DAN (defeat autism now) protocol

[ina22]

i have a 3 yr old daughter diagnosed with PDD-NOS. I've read about DAN protocol to treat autism.has anyone ever tried this approach with your children??more info please.... thank you!

[autiemum]

We took our older son to a DAN doctor shortly after diagnosis (at the age of three) but some of the proposed treatments made me nervous (like chelation therapy for heavy metals).  Others seemed benign, and we introduced a range of supplements and started seeing a homeopath.  We did do the gfcf diet and did notice a substantial improvement in him both physically and behaviourally - we kept him gfcf for more than a year and slowly reintroduced wheat (he's still primarily dairy free).  At the time he was non verbal, had minimal eye contact, spent a lot of time stacking and lining things up and an obsession with the colour spectrum.  (Oh - and by the way - the gfcf diet had no effect on our younger son)

We did a lot of research and took a "do no harm" attitude.  We liked the type of IBI therapy offered by the Ontario government (after a two year waiting list!) and also pursued homeopathy, cranio sacral massage and chiropractic therapy.  We set up a Floortime-type environment at home, and spent lots of time reinforcing positive behaviours and ignoring the bad stuff.  

We like our boys the way they are (we have a younger one on the spectrum as well!) and think that they are becoming interesting people. We've always looked at therapy as a way for them to fulfil their potential, not to turn them into something they are not, or to shame them into hiding their "autistic" behaviours (I don't mention a "cure" because there is no such thing).  Three years later our older son is talking, attending a regular kindergarten with some support and succeeding academically.  He's starting first grade in the fall.  Our younger boy is also talking and beginning to socialize independently with his peers (also at a regular preschool).

I think if you put your child's interests first you will be fine - don't let a doctor or therapist push you into doing anything that you are uncomfortable with.  Feel free to use what you like and ignore what you don't.  Do integrate some kind of play protocol at home.  Don't hesitate to find a second opinion, especially if they're talking about medication.  And don't pay through the nose for something based on a sales pitch unless you can afford to squander your money (that's based on personal experience!)

Best of luck

[KarenDiane]

I really appreciate what you wrote about excepting - not curing - autism. My daughter is an Aspie and I wouldn't change a thing about her. She's very happy knowing that she's different. I didn't have any trouble excepting her diagnosis, but my husband struggled with it for a very long time. She's only 13 so her teachers know quite a bit about autism and we've had good experiences with her school. I'm sure it would have been different even a few years before. I know that if her autism were more severe I might feel very differently about what I would be willing to do to treat her but the child psychologist who diagnosed her and oversaw her therapies for the first few years told us that acceptance was the best thing we could do for her.

[Dazon50]

One of my friends has been trying different methods of dealing with her son's autism (chiropractic, diet---gluten free and dyes, etc.) for several years which is part of DAN.

So far, no miraculous change.  Her son is 19 and doesn't speak, but makes sounds and points at times.  He also wears depends.  She thinks he has had improvements. I was pleased he was able to attend the wedding of his younger sister in March with a couple helpers close by.  She has kept him off meds though all of these years and at home dealt with him with people coming in to work with him.

Now if you talk with a number of higher functioning autistic individuals, a number of them will tell you "don't cure Autism" as they are trying to accept their differences and some like who them are with their abilities.  My oldest falls into that category.  

When she was in 6th grade, my DH took her to an ANI retreat in NY.  Before that we went to a MAAP conference in Indiana.  Those two events were turning points in our lives in accepting her autism.

Before those, we had difficulties with her teachers being inexperienced to deal with the behavioral issues and her being singled out because of her oddities of going after bugs and not interacting with others in a so-called "normal" manner.  She was the "bug girl".

ANI had individuals against DAN and that was when I first learned of it.  My daughter made a t-shirt with one of her insect characters which represented Don't care Autism.

As a mother, I was torn between the two in wanting her to accepted and be able to function in the world in an appropriate manner but yet being realistic about the "miracle" cure.

I wish you the best in doing your research and making your decision.

There are things you as a parent can tailor together based on what the professionals/experts, other parents and advocates on both ends say.  I chose to read a lot by people like Temple Grandin, Donna Williams, Sean Baron, Susan Moreno, Tony Atwood,  etc.

Along the way we tapped into the autism society and other resources.

[KarenDiane]

I've heard only the basic ideas. I don't know the details. Just remember, it's a treatment - not a cure.