Saturday, January 9, 2010
Wow!
All I can say is WOW! I am speechless tonight. Grayson spent ALL day with a flat tummy, eating both eggs and grains, two things that have ALWAYS caused major irritation in the past. He had moments of irritation throughout the day, like any kid, but nothing that carried on beyond normal. He was able to regulate himself frequently, even at times with things got crazy. We had friends over and at one point we were swinging all of the kids around in blankets together, banging them into cushions, getting silly. In the past, he would have gotten wild and wouldn't have been able to calm himself down. Tonight, he was perfect, literally PERFECT! Then tonight, for almost an hour, he played by himself in his play room, building "sloops, dingies and motor boats" while listening to a Winnie the Pooh CD story. Then he came out, about a half an hour past his normal bedtime, which is actually pretty early, because he gets tired and emotional so early most nights, he sat between his father and I calmly while playing one Leapfrog game until bedtime. He went up to bed easily, without a fight, still smiling. All I can say is, I can live like this....it brings tears to my eyes to even consider having days and nights like this more often than not! If Dr. Herman can bring a reality like this to us, we will forever be indebted to him!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Quick update on BAX3000
Since the last post, we have challenged egg again twice and both times he did great! No aggression or hyperactivity like before. I will still watch for the 24+ hour reactions, but he used to react immediately after eating the egg every time, so this is promising! Today he had a small portion of eggs with breakfast, his tummy is totally flat still after noon and he is in a great mood, he's been flexible, playing with his brother very well, happy and playing on his own incredibly well! Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde are nowhere to be found today!!
His little brother has always gotten eczema within 24 hours of dairy, all kinds, goat, sheep, everything. After their dairy treatment I gave him about a 1/4 of a container of goat's milk yogurt. His skin looked a little chapped so I was worried he was getting the eczema, but so far, days later, nothing!! He did have GI reactions, but I would expect to see that with the reintroduction of any protein after more than a year of avoidance. Think of a vegetarian going back to eating meat, they get cramps, bowel movement changes, etc.
So far they have been treated for egg, dairy and grains. We will go in tonight and Thursday night for additional treatments, I will keep you posted! We are all very excited about the possibilities...
His little brother has always gotten eczema within 24 hours of dairy, all kinds, goat, sheep, everything. After their dairy treatment I gave him about a 1/4 of a container of goat's milk yogurt. His skin looked a little chapped so I was worried he was getting the eczema, but so far, days later, nothing!! He did have GI reactions, but I would expect to see that with the reintroduction of any protein after more than a year of avoidance. Think of a vegetarian going back to eating meat, they get cramps, bowel movement changes, etc.
So far they have been treated for egg, dairy and grains. We will go in tonight and Thursday night for additional treatments, I will keep you posted! We are all very excited about the possibilities...
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Delayed reaction to egg?
So we were very hopeful after the first Bax3000 treatment and the first egg introduction went well, but don't forget that these foods can have delayed reactions in our kids too and for Grayson, most of them are delayed. We did a second day of eggs with Grayson on Christmas morning. His behavior was awful for the first half of the day, but we chalked it up to him going to bed too late the night before, waking too early and being overly excited about Christmas....ironically, he did great all evening at his grandparent's house. He played with his cousins well, he listened well, he shared and he was happy and silly. Even a late bedtime didn't rile him up, surprisingly!
So where did the problems start? We noticed on Christmas Day that he was starting to itch the sides of his face, under his chin and what looked like a little dance he does, when his ankles itch. He also rubs the backs of his hands across the front of his belly and sides. It wasn't too bad yesterday, but today (the day after Christmas) we are seeing it more. He can't seem to stand still and although it looks like he is just shifting his weight back and forth, he's actually using one foot to itch the other...and back and forth. When this is happening, people tend to ask him, if he needs to use the potty and he says, "No, I'm just itchy". The reason we are so familiar with this "symptom" is, because he had this same reaction (although MUCH more severely) to L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is a protein and our doctor told us that he could be truly allergic to it, like IgE allergy....hence the severe itching. When we removed the L-Carnitine, the itching stopped almost immediately and a challenge confirmed our findings, Grayson is allergic to the protein in L-Carnitine. So why do I bring this up? Well, egg is a protein, as well, and when we had the NAET assessment for egg, I was told he reacted to egg on all levels, neurologically, immediate AND delayed. Now, I don't know if one egg interaction would have resulted in the same reaction, if having it two days in a row was the reason we are seeing a more severe reaction, but either way, I believe he is reacting still.
Before starting the study for the Bax3000, I spoke with another Chiropractor who has been using the Bax3000 for a year successfully with kids on the spectrum and he told me that it is necessary to clear "program 1" (chemicals, vaccines, etc) before doing anything else. I wonder, if this is why the egg hasn't cleared for Grayson? Only time will tell...stay tuned.
So where did the problems start? We noticed on Christmas Day that he was starting to itch the sides of his face, under his chin and what looked like a little dance he does, when his ankles itch. He also rubs the backs of his hands across the front of his belly and sides. It wasn't too bad yesterday, but today (the day after Christmas) we are seeing it more. He can't seem to stand still and although it looks like he is just shifting his weight back and forth, he's actually using one foot to itch the other...and back and forth. When this is happening, people tend to ask him, if he needs to use the potty and he says, "No, I'm just itchy". The reason we are so familiar with this "symptom" is, because he had this same reaction (although MUCH more severely) to L-Carnitine. L-Carnitine is a protein and our doctor told us that he could be truly allergic to it, like IgE allergy....hence the severe itching. When we removed the L-Carnitine, the itching stopped almost immediately and a challenge confirmed our findings, Grayson is allergic to the protein in L-Carnitine. So why do I bring this up? Well, egg is a protein, as well, and when we had the NAET assessment for egg, I was told he reacted to egg on all levels, neurologically, immediate AND delayed. Now, I don't know if one egg interaction would have resulted in the same reaction, if having it two days in a row was the reason we are seeing a more severe reaction, but either way, I believe he is reacting still.
Before starting the study for the Bax3000, I spoke with another Chiropractor who has been using the Bax3000 for a year successfully with kids on the spectrum and he told me that it is necessary to clear "program 1" (chemicals, vaccines, etc) before doing anything else. I wonder, if this is why the egg hasn't cleared for Grayson? Only time will tell...stay tuned.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
NAET on steroids!!
A friend of ours has turned us onto a new path, which may potentially change our lives, forever! She told me she enrolled her son into a research study regarding something called BioVeda Bax 3000. We were lucky enough to also be accepted into this study and are so grateful to the generous Doctor doing this study!! With all of the costs associated with caring for our son, we never would have had the opportunity to try this treatment. We are also very thankful to be a part of something that could change the face of autism in the future!
We had already begun using NAET treatments, which is the process of eliminating allergies by retraining the body to recognize allergens as safe. This process is manual, however, allowing for human error. So how does the BioVeda Bax 3000 differ?
First, let me explain a little bit about how allergies work, VERY basically. When a person is sensitive to a substance, wheat for instance, there is an increase in stress of the central nervous system and, because of our body's innate way of drawing connections, even the word "wheat" or the mere thought of it, can cause the same anxiety, believe it or not. This anxiety produces an inappropriate response by the central nervous system which in some people, depending on the allergies, can result in more severe cases, such as autoimmunity.
So here is my layman's explanation of this new device. It takes the same basic premise that NAET is built on and uses a digitized library of substances such as: foods, metals, vaccines, fungi, chemicals, and many other environmental substances. The technology imitates the frequencies of these substances and instigates nervous system responses from the body to determine what the person is reacting to. The treatment retrains the body by causing it to release endorphins while encountering the substance in question....essentially saying, "this is safe". It erases the body's inappropriate desire to attack the substance. This process is a combination of positive conditioning and biofeedback. When the stressful event occurs in the real world, the relaxation training is remembered by the central nervous system and the result is the elimination of this inappropriate reaction to every day substances.....viola, allergy GONE! This whole thing is associated with stress and the Bax 3000 ultimately reduces stress through relaxation training.
Last night we had our first meeting with the Doctor conducting the study and he told us that our case is considered severe (big surprise) and, because of the sheer number of allergies we are dealing with, we are going to start by treating for ALL of the substances in the first phase protocol. That should take us through about 25 treatments, then we will test for the need of further treatments more specifically. So we jumped right in and treated for egg last night. Why egg, you ask? Well, because egg is one of the more common sensitivities and it happens to be a protein that most resembles human protein. Do you see what could happen to an individual with an egg allergy? Do you think the body could eventually have the ability to be allergic to itself...AKA - autoimmunity! Really makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Now where were we....oh yeah, A cold laser holds the frequency that our body would recognize as egg and it is run from the forehead over the head and down the spine repeatedly while encouraging various changes in brain waves (ie - holding breath, breathing out, closing eyes, etc), then pressure points on the hands and feet are held for a period of time. This is the process of inducing the release of endorphins while the body is in contact with "egg"...or so it thinks! It's important to note that even with decreased or the elimination of symptoms, a blood test will most likely continue to show antibodies to these substances, because the body tends to hold onto antibodies for a long time. It's the symptoms that are more telling of what is happening in the body, since this is our natural alarm system. No symptoms = no no need for alarm!
So before I tell you how this treatment effected Grayson, let me give you an idea of what is involved in preparing for the treatment. There are a lot of guidelines to follow, which for an adult might seem easy, but for our kids....some could be more complicated.
- don't wear dark clothing (not sure why)
- don't take ANY supplements or medications for FOUR hours before the appointment. This is VERY hard for us considering Grayson requires treatment with anti-microbials every three hours in order to avoid symptoms and we give high dose probiotics at bedtime.
- drink lots of water for 24 hours before the visit
- don't wear anything tight
- don't wear jewelry
- no pain medication for 12 hours before (hard to abide by with a teething child!)
- don't consume alcohol (need to keep the kids away from the booze!!)
- no perfumes, strong smelling deodorant, essential oils, hand lotions, colognes, etc.
Then there is the list of things to avoid AFTER the appointment
- they must fast for 6 hours after the treatment (which is why we schedule our appts. for RIGHT before bedtime)
- you may not, shop for 8 hours, go to a restaurant, visit hair salons, barber shops, etc.
- avoid all chemicals for 12 hours, like gasoline, so refuel before the appointment
- do not bathe or shower for 8 hours
- do not chew gum, use breath mints, drink anything except water after arriving for the visit
- avoid massage, acupuncture, vigorous exercise, hot tub, sauna, steam room, swimming...all for 12 hours after treatment
- again, we have to keep the kids from hitting up the bottle for 12 more hours....darn! It helps them sleep at least, ha ha ha....just kidding, OF COURSE!
- and then there may be an additional list of things to avoid, depending on what you are being treated for. For example, the egg mixture includes poultry, feathers, and tetracycline (an antibiotic)
So now for the before and after effects we witnessed. I have to add that I could be over analyzing, but for at least a week before treatment, we were seeing a lot of old behaviors cropping back up, like sleeplessness including hyperactivity right before bed making the bedtime routine challenging, trouble relaxing and falling asleep, and multiple nightmares after midnight. He was beginning to sleep in very late (9:30am) because of the many nightly disturbances he was experiencing. His daily behaviors were increasingly getting worse too. There was an increase in frustration and defiance, he was becoming very negative, everything he said came with an err of irritation rather than just being able to speak to us, even simply talking to us was becoming a challenge. He would actually stomp, grunt and cry throughout it all. His tolerance threshold was nil and sensory seeking was back big-time! His interactions with his brother were becoming mean and vindictive, something I have no patience for, I might add. He was also showing signs of increased hyperactivity, verging on the edge of manic. He was throwing himself all over furniture, into people, onto the floor, he started rubbing things with the backs of his hands a lot, swatting at his head and ears, which we haven't seen in ages....the list goes on and on.
SO....we went into the appointment with him acting VERY hyper, attention-seeking and he was severely bloated and I mean like pregnant looking (even the Dr. commented on it and we took pictures). While we were trying to talk to the Dr. he was tossing books on the floor, instigating his brother, saying "no" to us when we discretely asked him to stop some of these things. He sat through the treatment VERY well though, probably because he was on daddy's lap and he saw his younger brother go through treatment before him. When we left the office, he still seemed a bit hyper and testy, but by the time we got home, he was mellow and happy. For the first time in probably a week or more, he was CALM and happy and not challenging his father every step of the way through his bedtime routine. He wasn't running everywhere, he walked!! He came and hugged Gavin and I without a battle. After he was put to bed, he only came out of his room once to tell me that he "heard bells" thinking Santa was already in the sky, ha ha ha! Then he stayed in bed, fell asleep easily and STAYED asleep all night! He woke fairly early, but was happy...maybe too happy! He was still showing some signs of being extremely hyper, but I thought it was interesting that he was controlled in the process of being bouncy and happy. He played well with his brother, teaching him and actually interacting with him, responding to his needs. They went to the playroom on their own (he's been SO clingy lately, this was amazing) where he found a building kit that he hasn't played with in ages and he built a colorful and very accurate caterpillar from it, all the while, allowing his brother to play WITH him! For the first time in a LONG time, I didn't hear Gavin crying from the other room.
Enter eggs (dun, du du dunnnnn) - After his NAET treatment for egg, I tried eggs twice and both times, he immediately became even MORE uncontrollably hyper and irritable, as hard as that is to imagine, it's even harder to live with. I had told a few other people that I didn't think it worked. My husband thought maybe we would see less and less of a reaction over time...? I didn't feel willing to go through those after-effects again and again. Well, this morning we tried eggs and let me tell you, he ate a LOT, probably 2-3 eggs, easily. He kept asking for more. His behaviors remained consistent with his waking behaviors. So while he didn't get less hyper (he is still fidgety), he is still playing nicely and being patient and affectionate with his brother, he is talking nicely, he is independent, he is even more flexible with changes in his expectations, in the past he would have major outbursts and end up crying.
So could this be a coincidence? Sure it can. The only way to know for sure is to watch the way things progress with additional treatments. I have to say though, I am already impressed. Here's to hoping (cheers).
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!
We had already begun using NAET treatments, which is the process of eliminating allergies by retraining the body to recognize allergens as safe. This process is manual, however, allowing for human error. So how does the BioVeda Bax 3000 differ?
First, let me explain a little bit about how allergies work, VERY basically. When a person is sensitive to a substance, wheat for instance, there is an increase in stress of the central nervous system and, because of our body's innate way of drawing connections, even the word "wheat" or the mere thought of it, can cause the same anxiety, believe it or not. This anxiety produces an inappropriate response by the central nervous system which in some people, depending on the allergies, can result in more severe cases, such as autoimmunity.
So here is my layman's explanation of this new device. It takes the same basic premise that NAET is built on and uses a digitized library of substances such as: foods, metals, vaccines, fungi, chemicals, and many other environmental substances. The technology imitates the frequencies of these substances and instigates nervous system responses from the body to determine what the person is reacting to. The treatment retrains the body by causing it to release endorphins while encountering the substance in question....essentially saying, "this is safe". It erases the body's inappropriate desire to attack the substance. This process is a combination of positive conditioning and biofeedback. When the stressful event occurs in the real world, the relaxation training is remembered by the central nervous system and the result is the elimination of this inappropriate reaction to every day substances.....viola, allergy GONE! This whole thing is associated with stress and the Bax 3000 ultimately reduces stress through relaxation training.
Last night we had our first meeting with the Doctor conducting the study and he told us that our case is considered severe (big surprise) and, because of the sheer number of allergies we are dealing with, we are going to start by treating for ALL of the substances in the first phase protocol. That should take us through about 25 treatments, then we will test for the need of further treatments more specifically. So we jumped right in and treated for egg last night. Why egg, you ask? Well, because egg is one of the more common sensitivities and it happens to be a protein that most resembles human protein. Do you see what could happen to an individual with an egg allergy? Do you think the body could eventually have the ability to be allergic to itself...AKA - autoimmunity! Really makes you wonder, doesn't it?
Now where were we....oh yeah, A cold laser holds the frequency that our body would recognize as egg and it is run from the forehead over the head and down the spine repeatedly while encouraging various changes in brain waves (ie - holding breath, breathing out, closing eyes, etc), then pressure points on the hands and feet are held for a period of time. This is the process of inducing the release of endorphins while the body is in contact with "egg"...or so it thinks! It's important to note that even with decreased or the elimination of symptoms, a blood test will most likely continue to show antibodies to these substances, because the body tends to hold onto antibodies for a long time. It's the symptoms that are more telling of what is happening in the body, since this is our natural alarm system. No symptoms = no no need for alarm!
So before I tell you how this treatment effected Grayson, let me give you an idea of what is involved in preparing for the treatment. There are a lot of guidelines to follow, which for an adult might seem easy, but for our kids....some could be more complicated.
- don't wear dark clothing (not sure why)
- don't take ANY supplements or medications for FOUR hours before the appointment. This is VERY hard for us considering Grayson requires treatment with anti-microbials every three hours in order to avoid symptoms and we give high dose probiotics at bedtime.
- drink lots of water for 24 hours before the visit
- don't wear anything tight
- don't wear jewelry
- no pain medication for 12 hours before (hard to abide by with a teething child!)
- don't consume alcohol (need to keep the kids away from the booze!!)
- no perfumes, strong smelling deodorant, essential oils, hand lotions, colognes, etc.
Then there is the list of things to avoid AFTER the appointment
- they must fast for 6 hours after the treatment (which is why we schedule our appts. for RIGHT before bedtime)
- you may not, shop for 8 hours, go to a restaurant, visit hair salons, barber shops, etc.
- avoid all chemicals for 12 hours, like gasoline, so refuel before the appointment
- do not bathe or shower for 8 hours
- do not chew gum, use breath mints, drink anything except water after arriving for the visit
- avoid massage, acupuncture, vigorous exercise, hot tub, sauna, steam room, swimming...all for 12 hours after treatment
- again, we have to keep the kids from hitting up the bottle for 12 more hours....darn! It helps them sleep at least, ha ha ha....just kidding, OF COURSE!
- and then there may be an additional list of things to avoid, depending on what you are being treated for. For example, the egg mixture includes poultry, feathers, and tetracycline (an antibiotic)
So now for the before and after effects we witnessed. I have to add that I could be over analyzing, but for at least a week before treatment, we were seeing a lot of old behaviors cropping back up, like sleeplessness including hyperactivity right before bed making the bedtime routine challenging, trouble relaxing and falling asleep, and multiple nightmares after midnight. He was beginning to sleep in very late (9:30am) because of the many nightly disturbances he was experiencing. His daily behaviors were increasingly getting worse too. There was an increase in frustration and defiance, he was becoming very negative, everything he said came with an err of irritation rather than just being able to speak to us, even simply talking to us was becoming a challenge. He would actually stomp, grunt and cry throughout it all. His tolerance threshold was nil and sensory seeking was back big-time! His interactions with his brother were becoming mean and vindictive, something I have no patience for, I might add. He was also showing signs of increased hyperactivity, verging on the edge of manic. He was throwing himself all over furniture, into people, onto the floor, he started rubbing things with the backs of his hands a lot, swatting at his head and ears, which we haven't seen in ages....the list goes on and on.
SO....we went into the appointment with him acting VERY hyper, attention-seeking and he was severely bloated and I mean like pregnant looking (even the Dr. commented on it and we took pictures). While we were trying to talk to the Dr. he was tossing books on the floor, instigating his brother, saying "no" to us when we discretely asked him to stop some of these things. He sat through the treatment VERY well though, probably because he was on daddy's lap and he saw his younger brother go through treatment before him. When we left the office, he still seemed a bit hyper and testy, but by the time we got home, he was mellow and happy. For the first time in probably a week or more, he was CALM and happy and not challenging his father every step of the way through his bedtime routine. He wasn't running everywhere, he walked!! He came and hugged Gavin and I without a battle. After he was put to bed, he only came out of his room once to tell me that he "heard bells" thinking Santa was already in the sky, ha ha ha! Then he stayed in bed, fell asleep easily and STAYED asleep all night! He woke fairly early, but was happy...maybe too happy! He was still showing some signs of being extremely hyper, but I thought it was interesting that he was controlled in the process of being bouncy and happy. He played well with his brother, teaching him and actually interacting with him, responding to his needs. They went to the playroom on their own (he's been SO clingy lately, this was amazing) where he found a building kit that he hasn't played with in ages and he built a colorful and very accurate caterpillar from it, all the while, allowing his brother to play WITH him! For the first time in a LONG time, I didn't hear Gavin crying from the other room.
Enter eggs (dun, du du dunnnnn) - After his NAET treatment for egg, I tried eggs twice and both times, he immediately became even MORE uncontrollably hyper and irritable, as hard as that is to imagine, it's even harder to live with. I had told a few other people that I didn't think it worked. My husband thought maybe we would see less and less of a reaction over time...? I didn't feel willing to go through those after-effects again and again. Well, this morning we tried eggs and let me tell you, he ate a LOT, probably 2-3 eggs, easily. He kept asking for more. His behaviors remained consistent with his waking behaviors. So while he didn't get less hyper (he is still fidgety), he is still playing nicely and being patient and affectionate with his brother, he is talking nicely, he is independent, he is even more flexible with changes in his expectations, in the past he would have major outbursts and end up crying.
So could this be a coincidence? Sure it can. The only way to know for sure is to watch the way things progress with additional treatments. I have to say though, I am already impressed. Here's to hoping (cheers).
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Biofilm
The first step of this process is a few specific enzymes that poke holes in the biofilm by breaking down their cell walls which then allows the following treatments (natural antimicrobials/antivirals) to get in there and kill them while they think they are hiding. It's a process that takes time (months), but usually results in great long-lasting benefits....providing we are also removing the metals at play too! These things go hand in hand, microbes and metals protect and benefit each other.
Once we open the biofilm, we are essentially reactivating the body, because previous to this step, it was actually unaware of it's very well hidden intruders. This can result in a plethora of symptoms that can range from flu-like to stimmy and irritated. It's basically BIG die-off and the process requires a good mop-up step to usher out the toxins (like having a dead creature in your basement, eeeew, get it out, right? It's toxic), otherwise they will overwhelm the body (and the liver) and become neurotoxic in the process. So here is our daily routine now:
I am only doing the biofilm protocol once a day right now, but after 3-6 weeks, we will consider a second dosing schedule in the day. So essentially what I am doing is using the biofilm in the morning hours (getting the empty stomach is easier then) and then I continue with the dosing schedule we were using pre-biofilm in the later parts of the day, because, if we go more than 3 hours without dosing something, the yeast and bacteria start right back up. Then at bedtime we give hefty doses of probiotics to rebuild the good flora. More good crowds out the bad!
The "killers" as I like to call them (antimicrobials/antivirals) may be more than some kids can handle, but as I mentioned before, we get severe overgrowth pretty fast, otherwise. So while the biofilm is in place, I am hitting this stuff pretty hard and seeing results! Previously, if we went more than 6 weeks without Flagyl, we saw MAJOR bacterial symptoms (aggression, hitting, throwing, defiance, spacey interchanged with hyper, negative attitude all day, and a lot of emotions and crying).
We do a bit of rotation, because of leaky gut, so the food supplements along with anything that contains coconut (a #1 on his IgG panel) is rotated on a four day rotation.
1 - I keep the bottles of Klaire Labs Interfase (Important, NOT Interfase Plus, it has EDTA in it which is unsafe for mercury toxic people) and ViraStop (you could also use Lumbrokinase here which is GREAT for Lyme) with a cup of water on my nightstand since he comes to my room first thing when he wakes. This allows me to start the pre-food dosing asap. I give him 1 ViraStop and 2 Interfase caps on an empty stomach.
2 - When we get downstairs, I give him either his home made electrolyte solution or an apple cider vinegar drink made with warm water, baking soda and honey (depending on our rotation day). He drinks these right down on an empty stomach and looks forward to both of them!
3 - 30-45 min (I use the stove timer, lol) after the Interfase and ViraStop, I dose our "killers" (4-5 drops Bio-Alternatives OoO, 3 droppers full of NOW Foods OLE which is 300mg, 15-20mg Biotin, 3-4 drops GSE and/or Nystatin depending on yeast symptoms, and then we rotate either a full cap of Pharmax Caprylic Acid or a 1/3 of a cap of Natures Way Uva Ursi - this is a new add in for us so we are starting slow). We LOVE the Caprylic Acid and see a difference in him when using that on his rotation days. A quick note about GSE here - In the two years since I've written this blog, we have learned that a few drops of GSE wasn't our ideal dose. He is now on two Nutribiotic tablets (125mg each) PLUS 10 more drops. I wish I tried this sooner, but working up slowly is also important for the sake of severe die off and liver tolerance.
4 - He takes digestion enzymes and two HCI (hydrochloric acid capsules), eats and has his supplements then I set the timer to an hour but anywhere between 1-2 hours is good.
5 - 1-2 hours after supplements and "killers", I give two PectaSol C by EcoNugenics to mop up. This is proven to also move metals. It's a Modified Citrus Pectin which interestingly our son does fine with considering all citrus was elevated on his IgG. You need a dr to order, but all I did was call and tell them that Dr. Woeller of AutismActionPlan.org (I am a member) suggested them and they let me order. It's expensive, $69 a bottle, but there are 270 capsules in a bottle. Everything we give seems to be expensive, ugh! I could be driving a brand new Mercedes, I tell ya!! Not even kidding...You can also use good old activated charcoal here though.
6 - I wait another 1-2 hours to start dosing our "killers" again and then we do that at 3 hour intervals so usually that works out to around noon or 1pm and again at 3-4pm. This is perfect for his school schedule this year, but I am seriously fretting about him in all day kindergarten next year.
7 - At dinner he has 4-6 ounces of kombucha (a fermented iced tea drink with enzymes, probiotics and B vitamins, it's the only way he tolerates the B vitamins!) and at bedtime, 3 Culturelle and 3 New Beginnings Probiotic Support which contains a good amount of Sacc B in addition to a broad spectrum (no-strep strain) dairy-free probiotic. We are doing well with these lately, I can tell by the way he wakes up the next morning. He is calm, happy and compliant.
So that is it, our routine, which now seems to be working pretty well. Sometimes we need to up our yeast protocol, especially when we are on a chelation round, but he responds well and quickly. We also do the epsom salt baths a few times a week, and I have recently added in a bentonite clay bath here and there to assist with the toxin die off. He gets various supplements three times a day as part of all of this, as well.
We had massive die off initially, probably for the first 5-7 days, but that seems to have leveled out, thankfully. I thought I would really lose it, but I stuck with the protocol, increased the PectaSol mop up a bit occasionally and sure enough, he has leveled out nicely, phew!! It's been a while since we have had a good constant without Flagyl. We still see some yeasty signs, as I mentioned, so we are working that out too. He's getting "bored" with school and I don't know, if that is related, but the teacher has been made aware so after the Holiday break, I hope he gets back into the swing of things. I have to say that this is the longest we have gone (8 full weeks) after ending the Flagyl, without major bacterial signs building back up!
I might also add that when I started this protocol with our 17 month old (who also shows signs of yeast and bacterial infections) we had the oddest BM and since he is still in diapers, I got a nice eyeful of a small compact ball of mucus and sticky green something-or-other, eeew! I have read that the biofilm is clear so I am not sure what the compact green stuff was, but it was all intertwined and weird, to say the least. Dr. Woeller suggested that it could just be a plug that was moved out by the protocol. It didn't even connect when I was changing the diaper, instead, at 5am the next morning my eyes popped open and I thought, "I KNOW WHAT THAT WAS..." AKA - biofilm response! Onward...
Friday, November 20, 2009
Bio medicine, just for the autistic?
I'd like to talk a little bit about bio medicine and something that tends to confuse many parents. Right now, much of the biomedical research being done is on the ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) community and the results achieved with biomedical treatments. Why is that? Probably because they are the most effected and we are reversing what was once considered a purely genetic and irreversible condition known as autism. But do I think these are the only people who would benefit from bio medicine? Absolutely not! We are seeing more and more research on bio medicine effecting those with autoimmune disorders like Lupus and Arthritis, Lyme Disease, and they are even reversing cancer! The rise of ASDs is an epidemic, so it's drawing attention and rightfully so. Twenty or so years ago, ASD afflicted 1 in 10,000 kids. Now? 1 in ONE HUNDRED at best! In the UK, it's 1 in 60!
So what is bio medicine, you ask? Well, let's dissect the word, it pretty much makes sense....bio, like biology and medicine, hmmm, ok so here is the medical definition:
bi·o·med·i·cine (bīˌō-mĕdˈĭ-sĭn)
Where we seem to get hung up, as parents, is hearing the term autism used in conjunction with this form of treatment. We conclude that, if we need to use bio medicine to help ourselves or our kids, it MUST mean they are autistic, right? WRONG! I think the only reason we see this connection is, because this disorder is single-handedly bringing bio medicine to the forefront of medicine. When we were first looking for natural ways to address what was going on with Grayson, I would see the word autism and turn around, change my path, just to come back to this dreaded word yet again. I kept saying, " but I don't get this, he's not autistic"....and no, he has never been diagnosed as being autistic, but why do I keep ending up here? Because it's working for kids of ALL degrees. Because it's basic biology people!! Remember, something as common as ADD is actually on the autism spectrum, and I repeat "spectrum".....there are all degrees of illness associated with this particular disorder. Label or no label, what it comes down to is there is a set of "symptoms" that come with the illness we are dealing with and whether they put your child on the spectrum or not is not what is important. What IS important is that you recognize these symptoms as something that needs attention. So is my child autistic? No, he's not. He's social beyond words, he's funny and he reads body language better than some adults I know, he is bright and very aware of his surroundings. Did he have symptoms of an autistic child? He sure did! He hand flapped, he started to loose eye contact at the worst of it (and still does when his health takes a turn for the worse), he has tantrums that aren't reasonable, he used to line up cars incessantly, he was and still sometimes is a sensory seeker (when his gut dysbiosis flares), he bounces off the walls and couches, he traces outlines of our cabinets with his hands, he has moments sometimes DAYS of being highly emotional....does any of this sound like it could be your kid? They sound like normal childhood behaviors, but what really is normal? Are we becoming accustomed to these behaviors over time, because they are more common and because the child isn't "autistic"? And when you clump all of these "behaviors" into one child, do they take on a different definition? Yes, they become symptoms of something that is very hard for parents to grasp. It's not necessarily autism, because what is going on inside of an autistic child's body can also go on inside of a neuro-typical child, which will then cause the very same symptoms that are often seen (to a more severe degree) in autistic children. I truly believe that the severely inflicted children who are at the far end of the autism spectrum are just the most fragile kids alive. Everyone handles things differently. Just think of how you handle a cold, your neighbor might have completely different symptoms with the same cold strain and allergies, you have one to mold and your cousin reacts to dogs, your child might react to milk!....These kids can't handle toxins, they cannot handle the pesticides, the heavy metals, the plastics, the cleaners and bleaches, the injections, the viruses, the EMFs, the radio frequencies, the chemicals in mattresses and fire retardant pajamas, the parabens in soaps and lotions and even TOOTHPASTES.....they are breathing, absorbing, eating....toxin after toxin and what is the one common thread they all have? More than 90% of these kids have low glutathione. This is a naturally occurring peptide in the body, a natural antioxidant. It drives our ability (or lack thereof) to detox these toxins that we encounter increasingly every day. You might be interested to know that Tylenol (our teething best friend at one point, right?) reduces glutathione. So a child who might have already been on the brink of low glutathione, give him or her Tylenol and you have just enabled his or her body to hold onto more toxins. Is it that simple, no it's not, there is a lot more that goes into this vast system, but this is one of the many things we are seeing more and more often with children these days. Do parents realize this when they reach for the Tylenol, because they just want their poor achy child to be comfy, no they don't! Do they realize that the reflux and ear infections are commonly from dairy allergies, probably not! Do they know that colic and loose stools often accompany gut dysbiosis and that their children probably need probiotics, I bet they don't!
So I am going on and on, and it's so easy to do once you get into the biology of it all, because it's all so connected, but my point is that every child could be effected to some degree. I see children in grocery stores and I think...."I wonder, if his parents know that those behaviors mean something more than "he's a boy". Having a child inflicted with a weak immune system that allowed him to accumulate more toxins than he can handle has made me hyper sensitive to those signs. They are universal and I believe that at some point, knowledge will expose the truth about our children's health. I honestly believe that we are at a state of emergency with our kids. If we don't start eating differently, cleaning our homes differently, reading the ingredients we put into our children's bodies, using water filters, washing produce, buying organic meats, we are going to see an incredible increase in autoimmune diseases in this generation and the generations to come. It is a documented fact that babies today are born with over 500 identifiable toxins already in their system, as tested in the umbilical cord fluids. So I encourage you, when you see a behavior that troubles you, or a rash that a doctor can't tie to an illness, or even a continuing sleep disturbance, consider this possibility. It's time to learn what we can do for our kids and their futures.
So now you are probably thinking, ok this is crazy, YOU Are crazy and what do we do about it anyway?! Well there are some really basic and simple things we can all start doing, like always washing your produce thoroughly, even thick skinned produce which will likely infect the protected inside when you slice through the dirty bacteria laden skins, you can shop organic as much as financially possible, you can clean with something as simple as vinegar and water, it's so safe you could drink it! And what about nutrients, get your kids tested for nutritional deficiencies, supplement with things like probiotics (always) and omega 3s. Switch to natural toothpastes without fluoride (you do NOT need fluoride for dental hygiene even though successful marketing schemes will have you believing that), replace your soaps, shampoos and lotions with natural and organic products to avoid the nasty chemicals our bodies don't know how to process (your skin is the largest organ of your body and you shouldn't apply anything to it that you wouldn't be able to eat), eat a healthy wholesome food diet and watch for reactions to foods (which isn't always easy since you can react up to FIVE days after ingesting a food), avoid ALL preservatives and colorings. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, avoid it! These things are simple, they take some time and thought, but the health of your child is a stake. If this doesn't fix the concerns you might have, keep searching for your answers. They don't call us Warrior Mothers for nothing!
So what is bio medicine, you ask? Well, let's dissect the word, it pretty much makes sense....bio, like biology and medicine, hmmm, ok so here is the medical definition:
bi·o·med·i·cine (bīˌō-mĕdˈĭ-sĭn)
noun
So we are treating illnesses with nature, it's that simple. Anyone, wait no, EVERYONE can benefit from that. - The branch of medical science that deals with the ability of humans to tolerate environmental stresses and variations, as in space travel.
- The application of the principles of the natural sciences, especially biology and physiology, to clinical medicine.
Where we seem to get hung up, as parents, is hearing the term autism used in conjunction with this form of treatment. We conclude that, if we need to use bio medicine to help ourselves or our kids, it MUST mean they are autistic, right? WRONG! I think the only reason we see this connection is, because this disorder is single-handedly bringing bio medicine to the forefront of medicine. When we were first looking for natural ways to address what was going on with Grayson, I would see the word autism and turn around, change my path, just to come back to this dreaded word yet again. I kept saying, " but I don't get this, he's not autistic"....and no, he has never been diagnosed as being autistic, but why do I keep ending up here? Because it's working for kids of ALL degrees. Because it's basic biology people!! Remember, something as common as ADD is actually on the autism spectrum, and I repeat "spectrum".....there are all degrees of illness associated with this particular disorder. Label or no label, what it comes down to is there is a set of "symptoms" that come with the illness we are dealing with and whether they put your child on the spectrum or not is not what is important. What IS important is that you recognize these symptoms as something that needs attention. So is my child autistic? No, he's not. He's social beyond words, he's funny and he reads body language better than some adults I know, he is bright and very aware of his surroundings. Did he have symptoms of an autistic child? He sure did! He hand flapped, he started to loose eye contact at the worst of it (and still does when his health takes a turn for the worse), he has tantrums that aren't reasonable, he used to line up cars incessantly, he was and still sometimes is a sensory seeker (when his gut dysbiosis flares), he bounces off the walls and couches, he traces outlines of our cabinets with his hands, he has moments sometimes DAYS of being highly emotional....does any of this sound like it could be your kid? They sound like normal childhood behaviors, but what really is normal? Are we becoming accustomed to these behaviors over time, because they are more common and because the child isn't "autistic"? And when you clump all of these "behaviors" into one child, do they take on a different definition? Yes, they become symptoms of something that is very hard for parents to grasp. It's not necessarily autism, because what is going on inside of an autistic child's body can also go on inside of a neuro-typical child, which will then cause the very same symptoms that are often seen (to a more severe degree) in autistic children. I truly believe that the severely inflicted children who are at the far end of the autism spectrum are just the most fragile kids alive. Everyone handles things differently. Just think of how you handle a cold, your neighbor might have completely different symptoms with the same cold strain and allergies, you have one to mold and your cousin reacts to dogs, your child might react to milk!....These kids can't handle toxins, they cannot handle the pesticides, the heavy metals, the plastics, the cleaners and bleaches, the injections, the viruses, the EMFs, the radio frequencies, the chemicals in mattresses and fire retardant pajamas, the parabens in soaps and lotions and even TOOTHPASTES.....they are breathing, absorbing, eating....toxin after toxin and what is the one common thread they all have? More than 90% of these kids have low glutathione. This is a naturally occurring peptide in the body, a natural antioxidant. It drives our ability (or lack thereof) to detox these toxins that we encounter increasingly every day. You might be interested to know that Tylenol (our teething best friend at one point, right?) reduces glutathione. So a child who might have already been on the brink of low glutathione, give him or her Tylenol and you have just enabled his or her body to hold onto more toxins. Is it that simple, no it's not, there is a lot more that goes into this vast system, but this is one of the many things we are seeing more and more often with children these days. Do parents realize this when they reach for the Tylenol, because they just want their poor achy child to be comfy, no they don't! Do they realize that the reflux and ear infections are commonly from dairy allergies, probably not! Do they know that colic and loose stools often accompany gut dysbiosis and that their children probably need probiotics, I bet they don't!
So I am going on and on, and it's so easy to do once you get into the biology of it all, because it's all so connected, but my point is that every child could be effected to some degree. I see children in grocery stores and I think...."I wonder, if his parents know that those behaviors mean something more than "he's a boy". Having a child inflicted with a weak immune system that allowed him to accumulate more toxins than he can handle has made me hyper sensitive to those signs. They are universal and I believe that at some point, knowledge will expose the truth about our children's health. I honestly believe that we are at a state of emergency with our kids. If we don't start eating differently, cleaning our homes differently, reading the ingredients we put into our children's bodies, using water filters, washing produce, buying organic meats, we are going to see an incredible increase in autoimmune diseases in this generation and the generations to come. It is a documented fact that babies today are born with over 500 identifiable toxins already in their system, as tested in the umbilical cord fluids. So I encourage you, when you see a behavior that troubles you, or a rash that a doctor can't tie to an illness, or even a continuing sleep disturbance, consider this possibility. It's time to learn what we can do for our kids and their futures.
So now you are probably thinking, ok this is crazy, YOU Are crazy and what do we do about it anyway?! Well there are some really basic and simple things we can all start doing, like always washing your produce thoroughly, even thick skinned produce which will likely infect the protected inside when you slice through the dirty bacteria laden skins, you can shop organic as much as financially possible, you can clean with something as simple as vinegar and water, it's so safe you could drink it! And what about nutrients, get your kids tested for nutritional deficiencies, supplement with things like probiotics (always) and omega 3s. Switch to natural toothpastes without fluoride (you do NOT need fluoride for dental hygiene even though successful marketing schemes will have you believing that), replace your soaps, shampoos and lotions with natural and organic products to avoid the nasty chemicals our bodies don't know how to process (your skin is the largest organ of your body and you shouldn't apply anything to it that you wouldn't be able to eat), eat a healthy wholesome food diet and watch for reactions to foods (which isn't always easy since you can react up to FIVE days after ingesting a food), avoid ALL preservatives and colorings. If you can't pronounce an ingredient, avoid it! These things are simple, they take some time and thought, but the health of your child is a stake. If this doesn't fix the concerns you might have, keep searching for your answers. They don't call us Warrior Mothers for nothing!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Doctor doctor on the wall
I swear that is where I feel like our doctors are these days, posted like a trophy on the wall. "Look, I am a degree"...but where is the continuing education, where is the common sense, where is the research? I know, I know, I have been reminded by even my own pediatrician that they do NOT prevent, they are taught to treat illnesses, to be reactive, not proactive and they use medicine, period. We are so torn between going to our standard pediatrician who is covered by our insurance, but doesn't know a thing about what we are going through or going to our DAN! doctor who is a holistic doctor and handles many cases of children on the spectrum through biomedicine, BUT insurance will not approve any of his tests or treatments, they are considered "experimental", hence making the appointment ineligible for payment too. Until a parent is faced with these frustrations, you could never ever know how frustating it is to know that your child will only get better, if you are financially capable of fronting the cost for the doctors, many tests and the long-term treatments necessary to correct his or her health problems. How do you think it would feel to know that the only thing standing between you and your child's wellness or recovery is money, and a lot of it? Frustrating to say the least, unfair at best. On top of it, the parents need to highly educate themselves on the treatments, because there are SO many biomedical protocols out there. What works for one might not work for another, so in addition to spending a fortune, imagine spending a fortune on things that don't work so you end up with bottles upon bottles of full supplements that didn't work, just to move onto the next $40 bottle of something, that maybe doesn't work either! It's a never-ending battle and we feel SO alone since we often can't just pick up our phone and call a ped for advice. They wouldn't even run a viral titer so I can see if he has developed antibodies to the vaccinations he DID get.
Since we are caught in this position, I had some standard blood tests run on Grayson just to see where his health status is, at least it's covered by insurance. He doesn't have anemia, his hemaglobin is good, thyroid good, D levels are great, but his CBC showed elevated platelet counts. The range is 150-400 and his count is 532. I have done some researching and the scary things like leukemia aren't even an option, I won't even give that a thought, but some things did pop out at me on a few web sites. I saw mention of irritable bowel disease and clostridia as possible links. Now THIS would make sense. So while I am still uneasy at the results, I am somewhat relieved to see that the very thing we are battling could be at play here, again, supporting every route we have taken, confirming to me and anyone else who wonders about holistic quakery, that this autoimmune issue is, in fact, real! I am not trying to find something wrong with my child, I don't WANT him to be like this, he just is. The recurrent medical findings confirm that my child is not a case of hypochondria, he is ill, very ill on the inside and I intend to fix it, even if I have to do it alone! If your child had a heart disease, you would do everything, and more, in your power to help him, this is no different.
Since we are caught in this position, I had some standard blood tests run on Grayson just to see where his health status is, at least it's covered by insurance. He doesn't have anemia, his hemaglobin is good, thyroid good, D levels are great, but his CBC showed elevated platelet counts. The range is 150-400 and his count is 532. I have done some researching and the scary things like leukemia aren't even an option, I won't even give that a thought, but some things did pop out at me on a few web sites. I saw mention of irritable bowel disease and clostridia as possible links. Now THIS would make sense. So while I am still uneasy at the results, I am somewhat relieved to see that the very thing we are battling could be at play here, again, supporting every route we have taken, confirming to me and anyone else who wonders about holistic quakery, that this autoimmune issue is, in fact, real! I am not trying to find something wrong with my child, I don't WANT him to be like this, he just is. The recurrent medical findings confirm that my child is not a case of hypochondria, he is ill, very ill on the inside and I intend to fix it, even if I have to do it alone! If your child had a heart disease, you would do everything, and more, in your power to help him, this is no different.
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