Alexia is the coolest 8 year old I know. When she was younger, I knew something was wrong but I guess i just wasn't ready to hear it. When she was 4, she was diagnosed with Autism. Even though at that time I knew nothing about it, it was the first diagnosis that came into my head. Alexia was so nice and sweet, and then the tantrums would make her so different, and impossible to control. It was a very heart breaking experience for us. Her melt downs would last up to an hour, and happened multiple times through out the day. When Alexia was 5, I read Jenny McCarthy's story. Her story gave me the courage to try removing dairy from Alexia's diet. The book said it would get worse before it got better, and man did it ever! I wanted to scream! My brother got married in October that year, and asked if Alexia would be the flower girl. I was pretty sure he'd lost his mind... He said, " We know there's a chance she'll melt down, but it's really important to us that she takes part." (In my head) "Okay, your funeral..." Dress shopping was awful. She ran around screaming the whole time! I was sure disaster would strike. The day of the wedding, Alexia was very eerily calm. She let me do her hair, she put on the dress and shoes with no fight! That day, Alexia and I walked down the aisle together as I tried not to scream, " Look at her, that's my kid!" She got through the entire day with no melt down for the first time I could remember! Since that day, Alexia has grown into an amazing girl. She sings her heart out, laughs infectiously, and loves to tell jokes (And laugh at them herself). She is so loving and comes to hug and kiss me and say "I love you mommy" so many times a day! So, I know the question. Did the melt downs disappear? HA! I wish! But, now we deal with about 1 every month or two instead of every hour or two, and that trade I would make any day of the week!! I can only wait and see what other wonderful adventures life with Alexia will bring! I love her more than I could've ever known possible.