The “A” word- Autism

Well, it has been a very long time since I’ve posted.  Many things have come to surface since my last post.  First, I’ve had lots of family in town over the past month so I’ve been busy cleaning, entertaining, etc.  Second, Kyler didn’t improve for awhile… in fact, he took a turn for the worst.  I hesitated on posting because I just didn’t want to post the negative.  It’s time to get to writing again so here goes:

We started the gluten and casein free diet about 5 weeks ago and have been on fish oil for 7 weeks.  We were thrilled with the initial improvement with Kyler from the fish oil.  The GFCF diet was supposed to help because I’ve known in my heart that he has digestive issues.  Supposedly, this diet would help him because he wouldn’t have to breakdown the proteins in the milk and wheat products.  Unfortunately, we have not really seen too many gains from it.  The biggest gain is that I’ve been forced to use my kitchen and actually cook things.  OMG.  I don’t like NON-convenient things!

Kyler soon regressed and lost all babbling sounds and Dada.  He withdrew from us, stopped clapping on cue, dancing on cue, giving “high fives”, and really stopped responding to his name.  It was extremely frustrating.  I heard that he might experience a regression due to withdrawals from the food but after a month with no improvement…I was quite disappointed.

The more I researched.  The more I realized.  Kyler has a problem.  This isn’t just a speech delay as I had so prayed.  His signs of autism are so apparent.  God, WHY?  I’ve researched so much that I feel like an expert although I’m far from one.  There is hope.  Lots of hope and encouragement.  Children ARE recovering from autism.  Please let my child be one of those children.  I had already found information regarding a DAN! doctor (Defeat Autism Now!).  And, there happens to be one in my city- a well-known board certified surgeon.  I decided that we needed to go see this doctor to start healing my child.  No one had diagnosed him but my heart knows the truth.  I still don’t really let it sink in.  Everything just started to fit together.  Pictures from the past year show signs of things that I just ignored or didn’t know any better.  His baby book points out milestones that were met early and then lost …. not coincidentally around the time after his vaccinations.

The biggest turning point was after the last set of vaccines.  He did NOT receive the MMR.  I was already paranoid at this point so I thought I was saving him by not allowing him to receive it.  Instead, he was injected with 5 other shots including one that was a combo AND a TB screen.  The very next day, Kyler ran a 104 fever, was lethargic and couldn’t not stand nor crawl.  Quite scary.  Because he had always reacted poorly to shots I did not take him to the ER.  I consulted his pediatrician who assured me …. he’s fine.  It was after this time that Kyler lost all of the gained skills.  He would ocassionally pick up a skill here or there but lose it again. 

At any rate, so here we are…facing the “A” word.  He’s been referred to a neurologist and GI doctor but I’m procrastinating for fear of diagnosis and inappropriate medication.  I’m relying on his DAN! doctor for now although I will be taking him to the neurologist.  The DAN! doctor prescribed 3 supplements to start: Cod Liver Oil, L-Glutamine (amino acid), S Boulardi (anti-fungal/probiotic).  Be it coincidence or the GFCF diet finally kicking in, we started to get DaDa again from him.  You may recall from previous posts that the last time his started on fish oil, he bagan babbling again…soon after lost it again. 

This time, we are getting more babbling, pointing, and shorter tantrums.  No miracles but small steps…we’ll take them! 

He’s also starting in ABA therapy.  This intense therapy that has to be ran and managed by me is going to be very interesting.  I hope it helps.  So far, he has learned to “sit down” if he wants me to read a book to him.  For any other parent of a 15 month old, this may seem small.  To us, it is HUGE.  I feel like I’m training a dog but supposedly, it’s proven to work.

We’ll continue with the speech and ABA therapy for the next month.  Then, we’ll get the results back from the tests taken with the DAN! doctor (food allergies, toxins, bacteria, etc). I’m hoping for answers.  OH, JUST AS IMPORTANT…just from the prick of Kyler’s finger, here is what the doctor was able to show us, via a microscope, of Drew’s blood:

• Evidence of a vaccine injury- an environmental infection
• Leaky Gut Syndrome
• Poor nutrition
• Overworked spleen
• His body is absorbing the wrong things and digesting the good things
• Allergies of some sort
• Bad/Overgrowth of yeast
• Heavy metal toxins

Seriously, we were shown these occurences in his blood cells- AMAZING.  We should be able to heal his leaky gut and pray that he will begin to digest properly and maintain nutrients.  Perhaps, communication skills will improve at that time.  As far as the infection…I’m not sure as to how that will be helped.

Well, I know this post is kind of jumbled but I wanted to give an update since it has been so long.

BTW- thanks for the encouragement and comments.  I appreciate it!