Regarding whether there is a relationship between feeding problems and
autism, Catherine wrote:

"I would love to know which was the chicken, and which the egg, if there
is a relationship."

This has always been the problem both for professionals and parents of
autistic children.  Not that many years ago it was blamed on emotionally
"cold" parents, especially mothers.  Parents protested and eventually
the "experts" acknowledged that maybe what they were seeing in parents'
behavior was a response, not a cause.  If every time you try to hug or
cuddle your child, even as a baby, they stiffen, push away and become
upset, but are "happy" and content when you avoid hugs and cuddles, how
are you likely to respond?  Parents learn quickly to respond in whatever
way makes their baby content and avoid those actions that upset baby,
even if they seem like what you should do!  Then they are hit with the
double whammy that autistics never improve, so if a diagnosis of autism
is made and the child improves, you have to back and change the label!
No wonder you can't trust so called research with those parameters.

Sorry to digress.  Our oldest wat diagnosed with "autistic tendencies"
and because he did improve, we played the "name game" for the rest of
his developing years.  He was breastfed for 7+ months (Oh, if I had
known then what I know now!) and it was about the only time I could
really hug and cuddle him (except if something made him really scared).
He did improve, and though he still has some social problems, he is
functioning independently-something we were told would be impossible.

Winnie

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