www.treatingautism.com - a good website to begin with. Contains a beginners guide, bio-medical and intervention information. Encouraging stories and lots more including useful links.
www.ecomed.org.uk - British Society for Ecological Medicine (BSEM). Promoting allergy, environmental and nutritional medicine.
www.whatreallyworks.co.uk - Sunday Times website dedicated to discussing the effectiveness of natural health therapies and treatments.
http://www.danasview.net/parentin.htm - This site has general, comprehensive and parent information, I found the bio-medical section really useful and easy to read, but there's lots more good stuff too.
http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk:80/ - For those who want to increase their family, foresight can help you 'clean-up' any toxic imbalances in you and your partner, and decrease the likelihood of a child with developmental problems.
Diet intervention (information)
www.autismandi.com - Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI). Dedicated to helping parents understand and implement a gluten and dairy free diet for their autistic children.
www.coeliac.co.uk - Charity for people with celiac disease, also has information on living a gluten free diet.
www.GSDX.net - Diagnostic laboratory.
www.eatwell.gov.uk - Government website for the Food Standards Agency. Among other things describes legal requirements regarding food labelling and a guide to understanding E numbers.
www.enzymestuff.com - Exactly what it says, all you need to know about enzymes and much more. Information both general and autism specific.
www.foodsmatter.com - Magazine for anyone with a food allergy, food intolerance etc. Lots of information including Autism specific links.
www.gfcfdiet.com/ - Internet site to support those undertaking gluten free/casein free diet.
www.nutritiondata.com - Nutrient analysis reference site. Where you can find nutritional content of several thousand foods and food products. Also facility to analyse the nutritional content of recipes.
www.oiris.sunderland.ac.uk/autism - Autism research unit at the University of Sunderland. A site that is well worth looking around. Research information includes dietary information particularly removal of gluten and casein. The university also conducts urinary analysis.
http://www.pecanbread.com/ - A site dedicated to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
Diet information (suppliers)
www.dietaryneedsdirect.co.uk - online store where you can filter according to the gf/cf diet. Has a very easy to use system for identifying which foods are free of which allergens. Fast delivery too. Highly recommended.
www.bodykind.com - Online shop providing supplements, vitamins etc
www.glutenfree-foods.co.uk - Supplier of gluten free foods, also provides information regarding gluten free diet.
www.kirkmanlabs.com - Manufacture supplements tailored to ASD kids – use their website for information but order through Nutricentre.
www.mandimart.com - Parent to parent supplier of Houston Neutroceutical Enzymes and other bio-medical products.
www.nomilk.com - Collection of articles, reports, organisations, list of suppliers of milk free produce.
www.nutricentre.com - Supplier of supplements and health products – supply Kirkman Supplements. Fast service and sometimes offer £5 off every £35 spent.
www.sainsburys.co.uk/food/specialdiets.default.htm - Details of the supermarket’s ‘free from’ range and also online dairy, gluten and nut-free recipes.
www.darifreeeurope.com - Brilliant alternative to milk – totally free of gluten, dairy, corn, soya. Tastes good, comes in chocolate flavour too – even has calcium and vitamins in!
www.perfectsweet.co.uk - At last, an alternative to sugar that works in tea, on cereal, in cooking – anywhere you would normally use sugar, but without any of the problems associated with other alternatives and sweeteners. In fact, it’s alleged to be good for dental health and have additional antioxidant properties…take a look.
www.healthleadsuk.com - Online health shop. Suppliers of water testing kits at reasonable price if you have concerns about your tapwater.
Education and Learning Resources
www.bandapilot.org.uk - Behaviour and attendance pilot. Not autism specific. Supporting social and emotional skills within primary schools.
www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com - General information site but also includes information and downloads on Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
www.difflearn.com - Autism Education Tools. Supplier of teaching resources and materials critical to Applied Behaviour Analysis and Verbal Behaviour programmes. American mail order company ships worldwide.
www.mbro-ta.co.uk/sen - Teaching Assistant website with explanation of Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
www.org.floortime.org/radio - Weekly web-based radio show focusing on children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.
www.pecs.org.uk - Courses for the Picture Exchange Communication System and also sell useful resources.
www.starfall.com - American site designed to aid children learn to read.
www.teachernet.gov.uk - Website that covers education in general but also has links to Special Educational Needs (SEN) including Autistic Spectrum Disorders Good Practice Guide.
Equipment and funky stuff
www.littlepeopledirect.com - Sahra and Dayne are fab – if what you want isn’t in the online store, they are always happy to look for things on your behalf. They specialise in all sorts of baby, toddler and kiddy stuff, and can always be relied on to have the latest groovy gear for kids.
www.mathmos.com - Retail site selling lava lamps and light projectors.
www.natobe.co.uk - Site where you can buy a child safety alarm that warns you if your child wanders away.
www.specialneedstoys.com - Great equipment for Special kids – swings etc are very robust so will be suitable for teenagers and adults too. Some things are a bit pricey but the quality is sound, and the staff are very helpful.
http://www.cheeky-cherub.co.uk/ - These people are local to me but have an internet site. A business started by experienced mums, aiming to provide toys and resources for special kids, but within home budgets. Again, very nice and helpful people.
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/Weight-2-Go-Blankets - An EBay online store selling weighted blankets in various designs. Great quality, reasonably priced & washable.
Forums
My experience with online forums is mixed. When I first found one I literally sobbed with relief to be among fellow parents and found lots of information quickly. However, if you express a definite opinion online about anything, or accidentally ask a question in a politically incorrect way, you need to have Teflon coating to protect you from the flak – so use with caution on sensitive days!
www.asd-forum.org.uk - Asperger and ASD UK online Forum. This forum has seven divisions:
- General discussion
- Education
- Help and advice
- Medication/Diet/Vitamins/Supplements/Remedies
- Resources
- Off topic
- Techie corner
www.autismanswers.com - Dr Amy Yasko’s programme, also provides forum – Parent and Professional Discussion Groups. Searchable database.
www.healing-arts.org - Website for the discussion of medical and physical therapies for the treatment of brain injured children.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/gfcfkids/ Forum for those considering or following the GF/CF diet.
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/enzymesandautism/ Forum for those considering or using enzymes.
http://www.hitched.co.uk/sbforum/forum.asp?forum_id=7 This is hitched.co.uk, a website dedicated to those getting married - another forum is attached, called Baby Talk and I have been recommended this as a very warm and supportive online community for parents.
Programmes
www.floortime.org - Site devoted to Stanley Greenspans Floortime Programme – lots of free resources available and access to lots of information about the programme.
www.peach.org.uk - Charity helping parents set up home based ABA programmes.
www.treehouse.org.uk - London based charity helping parents set up home programmes.
www.autism-programs.com - US (Florida based) team. Growing Minds Autism Programme. Courses held in the UK periodically.
www.icdlcom - American site: Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders. Links to DIR/Floortime Model.
Sensory Issues
www.orthoscopics.com - Guide to visual perceptual difficulties
www.sensoryintegration.org.uk - An association committed to promoting and developing sensory integration in theory and practice.
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/Weight-2-Go-Blankets - an online EBay store selling weighted blankets - great product, reasonably priced.
Support Groups
www.scarfuk.co.uk - Based in the New Forest and Waterside this is a support group set up to provide support for families of children with special needs.
www.peatni.org - Parents Education as Autism Therapists. Based in Northern Ireland employs qualified behaviour analysts to train parents in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
www.mencap.org.uk - A UK charity which campaigns for equal rights for children and adults with a learning disability and offers a variety of services to them and their families
www.cerebra.org.uk - Cerebra funds research on Brain conditions and provides support to Parents, carers and professionals. They are happy to arrange talks for groups, have great information packs, and have a sleep nurse who will give advice for free (at time of writing).
www.camh.org.uk - Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Provides links to support groups, information sheets and recommended books.
Sites I don’t know how to categorise
http://theemergencesite.com/Tech/TechIssues-Autism-OCD-Aspergers-ADD.htm - Where you will find a description of the spectrum of distraction by Steven Paglierani, a personality theorist but not an expert on Autism.
www.webautism.bham.ac.uk - Birmingham University online study programme - leading to University Certificate & Certificate of Higher Education (Autistic Spectrum Disorder).
www.jerryfennerphotography.co.uk - website for Jerry who kindly donated photographs for this website.
