This is a recent Q&A by a mum, my reply was much too long to fit into the comments section so I’ve posted it here. I get asked this A LOT btw:-)
Dear Marissa,
Hi , can I just ask, has both your daughters fully recovered (now normal)? Has their diagnosis been formally removed by the psychologist and Pediatrician? What I meant by “now normal” is they no longer have any autistic traits and fully recovered? Thank you very much for your response.
From,
Mrs F, Malaysia
Hi Mrs F,
Yes both my children are recoverd from autism. My eldest daughter Mei is officially no longer on the autism spectrum, based on her last comprehensive assessment by the same psychologist who diagnosed her 2 years ago.
Mei scored higher than normal range within the non-autistic range across the board on all the assessments and tests if that makes any sense. There are no autistic traits, characteristics, delays etc. She’s fully mainstreamed in a private international school, no support, aids or IEPs. Her school does not know of her previous diagnosis, in fact they think she’s totally typical. She even scores above average in all her academic lessons, language, communication and social skills (based on a recent independent evaluation done by her school for all the students)
Her eloquence and beautiful manners frequently takes everyone by surprise. Mei has many friends, even a few best friends. I am in awe of my own little girl, she has surpassed everyone’s expectations. Previously a girl whom everyone said won’t be able to talk, a girl whom ‘experts’ told me to place her in an institution. So yes, she’s recovered. But if you look very very closely like I do, there are some quirks, but, hey, who doesn’t have quirks right? I’ve met some neurotypical and supposedly normal kids, in comparison Mei is even more ‘normal’ and higher functioning than them. Or perhaps that’s just me being a proud mummy.
As for Min Min, we never sought a formal diagnosis for her. Firstly, because we don’t need an ‘expert’ to tell us what my husband and I already know. We were seasoned autism parents by then, we KNEW. Also 2 doctors admitted that she is on the autism spectrum. Secondly, we couldn’t afford to pay for the numerous developmental consultations and many assessments it takes to get a diagnosis. We much rather put that money to good use by actually treating her for autism KWIM? She never had a formal diagnosis, neither did she formally lose it.
However, in all areas, she is considered recovered. By me, my family, her doctors, naturopaths and homeopaths who treated her, other parents who have met her and her teachers. Min Min’s school does not know of her previous diagnosis. She is age appropriate and on par developmentally across the board. She had many friends, is very social and to me, she is even more recovered than her older sister Mei. Everyone who’s met her is instantly charmed by her presence snd personality.
Yes, both girls are recovered, but the story doesn’t end at recovery. There are some lingering medical and health issues that we are currently dealing with, a legacy of the metabolic train wreck that autism bestows on our kids. Please read my article The Thinking Moms’ Revolution and Beautiful Speaker on Generation Rescue.
Both Mei and Min Min are fabulous in every possible way. They are vastly different to the 2 girls who were deep in autism. So yes, my children are ‘now normal’. Whatever normal means…. In my eyes, my children are exceptionally wonderful.
Spectrum Mum in Malaysia 
Hi Marissa,
Do you how many others like you, in our country, I mean those who started the journey around the same time and with a DAN dr, who have recovered their children?
Thanks,
Would you mind posting pics of your children when they had autism? I see pics of them now and it’s hard to believe they were ever sick. Would be nice to see a before and after.
Hi PS,
I don’t have many photos of them ‘looking autistic’ whatever that means. We were far too busy trying to stop them from harming themselves, running away, climbing furniture and hurling themselves off of it to have time to take photos:-) And to be frank, the few photos we had, well… they’re just too hard for me to look at again.
Marissa
How can I start my 9 year old son in the road to recovery? Originally from KL but now living on an island with little resources for recovering a child with autism. I am usually able to order things from the US mainland. We are back in KL every July.
Hi May Ling,
My apologies for the late reply. There is much you can do, starting with the diet. Eliminate casein, gluten and soy. Consider the other diets which have benefitted many children with autism such as Body Ecology, GAPS (Gut & Psychology Syndrome) etc. You can incorporate supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, mercury-free fish oil, casein-free probiotics, minerals, Vitamin B. You can make an appointment with a biomedical doctor to help you manage your child’s treatment. If you can email me privately at klbiomed@gmail.com and let me know where you are, I may be able to hook you up with other parents in your region.
Kind regards,
Marissa
Marissa,
Now that your daughters have recovered, do they still maintain the GFCF diet? Do they still take all those supplements, enzymes, etc? Are there chances/possibility of regression?
Hi Karen, I still try to maintain a healthy, nutritionally dense diet. Though we are no longer strict GFCFSF, I do try to minimise or at least their weekly limit for gluten, casein, soy, preservatives, additives, sugar, artificial colourings and flavours etc. As for supplements, the whole family still takes some basic supplements which I feel are essential not just for children with ASD, but for most people. Such as fermented cod liver oil, minerals, Vitamin C, D3, probiotics. Depending on need, I may incorporate milk thistle (for liver support), echinacea (to prevent illness), adrenal support, B12, biotin (to minimize candida) herbals and homeopathics. My goal is to maintain good health and prevent future diseases.
The girls recovered from autism more than 2 years ago. In the first 1 year, of course I always dreaded every set-back and worried about regression. But now, they have come so far that I no longer feel that they will regress back into autism. Sure, there are off-days when they’re not at their best due to illness, but they’re usually minor and temporary. My priority is to ensure they reach their highest potential.
Marissa
Dear marissa
My son was diagnosed with mild autism. He has tantrums, inappropriate
Communication , not socialising and ecolalia. Can biomedical treatment 100 percent cure the symptoms mentioned? He is 4 now.
I am seriously considering biomedical treatment to help my son. Which DAN dr do u recommend? Where were your daughter treated? Any specific reason for selecting the dr. How long is the duration of the treatment. Please advise. Tq
Dear Mrs MF, Biomedical intervention is just 1 part of treating autism in my opinion. You do need a holistic approach, biomed alone is usually not enough. And biomed is such a broad term that covers many different modalities and treatments, so you do need to work a bit at finding the right protocols for your child. I would still do diet (there are many diets, you need to choose which one is best for your child) biomed, homeopathy, behavioral therapy, cranial sacral therapy or osteopathic work, some brain balance exercise, reflex integration, energy healing and many more. There is no set list of what to do, you would need to pick and choose based on your child’s unique needs. Not every child will need to do everything. Duration very much depends on your child’s unique issues. Even though my girls have recovered nearly 3 years ago, I still continue to heal them. The damage caused by autism is deep, I don’t know whether we can repair everything. But I will continue to give my girls the best possible chances to realise their fullest potential.
I recommend Dr Erwin Kay in Singapore, you can find him here https://spectrummuminmalaysia.com/2012/03/13/list-of-biomed-doctors/
hi my daughter has just been diagnose with autism .am really lost on how to help her .kindly advice
thanks
Hi Liana, I suggest you read this https://spectrummuminmalaysia.com/2010/10/12/a-journey-of-grace-and-dignity/
Also, check out http://www.thinkingmomsrevolution.com and http://www.generationrescue.org
Good luck!