My cousin recently posted the following: Experimental and Strange and I read it and I have to totally agree.

Since she has taught our family so much about biomedical intervention and diet and intolerances and all of those things we have, as a family, grown so much. Her children are all doing fabulously, not just Nathan but all of them are healthier and able to live lives that are free of stomach problems, coping with OCD, allergy free etc. but her siblings have learned things they are allergic or intolerant to. My mom and myself are learning things that affect us negatively. Personally I have learned I have a horrible emotional reaction to certain foods. By learning this I have come out of a time of huge insecurity into a time of my life where I feel much lighter and more able to handle normal emotions.

All that to say that the burden she speaks of carrying for children with autism is in all of us now. Julee, one area you have touched very much is to create quite a few advocates for searching for the diet issues that most people overlook. I know my mom and myself have become spokespeople quite often.

But there is that burden and the oftentimes barrier of feeling as if you shouldn't say something. What do we do with that? It is such a simple solution in the sense that if that it works it is hugely helpful. Why do we keep silent? How do you tell the mother living on disability with very little money to do this that her child would probably have a whole lot less problems with ADHD if he was able to eat a diet that wasn't full of preservatives and sugar? How do you help someone who's child possibly has OCD to go spend $300 to get a food test done when money is tight and the test may do them no good?

This is sounding a lot like witnessing. Here we have the solution for eternity and yet we often keep silent. But at the same time we have to wait for the right opening. You can't just go in and slam someone with the Gospel or it will not be in love and not be accepted. Similarly you can't just go to a parent and say, "you should do it this way," you have to wait for the right opening and the right heart.

Its hard, the answer seems so obvious to us who have seen its effects (this is speaking on both topics now). We have seen changed lives, we have seen the freedom that comes with knowledge. But sometimes, we have to be silent because people expect us to preach and are already defensive before we even open our mouths.

I will end this now. I just couldn't help but relating to my cousins post so much so (obviously) that I had to write something! Please read her post. If only to learn more so that you too maybe one day can be an advocate as well. If you can help one person you have changed someone's entire life!