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So worth it

The Dugan family has quite the appropriate nickname for their 5-year-old son, Manny — “Mr. So Worth It.”

Two years ago, Sam Dugan and Angela Gutierrez-Dugan’s only child was diagnosed with autism.

“I was numb and scared,” Angela said. “All my hopes and dreams for my son — since he was conceived — were crushed and I was in so much pain, I couldn’t even cry.”

Today, those hopes and dreams have returned, thanks to Angela’s  faith and commitment as she sends Manny on the road to recovery.

Autism is a complex brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction; verbal and nonverbal communication skills; restricted and repetitive behaviors; and narrow, obsessive interests that range from mild to disabling. It usually occurs before age 3.

“People who know what they are kind of looking for see symptoms possibly as early as age 2,” said Mark Schweer, a school psychologist for Kern County Superintendent of Schools. “A lot of these kids will have language up until age 3, and then all of sudden, stop talking.”

Research shows that two to six children out of every 1,000 will have autism. Identical twins have a greater chance of having autism than fraternal twins.

Males are more likely to have autism than females. However, girls with autism tend to have more severe symptoms and greater cognitive impairment than boys.

Experts have identified some possible causes of autism:

• A weakened or compromised immune system
• Depression and/or dyslexia in one or both sides of the family
• Genetic factors
• Exposure to rubella during the first trimester of pregnancy
• Cytolomegalo virus
• Vaccinations (specifically, a theory regarding the MMR vaccine and the DPT shot)
• Toxins and/or pollution

During his infancy and up to age 1, Manny seemed like a normal child and had met many milestones, according to his mother.

“He had an amazing memory and desire for learning,” said Angela, 40. “... I would show him flash cards five minutes a day and he would be so excited.”

As a test — which, even at 8 months old, Manny passed each time — Angela would place cards (with pictures, numbers or shapes) in her hands, choose one in particular and then ask her son to choose the same one himself.

Eventually, Manny even knew his numbers, letters, shapes and colors accurately, according to Angela.

At 10 months, Manny could play the keyboard with both hands and would sing along.

“It sounded to us like real music,” Angela said. “And neither my husband nor I play (keyboard). His pediatricians had reason to suspect that he was a genius.”

When a family discovers their child has autism, it’s important that spouses come together and take on the disorder as partners to get through it, Angela said.

“My dear husband has been a pillar of strength by my side and has more than carried his share on this journey,” she said. “The one thing I have to continue to remember is that our autism journey is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Like many children with autism, Manny’s symptoms came about slowly.

Following his first birthday, Manny stopped responding to his name.

He gradually lost eye contact, repeatedly spun objects and his language development was considered unprogressive.

Manny continuously had ear infections that were caused by an unknown allergy involving “casein” — which is phosphoprotein found in dairy products — and was suffering from painful gas aches that woke him up in the middle of the night.

“I was told that it was not a dairy allergy, when in actuality it was,” Angela said. “Additionally, when we tested our son for food sensitivities, he was most sensitive to eggs.”

Whenever Manny’s pediatrician prescribed antibiotics, the little boy would vomit them hours later, Angela said.

“I believe that our son, unfortunately, had a weakened immune system due to the antibiotics, food sensitivities and environmental toxins that we were completely unaware of at the time,” she said. “Thus, when our son received vaccinations, his immune system was not strong enough to handle them.”

Immediately, Manny’s parents voiced their concerns to their son’s pediatricians.

But their doctors at that time did not mention autism as a possibility, according to Angela.

Instead, the diagnosis was supposed speech delays and subsequently, doctors began testing Manny’s hearing, she said.

Even his parents had to undergo genetic testing for further information.

Still, Manny was not tested for autism as a possible diagnosis, according to Angela.

It wasn’t until a family friend’s mother brought up the subject of autism to Angela’s sister, Gabrielle Murphy.

Murphy then asked Angela to have Manny’s development checked.

“I was crushed to think that anyone would dare think something was wrong with my precious little boy,” Angela said. “Clearly, I was in denial.”

When Hollywood actresses Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson-Peete appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Sept. 18, 2007 to discuss autism, along with hope and recovery, Angela listened.

Angela realized that for children to learn well, they have to feel well.

Instead of wallowing in self-pity about autism, however, Angela decided to get the ball rolling on her son’s recovery.

With the purchase of several books and after browsing the Internet, she obtained as much information as possible on autism.

Through her research, Angela found that autistic children on a Gluten Casein Free Diet (GCFD) and those who sought advice from a Defeat Autism Now (DAN) doctor tend to do better than those who do not.

Following a GCFD program, the intake of naturally occurring proteins in gluten and casein is removed.

Several autism Web sites identify some GCFD-friendly food items — and their brand names — which may include:

• Hot & Creamy Rice Cereal (Lundberg Family Farms)
• Apple-Cinnamon Rice Cakes (Quaker)
• Baked Tostitos, Baked Tostitos Bite Size Tortilla Chips (Frito Lay)
• Egg Whites (Bob’s Red Mill)

At first, the transition was a little tricky, but ever since Angela changed his diet, Manny has shown a strong improvement and does not have stomach aches, she said.

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) program, which provides treatment for autistic children, also referred Angela to a Web site support group, Talking About Curing Autism (TACA).

This non-profit organization provides information, resources and support to families affected by autism. Their goal is to speed up the time from diagnosis to the effective treatments.

“You have to educate yourself as a parent,” said Sue Baker, who is a parent mentor for TACA and a mother of an autistic child. “And it will be empowering to be a family again.”

 

Every month, the group holds meetings across the United States where educational speakers discuss certain autism topics.

It also offers many families time to interact, share stories and exchange valuable information.

“Parents are educated on their rights and as to what their children with autism are entitled to at IEP’s (Individualized Education Plan) and how to handle the whole IEP process,” Angela said. “At first, the science behind autism was so overwhelming for me, but each time I hear or read it, a little more sticks with me.”

According to the Autism Society of America, an IEP is a legal written document that summarizes each individual child’s education and provides maximum educational benefits, which outlines:

• The child’s special education plan by defining goals for the school year.
• Services needed to help the child meet those goals.
• A method of evaluating the student’s progress.

Currently, Manny is home-schooled through CARD.

He’s  also on an organic, preservative/dye free, soy free and nitrate/nitrite free diet. With the help of a DAN doctor, Manny has responded to every regimen Angela has tried, she said.

This includes the Methyl B-12 shot that Angela says led to Manny being able to jump as well as model (or imitate) language. She says this improvement happened in just one week.

“He now has a pretty good immune system, doesn’t catch everything that comes along and if he gets a cold, it takes him two days rather than 10 to get over it,” said Angela, who added that her son’s digestive problems have also improved and he’s gained weight. “He also doesn’t have a headache or stomach ache, isn’t pale, no longer has bluish circles under his eyes or that glazed-over look.”

Nowadays, Manny is much like any other 5-year-old boy who likes gadgets, computers, his father’s iPhone, watering plants, anything Disney and loves the outdoors.

As for the future, Angela cannot wait until Manny is in a regular classroom, relating normally with many friends. She plans on also attempting Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), which could help Manny increase concentration and cognitive abilities, she said.

Also, Angela looks forward to answering many questions Manny will one day ask — and believe it or not, their first mother-son argument.

“Then, of course, we hope for all the typical stuff along with him being a confident and secure young man,” she said. “Yes, I dare hope for the day when he becomes a wonderful husband and father, if that should be his choice.”

Angela remains committed to completing the marathon that she knows will lead to Manny’s full recovery from autism.

“We just have to continue to kick and make cracks in the wall of autism that surrounds him and pull him through,” she said. “After all, my only son is so worth it!”