My name is Jason Chilton and I just turned 22 not too long ago. I am a young man living in the Detroit area that is living with autism and ADHD. Though it has been a very challenging struggle, I can say that I am on the way to a successful life. I was initially diagnosed with the ADHD just before my 4th birthday and was immediately put on Ritalin. My mom, who has been very supportive of me, did not want me on the Ritalin, but I was put on it by a doctor anyway. I was seeing him for two years prior and was also seeing a psychologist, who was the one that recommended the Ritalin to begin with. They also thought about putting me on Haldol, but my mom wouldn’t have any of it.
It wasn’t until two months before my 8th birthday that I was diagnosed with autism. Up to that point, I had been classified as being EI and was put in special education that was rather unfulfilling. After that, I was successfully integrated into a “normal” class and went on from there. But I never did homework. . .and that really hurt me a lot in school. Everyone knew that I was capable; not to be boastful or anything, but I knocked the socks off of teachers and other professionals with my test scores in my early schooling. It was just getting me to do school work at home that was the challenge.
About halfway through my sophomore year of high school, I had decided that I had enough of the Ritalin. I was telling my mom I didn’t want to be on it any more for a long time but there was nothing that we could really do. That was when we decided to take a new approach. My mom had gotten into metabolic nutrition when I was 11 and had used it to lose 70 lbs. and keeps it off even to today. When my mom decided to try it with me, I was 15 and pulling a D average according to my mom. (I like to say I was pulling a C-, but that’s between me and her!)
Almost immediately, I took off. I was able to focus and concentrate more clearly. And for the first time ever, I was actually doing homework at home. My grades improved and I was able to graduate with three honors awards and three scholarships. But the biggest improvement had to be my ability to communicate. I used to be shy to the point where I would turn away from someone I didn’t know if they were helping me, even openly refusing the aid. But after starting the metabolic nutrition program, I was approaching people, even strangers if I had a common interest with them, and starting conversations. A good example of this was when my mom took me to a NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway in June of 1999. Though the race was an experience in itself (it was pretty dull in my opinion as there were no cautions and one driver ran away with it.), it was afterwards in the parking lot that was the real experience. I was openly approaching strangers, though most of them were wearing some article of clothing associated with my favorite driver at the time. If not for that, it would’ve been just another day. . .but it turned into the greatest three-hour traffic jam I’ve ever sat in!
I was more comfortable in most, if not all aspects of communication. I was starting to look people in the eye when I spoke instead of looking away or down. I was more willing to approach someone, especially if they shared a common interest, like racing as I stated above. I was more. . .sociable. . .willing to go do stuff with peers, although I was still pretty much a nervous wreck most of the time. I was really starting to feel good with the direction I was heading in; heck, I even asked a girl I knew in one of my classes to the prom, but she politely declined. Even though she declined, I felt it was a major victory in my quest for some kind of normalcy.
Now, I’m learning how to talk to doctors about using nutrition to help combat autism and other mental disorders instead of, or in combination with medication. I am also going away to a technical school in the Chicago area to study automotive technology so that I can have a skill I can use for a career. But I’m also hoping that my nutrition business can take off like it has for scores of people that my mom and I know personally. I already have a long list of dreams and aspirations set for myself. I’m just hoping that in the end, it all works out. And if not, then I would like to know that my efforts weren’t in vain. Thank you for hearing my story and if you have any questions about metabolic nutrition, feel free to either ask on the board or via e-mail. My address is croco83@gmail.com.hey jason,
you sound like you are doing great, just wanted to say hello and that I can relate.