Tag Archives: autism

Leigh Attaway Wilcox, assistant editor at AutismSpot.com, reports in detail on the Hail Merry sponsored event, Dallas Rocks Against Autism. Read even more about the event below.

It isn’t everyday that parents raising children with Autism get to have a night out, especially not all together in one place with none other than the original Warrior Mom herself - Jenny McCarthy! The Warrior Parents of Dallas are a dedicated group, though, so it shouldn’t be surprising that countless Warrior Parents in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (plus many of their friends, family members, and children’s therapists, doctors and teachers) showed up in force -300+ attendees - for the first annual Dallas Rocks Against Autism. The event was designed to benefit 3 important organizations: EBCALA (Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy); the Warrior Parents of Dallas Benevolent Fund; and Brains for Autism a foundation associated with UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Event Chairperson, Mary Jaminet, a true Warrior Mom, spent months organizing this event with special guests Jenny McCarthy and Generation Rescue Executive Director Candace McDonald. The event also welcomed Honorary Chairpersons: Dawn and Ryan Neufeld; Randy Redmond; and Craig Whitson.

2616 Commerce Street Place in Dallas was the perfect venue for the event with brilliant blue lighting, antique bar, stage, plus auction, shopping and VIP areas. Concert attendees rocked to 70’s and 80’s tunes performed by Osage and The Compulsive Jam Band while sampling delightful hors d'oeuvres from Chef Douglas Brown, voted best caterer in 2010 by D Magazine. Comedic troupe Shoes for the Dead and comedian David Jessup left the crowd laughing out loud.

Debra Caudy, with Brains for Autism, summarized the Autism Research being done at UT Southwestern. Maureen Bordelon, Dallas-area Warrior Mom, spoke on behalf of EBCALA and won the hearts of the crowd by sharing her family’s personal story including the near-death experience her son, Jonathan, endured in a public school in 2010 when Jonathan was illegally restrained and thereafter nearly choked to death. With facilitation from EBCALA and fellow warrior mom, Jennifer Keefe and Patton Boggs LLP, the Bordelon family resolved the dispute and their son is now doing extremely well being home schooled.

When Jenny McCarthy and Candace McDonald moved the “photos with Jenny” line to Jinger Rosales-Fergus’ table where she was raising funds to buy a service dog for her son Charlie, hearts were won! Jenny simply asked event guests to pitch in as little as $1 for Charlie’s dog – to help with his seizure disorder – before snapping a shot to remember. With nearly $1000 raised thanks to Jenny’s thoughtful gesture, and more promised directly from Jenny herself, Jinger will be forever grateful!

Both the silent and live auctions were successful thanks to the many generous donations of over 20 sponsors: Patton Boggs LLP; 2616 Commerce Street Place; CCI; Chain Gang Band; Compulsive Jam Band; Sergio Delgado; Chef Douglas Brown – Beyond the Box; Christy Edwards – Gold Canyon Candles; Jack Greenway; Hail Merry; Kristi Hammer; Hopebrand; Jam Sports & Entertainment, LLC; Liz James Designs; Juli M. Jordan, J.D.; Lisa & Peter Kraus; Julie R. Liberman, M.A., CCC-SLP; Living Well Dallas; Osage; Premier Transportation; Red Moon Guitar/Oklahoma Vintage Guitar; Drs. Greg & Wendy Skulman; Ticketmaster, Walker Creative; Jana Water; and Whole Child Wellness – Dr. Amber Books.

What an event to remember; many Warrior Parents of Dallas are already talking about how awesome future Dallas Rocks Against Autism Benefit Concerts will be!
Did you miss the concert Saturday but would like a t-shirt to support the cause? Many, many thanks to HopeBrand for donating the proceeds of these super cool shirts. Get one today!

Leigh Attaway Wilcox is Assistant Editor of the internationally acclaimed AutismSpot.com and is the author of ALL BETTER: A Touch-and-Heal Book published by Piggy Toes Press in 2007. Leigh lives in North Texas with her husband and young son who loves reading, LEGOs, Mario Bros. and also happens to live with Asperger's Syndrome, an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Contact her here!

According to Autism Speaks™, Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex pervasive developmental brain disorders characterized by severe deficits in social interaction and communication, by an extremely limited range of activities and interests, and often by the presence of repetitive, stereotyped behavior. One in 110 American children has an autism spectrum disorder (1 in 70 boys) and the prevalence rate is increasing 10-17% annually. Interestingly, females suffer from autoimmune diseases 3x more than males but autism is 4x common in males.

The cause of Autism is unknown. There is no medical detection and there is no cure. Each case is individual with different levels of severity and combination of symptoms. Children with Autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development- social interaction, language, and behavior. Common signs include failure to respond to name, avoidance of eye contact with other people, lack of empathy, repetitive movements and delayed speech. Common treatments include educational and behavioral interventions, medications and other therapies including a gluten-free casein-free diet (GFCF). Talk About Curing Autism spokesperson, Jenny McCarthy, advocates not only a GFCF, but also one free of soy and food dyes to reduce the symptoms of autism and heal the body.

Recent research found little evidence that supports the use of most medications for treating autism in children, with the exception of two anti-psychotic drugs: risperidone and aripiprazole. In addition, evidence over the past 30 years suggests that autism may involve inflammation in the brain and central nervous system. There is also emerging evidence from animal studies that illustrates how the immune system can influence behaviors related to autism. Since over 60% of the immune system is located in the gastrointestinal tract, diet becomes even more important as a treatment for Autism. For more  information, please see this study on autism.

Hail Merry Snacks are not only GFCF, but they are free of processed sugars, yeast and food dyes. Our Grawnola and  Macaroons are slightly sweetened with organic maple syrup which is an excellent source of manganese and a good source of zinc, both which support immune health. The seasoned pecans, almonds and sunflower seeds are first soaked to aid digestion and then dehydrated at low temps to protect healthy omegas and antioxidants.

Hail Merry loves to get involved with great causes and that's why we sponsored the Dallas Rocks Against Autism event. The net proceeds benefited The Elizabeth Birt Center for Autism Law and Advocacy, Brains for Autism, and The Warrior Parents of Dallas. We are also big supporters Thoughtful House in Austin. Read more about what our founder, Susan O'Brien, had to say about the event and about celebrity autism activist, Jenny McCarthy, who came to lend her support below.

This past Saturday night Hail Merry was one of the sponsors at the Dallas Rocks Against Autism event. The music was great and the cause was even greater! We met so many parents who are dedicated to helping raise money for autism research since there is no known cause and no cure. There are many therapies and drugs that help, but the one thing that all parents with Autistic children must do is make sure they are on a gluten-free/casein-free diet. Brains for Autism, one of the benefiting organizations, is a foundation which funds autism research at UT Southwestern hospital. As part of our ongoing community outreach, Hail Merry gives free Gluten-Free/Vegan Macaroons to The Thoughtful House located in Austin. This group is a wonderful resource for families all over the country who need access to doctors, therapists and the latest in Autism research.

The highlight of the event was of course meeting Jenny McCarthy, who has a son with Autism named Evan ( I also have a son named Evan). I can not tell you enough how nice and NORMAL this celebrity was to be around. She was funny, engaging and so down to earth. It was a true honor to have her eating our macaroons! She seemed to like them and our message about NO MORE GLUTEN FREE JUNK FOOD clicked for her. America is a better place with Jenny as Autism’s voice. God Bless our children.

Everyone knows that a gluten free diet is recommended for those with Celiac disease, but few know the health benefits that switching to a gluten free diet can bring.

Removing gluten from your diet can result in weight loss, improved digestive and immune system function, and even better skin! Even those that don’t want to remove all gluten from their diet can benefit from reducing the amount that they consume.

Many people hear “gluten free” and automatically think that they’re not going to be able to have bread, cookies, or any of their favorite treats again, which is patently untrue. The gluten free foods movement has created some of the tastiest baked goods on the market, and the product offerings continue to expand. You can purchase gluten free breads, granolas, trail mixes, and even pastas.

Changing to gluten free eating takes some change and adjustment, but the benefits can be seen very quickly. If your child is autistic or has Asperger’s syndrome, changing their diet may help reduce symptoms as their bodies simply have more difficulty digesting gluten than others. People with irritable bowel syndrome, thyroid disease, and other autoimmune conditions may find relief from removing gluten-containing products from their diet.

A few simple swaps can help you decrease the gluten that you consume. Swap your traditional all-purpose flour for chickpea or tapioca. Consume fresh, whole foods like vegetables, legumes, and fruits. Substitute corn meal or crushed potato chips for breading. Instead of oatmeal in the morning, try corn grits, or actually, enjoy some Hail Merry gRAWnola, typically the Lemon Blue Agave version and some fruit. You can do it over almond milk, but it's really made to be had by the handful.

Eating gluten free may seem like a daunting task, but the health benefits are worth it. Adapting to a gluten-free diet, or even just substituting gluten free foods some of the time can benefit your health in the long term. And just a reminder... all Hail Merry snacks are 100% gluten-free. (not to mention raw and vegan!)