Oxidative stress is what makes Autism neuro-degenerative. Until we had the boys ONE tests done with Genova Diagnostics I had never heard of oxidative stress before. Oxidative stress is what causes autism to have a window of time for recovery. This is a link to a paper done on oxidative stress and autism.
Abstract
Autism is a severe developmental disorder with poorly understood etiology. Oxidative stress in autism has been studied at the membrane
level and also by measuring products of lipid peroxidation, detoxifying agents (such as glutathione), and antioxidants involved in the defense
system against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Lipid peroxidation markers are elevated in autism, indicating that oxidative stress is increased
in this disease. Levels of major antioxidant serum proteins, namely transferrin (iron-binding protein) and ceruloplasmin (copper-binding
protein), are decreased in children with autism. There is a positive correlation between reduced levels of these proteins and loss of previously
acquired language skills in children with autism. The alterations in ceruloplasmin and transferrin levels may lead to abnormal iron and copper
metabolism in autism. The membrane phospholipids, the prime target of ROS, are also altered in autism. The levels of phosphatidylethanolamine
(PE) are decreased, and phosphatidylserine (PS) levels are increased in the erythrocyte membrane of children with autism as compared to
their unaffected siblings. Several studies have suggested alterations in the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase,
glutathione peroxidase, and catalase in autism. Additionally, altered glutathione levels and homocysteine/methionine metabolism, increased
inflammation, excitotoxicity, as well as mitochondrial and immune dysfunction have been suggested in autism. Furthermore, environmental
and genetic factors may increase vulnerability to oxidative stress in autism. Taken together, these studies suggest increased oxidative stress
in autism that may contribute to the development of this disease. A mechanism linking oxidative stress with membrane lipid abnormalities,
inflammation, aberrant immune response, impaired energy metabolism and excitotoxicity, leading to clinical symptoms and pathogenesis of
autism is proposed.
© 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
For the complete article:
http://www.safeminds.org/research/library/oxidative-stress-in-autism.pdf
This article also talks about mitochondrial dysfunction (which both of my boys have) and its relation to oxidative stress. Please take some time and read this complete article as it is crucial to recovery.
The following powerpoint is from the autismOne conference in 2007 and it talks about the use of Metallothionein, chelation, glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid and some vit/min supplements in treating the oxidative stress.
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:CZAI80n6LXoJ:www.autismone.org/uploads/2007/William%2520Walsh%2520AO%25202007%2520presentation.ppt+antioxidant%2Btherapy%2Bautism&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us
Many families with children on the spectrum are struggling to keep afloat financially and DAN! practioners do not accept insurance. So we as parents find ourselves playing parent and doctor, therapist and teacher. I have been researching antioxidant treatment and therapies for about 2-3 months now and I have a plan -at least for my boys. One antioxidant that I keep running across and it is available in capsule form is alpha-lipoic acid. This is available from kirkman labs and you can also find it in some combo supplements as well. To me it seems like a good place to start and we will see how the boys do on it. The only problem is that you really need testing to keep track of the oxidative stress. That can be very very costly. We will begin the alpha lipoic acid in a week or two and we will consider doing some tests in a couple months.
I have also ran across some supplements that we are going to try. We will be trying the Behavior Balance and the Pro-C from autism coach.http://www.autismcoach.com/Behavior%20Balance.htm I will let you know when we start them and what results we are seeing. The Pro-C contains lipoic acid, glutathione (reduced), and other antioxidants. I am really excited to start this and will be also supplementing with additional lipoic acid from kirkmans.
Other great sites to check out:
Re: Metallothionein http://www.healing-arts.org/children/mtpromotion.htm#nutrient
http://autismchangingtomorrow.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/evidence-supporting-nutritional-supplements-in-autism-treatment/
A great tool to screen for PDD and severity:
http://www.childbrain.com/pddassess.html
TONS OF THE LATEST INFO:
AutismOne Conference 2008 Powerpoints: (need powerpoint viewer to view)
http://autismone.org/download2008.cfm\
http://www.autism.com/treatable/adams_biomed_summary.pdf
http://justaskdrmike.com/
http://www.icdrc.org/documents/Mitoandautism2008.pdf
http://www.nourishinghope.com/nourishing_hope_blog/2007/03/vitamins_minera.html
One last point for this post. Looking back there is so much I could have done during pregnancy that I was oblivious to. I have included a fantastic powerpoint link to providing a healthy environment inside and out of the womb.
http://www.autism.com/danwebcast/presentations/boston2005--ohara.pdf
I will post an updated supplement regimen and updates as soon as I receive the products.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Vaccines
I just wanted to post some info on vaccines as more and more people are hearing the dangers. There is a fantastic video by Mary Tocco,( http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/02/14/why-vaccines-aren-t-safe.aspx ) who is an independent researcher on vaccines for 25 years now. The video is lengthy but worth watching as it could spare your child/grandchild/niece/nephew from this countries number one epidemic- AUTISM. As many know both of my boys have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum and both of them were born healthy babies.(if you look at my first post How it all began... and you will see 2 pics of both boys- the picture during the first year they had so much life in their eyes and then the second pic was after they regressed their eyes became dull) If I could go back to when they were infants and not put their tiny bodies through the trauma of vaccines- I would in a heartbeat. But...it is too late and I have learned that what if's serve no purpose. This was God's plan.
The role vaccines play today is terrifying. Infants in Argentina are being used as guinea pigs for pneumonia vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and 12 so far have already lost their lives.
(Article from Mercola.com)
At least 12 infants who were part of a clinical study to test a pneumonia vaccine have died in Argentina over the course of the past year.
The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, and uses children from poor families. According to the Argentine Federation of Health Professionals, the families are "pressured and forced into signing consent forms”.
The vaccine trial is still ongoing despite the denunciations.
For more on this article:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/31/12-babies-die-during-vaccine-trials-in-argentina.aspx
Autism in America has reached alarming numbers and the CDC as well as the federal vaccine court refuse to admit that Vaccines are the NUMBER ONE contributing factor. They acknowledge that vaccines have risks but they are "willing to sacrifice a few for the good of many." Dr. David Kirby (author of Evidence of Harm) believes that the more accurate number is 1 in 50 children will be diagnosed with a spectrum disorder. 1 in 50. The autism epidemic stomps any other "epidemic" affecting our world today, into the dirt. So why are the vaccines not being pulled off the shelves and why are drug manufacturers able to continue to produce more and more vaccines? Now more than ever we need to hold our future politicians accountable and demand that they answer these questions. My children are the living walking truth and every day is a struggle to heal them. We need to stand together as mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles and demand that the govt not only fund research (research open to the vaccine link) but also fund the treatments that are needed to heal these kids as well as put a hold on all vaccines given until more honest and complete research is done. The research that has been done in the past is inaccurate because doctors do not file vaccine reaction complaints and the CDC's stats are completely incorrect. I know that my boys reactions were never turned into the vaccine court. Our pediatrician said it was not related. From the very first shot both my boys followed the same pattern. (it is documented in their medical records as well) They would receive the shots, within 48 hours develop a "viral" rash on their trunks, then within a day or two the diarrhea(mysterious GI virus) would start and within 4-5 days they would have ear infection and be on antibiotics. Every single time with both boys and our doctor passed off my questions as "babies get virus' all the time-they are constantly fighting something."
I believe that no children under the age of 2 should be vaccinated. There really is no need. I also believe that all the unnecessary vaccines should be halted such as the ear infection and chickenpox vaccines. No one has died from either so why do we think that we need a vaccine? They also need to "green" our vaccines by not giving combo vaccines or vaccines that contain heavy metals and unhealthy ingredients. I am not anti-vaccine. I know that vaccines serve their purpose but I do feel that the drug manufacturers have one thing in mind-MONEY. They don't care about anything else.
My goal is to help people to be informed. The more educated you are the better decision you will make. At the current vaccine schedule our children are the victims and the numbers will continue to rise until people realize that combo vaccines and unnecessary vaccines are harmful. I urge everyone to watch the Mary Tocco video (the first 15 min go in and out but if you let it play it gets better) and to really think about what we are putting in our bodies and how it affects us. Not only is autism on the rise but adhd, asthma and allergies are also skyrocketing. more info:http://www.4ahealing.com/ Please feel free to contact me with questions and I will continue to research and post.
The role vaccines play today is terrifying. Infants in Argentina are being used as guinea pigs for pneumonia vaccine manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline and 12 so far have already lost their lives.
(Article from Mercola.com)
At least 12 infants who were part of a clinical study to test a pneumonia vaccine have died in Argentina over the course of the past year.
The study was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, and uses children from poor families. According to the Argentine Federation of Health Professionals, the families are "pressured and forced into signing consent forms”.
The vaccine trial is still ongoing despite the denunciations.
For more on this article:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/07/31/12-babies-die-during-vaccine-trials-in-argentina.aspx
Autism in America has reached alarming numbers and the CDC as well as the federal vaccine court refuse to admit that Vaccines are the NUMBER ONE contributing factor. They acknowledge that vaccines have risks but they are "willing to sacrifice a few for the good of many." Dr. David Kirby (author of Evidence of Harm) believes that the more accurate number is 1 in 50 children will be diagnosed with a spectrum disorder. 1 in 50. The autism epidemic stomps any other "epidemic" affecting our world today, into the dirt. So why are the vaccines not being pulled off the shelves and why are drug manufacturers able to continue to produce more and more vaccines? Now more than ever we need to hold our future politicians accountable and demand that they answer these questions. My children are the living walking truth and every day is a struggle to heal them. We need to stand together as mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles and demand that the govt not only fund research (research open to the vaccine link) but also fund the treatments that are needed to heal these kids as well as put a hold on all vaccines given until more honest and complete research is done. The research that has been done in the past is inaccurate because doctors do not file vaccine reaction complaints and the CDC's stats are completely incorrect. I know that my boys reactions were never turned into the vaccine court. Our pediatrician said it was not related. From the very first shot both my boys followed the same pattern. (it is documented in their medical records as well) They would receive the shots, within 48 hours develop a "viral" rash on their trunks, then within a day or two the diarrhea(mysterious GI virus) would start and within 4-5 days they would have ear infection and be on antibiotics. Every single time with both boys and our doctor passed off my questions as "babies get virus' all the time-they are constantly fighting something."
I believe that no children under the age of 2 should be vaccinated. There really is no need. I also believe that all the unnecessary vaccines should be halted such as the ear infection and chickenpox vaccines. No one has died from either so why do we think that we need a vaccine? They also need to "green" our vaccines by not giving combo vaccines or vaccines that contain heavy metals and unhealthy ingredients. I am not anti-vaccine. I know that vaccines serve their purpose but I do feel that the drug manufacturers have one thing in mind-MONEY. They don't care about anything else.
My goal is to help people to be informed. The more educated you are the better decision you will make. At the current vaccine schedule our children are the victims and the numbers will continue to rise until people realize that combo vaccines and unnecessary vaccines are harmful. I urge everyone to watch the Mary Tocco video (the first 15 min go in and out but if you let it play it gets better) and to really think about what we are putting in our bodies and how it affects us. Not only is autism on the rise but adhd, asthma and allergies are also skyrocketing. more info:http://www.4ahealing.com/ Please feel free to contact me with questions and I will continue to research and post.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Update
The past couple months have been literally a whirlwind for us. Cody has been in and out of town quite a bit, Sully has started school and we've been to at least half a dozen appointments. Everyday is jam packed and I am really hoping that October will be calmer. Since my last blog we have stopped the LDN as we did a month trial and were not getting any consistent results. We had thought that it was improving Sully's attention and eating but it was short lived and very inconsistent.I cannot say that we will not try it again but at this time it is not worth the time or money. We have successfully changed over to kirkman products and I am hoping that in time we will see more improvement in behavior and overall health.
The boys' current supplement regimen is:
Super Nu Thera P5P12.5mg
CoEnzyme Q10
Reduced L-Glutathione
Calcium
Pro-bio Gold Probiotics
Zinc
EnZym-Complete Dpp-IV II
Colostrum (Lochlan)
Methyl-B 12 injections
Gaba
I am still working out the doses but I really feel like we are on the right track in healing the gut. I may add more antioxidants as this is one of the boys' biggest issues. I have read a research paper on the effects of oxidative stress in autism and the outcome terrifies me if we are unable to get a handle on it. The paper in short explains that children with autism are often viewed as gifted but by the time they are adults they are mentally slow. This is because of high levels of oxidative stress cause autism to be neuro-degenerative disorder. Very scary. I am doing my research on antioxidant therapies and pray that God will give us direction as we try to heal our boys.
We recently made a trip to Rockford, Illinois to see a Pediatric Neurologist regarding the boys: Sully's history of febrile seizures, Lochlan's SI behavior and awkward eye movements as well as to have a neuro on our team to aid our efforts. We will be going back for testing (EEG, MRI, Genetics testing and some other lab work) towards the end of the month. I am not sure what information we will get out of this, but I wanted to make sure that there is nothing we are missing.
We also made a trip to Iowa City for a feeding evaluation at the Center for Disabilities and Development. We will be implementing a new feeding schedule for a period of 3 weeks and after that time we will discuss whether or not intensive treatment is necessary. Our new schedule will be 30 minute meals (timer) and 15 minute snacks. We will also be giving 2-3 preferred foods and one piece of non-preferred. If they try or eat the non-preferred food then they are rewarded with a highly preferred food that is reserved for that occasion. Lochlan and I will be spending 15 minutes every day just getting lip contact with non-preferred foods as well.
Lochlan also had an appointment with the behavior clinic. I had the great pleasure of meeting Dr. David Wacker who is a wonderful man with a very big heart for kids with difficult/self injurious behavior. I believe that it is divine intervention that we were able to see him and that his ideas are just what we're looking for. We will be doing a functional assessment for 6 mo and then we will consult to see where to go from there. It is a miracle that we even got an appointment with him as their behavior clinic is booked out until February. He is also going to get me in contact with an internist (I believe) who is an Aspergers guru. I am very excited to have such knowledgeable and caring people on our team. Dr. Wacker believes that if we can improve Lochlan's communication skills then the SI behavior will decrease. I agree with this whole hearted and my gut tells me that we are on the right track.
So how's the toileting you ask? Awesome. Once Cody and I took the pressure off Sully and instead just encouraged him-he started going poop in the toilet. And the icing on the cake is that Lochlan is also now almost potty trained (all but the pooping.) I think that I will just let nature take its course and encourage him to try-he is young and being able to stay dry during the day is a huge accomplishment in itself. He even has started to let us know when he needs to go. We are very proud of them!
Sully has successfully completed one day of preschool with no meltdowns!!!! Many who know us personally know that last year was a complete nightmare. Meltdowns every day after school for hours, fighting to get him dressed to get to school on time, peeling him from my leg and wrestling to get him in the car after. Every day for 7months-until we pulled him for a couple months. This year his teachers are doing more to help him in the transition times as well as giving him more sensory breaks during the day. I think having class in the afternoon is helping as well because there is no anxiety in the AM about having to get going to school. One down-many, many to go. We will continue to pray that it goes well and that he is emotionally able to handle all 4 days.
Lochlan is still waiting on ABA. We are however going forward with the evaluations to transition him to the school setting. I am a little uneasy about having other people deal with his self injurious behavior but I am praying about it and know that God will give us wisdom to make the right decisions. Of course we will take ABA over Special ed preschool as the projected outcome of ABA is more promising.
I am very excited as we have finished the basement/therapy room enough to use it while we finish completing it. So here are a few pics of the boys in their therapy swing..jpg)
Lastly I wanted to share a couple prayers for those affected by autism.
'Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.'(Hebrews 10:23, NIV)
PARENT’S PRAYER:Dear God,There are days when I have hope, and days when I do not. Many days are difficult and I become overwhelmed. My affections are often turned away from you in days such as that and I wonder if you will bring any good out of autism. The pure heartbreak of the disappointment alone is enough to bruise me in heart. In times like that, Lord, I am most in need of your touch. I need you to help rekindle my affections toward you. It is in those days that I most need you to renew my ability to believe in your promises for me and for _____________. Therefore, Lord, I choose to allow you to penetrate my battered emotions and bring healing to my broken heart. Set my feet back on course in days that I have gone astray. Do not allow Satan to take advantage of my weaknesses in such times. Instead, stir the gift of faith that you have deposited within me! Cause me to be able to be strong and take heart with a new passion and hope. You are faithful, God. You have never failed. My trust and hope are in you alone, who is well able to accomplish all that you have promised!In Jesus’ Name,Amen
FAMILY’S / FRIEND’S PRAYER:Dear God,There are days when the __________ family has hope, and days when they do not. Many days are difficult and they become overwhelmed. Their affections can easily be turned away from you in days such as that and they must wonder if you will bring any good out of autism. The pure heartbreak of the disappointment alone is enough to bruise them in heart. In times like that, Lord, they are most in need of your touch. They need you to help rekindle their affections toward you. It is in those days that they most need you to renew their ability to believe in your promises for them and for [child’s name]. Therefore, Lord, help them to choose to allow you to penetrate their battered emotions and bring healing to their broken hearts. Set their feet back on course in days that they have gone astray. Do not allow Satan to take advantage of their weaknesses in such times. Instead, stir the gift of faith that you have deposited within them! Cause them to be able to be strong and take heart with a new passion and hope. You are faithful, God. You have never failed. Help them to put their trust and hope in you alone, who is well able to accomplish all that you have promised!In Jesus’ Name,Amen
The boys' current supplement regimen is:
Super Nu Thera P5P12.5mg
CoEnzyme Q10
Reduced L-Glutathione
Calcium
Pro-bio Gold Probiotics
Zinc
EnZym-Complete Dpp-IV II
Colostrum (Lochlan)
Methyl-B 12 injections
Gaba
I am still working out the doses but I really feel like we are on the right track in healing the gut. I may add more antioxidants as this is one of the boys' biggest issues. I have read a research paper on the effects of oxidative stress in autism and the outcome terrifies me if we are unable to get a handle on it. The paper in short explains that children with autism are often viewed as gifted but by the time they are adults they are mentally slow. This is because of high levels of oxidative stress cause autism to be neuro-degenerative disorder. Very scary. I am doing my research on antioxidant therapies and pray that God will give us direction as we try to heal our boys.
We recently made a trip to Rockford, Illinois to see a Pediatric Neurologist regarding the boys: Sully's history of febrile seizures, Lochlan's SI behavior and awkward eye movements as well as to have a neuro on our team to aid our efforts. We will be going back for testing (EEG, MRI, Genetics testing and some other lab work) towards the end of the month. I am not sure what information we will get out of this, but I wanted to make sure that there is nothing we are missing.
We also made a trip to Iowa City for a feeding evaluation at the Center for Disabilities and Development. We will be implementing a new feeding schedule for a period of 3 weeks and after that time we will discuss whether or not intensive treatment is necessary. Our new schedule will be 30 minute meals (timer) and 15 minute snacks. We will also be giving 2-3 preferred foods and one piece of non-preferred. If they try or eat the non-preferred food then they are rewarded with a highly preferred food that is reserved for that occasion. Lochlan and I will be spending 15 minutes every day just getting lip contact with non-preferred foods as well.
Lochlan also had an appointment with the behavior clinic. I had the great pleasure of meeting Dr. David Wacker who is a wonderful man with a very big heart for kids with difficult/self injurious behavior. I believe that it is divine intervention that we were able to see him and that his ideas are just what we're looking for. We will be doing a functional assessment for 6 mo and then we will consult to see where to go from there. It is a miracle that we even got an appointment with him as their behavior clinic is booked out until February. He is also going to get me in contact with an internist (I believe) who is an Aspergers guru. I am very excited to have such knowledgeable and caring people on our team. Dr. Wacker believes that if we can improve Lochlan's communication skills then the SI behavior will decrease. I agree with this whole hearted and my gut tells me that we are on the right track.
So how's the toileting you ask? Awesome. Once Cody and I took the pressure off Sully and instead just encouraged him-he started going poop in the toilet. And the icing on the cake is that Lochlan is also now almost potty trained (all but the pooping.) I think that I will just let nature take its course and encourage him to try-he is young and being able to stay dry during the day is a huge accomplishment in itself. He even has started to let us know when he needs to go. We are very proud of them!
Sully has successfully completed one day of preschool with no meltdowns!!!! Many who know us personally know that last year was a complete nightmare. Meltdowns every day after school for hours, fighting to get him dressed to get to school on time, peeling him from my leg and wrestling to get him in the car after. Every day for 7months-until we pulled him for a couple months. This year his teachers are doing more to help him in the transition times as well as giving him more sensory breaks during the day. I think having class in the afternoon is helping as well because there is no anxiety in the AM about having to get going to school. One down-many, many to go. We will continue to pray that it goes well and that he is emotionally able to handle all 4 days.
Lochlan is still waiting on ABA. We are however going forward with the evaluations to transition him to the school setting. I am a little uneasy about having other people deal with his self injurious behavior but I am praying about it and know that God will give us wisdom to make the right decisions. Of course we will take ABA over Special ed preschool as the projected outcome of ABA is more promising.
I am very excited as we have finished the basement/therapy room enough to use it while we finish completing it. So here are a few pics of the boys in their therapy swing.
.jpg)
Lastly I wanted to share a couple prayers for those affected by autism.
'Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.'(Hebrews 10:23, NIV)
PARENT’S PRAYER:Dear God,There are days when I have hope, and days when I do not. Many days are difficult and I become overwhelmed. My affections are often turned away from you in days such as that and I wonder if you will bring any good out of autism. The pure heartbreak of the disappointment alone is enough to bruise me in heart. In times like that, Lord, I am most in need of your touch. I need you to help rekindle my affections toward you. It is in those days that I most need you to renew my ability to believe in your promises for me and for _____________. Therefore, Lord, I choose to allow you to penetrate my battered emotions and bring healing to my broken heart. Set my feet back on course in days that I have gone astray. Do not allow Satan to take advantage of my weaknesses in such times. Instead, stir the gift of faith that you have deposited within me! Cause me to be able to be strong and take heart with a new passion and hope. You are faithful, God. You have never failed. My trust and hope are in you alone, who is well able to accomplish all that you have promised!In Jesus’ Name,Amen
FAMILY’S / FRIEND’S PRAYER:Dear God,There are days when the __________ family has hope, and days when they do not. Many days are difficult and they become overwhelmed. Their affections can easily be turned away from you in days such as that and they must wonder if you will bring any good out of autism. The pure heartbreak of the disappointment alone is enough to bruise them in heart. In times like that, Lord, they are most in need of your touch. They need you to help rekindle their affections toward you. It is in those days that they most need you to renew their ability to believe in your promises for them and for [child’s name]. Therefore, Lord, help them to choose to allow you to penetrate their battered emotions and bring healing to their broken hearts. Set their feet back on course in days that they have gone astray. Do not allow Satan to take advantage of their weaknesses in such times. Instead, stir the gift of faith that you have deposited within them! Cause them to be able to be strong and take heart with a new passion and hope. You are faithful, God. You have never failed. Help them to put their trust and hope in you alone, who is well able to accomplish all that you have promised!In Jesus’ Name,Amen
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Potty Training, TiMe OuT, LDN and Birthday Adventures
Well... we are finally starting to see some results with the LDN. Sully the past 4 days has been eating good as well as trying new foods. He actually seems to have the attention and stamina to finish a meal-and dessert on occasion. ITS FANTASTIC! He is also easier to redirect and his verbal stimming seems to be getting less intense. We have also jumped some near impossible hurdles within the couple weeks.
1. Sully turned 4 on the 17th of July-the same month he stopped napping. So with nap time behind us I figured that the diapers should be too. The beginning of last week I told Sully that since he is 4 now, he no longer can wear diapers because its the rules. (unless at bedtime) He accepted it fairly well at first although as long as he had on some kind of underwear he would just pee in them. So off came the underwear. If he could stay dry all morning then he could have the underwear on in the afternoon as long as he continued to go in the toilet. This method seemed to work really the best. He didn't care for the pee running down his leg and so with that and 4 days of practice-Sully is now potty trained. Well what about the pooping you ask-still working on it really. He is holding it in and very reluctant to go. But we continue to encourage and know that there will be accidents and just try our best to be supportive. That's really all you can do.
2. We made our first trip to the Omaha zoo. The boys did awesome! No meltdowns, no sensory overload, no issues with crowds. We all really enjoyed it and it was a truly perfect day.
3. Sully's 3rd huge hurdle is time out. Discipline is something that we have struggled with since the beginning. No matter what we try he either out-smarts us or out-lasts us. The kid is genius. However. I have been watching Super nanny religiously-just trying to get any advice that might actually work with my kids. Sully has been watching with me the last couple weeks and I have explained to him that the children are misbehaving and that Jo Jo has come to help the parents. He watched so intently-at first I wasn't sure if it was a good idea-he could possibly pick up bad behaviors. I am not sure if it's watching Jo Jo or the LDN but my typically defiant 4 year old actually sat in time out for his entire 4 minutes!!!! I was in disbelief! And he did it again today! He also apologized without any prompting at the end of his time.
Lochlan has not had such great results form the LDN-not yet anyhow. His language is booming!!!! (I believe from the B12-Thank you Lord!) and he is now requesting with 2-word phrases. Typically one of the words is please but he is making huge, HUGE gains. The downside to the LDN is that it can possibly cause headaches and Lochlan's SI behavior is on the increase again. We definitely aren't where we were but it is increasing more every day and his eating is also steadily getting worse. He is hardly eating anything. I will try to do some research on how to handle the possible side affect(headaches) and will post what I find soon.
1. Sully turned 4 on the 17th of July-the same month he stopped napping. So with nap time behind us I figured that the diapers should be too. The beginning of last week I told Sully that since he is 4 now, he no longer can wear diapers because its the rules. (unless at bedtime) He accepted it fairly well at first although as long as he had on some kind of underwear he would just pee in them. So off came the underwear. If he could stay dry all morning then he could have the underwear on in the afternoon as long as he continued to go in the toilet. This method seemed to work really the best. He didn't care for the pee running down his leg and so with that and 4 days of practice-Sully is now potty trained. Well what about the pooping you ask-still working on it really. He is holding it in and very reluctant to go. But we continue to encourage and know that there will be accidents and just try our best to be supportive. That's really all you can do.
2. We made our first trip to the Omaha zoo. The boys did awesome! No meltdowns, no sensory overload, no issues with crowds. We all really enjoyed it and it was a truly perfect day.
3. Sully's 3rd huge hurdle is time out. Discipline is something that we have struggled with since the beginning. No matter what we try he either out-smarts us or out-lasts us. The kid is genius. However. I have been watching Super nanny religiously-just trying to get any advice that might actually work with my kids. Sully has been watching with me the last couple weeks and I have explained to him that the children are misbehaving and that Jo Jo has come to help the parents. He watched so intently-at first I wasn't sure if it was a good idea-he could possibly pick up bad behaviors. I am not sure if it's watching Jo Jo or the LDN but my typically defiant 4 year old actually sat in time out for his entire 4 minutes!!!! I was in disbelief! And he did it again today! He also apologized without any prompting at the end of his time.
Lochlan has not had such great results form the LDN-not yet anyhow. His language is booming!!!! (I believe from the B12-Thank you Lord!) and he is now requesting with 2-word phrases. Typically one of the words is please but he is making huge, HUGE gains. The downside to the LDN is that it can possibly cause headaches and Lochlan's SI behavior is on the increase again. We definitely aren't where we were but it is increasing more every day and his eating is also steadily getting worse. He is hardly eating anything. I will try to do some research on how to handle the possible side affect(headaches) and will post what I find soon.
Friday, July 25, 2008
LDN and B-12 Update
Well folks....we have been on the LDN for about 2 weeks now. I haven't noticed any huge response so far. (not like the B-12) The boys' OT thinks that they are a little more mellow but it is really hard to tell. Sully's verbal stimming might be down a bit but we haven't seen anything amazing so far. We are committed to one month and then I will determine if we will be continuing. Lochlan is still doing amazing on the B-12. A few days ago he handed me his napkin and said "trash" (spontaneously), I was amazed-that is not something that he had been taught-it was learned indirectly. He is also saying phrases like "I-had-it!" and "it's mine." His speech therapist today thought that he echoed "lochlan say bye-bye" today (word for word as a phrase) So we are seeing some really great things with the B-12. Next month we are planning on adding in folinic acid I believe. I am also planning on starting the boys on kirkman labs products-Super Nu Thera, enzymes, probiotics, L-glutathione, zinc, omega support and possibly gaba. I will post more soon on our plan of action and the progress with the LDN.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
LDN....
Low-dose Naltrexone....aka....LDN
This pharmaceutical drug is definitely getting some attention in the autism community. Today was our boys' first day on this medication and we are praying for amazing results. The drug naltrexone is actually an opioid antagonist and in small doses it also boosts the immune system amongst other positive things. Research says that it could help mood regulation, self injurious behavior, obsessive behavior as well as improve attention to name a few. The boys are both getting 1.5mg in a trans dermal cream that I rub on them sometime between 9pm-midnight.
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/_conf2006/J_McCandless2.pdf
The above website is more info on the use of low dose naltrexone from a Dr. McCandless who has done extensive research on this topic. Today was our first day and I will try to keep to be vigilant with posting updates as we continue on this journey.
This pharmaceutical drug is definitely getting some attention in the autism community. Today was our boys' first day on this medication and we are praying for amazing results. The drug naltrexone is actually an opioid antagonist and in small doses it also boosts the immune system amongst other positive things. Research says that it could help mood regulation, self injurious behavior, obsessive behavior as well as improve attention to name a few. The boys are both getting 1.5mg in a trans dermal cream that I rub on them sometime between 9pm-midnight.
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/_conf2006/J_McCandless2.pdf
The above website is more info on the use of low dose naltrexone from a Dr. McCandless who has done extensive research on this topic. Today was our first day and I will try to keep to be vigilant with posting updates as we continue on this journey.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Summertime!
Well, things have really been quite busy for us. Summer is in full swing as is the hot humid weather. The boys are fighting more than ever and Cody and I question our sanity daily. We have added at least three therapy appointments each week and I am starting to feel as though all we do is race to and from appointments.
Lochlan started speech therapy twice a week at childserve and is making remarkable progress daily. Only 6 mo ago he had scored at a 9-12 mo age for receptive language. I worked with him a couple days ago doing mass trials and he was able to identify 18 out of 30 cards of household objects without prompts (that is discriminating between two cards). The other 12 he identified with only 1 or 2 prompts!!! I couldn't believe it! The B-12 injections are doing more than we even dreamed of! Lochlan continues to increase his spontaneous language as well. He is even consistently greeting familiar people. We have also found that he is responding to therapeutic doses of ibuprofen which means that his head banging is probably from pain attenuation. We are in the works to see a neurologist (for both boys actually) in Rockford, Illinois. 
We are going to get scans done of the boys and discuss some of the neurological issues. We are also planning to take Lochlan to see a Dr. here in the metro who does Cranial massage. The greatest news- he has decreased the amount of times he is engaging in self injurious behavior by over 70%!!!
One of our three added appointments was enrolling Sully in horse therapy, which he loves. They begin with grooming and putting the saddle on the pony. Then they ride for a bit, play a couple of games and then they have an interactive story all while in the saddle! Once they are done riding, they groom again and remove the saddle. So far we have only had one lesson and he is really looking forward to another with "Harley".(the pony)
Lochlan started speech therapy twice a week at childserve and is making remarkable progress daily. Only 6 mo ago he had scored at a 9-12 mo age for receptive language. I worked with him a couple days ago doing mass trials and he was able to identify 18 out of 30 cards of household objects without prompts (that is discriminating between two cards). The other 12 he identified with only 1 or 2 prompts!!! I couldn't believe it! The B-12 injections are doing more than we even dreamed of! Lochlan continues to increase his spontaneous language as well. He is even consistently greeting familiar people. We have also found that he is responding to therapeutic doses of ibuprofen which means that his head banging is probably from pain attenuation. We are in the works to see a neurologist (for both boys actually) in Rockford, Illinois. 
We are going to get scans done of the boys and discuss some of the neurological issues. We are also planning to take Lochlan to see a Dr. here in the metro who does Cranial massage. The greatest news- he has decreased the amount of times he is engaging in self injurious behavior by over 70%!!!Lochlan is also spontaneously saying certain routine phrases such as... Bye Car!, Sully Where-Are-You?, Oh-no What-happened?, Ummm-delicious!, I-got-it! and a few others. Huge, huge gains for him in the language department and we are so very proud of him. We have also discovered that he will need to have braces/supports for his ankles. When he was about 15mo we noticed that his feet rolled and turned inward. I mentioned something to our pediatrician at the time and she told me to see the guy at Junior Shoe world and a good shoe would fix the problem. Well- I think it was a ploy to get me to buy their shoes because it did not do the trick....and now it will take even longer to correct! I am really glad to have childserve on board and I know that they will take care of us 
the right way. Feeding continues to be a battle and currently Lochlan is eating meat, dry/crunchy snack foods, fruit and baby food. Doesn't amount to much. Luckily he is getting his necessary caloric intake from formula.
the right way. Feeding continues to be a battle and currently Lochlan is eating meat, dry/crunchy snack foods, fruit and baby food. Doesn't amount to much. Luckily he is getting his necessary caloric intake from formula. (Lochlan stimming on wheels of car)
Sully continues to amaze us daily with his witty comments and smooth manipulation. That boy could talk the shirt right off of your back it he wanted to. Put all that with his irresistible smile and you have a recipe for disaster!
I have come to the conclusion that ears are purely decoration and serve no functional purpose......at least in our house. The concept of compliance we struggle with daily. No matter what I do or say he will be defiant and sooner or later he then whittles me away with all of his words. Then there's nothing left. ( I am seriously working on a compliance program for him at home! Any advice don't hesitate to comment!)
So-I have immersed myself in the book Autism 24/7 in hopes of some kind of direction. It is a great book so far with lots of ideas but he seems to be always one step ahead. So I will continue to pray for guidance as we battle day in and day out. Two weeks ago Sully decided that he no longer needed naps. This is certainly something that I still need, but with him going to school in the fall in the afternoon, I decided it was best to let nature take its course. I will have to say that there is a real grieving process that comes with the termination of nap time. The once quiet and tranquil measly hours are no longer quiet and tranquil, instead they are full of train whistles, airplanes flying and the endless talking about bugs. By the end of the day I am more frazzled than ever! Sully continues to verbally stim a lot and is very emotional and obsessive. We are waiting on our DAN! Dr. for guidance (supplemental) as she needed to do more research before we made a plan of action. Hopefully her call will come soon. Eating is still a daily battle and like his brother he is limiting down to almost nothing. I praise God that he will at least drink his formula, which provides him with the necessary nutrition for the day.
One of our three added appointments was enrolling Sully in horse therapy, which he loves. They begin with grooming and putting the saddle on the pony. Then they ride for a bit, play a couple of games and then they have an interactive story all while in the saddle! Once they are done riding, they groom again and remove the saddle. So far we have only had one lesson and he is really looking forward to another with "Harley".(the pony)
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