So, we have now discussed what CST is and how it can help children in general. If you missed Part 1 of this then go back and read it before proceeding, this will help you have a better understanding. I now want to break down how it helps Autism and other delays. Hope this helps!
How does CST help Autism?

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.”
— Steven Furtick
While browsing on Facebook (in a diligent effort to avoid cleaning the house or hearing my arguing children), I read that people who spend a lot of time on Facebook are less happy than those who spend more time in person with friends. It makes sense. After all, the right picture or quote can make anyone’s life seem magical, while mine pales in comparison.

Case in point: in the above picture, you can see pure joy on our faces. It was Lizzie’s first ski trip, and it was perfect! We took her up to the top of the mountain, and she grinned ear-to-ear with excitement over this new adventure! It was as if the snow ski fairy had sprinkled Lizzie with fairy dust. As we hopped off the ski lift, she began to ski with ease. She was a natural! At the bottom of the slope, we all gave her a group family hug! We were all smiles! Perfect!
This is all true. At least, that is what the picture shows, right? Ha! I wish.

Last fall, my friend Jennifer Dodson started a fantastic series for us about how acting and drama have positively influenced her son with Asperger’s Syndrome. This final entry is packed with great information about programs and even a book recommendation for utilizing drama and acting in the lives of children with autism. If you missed the first few posts in the series, I encourage you to read Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 as well. My sincere thanks, again, to Jennifer for taking the time and effort to pen this encouraging and informative series for us! Enjoy, ~Leigh
Professional Acting with Asperger’s Syndrome: Part 4
By Jennifer Dodson
The journey for our son who is a professional actor with Asperger Syndrome has been very rewarding. We have watched our son's social skills blossom and his self-confidence soar. For our son, acting has opened up his world in ways we didn't know were possible.

This subject is one near and dear to me as I have been using Craniosacral Therapy (CST) for many years now and I have seen how life changing it can truly be for families. When parents go searching for information I am not sure they get a true understanding of what this is and I would like to take some time to share with you the basics.

Rock bottom for me is when I find myself sitting in my car eating a Cinnabon. I am likely wearing jeans that I have not washed in two weeks to keep up the facade that I have not gained the holiday weight, and I am drinking a Diet Coke, of course.
It is time for me to get serious about eating healthy again, which means no more sweets and no more Diet Coke. It has been 525,600 minutes, exactly one year, since I had this same conversation with myself. I guess I will add it to my list of New Year’s Resolutions again.
Having the same goal over and over each year can become demoralizing at the very least. Whether it is a small issue like losing a few pounds, or an enormous issue like a goal that my child with autism never masters, it takes all the willpower I have to not throw in the towel and just accept life as “good enough.”

Keeping up with cutting-edge science and research in relation to autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders can be overwhelming and exhausting – there are so many different researchers doing great work and publishing in a variety of journals; it is a lot to keep up with. However, one of our newest guest bloggers, Nicole Wallace, has a gift for following the newest autism/biomedical news, breaking it down into understandable pieces and sharing it with us! Nicole writes below about CCSVI or “chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency” as it relates to children with ASD. Her last post about Stem Cell Treatment for Autism was also an interesting and detailed post worth reading. We’d love to hear if you’ve considered or utilized stem cell or CCSVI therapies for your child in the comments section below. Enjoy!
Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency & Autism
By Nicole Wallace
The hypothesis of vascular abnormalities in multiple sclerosis has been around for years but only recently has a doctor in Italy begun taking the research to a new level of actually testing and treating MS patients. Paulo Zamboni M.D., a vascular surgeon from Sardinia, Italy, coined the term "chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency" or CCSVI in MS patients. CCSVI is a narrowing of the jugular or vertebral veins that restricts the normal outflow of deoxygenated blood from the brain and spinal cord to the heart. CCSVI can result in iron deposits in the brain which can lead to autoimmunity.
To date the majority of the studies and information about CCSVI are linked to multiple sclerosis. But Dietrich Klinghardt M.D. PhD, and others have suggested that CCSVI is likely an issue in most children with autism as well.

Such a cliché – “When it rains, it pours!” But, sometimes there is no better way to describe life.
We’ve had a lot going on lately and have had a lot of stress in our lives as a result. For the most part I’m good with stress; I can typically roll with the punches, maintain a positive attitude and keep marching forward - usually with a smile. The bottom line is that I know everything is cyclical and that this, too, shall pass. In the past month, though, amidst the rain, it began to pour in the Wilcox household and instead of singing and dancing in the rain – I’m admittedly sloshing a bit, mindfully trying to hum my way through it.
Most impactful, my mother-in-law passed away two days after Christmas. While it wasn’t a total surprise as we watched her health slowly decline over the past few years, it wasn’t necessarily “expected” either and it has been devastating on many levels.