Andrea Libutti, MD

• Autism Diagnosis Day: How I went from devastated to grateful for my son’s autism diagnosis. • It was one of the worst days of my life. February 12, 2006. It is etched into my brain. Forever. Though now I see it as one of the best.

I was sitting on my living room floor reading a report. A county pediatric psychologist came over three hours earlier to evaluate my 20-month-old son.

She followed him around for these three hours and tried many tactics to engage him in activities that he had absolutely no interest in.

What I was reading was her assessment. The front page had a scale with the numbers 0-20, 20-40, and 40+ as a measurement for what defined a child as mild, moderate or severe on the autism spectrum.

I started the day optimistic. I was finally going to get some answers as to what was going on with my toddler. He went from an engaging infant to a boy far removed from his parents and surroundings, at least from a “normal” perspective. He loved to spin the dog bowl around and around, over and over, all day long.

I’m not sure why I was so optimistic.  It was obvious something was wrong. Where he was once happy and bubbly and chatty, he now looked drawn and sickly, and he never looked at us, only through us.

So there I sat staring at her report through tears, and an intense feeling of wanting to vomit. If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/11/04/autism-diagnosis-day-how-i-went-from-devastated-to-grateful-for-my-sons-autism-diagnosis/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • What is the most misunderstood thing about autism? • A mother is about to meet her 19 year old son with non-verbal autism for the first time. Don’t get me wrong, they have not been physically apart, he has lived with her for the past 19 years. But what she learned in one day completely changed everything she knew about her son... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/31/what-is-the-most-misunderstood-thing-about-autism/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism Can we Simplify the process of restoring wellness with a simple framework and formula? Discover the 5 key ingredients from Mother Nature that will powerfully and safely detoxify your child and your family. If you liked this short audio, you can get all my articles at: www.andrealibutti.com/blog/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Why do some people with autism see colors when you speak? • Synesthesia is the joining of the senses, where music or sound may trigger colors, or words may trigger taste. Recent research at the University of Sussex in the U.K. has concluded that there is a definite link between synesthesia and autism. Synesthesia tends to be particularly prevalent in persons with autism who have savant abilities, such as superior math, memory or art skills. It’s a fascinating concept.  Seeing color from a voice or when music is played... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/24/why-do-some-people-with-autism-see-colors-when-you-speak/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Do you know something about ASD that other people with autism might not know? • I have this really tragic, but funny in retrospect, story about autism and the word gift. I had been on my journey with my son with autism for close to a decade, when I approached the head of one of the largest autism conferences in the U.S. with an idea. I began talking enthusiastically about my discoveries along my journey and how I had come to see autism as the greatest gift of my life so far. I described the realizations and epiphanies that my son’s autism had afforded me, and how my connection with my son had evolved as I loosened my grip on “fixing” him, and instead embracing him for who he is. When I finally stopped talking, she had only one very strong, very angry thing to say to me... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/21/do-you-know-something-about-asd-that-other-people-with-autism-might-not-know/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • How does stress affect the autistic brain? • Do you know what the number one thing patients complain about to me in the emergency department? “I have too much stress.” It’s so commonplace, that I often think join the club. Stress.  It is a part of just about everyone’s life nowadays. Autistic people may be under even greater stress than the average person. If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/20/how-does-stress-affect-the-autistic-brain/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE: www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • What’s the best networking advice for an autism professional? • This is one of the most powerful things that I do as an autism practitioner because there are many, many perspectives on autism. As a professional with a vested interest in changing how the world views autism, I align and collaborate with those that share my views.  By doing this, we become more effective and powerful in relaying our particular message and creating change. So here’s a list of must do’s when it comes to networking within your profession... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/18/whats-the-best-networking-advice-for-an-autism-professional/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Could autism behaviors be linked to this hormone? • Sleep.   We elude it as children and covet it as adults. We crave it when we don’t have enough of it.   And as many parents of autistic children know, shortage of sleep in their children and themselves is commonplace. Could this hormone, or lack thereof, be the culprit? If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/13/could-autism-behaviors-be-linked-to-this-hormone/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Is autism more prevalent in boys because of testosterone? • Testosterone.  What do you think of when you hear the word testosterone? Male. Strong. He Man - Right? Well yes, but there is so much more to testosterone than big muscles and a deep voice. There are several studies that link higher levels of testosterone to autism. Simon Baron-Cohen, the director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University in the U.K. has facilitated several of these studies... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/13/is-autism-more-prevalent-in-boys-because-of-testosterone/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Does Netflix’s “Atypical” Portray Autism Accurately? • Sam Gardner is a teenager with autism on the Netflix TV show Atypical. He does a really good job of portraying autism, from one person’s perspective. He is portrayed as a very literal-minded character, unable to see the nuances or hidden meaning in communication and body language. He sees things as very black and white. Some individuals with autism are very literal. Some, but not all... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/12/does-netflix-atypical-portray-autism-accurately/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Is your child more right brain or left brain dominant? • Left handed people (right brain dominant) are inventive, artistic and emotional while right handed people (left brain dominant) are logical, analytical and even-tempered, or so we believe. It turns out that the left hemisphere (LH) is usually the dominant hemisphere, even in left handed people. Only 20% of left handed people are right hemisphere (RH) dominant... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/08/is-your-child-more-right-brain-or-left-brain-dominant/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • What is the best way to connect with my child with autism? • I am sitting on the floor of my son’s therapy room. I have been homeschooling him for several years and we are about to begin a session.   I am wearing a neon pink hat and I have brightly colored paint all over my face. I have to admit - I look interesting. My son with autism is busy in one corner of the room, dropping books over and over, getting close to the floor so he can hear the sound they make as they hit the floor. I move over to join him with my own stack of books.  I drop each book, over and over. From time to time I glance at him, curious about how he’s doing. He glances at me for just a moment.   I thank him and celebrate his interest in a gentle and heartfelt way. If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/05/what-is-the-best-way-to-connect-with-my-child-with-autism/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Do autistic individuals have a baseline happiness set point? All about hedonic adaptation • What would you do if you won the lottery?   Buy a gorgeous house, a luxury car, or perhaps a trip around the world? Many of us fantasize about it.  But did you know that winning the lottery won’t make you any happier than you are today? That’s the research collected from lottery winners around the world. Here's why... If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/04/do-autistic-individuals-have-a-baseline-happiness-set-point/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog  Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE:  www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • A Brief History of Autism: How Looking Back May Explain Your Child’s Bright Future • “We’ve come a long way baby” sums up the history of autism. Our beliefs about the condition have evolved from a subcategory of schizophrenia, to the “refrigerator mother” theory (unloving mothers cause autism), to modern day genetic predispositions as the culprit. Stick with me and see where we are going in this evolutionary journey because it’s not what you think. If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/10/02/a-brief-history-of-autism-how-looking-back-may-explain-your-childs-bright-future/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE: www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • What is one thing every teacher of autistic individuals should know? • If you saw my son going about his day, at home, at the school bus stop, or in the grocery store, you’d likely assume he is “very autistic”. He perseverates on spinning fans, he skips around the room, flaps his hands, occasionally he squeals, and he doesn’t speak much...or look at you. People know immediately he is not typical. He is most definitely autistic. Very autistic. But here’s the thing... he is also brilliant. And not just in that I’m a biased mother kind of way. If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/09/30/one-thing-every-teacher-should-know/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE: www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter

Ask the Doctor: Anything Autism Doctor Andrea Libutti, MD answers your questions on autism • Are autistic individuals hypersensitive to emotions? • The two conditions are not related. Alexithymia is defined as difficulty in experiencing, expressing and describing emotional responses. At first glance, people may assume autism and alexithymia are similar. They are not! If you liked this short audio, you can get the whole article at: https://www.andrealibutti.com/2018/09/19/are-autistic-individuals-hypersensitive-to-emotions/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-blog Download the first chapter of my book “Awakened by Autism” for FREE: https://www.andrealibutti.com/?utm_source=anchor&utm_medium=description-chapter My name is Andrea Libutti and I’m a doctor, author and mother of a brilliant son, who at the age of 2 was diagnosed with severe autism.