general habits for families to consider embracing during their transition to a GFCF diet with the child(ren) and/or family.

I'm answering all these questions and more. Enjoy the episode and don't forget to check out the resources linked below that I mention in the show!

Mentioned in the show:

My Accompanying Blog: "GFCF Diets, Picky Eating, Autism, & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders...What's the Connection?"

Organic Olivia Herbal Supplements Line - For Kids & Adults - I use these products personally and with clients for support!

Exploring Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions [Podcast]

The title says it all! In this episode we're exploring autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental disorders (like ADHD, childhood apraxia of speech, global developmental delays, etc.) as whole body conditions.

We're taking a closer look at the overlapping co-morbidities and the underlying root causes and symptoms these children and individuals share. I discuss the rise of these childhood disorders in tandem to the rise of chronic illness across the board in children and adults over the last few decades, and we talk about what beginning steps families can take towards living a more holistic and low tox lifestyle to support their child's health, wellness, and development.

Mentioned in the show: 

My Accompanying Blog: Exploring Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions

My favorite low-tox cleaner for my home: Branch Basics (discount code included!)

Exploring Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions [Blog]

[Click here to listen to my accompanying podcast, “Exploring Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders as Whole Body Conditions”]

I will continue to build on this topic but for now (before I get too ahead of myself), let’s get into some foundational information about autism spectrum disorders & other neurodevelopmental disorders as whole body conditions.

I hope that this blog will be a good starting point to help evolve your perception of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in general.

ASDs are referred to as “spectrum” disorders to reflect the vast varieties of skills and symptoms of each individual, while also sharing similarities. Most autism researchers agree that we are beginning to be able to recognize different subtype groups of individuals on the spectrum, based on causes, treatments, and related commonalities.

There’s a quote in the world of autism, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism” by Dr. Stephen Shore. Meaning, don’t think that you know what “autism looks like” because you’ve met one or a few children or individuals on the spectrum. I have personally worked with children on the spectrum for a decade and fully agree with this quote in a number of ways.

Since you’re here, you probably already know the common symptoms and signs of ASDs but just in case you don’t, let’s review them briefly.

According to the DSM-5 [1], the diagnostic criteria for ASDs are based upon symptoms/traits that include:

• “Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts”

• “Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.”

• “Symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of current functioning.”

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For perspective, in the 70s / early 80s, it was said to be at 1 in 10,000 children. According to CDC data, autism spectrum disorders now impact 1 in 36 children [2]...or 1 in 59 [3] depending on which CDC data you chose... That’s a separate blog for a later time.

The point is that we’re at epidemic rates. Rates that are unsustainable for families, our nation, and the world if we are to truly help support these children/individuals and their families obtain the resources and supports they need access to!

Some argue that the rise in diagnosis can be attributed to better diagnosis, earlier diagnosis, and changes in diagnostic criteria. I find this implication oversimplified and relatively dismissive. As a pediatric SLP, I’ll be the first to admit I have witnessed some over diagnosis but the reality is that a change in or increased identification of ASDs cannot account for even half of the increased rates we’ve seen over time. Not only across our country but also around the world.

Per Hertz-Picciotto in a 2009 study published in Epidemiology, earlier diagnosis and changes in diagnostic criteria only accounted for ~1/3 of the increase in total rates of ASD [4].

When I am faced with the “it’s better diagnosis” response, I like to bring the conversation to the bigger picture. The rates of chronic illness in children and adults have increased significantly in the last 2-3 decades. Over half, (~54%) of both children [5] and millenials [6] have a diagnosed chronic health condition. With this information we can reflectively say that society at large is experiencing a health crisis.

ASDs are just one type of neurodevelopmental disorder. In NDDs, the brain and nervous system are impacted during critical development periods and they’re often diagnosed before the child enters preschool. Currently, 1 in 6 American children have a diagnosed NDD [7]. These are neurological conditions where the biology of the body has direct influence of the brain (a bi-directional relationship), mood, and overall health and functioning.

Other examples of neurodevelopmental disorders on the rise in addition to ASDs (and sometimes overlapping with) include but are not limited to [8];

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders -  1 in 10 U.S. children diagnosed [9]

• Communication Disorders

  • Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Speech Sound Disorders, Language Disorders, Childhood-onset Fluency Disorders, and Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorders

• Global Developmental Delay

• Intellectual Developmental Disorders

• Specific Learning Disorders

• and more...

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For so long, the mainstream thought was that ASDs and NDDs were brain-based psychological disorders, primarily caused by genetics.

While many still believe this outdated ideology, emerging literature continues to demonstrate ASDs and NDDs are biochemically influenced, all the way down to the molecular levels. [10] It is not a coincidence that the rates of ASDs have correlated with the rise of other neurodevelopmental disorders and chronic diagnoses, as many on the spectrum have underlying co-occuring NDDs and/or chronic health conditions. [11] That’s what I want the key points/“take away” from this blog to be! From my work in general. These are whole body conditions! When we address their underlying health challenges, many children experience improvements in their health and development.

Let’s pause here and spend a moment to think about this.

If a person is impacted at the molecular level, they’re impacted on the cellular level. [12] What are your tissues and organs made of? Cells! When cells are impaired, organs become impaired, systems become impaired. Whole body systems are becoming impaired!

These are whole body conditions that deserve attention accordingly! It is no longer a secret or surprise that children and individuals with ASDs have generally poorer health compared to their neurotypically matched peers. [13]

Below are some of the co-occurring conditions found to be overlapping in children and individuals with autism/ASDs:

ADHDs

Communication Disorders

Feeding Disorders

Sleep Disorders

Epilepsy / Seizures 

Asthma and Respiratory 

Eczema

Chronic Ear Infections

Anxiety Disorders

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

PANS/PANDAS Conditions

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Autoimmune Conditions

Food Allergies and Intolerances [14]

Chemical Intolerances [14]

The rates of these comorbidities is certainly further evidence elucidating these conditions as whole body conditions.

Overlapping underlying commonalities these comorbid conditions above share: 

Genetic Predispositions

Sensitivity to Environmental Stressors

Impaired Detoxification

Oxidative Stress

Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Poor Digestion

Dysbiosis of the Gut

Intestinal Hyper-Permeability (“leaky gut”)

Systemic Inflammation 

Nutritional Deficiencies

Immune Dysfunction

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What has changed?

Why are we experiencing this global explosion of childhood epidemics?

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In the words of Richard Louv, “The health of children and the health of the Earth are inseparable.'' Genetics alone cannot account for the dramatic increase of chronic health epidemics across the board for children and adults. There’s no way to candy coat this, we live in an increasingly toxic world. When you’re walking through the store, most of us assume if something is on the store shelf “it’s safe”. WRONG. We live in a country that doesn’t exercise the precautionary principle [15], which implies that if there are any risks to public health or the environment it’s best to avoid and not release that product or ingredient. Instead, the U.S. has allowed thousands upon thousands of inadequately tested chemicals into our country and world.

Over the past few decades, we have over 80,000 man-made chemicals on the market today that have not been adequately tested for human and environmental safety.

I’m not trying to scare you but consider that plus the essentially infinite possibilities that these chemicals could have on each of our own unique bioindividuality! Now think about the fact that we don’t know how all of these substances interact with our biology and/or the synergistic interactions of each other! That’s only considering man-made chemicals.

That’s not accounting for our lifestyle factors, as well as the agricultural, medical, and birthing practices that have significantly changed over the course of the last 100 years. We are being impacted epigenetically - our environment, food, and lifestyle decisions impact our gene expressions and overall health. These epigenetic impacts are observed as the symptoms and conditions we see rising.

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What can we do for our families and the world?

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Start with what you CAN control!

Traditional therapies are important but addressing a child’s underlying health status is a key step!

We can help these children and individuals and simultaneously vote for a cleaner planet for our future generations.

Aim for small and sustainable changes that have great impacts on lowering your family’s “total load” (a.k.a body burden, allostatic load, toxic load, etc.) over time. Be mindful and intentional with your spending habits. This can improve the entire family’s health and the world around us. That’s a loaded statement - I recognize that and promise I’ll continue to elaborate across my media. I think it’s empowering to see each purchase as a vote you’re casting. For example: when I buy organic produce, I'm voting for organic farming practices and I’m consuming less agricultural chemicals. When we choose organic and/or pasture raised animal products, we are voting for better animal welfare and we’re also getting better nutrient intake from healthier animals!

While it may be more expensive in the store, studies have shown organic produce [16] and healthier animals have increased nutrient qualities! No poorly tested toxicant chemicals, lower agricultural product residues, better nutrient density, and you can choose to see these purchases as preventative healthcare! Another example, you could choose to buy unscented hygiene and household products (without “fragrance” or “perfume”) and/or make your own cleaning products from frugal options like baking soda, white vinegar, salt, and lemons.

You see where I’m going with this? It’s about our daily routines and decisions about what goes into and onto our bodies. When it comes to overhauling your child and families diet, nutrition, and lifestyle - have grace with yourself. It is a process. A marathon, not a sprint! Start with what feels manageable and where the most impact will be. For example, if your child is struggling with hyperactivity - you may consider looking at removing artificial flavors, dyes/colors, preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc. then slowly overtime move towards buying only certified organic processed foods, and so forth.

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So many parents from around the world are seeing incredible progress and improvements in their children and family’s health conditions by changing their nutrition and lifestyle habits. I have seen nutrition and lifestyle create miraculous changes in children that therapies alone cannot account for.

Think on it...Do you function at your best when you’re unwell? No! We all function optimally as our healthiest selves!

When we work to address their underlying biology and health, many children with NDDs and Special Needs can experience rapid progress that then supports the therapy and educational strategies they’re working on. While I personally know children who have lost their diagnosis, nutrition and lifestyle interventions are not a miracle “cure all” but they are certainly a foundational concept that we need to collectively take into account for each of these children and individuals as we move forward.

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Changing your family’s diet and lifestyle can be overwhelming, especially if you’re parenting a selective “picky” eater!

Remember, you don’t have to change everything overnight and you don’t have to do it alone!

Start small and go at your own pace! We’re building a community of like minded people across my social media pages of families who have already seen remarkable changes in their children through diet and lifestyle changes, and are sharing their experiences.

Have a look around the site, social media, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need more 1:1 support! I’m here for you and would be honored to support you through your child and family’s health journey!

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Grab Your Free Guide:

The Dos and Don’ts for Parents of Complex Picky Eaters

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1. DSM-5 Criteria. Retrieved from: https://www.autismspeaks.org/dsm-5-criteria

2. Zablotsky, B., Black, L., (2017). Estimated Prevalence of Children With Diagnosed Developmental Disabilities in the United States, 2014–2016. U.S. Department of Human Health Services. Centers for Disease Control. NCHS Data Brief, National Health Interview Survey, 2014–2016. (No. 291). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db291.pdf

3. Baio, J., Wiggins, L., Christensen DL, et al.(2018). Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014. MMWR Surveill Summ; 67(No. SS-6):1–23. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6706a1external icon

4. Hertz-Picciotto, I., & Delwiche, L., et al.(2009). The rise in autism and the role of age at diagnosis. Epidemiology (Cambridge, Mass.), 20(1), 84–90. DOI:10.1097/EDE.0b013e3181902d15

5. Bethell, C., Kogan, M., et al. (2011). A National and State Profile of Leading Health Problems and Health Care Quality for US Children: Key Insurance Disparities and Across-State Variations. Academic Pediatrics. 11(3), S22-S33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2010.08.011

6. Blue Cross Blue Shield Report (2019, April) The Health of Millenials. Retrieved from: https://www.bcbs.com/the-health-of-america/reports/the-health-of-millennials

7. Boyle, C., Boulet, S., et al. (2011). Trends in the Prevalence of Developmental Disabilities in US Children, 1997–2008. Pediatrics. 127(6).1034-1042; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2010-2989

8. Harris, C. (2014). New classification for neurodevelopmental disorders in DSM-5. Current Opinion in Psychiatry: 27(2), 95-9; DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000000042

9. Nisser, S., Zablotsky, B., (2015). Diagnostic Experiences of Children With

   Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. U.S. Department of Human Health Services. Centers for Disease Control. National Health Statistics Reports. (81). Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr081.pdf

10. Randolph-Gips, M., & Srinivasan, P. (2012). Modeling autism: a systems biology approach. Journal of clinical bioinformatics, 2(1), 17. DOI:10.1186/2043-9113-2-17

11. Croen, L. A., Zerbo, O., Qian, Y., Massolo, M. L., Rich, S., Sidney, S., & Kripke, C. (2015). The health status of adults on the autism spectrum. Autism, 19(7), 814–823. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361315577517

12. Rose, S., Niyazov, D.M., Rossignol, D.A. et al.(2018) Clinical and Molecular Characteristics of Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy. 22(5), 571-593.DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40291-018-0352-x

13. Muskens, J. B., Velders, F. P., & Staal, W. G. (2017). Medical comorbidities in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders: a systematic review. European child & adolescent psychiatry, 26(9), 1093–1103. doi:10.1007/s00787-017-1020-0

14. Heilbrun, L., Palmer, R. et al (2015) Maternal Chemical and Drug Intolerances: Potential Risk Factors for Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 28 (4) 461-470; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2015.04.140192

15. Martuzzi, M., Tickner, J., et al. (2003) The precautionary principle: protecting public health, the environment and the future of our children. International Journal of Epidemiology 32: 489-492. Retrieved from: http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/91173/E83079.pdf

16. Benbrook, C.,  et al: (2008) New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods. The Organic Center. State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods. Retrieved from: http://www.organiccenter.org/reportfiles/5367_Nutrient_Content_SSR_FINAL_V2.pdf

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"Feel the Fear and Do It Anyways"

The blog post that almost never was…

I’ve been told countless times that I should start a blog. I’ve been writing this first blog post for 5 years. Different versions and edits exist and have existed. Many have been deleted. I’ve put a lot of unnecessary pressure about what the first blog post on my website should be. I’ve let fear dictate my inaction but today I’m busting through it!

So, this first blog post is about “feeling the fear and doing it anyways”. It’s about how my own health challenges have reshaped my life’s work as a professional working with children who have different abilities and special needs.

This blog may cause you to view neurodevelopmental disorders differently. On behalf of all my amazing little friends I work with and their families, I hope that it will. 

Okay so, where do I even start?

Well first, some exciting news and a little background: in January 2019, I graduated as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association! Graduating from the NTA is an endeavor I have desperately wanted to complete since 2014. All accomplishments are to be celebrated but I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude as I continue to integrate my work as a holistic bio-individual nutrition professional serving this under-represented population.

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Something you may or may not know about me, in the fall of 2013, I developed a chronic illness while earning my Masters of Speech-Language Pathology. It turns out, illness doesn't wait around for the perfect timing and it doesn’t discriminate. This post isn't to gather anyone's sympathy about my situation or what’s happened to me, so please, don't feel bad for me for a moment. It's not about that. I’m sharing because my own health and wellness journey has been one of the most impactful turning points in my life and career. It was the catalyst that ultimately led me to becoming an NTP and building Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC to serve my clients in a way that combines my passions and knowledge. In hindsight, I am endlessly thankful.

I came across a card recently that I wrote myself years ago and it sparked a variety of emotions within me…

During the last academic semester, December 2014, my cohort was about to head off on holiday. One of my very passionate professors was running late for class and having a particularly rough day. She found herself caught in a back and forth with an editor or publisher (I can’t exactly recall) about a major piece of her life’s work. Her legacy that she had poured her heart and soul into, and they wanted to tailor it beyond what felt still authentically hers. 

Rather than diving straight into the material, she passed out notecards for the room, instructing us to date them. She shared the details of the day she was having and continued she’d been experiencing health challenges (but was going to be alright), and apologized for the length of time it was taking her to get certain grades back to us. The room was quiet. Many of us were shocked that she was sharing so personally in this way. She didn’t intend to make us feel sorry for her though. It was meant to be a moment of truth and realness. Likely to be judged but she didn’t care. She “felt the fear and did it anyways”. In her frazzle and honesty, she was so vulnerably human and inspiring to me, especially in the midst of what I was going through in my own health journey.

She put the class material on pause to share her own rawness with us and inspire us to be creators of change in our lives and careers. She spoke about passion and leaving a legacy. She challenged us to check in with ourselves as we concluded our final week of SLP Masters coursework, and think about the work and purpose that we would give to the world…and then write it onto the card. Put it out there. As you may have expected, she gave us heads up that if we were comfortable we should share them aloud in class as colleagues, and then keep them for ourselves to reflect on.

I was terrified to share my truth

but I wanted to take the moment and opportunity seriously

At that time, I was slightly over a year into my health journey. I was under the care of a Naturopathic Doctor and her Registered Nurse/Nutritional Therapist after visiting numerous allopathic doctors without answers or relief. I was improving my health and lifestyle rapidly to keep up with my food and environmental sensitivities. I was fatigued, battling chronic pain, and experiencing a body burden overload.

Meanwhile, I was learning a number of highly inconvenient truths about our food, healthcare, educational systems and industries, along with our government agencies. In my learning I came across financial ties and a series of issues that made me uncomfortable and more cautious with my purchases. I was upset about my circumstances and grieving in many ways, but desperately determined to create something positive from my circumstances. I can see that so clearly now when I look at the language I used on my card below…

When you read it, if I seem angry, it’s because I was.

And for the record, I no longer refer to myself as someone who is “sick”. Our word choices influence our mindset and thoughts, which influence our reality. I now choose “healing” and try to be mindful of the way I speak of my health.

The Naturopathic Doctor and Registered Nurse/Nutritional Therapist that I was seeing had both strongly encouraged me to look into autism spectrum disorders as whole body conditions when they learned what I was studying. This stretched my mental capacity in many ways to consider and learn about but since then I’ve been consumed with the topic.

As it turns out, there is a plethora of literature that currently exists and their publications are not slowing any time soon. An increasing body of evidence exists to support that autism spectrum disorders (at least certain subgroups of) are whole body epigenetic conditions. [1.] The challenge is getting this literature in the hands of the public and professionals to be accepted as mainstream knowledge in the face of an estimated 17 year research lag! [2.]

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On 12/1/14 - As everyone took their turns reading their cards aloud, I realized I’d probably be sharing. After all, I didn’t want to be the only one who didn’t share, right? Feeling nervous but inspired by my professor, I divulged my own health challenges on my card and proclaimed that I was going to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner to integrate my knowledge as an SLP and feeding specialist to work with children and families impacted by autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders we serve as SLPs. I assumed that for most of my classmates this idea probably sounded like a foreign concept. I recognize that this may even feel like a far our concept for readers of this blog today! If this applies to you, thank you for taking the time and having the open mindedness to read and learn.

One thing was certain that day:

I knew even before I graduated as an SLP that I had to somehow incorporate a way of sharing what I had been learning about holistic nutrition and lifestyle impacts on our health into my career. Specifically, I knew I wanted to work with children and families with neurodevelopmental disorders, combining my passions for holistic development, parent coaching, and my love for nutrition.

I’ve learned and recognized that generally all children with neurodevelopmental disorders (i.e. ASDs, ADHDs, SPDs, apraxia, dyslexia, etc.) and special needs (i.e. Down syndrome, chromosomal differences, etc.) can likely benefit from diet, nutrition, and lifestyle strategies in varying capacities. These benefits often include the improved reception and faster generalization of concepts and skills being taught in traditional therapies, like speech-language, occupational, physical, and behavioral therapies!

This was my truth but I was terrified of what my classmates would think. What would my professor think? So much fear of the judgment of others, even though I knew I had established and emerging research supporting what I was sharing. When my turn came, I “felt the fear and did it anyways”. I did not read the card verbatim, as you can see there’s a lot of emotion behind it, but I shared it. I shared that children could be helped in an integrative way through nutrition and lifestyle, and my mission to become an NTP publicly and aloud to my classmates.

And you know what? The world kept spinning!

Not only did it keep spinning but my world has continued to perfectly align to make it all happen since that time. Now here I am: I’ve become an NTP and Epidemic Answers Certified Health Coach, and the proud business owner of my life’s work, Speaking of Health & Wellness, LLC. I’m not saying that everything just fell into place! Believe me, I’ve put in the work to grow into the person and professional I am. The concepts of courage and self-growth take a new level of meaning when you’re an individual managing a chronic condition, dedicated to being a life long student, stepping further into entrepreneurship, all while trying your best in your personal life.

I shared the card and the world kept spinning, and years later I turned the card into reality! I felt a sense of pride and joy for myself when I found this card and it gave me some extra motivation to start writing. And here I am sharing my first blog post on a blog that I’d been nervous to start…

The blog post that almost never was

and I am certain the world will keep spinning

I’m “feeling the fear and doing it anyways”

One of my favorite aspects of becoming a speech-language pathologist was the concept of literally helping give a voice to the voice-less, via whatever we needed to do for that individual’s best communication and quality of life.

My vision is that Speaking of Health & Wellness will be a voice for the voice-less on a massive wide-spread scale, beyond just the clients I am able to work with one-on-one.

I envision a global community and network. I aim to advocate on behalf of these children and their families, spreading the awareness that they can be helped in more impactful and integrative ways. Holistic nutrition and low-toxicant living can profoundly impact children’s health, wellness, and development.

It is my sincere hope the contents of this site moving forward will serve as a starting point for families everywhere!

I hope that by visiting this site and following along on social media, you are reminded to

speak your truth

I hope that my story will inspire you to

follow your heart and your purpose

& I hope that you’ll be encouraged to

“feel the fear and do it anyways” 

To you and your family’s health!

Shandy 

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear”

– George Addair 

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Stayed tuned for more posts to come!

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1. Randolph-Gips, M., & Srinivasan, P. (2012). Modeling autism: a systems biology approach. Journal of clinical bioinformatics, 2(1), 17. doi:10.1186/2043-9113-2-17

2. Morris, Z. S., Wooding, S., & Grant, J. (2011). The answer is 17 years, what is the question: understanding time lags in translational research. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 104(12), 510–520. https://doi.org/10.1258/jrsm.2011.110180

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