This is one of the best resources out there for families just starting thier journey: TACA Autism Journey Blueprints.
I highly recommend it to anyone in need of some guidance or interested in starting Bio Med!
http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/autism-journey-blueprints/
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Updated list of suppliments
***(When we are battling yeast, i give Liam 1 capsule Saccharomyces Boulardi+MOS, in a veggie/fruit pouch *gfcf/organic*- BEFORE his juice and breakfast....i open the capsule and pour it in making sure to mix it up really well so non of the powder is left on the rim of the pouch or else if he tastes it he wont eat it. This is given for about a month)
I give him the following supps in his juice in the a.m. (although sometimes it takes him until the afternoon to drink it up, i just keep refreshing it until its gone....)
1 tsp Kirkman Labs Spectrum complete (flavored powder multi vitamin)
1 tsp. Nordic naturals arctid D cod liver oil
1/4 tsp. Kirkman Labs TMG with folic acid and b-12
1/2 tsp Kirkman Labs Buffered magnesium glycinate powder (2x a day, given again at lunch)
1 capsule Designs for health Oil of Oregano
1/2 teaspoon LevoCarnatine (2 x a day , i give the second dose along with another 1 tsp nordic naturals arctic d cod liver oil during snack time after lunch. Levocarnatine is prescribed by his pediatrician but i think you are able to purchase over counter. putting it through our insurance was cheaper so we did it that way)
With his his breakfast, I pour 1 capsule of the Kavinace in one of those pureed veggie/fruit pouches and just make sure its mixed in well and none of the powder is around the rim and he eats it right up. ***UPDATE*** Kavinace is really strong tasting so lately i have also been syringing in a just a little bit of juice using one of those syringes from like, infant ibuprofin or whatever...after i have added the capsule to flush the powder down into the pouch and help mix it in even more. i give him 1 capsule in a pouch in the morning.
During lunch I refresh his juice and add the additional doses of LevoCarnatine, NN Arctic D and Magnesium (seen above) along with 1 capsule (poured out into drink) Kirkman Labs enzyme complete/ DPP-IV (you are supposed to give an enzyme with every meal but i find more than one upsets his stomach so i do it just once a day for him )
We use Kirkman Labs Pro Bio Gold as a probiotic. I give it to him at night before or during his dinner, also in a pouch. He eats about 4-5 of those pouches a day- 3 to 4 containing supplements and the rest just because he likes them. :)
Side note- never give a probiotic with an enzyme because they cancel each other out....fyi (if i happen to be out and am waiting to re-up i give him gfcf Culturelle probiotic that i keep around just as a backup)
About 30 minutes before bed he gets the final fruit/veggie pouch of the day. This one contains 250 MG of Gaba. This helps promote sleep.
During lunch I refresh his juice and add the additional doses of LevoCarnatine, NN Arctic D and Magnesium (seen above) along with 1 capsule (poured out into drink) Kirkman Labs enzyme complete/ DPP-IV (you are supposed to give an enzyme with every meal but i find more than one upsets his stomach so i do it just once a day for him )
We use Kirkman Labs Pro Bio Gold as a probiotic. I give it to him at night before or during his dinner, also in a pouch. He eats about 4-5 of those pouches a day- 3 to 4 containing supplements and the rest just because he likes them. :)
Side note- never give a probiotic with an enzyme because they cancel each other out....fyi (if i happen to be out and am waiting to re-up i give him gfcf Culturelle probiotic that i keep around just as a backup)
About 30 minutes before bed he gets the final fruit/veggie pouch of the day. This one contains 250 MG of Gaba. This helps promote sleep.
I spent a lot of time researching online and even before we found our bio med pediatrician i began trying supps. Well, technically I starting with the GFCFSF diet intervention (it took us about two weeks to see positive changes from going gfcfsf, for some its quicker and for others longer. the first few weeks were rough but it was well worth it...he began focusing more and it was like a fog lifted to name just a few of the positive changes...) then added the multi vitamin (I began with Kirkman labs super nu thera but have since switched to spectrum complete).
I waited a week between each new addition to let his body adjust and to see if we noticed any changes. Everything he takes now has had some sort of positive effect. Be it keeping yeast at bay (oil of oregano), helping calm him down, with anxiety and with sleep (Kavinace and magnesium).
We have tried some supps that have had not so great reactions as well ( increased hyperactivity or not so great behaviors...) so we stopped. :)
I buy most of my supps online off OurKidsASD.com they have free shipping and their good prices. I occasionally use amazon too.
Supplements on the horizon: Vitamin E, Enhansa, SAM-e, Vit C....
Just thought i would share! And also help me keep track :)
Supplements on the horizon: Vitamin E, Enhansa, SAM-e, Vit C....
Just thought i would share! And also help me keep track :)
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
The Marcus Autism Center- Diagnosis
In April we had our appointment for Liam's official diagnosis.
A piece of paper telling us in writing, all the things we already know.
When it was all said and done, I was not sad, or shocked or any of that.
I was so ready to just get going on so many of the things that we can now apply for with the diagnosis.
Besides, we had already ridden that roller coaster. At this point, we can run, operate and maintain that bitch with one hand tied behind our backs. ;)
I am glad i didn't not wait for an "official diagnosis" to start our own interventions. I am glad that i chose to follow my own gut and intuitions. It was a rocky start, but i feel confident we are and have been, heading int he right direction. Liam is in such a better place now, as are we!
Sure, not ever day is easy. We have some days, weeks even, that are challenging to say the least. But we focus on moving continually forward. On our breakthroughs, smiles and happy days- which thankfully exceed that not so great ones.
I still have moments when I cry, feel scared, all of it....all of it. But you just have to shake all that shit off man. Theres no point in it. It ok to feel it, be in it for a moment, get it out of your system. This is tough stuff. But then shake it off and keep on keeping on.
The staff at The Marcus Autism Center has been fabulous all the way through. The process, although extremely lengthy overall, went smoothly and we were always made to feel at ease.
So, with this paper I have already applied for the Deeming/ Katie Beckett. We are awaiting the approval any day now!
I also applied for a local grant called Maggies Hope. This would help pay for some of the labs we need run that our insurance wont pay for.
I will also be applying for Liam to receive his very own IPad fr the coming school year. This device will ultimately be able to to help him communicate his wants and needs, until he is able to do so verbally.
He recently took a liking (to say the very least) to playing games on my Droid. So much so that i am now on my 4th phone and he is now the proud owner of a Nabi Jr. which totally rocks and he loves.
I had tried in the recent past to engage him with toddler matching/puzzle/number/abc games but he never showed any interest at all. Until a few weeks ago! I had downloaded a game and while he was sitting on my lap we played it, hand over hand for about 10 minutes. Jenny walked in the room and we began talking about something and i set the phone down momentarily. The next thing i know, i look over and see liam sitting on his own playing the game all by himself! Appropriately and correctly!
Not only that, but in watching him play, we came to the realization that he knows his numbers! There were blocks numbered 1 through ten, and they were all scattered and mismatched. He was able to correctly match and line up all the numbers 1-10, over and over! I swear, this kid never fails to AMAZE ME. It doesnt stop there. He is able to do the same with colors, shapes and various other games.
Since we got the Nabi we have also come to find he knows his alphabet, and match the right words to the first letter when prompted. He can [pick the correct animals and other various objects in games when prompted as well.
So proud of my Liam.
We have been able to get some private therapies going for Liam. In addition to the speech and OT he gets at school , he is receiving speech 2 x a week for 1 hr at a time via Childrens Healthcare in Fayette. We are awaiting approval to begin his OT there too.
It is limited and we only have a certain number of visits. My hope is that the Deeming Waiver will pick up when our insurance runs out. Come on Deeming waiver!!!!!!! In the meanwhile the out of pocket is 30 bucks per visit and since we are averaging about 3 visits a week, when you add in the gas its about 150 dollars a week. A little painful to the pocket but well worth it.
We go for our first feeding therapy appointment at the Marcus Autism Center next week. Excited to get this kid eating some new foods!
My goal is to be able to apply the GAPS diet by the end of the year.
Now that he is back in school i think we will begin seeing some real progress in his communication and behaviors. I am siked to see what the rest of this year will bring.
We have also been working with Dr. Jill, our wonderful pediatrician, to get a handle on a few things. What a blessing she has been in our life.
All in all, we have made much progress this year.
I am feeling good about it all.
A piece of paper telling us in writing, all the things we already know.
When it was all said and done, I was not sad, or shocked or any of that.
I was so ready to just get going on so many of the things that we can now apply for with the diagnosis.
Besides, we had already ridden that roller coaster. At this point, we can run, operate and maintain that bitch with one hand tied behind our backs. ;)
I am glad i didn't not wait for an "official diagnosis" to start our own interventions. I am glad that i chose to follow my own gut and intuitions. It was a rocky start, but i feel confident we are and have been, heading int he right direction. Liam is in such a better place now, as are we!
Sure, not ever day is easy. We have some days, weeks even, that are challenging to say the least. But we focus on moving continually forward. On our breakthroughs, smiles and happy days- which thankfully exceed that not so great ones.
I still have moments when I cry, feel scared, all of it....all of it. But you just have to shake all that shit off man. Theres no point in it. It ok to feel it, be in it for a moment, get it out of your system. This is tough stuff. But then shake it off and keep on keeping on.
The staff at The Marcus Autism Center has been fabulous all the way through. The process, although extremely lengthy overall, went smoothly and we were always made to feel at ease.
So, with this paper I have already applied for the Deeming/ Katie Beckett. We are awaiting the approval any day now!
I also applied for a local grant called Maggies Hope. This would help pay for some of the labs we need run that our insurance wont pay for.
I will also be applying for Liam to receive his very own IPad fr the coming school year. This device will ultimately be able to to help him communicate his wants and needs, until he is able to do so verbally.
He recently took a liking (to say the very least) to playing games on my Droid. So much so that i am now on my 4th phone and he is now the proud owner of a Nabi Jr. which totally rocks and he loves.
I had tried in the recent past to engage him with toddler matching/puzzle/number/abc games but he never showed any interest at all. Until a few weeks ago! I had downloaded a game and while he was sitting on my lap we played it, hand over hand for about 10 minutes. Jenny walked in the room and we began talking about something and i set the phone down momentarily. The next thing i know, i look over and see liam sitting on his own playing the game all by himself! Appropriately and correctly!
Not only that, but in watching him play, we came to the realization that he knows his numbers! There were blocks numbered 1 through ten, and they were all scattered and mismatched. He was able to correctly match and line up all the numbers 1-10, over and over! I swear, this kid never fails to AMAZE ME. It doesnt stop there. He is able to do the same with colors, shapes and various other games.
Since we got the Nabi we have also come to find he knows his alphabet, and match the right words to the first letter when prompted. He can [pick the correct animals and other various objects in games when prompted as well.
So proud of my Liam.
We have been able to get some private therapies going for Liam. In addition to the speech and OT he gets at school , he is receiving speech 2 x a week for 1 hr at a time via Childrens Healthcare in Fayette. We are awaiting approval to begin his OT there too.
It is limited and we only have a certain number of visits. My hope is that the Deeming Waiver will pick up when our insurance runs out. Come on Deeming waiver!!!!!!! In the meanwhile the out of pocket is 30 bucks per visit and since we are averaging about 3 visits a week, when you add in the gas its about 150 dollars a week. A little painful to the pocket but well worth it.
We go for our first feeding therapy appointment at the Marcus Autism Center next week. Excited to get this kid eating some new foods!
My goal is to be able to apply the GAPS diet by the end of the year.
Now that he is back in school i think we will begin seeing some real progress in his communication and behaviors. I am siked to see what the rest of this year will bring.
We have also been working with Dr. Jill, our wonderful pediatrician, to get a handle on a few things. What a blessing she has been in our life.
All in all, we have made much progress this year.
I am feeling good about it all.
Love and light,
A
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