We're at the end of our second month of treatments. Little Guy has been settling into taking his remedies again, for the most part. He won't sit up nicely for me, but there's been a huge improvement in his cooperation, for which I'm thankful. I always give him a great cheer when we're all done, & his little Ladybug sisters are his cheering section as well, since they love to clap.

I couldn't catch it, but Ladybug II always claps for him & her sister very often does now as well; they enjoy the hoopla for him everyday, especially in the morning when this was taken:

Big Guy makes it nice & easy for me; no hoopla necessary (just a kiss & hug now & then!). He's been having some reactions this past month of treatments, but nothing extreme.

Little Guy has had some reactions too this month, but I haven't seen anything very noteworthy. Whatever has happened I have in their "healing diary" that I keep, which I've gotten summarized for this Wednesday's phone consult for both of them.

He still loves his picture taken, but he often anticipates the flash & squints!

He's still chewing his shirt a lot, hence the bib. I'm trying to preserve shirts.

I was trying to get Big Guy's picture when he came running over to get his picture taken again! This time he was even doing a little "happy dance" he was so excited. He's "mid dance" here:

His bib says "Mommy thinks I'm a star!" 

I can hardly believe the Ladybugs are 10 months old already. It seems like this time last year wasn't that long ago. Time goes by too fast & is oh so precious.

There's always that bit of a "fog" that surrounds me after a new baby arrives. It typically doesn't lift for maybe 3 months or so. By then I've usually got a new routine going & baby is along for the ride just fine. This time it didn't go quite that smoothly or quickly. The last year has been tough, but not for why one would probably think.

Having twins was quite an event, & I'm enormously blessed. They have kept me above water this year, I believe, & lifted me up in the saddest of moments.

It was tough enough having my Big Guy & his severe autism, when then just 2 weeks after my babies were born my Little Guy was officially diagnosed with autism as well.

Talk about a postpartum punch...

Thankfully I had lots to do, nursing two, homeschooling, & happily, there were several homeschoolers bringing by meals every now & then. That really helped keep me going. It was good to see such supportive people regularly, & I knew they were praying as well.

Then that support ended, as I had to cut them loose at some point, & if I had been floating before it was like I suddenly lost my life preserver & down I went.

It suddenly hit me: I had two kids with pretty severe autism.

My Little Guy was not doing what he was doing before. All I could think about was him "before". It was like reliving Big Guy's downfall all over again. My stomach churned upon each memory, & extreme sadness hung over me everyday. All this & trying to get homeschool done for two others daily.

From the time the Ladybugs were about 3 months old, I had been doing hours & hours of biomed research to help my kiddos. Little Guy was minimally responsive, & worse yet, he would make a gain & then lose it. That happened several times. Hope seemed lost forever. Not another one; I couldn't lose another one of my babies.

Sometimes I need the Lord to hit me over the head with a 2x4. This situation qualified. My heart was completely broken. I didn't know what I was doing wrong, or what I was supposed to do that was right.

Now, almost a year later, the fog is starting to lift. The sadness is there but is no longer despair. I know their future is in the Lord's Hands, & He means them no harm (Jer 29:11). I'm also humbled to know how much He wants me with Him & in total obedience to Him. Following means obeying, & obeying means love. He wants no less than that from His people.

No matter what, this requires a lot of learning, a lot of praying, a lot of growing, & a lot of changing. It keeps me in almost constant prayer. When not, the difference is felt immediately.

Obedience brings joy.

I have to really saturate myself or else it goes so quickly. I've always truly felt this is a spiritual battle, & even though the battle is His, I have to be on His side to win.

I had our first monthly consult with the homeopath regarding both boys. I had few updates on Big Guy for her, but he has reacted a little, in a detox sort of way. Detox isn't pretty by the way.

He has had some bad body odor that just doesn't respond to washing, & excessive urination (resulting in excessive laundry). He was quieter & calmer than usual the first couple of weeks, but that has changed dramatically lately. He's climbing & stimming more. He's also had quite a few meltdowns this past week. They have provided an emotional relief type remedy for such instances, & it does tend to help.

Little Guy has improved somewhat socially; he's played with us all a bit more. It's all physical, like chase or throwing a ball around, but when the interactions happen they're wonderful! Little Guy had a nice game of ball with me & Storyman the other morning; awesome!

He also has reoccuring rashes (kinda typical of him), some restless nights, & his diarrhea seemed to get a bit worse in the beginning, & now is back to his usual problems. (Yes, more extra laundry & spot remover usage as a bonus). His stimming is pretty much the same as usual.

He makes more messes lately, enjoys climbing on & into things a lot, & obsessively chews his shirt almost constantly.

They go by "markers", basically behaviors are telling of physical symptoms. This is the case for many things anyway, as tests aren't always reliable to pick up certain problems.

Big Guy seems to have markers for parasites; this is a nasty problem to get rid of. Unfortunately, Little Guy has markers for this as well, & for candida & virals. Basically, both boys probably have extremely damaged guts. No big surprises there; I've been working on that anyway, but to no avail. I had even bought some herbals to try for parasites late last year, as I had already suspected this for some time. I'm glad not to go it alone on this one though. They've had success with these issues, & can guide us through, but it will most likely take a while.

It would all make sense, as she mentioned many of the "non reponders" (as my kiddos tend to be) have these issues all wrapped up together, along with metal toxicity for a bonus. The viral load has to go down so that the body can release the metals on its own.

My kiddos have definite trouble with unloading their toxins... so their bodies are over burdened.

She's happy with our naturals that the boys are on (that is, all their present vitamins & supplements). By the way, if you're using Kirkman's products, watch for Sucralose in some of their products. It's basically chlorine, toxic, & you wouldn't want your child injesting it. For their products, I always look for hypoallergenic. They do list all ingredients for each product on their website.

My autism practitioner emailed me today about trying the kiddos out on some of my liquid vitamin D3 (which I tend to forget to use for myself!). Our homeopath felt it was extremely important. I will be adding that in for each of them in their daily supplements.

Each monthly group of remedies includes pellet packets for several days in a row, & a bunch of liquid dropper "support" & other remedies to help throughout the month. This kind of sequential homeopathy works from the most recent assault on the body moving back in time. I typed up detailed timelines on both boys from pre-birth to present; she will be starting to work on them with the next group of remedies. First on the agenda for Big Guy is to "clear" his body of all the antiviral & antifungal meds. Thankfully he wasn't on them for very long, but it will probably take a few months to clear these from his system.

For Little Guy she will work on clearing some x-rays he received late last year for an arm injury (radiation), then probably next month she'll move on to the couple of days of antifungal meds he had before he got sick again. Gut healing will be a continual process for both boys.

One step at a time...

Our new remedy pack will arrive sometime next week, & I'll have to re-do my daily check off chart for each boy. I continue to try to keep a daily record of behaviors & reactions, & our next consult will be the first week of July.

Life on the spectrum continues...

We've only got a few modules left on our e-training for the RDI parent objectives. We hadn't done this training previously, & both agree it's been very beneficial. I enjoy Dr. Gutstein's talks, & have picked up some encouraging information given our Big Guy is older & severe.

There is no difference, come adulthood, in autistic children who spoke early, & those who spoke later, even much later (into teens & beyond). In other words there is no advantage to speaking early rather than later. Some folks think if the non verbal autistic child could only talk, things would be great. That is not necessarily true. Autism is about much more than a lack of speech, & not all autistic people are non verbal. Regardless, most of the mainstream will have a parent thinking if a child hasn't spoken by ____ age (insert age you were told there as people get different information), then the likelihood is they are never going to speak. This is not true & I have heard otherwise many times.

You have probably heard a lot about a certain "window" of opportunity to help an autistic child. Once that "window" closes, there isn't as much, if any, hope for any type of recovery. Well, that's also a myth & a fallacy of autism. That isn't to say starting early isn't a good thing, but just because a child is older &/or severe does not mean all hope is lost, as the mainstream will have parents believe. The brain is actually always changing in life, & this means there is always hope, whether the autistic person be 4, 14, or 40. Don't let others steal hope for your child's future through these inaccurate & discouraging comments.

There is actually no proof, no formal long term studies done, to show that ABA & discrete trial type training has any more long term benefits than anything else done for autistic children. Apparently the end result in adulthood for those who have undergone this type of training, & for those who have not had anything done, seems to be about the same (rather bleak unfortunately).

There are certain terms in RDI, such as "static". Typical autism programs train; they do not teach. They train the child that you do this, & you'll get that (hopefully positive feedback, although, some programs do use negative consequences for non compliance). These programs teach "static" skills; things that are cut & dry & are done over & over again. They are skills that don't require much thought. Once accomplished, it may make the child more "socially acceptable", but it's all very superficial.

RDI is about relationships. It's about developing, in the autistic person, a way of coping with our ever changing, complex world. It's about working & playing with others, give & take interactions, problem solving, & thought provoking activities. It does not talk down to a child,or underestimate their abilities. It is also challenging, yet not enough to be frustrating. It is a step by step process & it takes time.

The next module in our e-learning may require some videos. When we actually get to implementing RDI fully again with our Big Guy we will be making frequent videos to keep in touch with our consultant, share concerns, & get feedback so we can continue to grow & learn with our son. I hope to share some of our work with our Big Guy on my video blog as well.

Staying tuned on the spectrum...

This new protocol is in addition to all the other vits & supps the kiddos are getting, so I definitely have added to my workload. First thing in the morning they need to have their remedies, as they have to be taken in a clean mouth (no food). At least 20m have to go by before eating. Big Guy has been easy, but Little Guy is putting up a fuss. He spits out some (as much as he can) of his remedies (that can only be mixed in water but taste very mild). This ordeal goes on 4x/day.

While waiting for the appropriate amount of time to go by, I mix up their vitamins for the morning. Since Big Guy has them more spread out I prepare 3 mixes for him to be taken with each meal. By the time that is done I make them breakfast. Little Guy still takes his vitamins with his goat yogurt. Big Guy takes them mixed in a little water, with a dropper.

A good 1/2 hour before lunchtime I get their midday remedies ready. Big Guy takes them down, then there's yet another little ordeal with Little Guy (Storyman helps because getting remedies down a strong, squiggly 2 year old is a two person job), then it's another good 20m until lunch. Little Guy takes his midday supps in a little natural, unsweetened applesauce. There's a new supplement they gave us that he's supposed to have 2x/day before meals which can be mixed in a little juice, but he won't drink it (go figure; neither boy ever gets juice & he's turning it down. Big Guy is loving it.). I've had to mix a bit in his yogurt in the morning, & then in his applesauce, but he's not getting the full dosage of this one yet.

Again in the evening a good 1/2 hour before dinner I mix up their evening remedies. The same ordeal happens with Little Guy, then later on dinner with those vitamins, then a while after dinner & before bed they get their last dose of remedies for the day.

Sunday Big Guy was a bit out of sorts. He skipped his breakfast but ate fine the rest of the day. He was uncharacteristically quiet & calm. He was "going" enough throughout the day that I had a few extra loads of soiled clothes to wash (I was skipping the regular laundry for Sunday again, but there's never nothing to wash!). He wasn't drinking anymore water then he usually does, so I can only assume this is some sort of detox.

Little Guy was very giggly, especially later in the day. That's not typical of him either. While we were getting them all ready for bed Butterfly announced that Little Guy was "yeasty".

Ahhhh yes, growing up on the spectrum...

Sunday was also my 40th birthday, & my 18th wedding anniversary. It was a quiet day (other then all the supplement struggles & soiled laundry); we don't get out or anything. Sometimes we take the kids somewhere like a zoo or something, but we hadn't planned anything & it was better off as it rained a bit. The new treatments also have me tied to the house even more than usual right now, & that probably won't improve for quite a while, particularly until Little Guy accepts his remedies better.

My mother-in-law called in the morning & the kids & hub made me cards (yes he made his very own!). Storyman was generous enough to sign not just his own name but also his brothers & baby sisters to his card, since they can't make one for me - yet. I had told hub no gifts, as there are expensive things going on right now, but he's adding to a "mommy necklace" I have, since we had two cute little additions this past year. I gave him a book by C.S. Lewis Lee Strobel. We played Zooreka, I finished the second objective on the e-lessons for parent training for RDI (hubby has to start number one!), & then the weather cleared up enough for him to BBQ.

I think the e-training has been interesting & beneficial so far. It also helps that I've had 6 months experience with RDI. The objectives & methods are getting clearer now, so I hope this next round will go a lot better. Some of the stuff we've done from the first 6 months, which is almost 2 years ago now, has stuck with him.

We tried to get some pics of me & the kids, but of course that's a bit challenging. This one was the best we could get to include Big Guy:

This one was cute... Little Guy loved to see the camera come out, & jumped right in there.

Hub put 2 candles on a little cake for me to blow out, but since I don't believe in wishing I said a little prayer...

I completed a lengthy phone consult for both Big Guy & Little Guy with the homeopaths on Friday. They are a totally different lot from some we've tried in past, well versed in autism, plenty of experience, & working through sequential with support remedies. The support does seem very good, which will be important for us. Everything should come in this week & I'll try to get them started right away. I'm ending Big Guy's antiviral protocol, however, I will keep both boys going on all the naturals, which are safe & helpful (with a change here & there as needed).

I'm searching for a source for raw goat's milk at the moment. It's the healthiest kind of milk for a human, & actually closest in composition to a human mother's milk. The typical store or health food store fare is foul tasting; even some of the raw can get quite sour, depending on how the goats are treated, if they are fed organically, & if they are given any meds or antibiotics. From what I'm told it should not taste like that. So we checked out a farm not too far from us today but that didn't work out; actually no one was there. But that was better off as I wasn't too comfy with the conditions there, even though they were licensed.. So the search continues.

I tried to get us going on the OS for RDI today, but the system is down so I'll have to try again this week. The consultant we will most likely be working with is out of state but will travel to us when the time comes during the RDA process (simply put, parent-child evals etc), so we still need to work out the details on that.

We've got quite a full week of work coming up, & will continue on through the summer. Storyman will probably continue on what he's presently doing, until Fall when I make a change, but I might move Butterfly into first grade work sometime this summer. Again it all depends on the decisions on programs, as I figure that out. I may just end up starting them both fresh sooner rather than later.

On another note, I had been trying to decide on how to honor the Lord's day more since I can't get out to church right now, & so I prepared most of the vitamins yesterday for everyone, so that they only needed the usual before each meal mixing & administering. I also decided I would not do the main laundry today, for Sunday only, except for anything that became soiled (since I just can't stand to have that sit-yuck). I've done 3 (small) loads today, a tad worse than usual in soilage (if that's a word). Oh well, I'll keep trying.

Onto more reading, listing, & planning...

I've been working on getting medical records on two of my children. Little Guy spent four days in the NICU after birth recovering from a spontaneous pnemothorax (tiny hole in air sac of the lung) during which time he received antibiotics. He's had 3 ER visits where he was given either inhaled or directly through a shot steroids for a respitory illness, & once was admitted for this & given antibiotics during the overnight stay.

Ladybug II was given antibiotics during her hospital stay after birth due to a "mysterious" infection the peds tried to blame on me because I tested positive for strep B before they were born (which is fairly common & the risks are low even without antibiotics given to mom). I checked this with my docs & they said there was "no way at all" the baby could have gotten anything from me. There was no labor, the water didn't break, & they were born via c-section, which put them at ZERO risk of having any problems.

I can't prove it but I know she got the "infection" from the hospital itself, as they were held for 5 hours in the nursery two mornings in a row with no nursings or contact with me. This put them at risk of contracting infections from the hospital & people there, whose germs were foreign to them, & they weren't getting nursed so they were also at risk of dehydration & not getting my natural antibodies to strengthen them.

Well, it's no wonder she had a fever & was lethargic!

I am usually much more "with it" & don't allow nurseries to hold my babies but I must've been real tired & let my guard down; I didn't realize until it was too late. Then they definitely heard about it! I was not happy & they knew it. I can say they were much more on the ball with my kiddos after that, & I didn't let them slide again either.

Unfortunately, damage done...must move on. Thankfully she & her sister have had probiotics since 1 week old & Transfer Factor from about a month old.

Still, I'm waiting on their records. There are so many different kinds of meds & different antibiotics, & I've recently read some have metals in them, so I need to know. Hospitals move as slow as molasses... turtles... snails pace... you get the point. I requested their info weeks ago; we just got the "bill" for Ladybug II's records last week - over $40.

Since Little Guy's hadn't shown up yet I knew it would be a much bigger bill; he has more history. I received the bill today - $119 & change.

I had hoped to get this info before a phone consult with another practitioner for him next week, but at the rate the hospital moves with records I seriously doubt it.

Thankfully I don't think I'm paying for the "labor" involved in copying.

Interesting article. Horrific how they are pushing this garbage on these poor kids too. Think the Amish are set up for autism? Ever hear of an "autism friendly" farm? Not me. Guess they better get ready.

So much for the "genetic component" certain people keep looking for though...

Sometimes yeasty people are clumsy. Sounds wierd but it's true. Yeast does make some "spacey", so in being spacey one can certainly be clumsy. Our Big Guy has never been clumsy. He is very adept at getting around the maze of toys that is often on the floor. Unfortunately, Little Guy hasn't fared as well.

Little Guy can fall over his own feet. Whenever I increase his yeast protocol & he has "die off", this problem gets worse. Thankfully, he's been spared any huge injuries. Recently though, he had a bad one. Ironically I hadn't increased anything in quite sometime, so this is his "status quo" type of thing to happen.

End of last week as I was in the kitchen he was probably running, or even just walking fast, in the attached family room when (I am told) he bumped into the ottomon. This is upholstered, so I don't exactly know how this happened, but he split his lip.

Lots of blood, lots of tears, lots of bloody cold cloths & whatever bit of pressure he'd allow me to put on it later, he was somewhat pulled together. I managed to get two Arnica pellets into him, before he fell asleep in my lap (at dinnertime). After dinner he woke up & tried to eat, but on the first bite he shuddered in pain & couldn't continue.

The next day he was back to eating. I hadn't wanted to push on it, but my husband managed to get into his mouth sometime over the weekend when he wasn't as sensitive to check his tooth. One of his front teeth seems to be a bit loose, & his gum had been very bruised. I wanted to call the dentist then, but Mike (husband) felt he wouldn't be able to get into his mouth so to just wait.

Yesterday I started to feed him a banana, & I noticed a little blood on it after a few bites. I peeked & his gum above his front tooth was bleeding. So I called the dentist & he is going to have it checked out today. This dentist supposedly has experience with autistic kiddos ... so we will see how this goes.

Life in the spectrum...

UPDATE: The dentist saw our Little Guy & said the tooth might tighten up over time. We just have to watch for a little bump above the teeth, way up on the gumline, because that would be pus & would mean a dead tooth. He also said the tooth may change color, even get dark, but black means dead. Hopefully none of that will happen, but we need to watch for any of those bumps until he's 7 or so, & the dentist will see him every 6m as well.

I'm often amused when on occasion, someone announces to me "Every child has a right to an education". Yes, "no child left behind", right? Unless it's an autistic child.

Some people are blessed by good districts & great programs. However, many parents are fighting a constant battle just to get their kids the services they need.

If a parent has a "NT" (neurotypical) child, they have many choices for schooling. However, if a child is autistic, the parents must present their child to the school district so they can do testing to find the child an "appropriate" education. Very often what is presented is what is the most economical solution for the district, & not what is best for the child. Then the parents must hire either an advocate, or more expensive but if pushed to it, an attorney, to fight the school district to get them to fund a better option. Many times it doesn't work.

I know a mom in my town who has a child almost exactly my Big Guy's age. Her son is also severe, but even moreso as he has more physical challenges. For years they had a good program in place, that the district funded, where therapists would come to her home to provide services for her son, & he did well that way. When he turned a certain age & was too old for the elementary school board, their program had to be re-evaluated by the new school board for approval. Turns out they would not approve the program that was already in place & working well for this child.

This family spent many months & a ton of money on lawyers fighting the district to keep their good program going. Although the district had nothing better to offer, they refused to keep the child's program in place.  Finally this mom decided her efforts were better spent homeschooling her son. She was relieved it was over but understandably angry. They are heavy into biomed too, so that money blown on lawyers could have gone to better use trying to heal their child. (It could have gone to better use anywhere). And the district? No problems. They are happy to be rid of them; one less child they need to spend money on anymore.

So who cares about these children? Do you think education for autistic children is about the child? More often than not, as with so many other things, it's about the money. The districts cringe when another child is diagnosed; it's more money they have to spend.

When children do have programs in place they can be good or they can be bad. Not everyone even has the money to spend on advocates & lawyers to challenge their districts to do better for their children. Many autistic children being "educated" in the system end up in restraints which can hurt or even kill, are put in isolation in rooms that aren't even safe for them, are riding schoolbuses in 100 degree heat with no air conditioning, & are abused by therapists in the name of behaviorial training using "aversives" (punishments) which can include such things as squirting water in their faces.

No one would let their NT children go through that kind of horrible existence on a daily basis, yet autistic children go through that & worse every single day. I have personally read these stories from the parents themselves.

The mom I know in town worked hard to set up a better option for her son. It was working yet our school district insists on putting her son in a situation that is not good for him at all, & not even close to being "appropriate", which is only what is required from them for his needs. Theirs is not an isolated case. Too many parents are forced to spend a considerable amount of time, effort, & money fighting school districts just to obtain an "appropriate" education for their autistic child. Many times, they lose the fight.

But who really loses? This isn't a fight between parents & educators in order to win or lose. This is supposed to be about helping a special child in need of special care. So the child is the one losing in the end; losing what they are entitled to: an "appropriate" education.

And keep in mind that "appropriate", which is all that is required of any school district, does not mean best, it just means "appropriate".

The cost of living in our state is very high. When my husband & I started out we didn't have much. We lived in apartments for many years, & rented until the birth of our second child, when, with help, we were able to buy our first home. Over 3 years ago we moved from a very expensive county to a more rural area in order to have a more comfortable home & more land, cheaper. Our home is nice & quite roomy, although not without flaws (nothing is perfect!). I've felt judgement more than once since moving here from people thinking we have more than we do.

As far as autism expenses go, it's not just the fact that most therapies are not covered by insurance, but there's also special foods, organics as much as possible, & much needed vitamins & supplements that run thousands extra per month, literally. These are just enough for our kiddos to stay "above water" right now. There's no way life would be even bearable without them. There's another new healing protocol we're looking into that runs hundreds extra per month. Homeschool programs for autistics are not cheap either; neurodevelopmental is hundreds, RDI thousands (districts don't like helping homeschoolers either, & typically don't)... I could go on & on.

There are certain things necessary for us with our severe oldest, however, we compromise a lot to handle our children's many needs. There are a lot of "extras" that are just a regular part of life for most people, including the ones sitting in judgement, that we do not enjoy with or without our kiddos. We try not to inconvenience anyone if at all possible either.

Try not to judge others by outward appearances, because one never knows another's situation, truly. And if you don't have the added expenses & other "inconveniences" of autism, then you especially should not judge, but be thankful as you go to your destination of choice this year, go out to dinner as a couple, buy a cute outfit at the mall, go to a homeschool group or other activity or meeting, go to church, have multiple gatherings with family & friends, buy a decorative something or other for your home, take your kids on a nature walk without fear of one running away, prepare a meal without worrying about multiple allergens ... ... ...

Things are never easy & choices need to be made. Vacations are not even mentioned & I don't mall shop unless blessed with some gift money for the kiddos, otherwise Ebay, where I buy & sell, can be a blessing to us. We go for the smaller "funs"; a birthday party, a few presents, good toys around since we're home most of the time, a zoo trip once in a while, etc.

You know what? The kids are really happy with these things. It doesn't take much to impress them & perhaps that is a really good thing. If I buy a second hand dress from Ebay for my daughter she is very happy (especially if its pink). She doesn't care about the label or the latest style (which we typically don't like anyway). If the kids go for a run around the yard they are thrilled. Any trip out of the house is "big" fun. This is a really great lesson in being thankful for what we do have, & enjoying our blessings as they come.

I will thank & praise God for our 6 beautiful blessings & for all He does to help us through, everyday, all the time!

And it is he who will supply all your needs from his riches in glory because of what Christ Jesus has done for us.”
(Philippians 4:19, TLB)

Turn all your worries over to Him. He cares about you.
(1 Peter 5:7 NIRV)

One in 150… those are the statistics for autism. It seems like everyone at least knows someone with an autistic child, & maybe even more than one. I’m on a few Yahoogroups for parents with autistic children; some of the groups are for Christians.  The subject of church comes up quite often. Many families don’t go, others have left churches because they were not welcome or their situation was too difficult for the churches to handle, or they’ve actually been asked to leave because the church did not understand autism or the child’s behavior & didn’t want to take the time to work with the family.
 
These are Christian churches …  which adds to it being so disturbing.

Many times it’s just impossible to handle taking an autistic child to church, never mind more than one, & never mind having more than one child needing attention. The sensory issues such as the loudness of the music or even the pastor’s voice, the people singing, the lights, fans humming, etc, can all be very overwhelming for the child. This can result in a terrible meltdown, the result of which very often leaves many looking down upon the child & judging the parents for not being able to “control” him/her.  I was told by a father at one church that he didn’t believe ADD exists, but that it was just a disciplinary problem. Parents of the higher functioning kiddos meet that kind of uneducated judgment by self proclaimed experts (without special needs children) all the time.

The child is often not able to stay quiet due to the sensory overload, so in an effort to cope they may make odd noises or gestures or stim in some way. This becomes disruptive to some people. I was at one church where a small child with autism would sometimes have a bad day & make some sniffing noises during the service. I didn’t find her disruptive at all (considering how loud my kiddos get), but I don’t think that’s just because I’m used to odd noises. It was a low sort of noise, nothing an adult person with a cold or allergy wouldn’t be doing but she just did it more consistently. Apparently she was disturbing some of the people around her therefore they were asked to leave.

The typical “diet” of snacks & treats before, during, or after services is not a welcome sight for those suffering from food allergies, or autistic children on special diets, many of whom do not know better than to grab something they cannot have, often resulting in terrible behavior & physical illness. My daughter was once handed a cookie on a napkin by a well meaning person after a service. I was right next to her, but was not asked if it was something she could have. She is highly allergic to nuts & intolerant to dairy, so I had to thank her nicely but give back the cookie. Thankfully my daughter was very understanding & I had brought an alternate treat for her. If this had been my Big or Little Guys the story may not have ended so well.

“Children’s Church” is not much help. They typically have several children. Most churches are not able to accommodate a child who needs a “shadow” as they need a person familiar & comfortable with the child’s challenges who can help him/her through the class, & perhaps help them to participate on some level. Many parents have been told their children are not welcome to return because of difficult behaviors that are not “bratty”, but simply a part of autism that they do not understand.

Unfortunately, this & worse happens all the time - in "Christian" churches.

The book, Special Needs-Special Ministry is a blessing, if it can get into the churches, & if they are interested… (I fear the latter will be a problem).

I’ve visited churches, called several others, & been told time & again that they do not have the facilities, do not have the money, do not have the resources, maybe someday…etc.

Someday is now for those of us with autistic children. We’re part of His family as well, & so are our children, & our segment of Christian society is being neglected & forgotten.

Special Needs, Special Ministry
Contributing authors, Jim Pierson, Louise Tucker Jones, Pat Verbal

From the back of the book:

REACH EACH ONE!

Jesus told us to reach out to everyone – and that includes children with special needs and their families. But where do you start? How can your church become a welcome place for families whose children have special needs? How can you reach this under-served – and sometimes unwanted – group of God’s children?

Special Needs – Special Ministry is a practical, real-world guide to help you! In a warm and friendly way, this complete step-by-step guide helps you think through this strategy, scope and purpose of your special needs ministry. You’ll be prepared to build, launch, expand, or deepen your special needs ministry – with impact!

-Learn from the successes and failures of churches with special needs programs.
-Build awareness about special needs ministry in your church.
-Launch or further develop a special needs ministry.
-Partner with local agencies.
-Gain insight from Pat Verbal, Louise Tucker Jones, and more!
-Think through the staffing, space, budget, and leadership implications of hosting a special needs ministry.

And a bonus: You get three complete sermon outlines from Dr. Jim Pierson, plus 10 reproducible bulletin inserts to hand out in your church services!

This book is not geared toward autism & church exclusively; it addresses special needs children and church, with autism mentioned as well. I read it a while ago, however, I devoured it as it seemed to really capture the challenges we face, the exhaustion, the inability to find the time or energy to educate the world while putting that much needed energy we do have into helping our children, the not wanting to even try anymore, & the rejection that often comes when we do.

And instead of understanding, we often must face harsh judgments about not attending from church going Christians who have no conception of what everyday life is like with autism, & don’t take the time to understand the difficulty involved in going anywhere, never mind church.

Many families with autistic children needing to be reached are Christians put off of church from bad experiences, & others are not Christians who will never be reached because there are no ministries for autistic families.

God bless the missionaries… the world needs them. He said to go out & make disciples of all nations, & they heed that command.

But, where are the autism missionaries?

Typically in the evening hubby & I share getting everyone ready for bed. He typically helps Big Guy with all his evening needs & I give him a kiss goodnight before I go to nurse the babies down. Tonight all that was accomplished & Big Guy was waiting for his daddy in the other room. I went in there to get something & I smiled at Big Guy to give him another kiss goodnight. Big Guy will hold his face out to be kissed by me but he does not kiss, & even though he will put an arm around us he does not actually hug, nor does he typically want a hug unless it's the real deep pressure kind to soothe his sensory issues.

Tonight I held his face & gave him a kiss, told him I loved him & to have sweet dreams, & he reached out to hug. It was different. This was not a "stimmy" type hug or a deep pressure sensory hug. I had my arms around him & he put his arms around me, gently but fully, & we really, truly hugged each other. We would hug, then look at each other, & each time he looked at me he gave me his "lovely look", where he has this sweet look in his eyes where he can't actually say "I love you mommy" but he's saying it, with his eyes. His mouth was open like it wanted to come out but couldn't (this happens frequently). This went on several times; I couldn't get enough of him actually hugging me.

What a way to end the day... thank you Lord, & please bless my Big Guy, my little boy...

Speaking of praying for teachers, aides, etc, we still haven't found a reliable RDI consultant.

RDI, Relationship Development Intervention, is very promising for our oldest especially. We completed 6 months in which we learned a lot, but there is a huge learning curve that we are still on in our limited experiences with RDI, especially due to our son's age & severity.

We ended up leaving our other consultant, mostly because I was expecting the twins at the time & could not commit to her very rigorous schedule.

RDI is not the type of therapy where one "hires" someone to work with their child. The consultant works with the parents. The parents are the ones needing the training & support; there must be a good working relationship & excellent support & education for the parents to be successful with their child. We did not find that with our first consultant.

I've since found many parents have searched for a good "fit" consultant for their family; it's not always easy.

There are quite a few that probably would work nicely for us, however, we cannot travel. By traveling I don't even mean flying (which is totally out); I mean even driving more than an hour is a problem for us right now.

The actual RDI program is not the issue. The contracts with the consultants usually last 6 months. During that time many consultants will work long distance through a system where videos are shared between them & their families for support & guidance.

However, before starting there is an RDA (assessment) process, in approximately 6 hour long segments. The assessment process is the problem because 3 of them need to be done within 5 days preferably so they are completed in close succession. We found some RDI consultants but they are over 2 hours from us, so it would be way too difficult for us to haul everyone over 2hrs one way 3 times in one week. 

We found someone that works full time teaching, & has recently completed certification to be an RDI Consultant & would travel to our home. That seemed ideal. In late Feb. she said she wouldn't be available to start the RDA until April, so we scheduled to meet her today. She sent me the paperwork early on & I completed it (& there was a lot of it) & sent it back. She got videos of us interacting with our Big Guy this week & we seemed ready. I mentioned my daughter being sick but that she was on the mend so all seemed well. She emailed back that if she were still sick we could reschedule to let her know.

There was nothing to let her know about; all was well. Butterfly was fine so we were ready to meet her, this morning.

I didn't hear from her. I figured she'd call or email if she needed directions.

This morning my internet access was down. I wasn't able to check email until after 9am. She was due to arrive sometime around 10am.

At 9:30 I found an email that was sent from her to me at 1am that said because she hadn't heard from me it seemed to her the meeting was cancelled.

Huh???

She went on to say that she was busy next week, then school would be out & she would be on vacation, etc etc... busy busy.

There was no phone call to verify this with us. Just that presumption that we had somehow cancelled.

Immediately I called her cell; no answer. I left a message. I left an email. I said there was a huge lack of communication & we had never cancelled the appt. My email had been down & I hadn't even received her email until she was almost due to arrive. I wondered in the email why she didn't call me to check all this before assuming we had cancelled. Everyone was fine & I would have said so if we were not.

No answer; nothing. All day has gone by with no email response & no phone call. Hubby & I felt that was very unprofessional. I stewed a bit & then figured maybe it's for the best. Better we know now, before we got really involved. She sounded too involved with other things to be a good support system for us anyway. I hope that maybe God has something better for us.

I've asked for my paperwork back. Hopefully I'll receive it. If not, I'll just have to fill it out again if I find another consultant.

We still have the option of the folks 2 hours from us. But we are considering another consultant who would fly up to see us. Her cost is much lower, but we have to factor in travel expenses which are extra. Even with that she might end up being cheaper for 2 kiddos (Big and Little Guy), or the same rate, as the other consultant we used for just Big Guy for 6 months.

Thankfully as a homeschooling family we don't have to deal with "professionals" too often. The little we have has not been impressive at all. I feel for the parents who have to deal with them all the time, although I know there are some good & reliable ones out there too.

Hope we get to meet one someday soon.

Big Guy has been getting OLE for quite some time, but I started everyone on it consistently a couple of weeks ago. They're still low dosage but it's a very effective antiviral & antibacterial. Often as viruses are clearing they can make the person sick temporarily, only to see gains afterward.

Little Guy had some wheezing almost totally out of the blue the other day. It startled me a bit, because he can get so sick with respitory illness so quickly, but it always come as a cold sets in but he had been his usual self so there was no warning. I did a neb treatment, because I don't like to take chances with his breathing, but I did not use meds. Instead I used a xylitol solution I've used once before for him. You can find it here. He was fine afterward & so far so good. I wonder if between the OLE pulling viruses & the GSE pulling yeast it overwhelmed him a bit.

I couldn't use Diflucan for Little Guy because he's just so sensitive. I've since heard from others that if yeast is pulled too quickly in people prone to respitory distress/asthma etc, they tend to wheeze or get sick, which is what happened to him in November. Thankfully he got past it this time. I haven't backed down on any of his protocol, although I'm not increasing at the moment either. I'm seriously considering another route entirely for him, since he's too sensitive for most of the typical biomed treatments. More on that later...

Big Guy is on Day 20 of his antiviral protocol. I'm told to give it a good 3 months before deciding whether to switch antivirals or not.

Butterfly is sick today; it came on very suddenly this morning after she was dressed & ready for breakfast. I wonder if this is OLE related or just a virus. It's tough to tell for sure unless someone else gets it. She's been feverish, threw up once, & is lethargic. She ate very little & is drinking some water. I've been giving her homeopathics & her fever started to break after lunch. She's still resting but has a bit of a stomach ache.

Having spoken about Big Guy & not seeing much, well, wow. We had another huge meltdown today where he was lashing out at a few of us, so now he's spending some "chill" time in his room. I'll get his supps into him at dinner but he needs to start activated charcoal on a somewhat regular basis. This could all be a combination of viral die off & yeast. As difficult as some of these days may get, it may not necessarily be a bad thing. It shows it's doing something for him & that's what we want, so I'll have to ride this out.

I had been considering having some homeschoolers come for a yard day starting soon, however, I'm beginning to reconsider given I never have any idea what kind of mood Big Guy is going to be in these days or who he'll let know when he's not happy... not a good thing. Little Guy will most likely be going through periods of not feeling well also. So we may have to skip out on the social stuff yet again, at least for a while.

Onward with life in the spectrum...

Many people have preconceived notions about what autism is & how a person with autism might act. The fact is there is a very wide spectrum of behaviors & traits that can qualify as some form of autism.

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, there is a such thing as ADD/ADHD. Some folks just believe these are disciplinary problems. This can be overdiagnosed & misdiagnosed, so that has contributed to the lack of understanding. ADD/ADHD does exist, & it is also on the autistic spectrum.

Not all autistic children sit & watch things spin all day, & not all children disconnect completely from those around them. Many autistic children are very cuddly & enjoy hugs & kisses from their loved ones. Many other autistic children can be overly friendly toward strangers & don’t understand appropriate boundries.

Low functioning kiddos will have more obvious symptoms. Many will be non verbal or have minimal language, others will make odd noises (verbal stimming), others may have odd mannerisms. My oldest has no language. He is severe & tends to hum a lot. When we’re out people around him are often wondering where the humming sound is coming from until they see him . He also makes some high pitched stim noises. He often tries to “connect” with those around him by putting his face near their face while smiling, seeming like he wants to say something. He enjoys our hugs & kisses. He tends to not be interested in any kind of “typical” play, but would rather sit by himself & “stim” with a particular toy. He does do some RDI activities with me, but sometimes it seems like he’s humoring me until I let him go off & stim again. His favorite thing in the world are certain videos.

My Little Guy tends to wander around, usually holding something. He often runs away from people (in a kind of playful way, but I suspect he wants to be off on his own). He seems to get obsessed with certain things; most recently it has been strings of any sort, no matter what it might be attached to. So don't wear something with a string, or he may walk off with you - really! I could not get him to let go of my jacket yesterday, because it had a string on the end . He will run in circles at times, & sometimes spins. He is non verbal, & makes a lot of “sounds” as well. He also tends to hum a lot.

The higher functioning children tend to be more of a problem distinguishing at times because it's tough to tell true bad behavior from their kind of autistic behavior. They tend to be thought of as disciplinary “problem children” by those who don’t understand or choose not to understand. My son has issues such as impulse control, & a lack of understanding of boundries & what qualifies as being “rude” or inappropriate to say at times. He tends to speak a bit more formally then a typical kid his age would & has certain obsessions as well. By this I mean there are things that are interesting to him that can become what he thinks & talks about almost constantly. He also has some sensory issues although milder than his severe siblings.

My daughter has a tendency to repeat herself several times, or repeat what someone else has said several times, mostly under her breath or softer then when it was originally spoken. She also tends to repeat lines in videos either as they’re being watched or even once they’re off, which is called “scripting”. She is very “bouncy”; always running or bouncing around the house, often while talking softly about something. She & her brother often tend to speak too loudly. She tends to ask odd questions often about odd things. Many of the things she does her brother once did & it improved with time & age, & probably with the many supplements given.

All my children are very smart & Storyman & Butterfly have incredible imaginations that result in some awesome make believe & story play!

These are just a few examples in my own family. Even though there may be “characteristics” in common, being on the autistic spectrum can encompass many different kinds of behaviors & traits. Everyone is different & an individual.

From what I’ve experienced, heard from so many others, & read for years now, I do not believe in one particular thing as a cause of autism in every person. I believe there is most likely a predisposition, & then there are triggers. The triggers can be such things as vaccines (my oldest), antibiotics, steroids & other immune system suppressants (Little Guy), amalgam (mercury) fillings in the parents & children (my husband & I both have them), systemic yeast infections (definitely an issue here), pitocin use during labor, Rhogam shots for pregnant mothers, pesticides, poor diets, chemicals, pollution, etc. The list could go on & on.

Very often the mother is the first to suspect something, & often she is disregarded by family members, friends, & even often the father because they either feel she is overreacting, or they may be in denial. Either way this does not help her or the child. Many of us who have one autistic child are then told we are “overreacting” or picking at everything when we see spectrum issues in our other children. The fact is these issues do run In families, & once one is familiar with the signs it is easier to pick out earlier in subsequent children. The parents know best, in particular the mom, who is often the one spending the most time with the child(ren), so a mother's concern should never be disregarded.

If you have concerns about your child you can go here for the diagnostic for autism, & here for the diagnostic for PDD (a less severe form of autism), & here for the diagnostic for Asperger’s  (another form of “high functioning” autism).

If you need help with biomed treatment alternatives, check here for possible resources in your area.

There are many autistic individuals who believe they are fine & question why anyone should want to "cure" autism in their child, often accusing the parents of not accepting their children the way they are & trying to change or "fix" them as if they are "broken" somehow. The claim is they are happy as they are & society needs to change its attitudes towards them, but they do not need to change to fit into society. Many of them grow up angry & resentful with their parents for all their efforts. Many of these parents have been labeled "curebies".

My Christian viewpoint is that God did not create autism, as much as He did not create Downs Syndrome, Fragile X, Retts, Cerebal Palsey, retardation of any sort, cancer, allergies, learning disabilities, etc... the list could go on & on.

This is not the world He originally created. This is a fallen world with many conditions & problems He never intended for us.

With the original sin of the garden came death. From that point on our physical bodies were subject to all kinds of diseases & eventually we all must die a physical death.

There are ailments of every kind. When one of my children has a cold or virus, etc, I try to make him/her comfortable & give vitamins & possibly homeopathy to try to shorten the length of the illness. When my child had a bad tooth he was taken to a dentist & his tooth taken care of (without mercury fillings!). When my daughter showed a possible lethal allergy to tree nuts I had her tested to find out for sure & received an EpiPen to keep around at all times. When my Little Guy had bronchiolitis & nothing I had at home was helping & he couldn't breathe well, I took him to the ER for immediate treatment, & then to our natural doctor to help deal with the damage from the (unfortunately) necessary at the time, medications.

Having an autistic child is no different to me. They have a condition & I need to deal with it, to the best of my ability & knowledge, as limited & ineffectual as that seems at times.

Autism is a "spectrum disorder". Notice the "dis" in disorder, meaning something out of order, & spectrum, meaning there is a wide range of symptoms that are different for everyone; some are much less affected then others. It is not a psychological or psychiatric issue & they are not in control of what is happening. Autism is not "who" they are, it is something they have, it is a condition their body is in & there are things causing that condition.

Some folks with autism lead what society would deam "normal lives". Others are institutionalized or living in group homes, or in some situation where they are completely dependent on others for their very survival. Many even die in these settings because of lack of care, negligence, or abuse. I guess it's easier for those leading somewhat "normal" lives to feel autism is not a condition that needs treating or needs to be "cured", however, those living in the latter situations may feel otherwise.

Sometimes our bodies are in a state of health & sometimes they are not. From my own children I can see that an overload of metals they cannot excrete, an injured immune system or an injured gut can cause the symptoms that are labeled "autism". Autism itself is not something one can treat. The metals, the immune system, the gut, are all things that can be treated. Often the end result is someone improving to the point of being functional at least, to even losing their diagnosis completely. Sometimes there are so many things going on that it takes years of trial & error to find the problem, if it's ever found.

Either way, as I would try to help my children when they become ill in some way, I will also try to find out what is causing their "autism" & try to treat it.

Are my children happy the way they are, not wanting to be "helped"?

I don't know; they can't tell me. Some parents have gotten feedback from their verbal children saying they do feel better with a certain supplement, etc. Or, after months or years of trying various treatments, a parent will finally hear "I love you mommy" for the first time ever from their child. I hear about things like this happening all the time, & it sounds worth trying for to me.

I do know my Big Guy was not too happy when he tried to put his head through the glass window of his room (we have shatterproof glass there now).  He doesn't seem too happy when he starts to whine & cry & bang on his head. He also doesn't seem too happy when he tries to bang his head into the wall during a fit.

I would think things that reduce or eliminate these behaviors probably would make him "happy".

Then there are other therapies... ABA, VBA, discreet trial, OT, SIT, speech... parents need to make their own decisions on these. We never pursued ABA or anything like it for our son. Something about putting my autistic 3 year old, still a baby really, who I couldn't explain things to, & who couldn't ask me questions, & could not (& still cannot) tell me what's happening to him when I'm not there, on a schoolbus with strangers every morning, to go to another place with strangers everyday, strangers who strongly "encourage" him to do socially appropriate things by offering treats or using "aversives", which is just a nice word for punishments, didn't appeal to me at all.

Autistic children are also often viewed as just being "bad" & the parents as being inept. This is especially difficult with the higher functioning kiddos, of which I have experience with as well. I've been told by certain Christians along the way that my kids needed "hours long" time outs, alone in a plain room, or to be wrapped so tightly they can't move to stop that pesky stimming, or that consistent spankings would eliminate some of those behaviors. Just get them to mind, then they'll be okay. Well, I don't think isolation, loss of freedom of movement, or beatings "cure" autism. I also don't see it as a great way to make a child who is more in their own world want to be a part of mine.

My goal in treating the symptoms that are causing autistic traits is the healthy state of their bodies. A healthy body simply functions better. I know that for myself as well. That body feels better. In turn I would think that body would be happier in a healthy state.

Do I want them to "fit in" to society? Well, no! As a Christian I don't fit in to society so why would I want that for them?  Christians have to be in the world but not "of it" (John 17:15-17). I'd rather they not get caught up in the things of this world & the things this world values, because those are not God's values. I would like them to be the best they can be for Him, to do His will with their lives. In any event, I have to keep in mind Romans 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I don't have lofty goals for any of my children. My number one concern is for their spiritual health & that they know the Lord & live for Him, to the best of their understanding. I pray they will follow HIS lead for their life, not what society deems "normal" or what is esteemed by society. Then they will be very successful.

Although I'll always have a sadness for the loss of the independent life God intended for them, if my children never improve I will still always love them & always care for them. They will always be my children & I will always be proud of them. However, I know God loves them better then I ever could & that when they are in His arms someday they will be healthy & very happy.

Currently I am building up Big Guy's dose of Diflucan, slowly, as he tends to be sensitive with yeast die off. He had a bit of a meltdown earlier today, but generally he's doing better then I expected so far. In about a week or two he may be able to start his prescription antifungal. Right now he has some low dose natural antivirals such as Lysine, OLE, Monolaurin, & Virastop, but he'd need a ton more to really make a dent. Even so it may take a long time, so we'll be moving on to the stronger stuff.

We had some problems getting the Diflucan, as our local pharmacy doesn't compound so it came with additives we don't use. We needed it compounded with stevia (a more acceptable sweetner). We have a compounding pharmacy about an hour away that we use (they ship to our local pharm) but they charged $210 & our prescription plan would not cover it! Apparently as of this year they are not covering compounds anymore . On top of that, the prescription is only good for 14 days, & he'll need this for quite a while (because antivirals grow yeast terribly, so we need it kept under control with the Diflucan). So this was just not feasible!

Luckily Coastal Compounding Pharmacy in Ga will do the same thing for $40! (Go figure, huh?). We do have to pay $25 shipping because the Rx is perishable & must come overnight. It's still a bargain compared to... & the Rx will be good for 30 days. Because of this find, I'll be getting Little Guy back on the Diflucan. They will ship them together for us to save a little money. The supplements are a killer financially, & of course all the natural stuff we use is not covered...

Little Guy has been on rotating antifungals, & lots of probiotics (everyone gets lots of those!). He has reactions to every new antifungal, typically with a rash, runny & stuffy nose, diaper issues & rashes, behaviorial issues, etc. This shows yeast die off. It doesn't seem like things are moving along enough, to me, although our practitioner says give it time. The naturals may just not be enough either. But the prescription may end up being too much for him. One sign of a wheeze & that's it, back to the naturals! Right now he's on GSE which is pretty strong, but he already seems to have adjusted to it so I'll try increasing the dose.

Both Big & Little Guy get other supps such as Spectrum Complete multi, Transfer Factor, C, DMG, Lysine, Follinic Acid, Biotin, Zinc, & Taurine. I can get more into Big Guy so he also gets enzymes, Vit E, Molybdenum, Selenium, Virastop, Monolaurin, OLE, Carnitine, CoQ10, Magnesium, & Candidase. Storyman & Butterfly get the same multi, Transfer Factor, Biotin, C, E, Lysine, Follinic Acid, Selenium, Molybdenum, Magnesium, & Zinc. Because many autistic folks are sensitive to calcium I don't supplement that anymore, however, I do give everyone liquid Vitamin K2 because that is supposed to use the stored calcium in the bones.

Everyone also gets Custom Probiotics, Liver Life for liver detoxification support, & Green Pasture cod liver oil (one of the only brands out there free of metals & soy). Big Guy & Storyman both get Aloe Vera Juice; we use George's brand. It's not a sweet juice; it's for the gut. Sometimes I use it myself & should regularly. It really has no taste so it mixes into juices & other drinks quite easily. Other then that it's the additional different antifungals for everyone except Storyman at the moment.

Some of these supplements are spread out throughout the day, although I tend to have to "load up" everyone except Big Guy with most of their supps in the AM which is not ideal, but the best way right now. The babies get their probiotics & transfer factor throughout the day as well.

I feel like I have a game plan for Big Guy, having started him on the Rx antifungals & working up to the Rx antivirals. I am putting off the MB12 shots for now, since the protocol doesn't really allow for doing anything else for about 5 weeks, & I can't wait for that right now. If I had seen something spectacular from the 3 he already had, then maybe I would continue, but I really didn't see anything happening. I might go with the MB12 nasal spray for him in the future.

I put off the MB12 shots for Little Guy as well, since they kick up a lot of yeast & I didn't see much happening for him either except a LOT of yeasty behaviors, which we don't need to create right now. So the only real plan I have for him is to try out the Diflucan again, or, if that proves to be too much for him, continue either rotating the naturals, or just increasing the GSE. He seemed to be doing better in December, when I was hearing parts of certain words again here & there, but that stopped a long time ago unfortunately.

Our practitioner wants me to continue with his antifungals, saying the benefits will come in time. I've also been considering a "demineralizer", since he seems to do better with chelation (which pulls minerals) & had a bad reaction to the zeolites, which are mostly minerals. The demineralizer is a rice product & he's intolerant to rice unfortunately, although I've heard the benefits may outweigh the rice issues. I'm still considering a rotation diet for him as well as Big Guy.

A few years ago I was introduced to the Body Ecology Diet, which is a diet protocol to heal the gut, similar to SCD in that goal however it goes about it a bit differently. I doubt I could do this diet for the kiddos full out, although I'm re-reading about it now & joining message boards for more information, but the staples of it are the homemade kefir & culturelled veggies. I have starter for both & plan on making the kefir this week, hopefully. I ordered the Cocobiotic from BED; it is very fizzy & has a very distinct taste. I found it to be fine & I do believe I felt digestive benefits right away, as well as some die off symptoms! It's pretty strong so I don't think the kiddos will tolerate it though. I will try to get some homemade kefir into them; that will probably be a challenge, especially with Little Guy, but it is really worth a try from what I've been hearing about it.  More on that as I try it out.

Continuing life on the spectrum...

Current mood about autism treatments:

There are several schools of thought on autism biomed treatments. Some feel you must heal the gut first; heal leaky gut & get rid of the yeast overgrowth, before attempting che