Air date: December 12, 2010

Host: Barbara Lewis

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Interview: Laura and Mike Williamson

Laura and Mike Williamson tell the story of their son, Pip, who was diagnosed with autism about five years ago.

The Williamson's explain the difficulties they faced when Pip was a baby. And they recall the emotional time of Pip's diagnosis.

In time, the Williamson's learned that dairy products could be contributing to Pip's symptoms, so they experimented with removing dairy and gluten from his diet. The results were more than surprising. Laura Williamson calls it "a miracle."

Today, Pip is a happy and communicative 8-year old. And while the Williamson's still face challenges together, they are advocates for parents and doctors to closely manage the diet of autistic children.

Additional Resources:

• The First Signs website includes a link to screening tools for parents, including the M-CHAT screening tool, which is recommended by the AAP.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics information page on autism.
• Read up on a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet. Be sure to check out contrary opinions about the benefits of the GFCF diet.
• Visit the Williamson's website, Autism Hope & Healing.