Manic Since Being Sick

I am writing this blog and am totally frustrated at the moment. Aleks was sick for 3+ weeks, had 3 different antibiotics because some weren't working and then 2 rounds on 1 antibiotic. We know that in the healing of her leaky gut that antibiotics are not always good for the healing. What we didn't realize is that in healing her massive double ear infection and temperature of 104 we would see such regression in her autistic behavior. To say it has been rough is an understatement.
While on antibiotics, Aleks started walking on her toes again, using more 'baby' words and just overall irritated and manic. We talked with her ST and learned that there is a typical regression of 2-3 weeks after an illness and then she will be back to her post diet, therapy self. It has been soo frustrating to watch her suffer again and to experience the manic, controlling behavior again. My biggest fear at the moment is that this behavior will stay and all the progress we made will be gone. As I just wrote that, Aleks came up and gave me a kiss and told me that she loves me. Thank you God. I think that is His way of reminding me that although we've regressed we aren't back to where we started.

Faith, Hope & HEALING-
xo
Melissa

My Daughter Came Alive During Her High Fever

The other night my daughter's fever spiked to 104.7 after being diagnosed with an ear infection. We gave her a fever reducer, got her fever down to 102.5 but were still worried. Yet, the 102+ fever brought about something amazing. As Aleks crawled in bed with us at 2am, she started chatting away. Although Aleks' speech has been improving with speech therapy, she still struggles with her vocabulary and comprehension. That night at 2am she wasn't struggling. In fact it felt like she had just awoken from a coma and had so much to tell us. She was talking about school, her books, her babysitters dog and what was it's name. Her pronoun use was correct and words she has never said before were flying out of her mouth. Both Bill and I turned on the lights and just watched her talk. She couldn't say enough and seemed to have so much to tell us. Bill looked at me at one point and said, "What is going on?". That's when I remembered in my research that I had read about a fever phenomenon.

The sad part of this is that once the fever was back to normal so was my little girl's autism. It almost seems like it was a dream, but then it happened again last night. Her fever spiked to 104.7 and she was lethargic and miserable. The fever got down to 102.4 and she started chatting again. My friend Sandy came over to check on her after I called her in a panic and witnessed it too. Aleks was affectionate, chatting and overall just happy. This morning that little girl is gone. Her fever left, her sickness (ear infection and a viral infection) is still here and the chatty happy little girl is also gone. I told my husband that it seems like a cruel joke. I love his answer, that maybe it is a glimpse of things to come. That is what I am now holding onto. What I have learned is that my little girl is still trapped inside and wants to come out. This has renewed all my efforts to find her healing formula and get her out of the demon grips of autism.

Faith, Hope & Healing~
Melissa

Help For a 'New' Mom on the Autism Journey

Since announcing on the radio that Aleks has autism, I have had the privlege of helping along a few moms who are in the beginning of their own autism journey. One of my new moms just received her son's food sensitivity testing results back and is feeling so overwhlemed. Here is part of the email I sent her. Hopefully the information will be helpful to you too. I've taken out some of the personal information, but felt the rest was okay to leave in.

Faith, Hope & Healing~
Melissa

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Hi! You are not alone. I really feel for you. I totally understand how overwhelming it is when you first get the test results back. I cried all the way home from Whole Foods. What exactly is your child sensitive to? Give me all the foods and let me see what suggestions I can come up with for you. If not chicken or turkey nuggets, I've also made homemade fish sticks for Aleks out of tilapia. It's easy and yummy for her. By the way, Aleks was a super picky eater before the diet. She was down to just a few foods, but after removing all her sensitive foods it got better. All of a sudden she started eating her veggies again! She also was more willing to try new foods! Most of the foods she was eating were the ones that she was sensitive to. Hence her body being addicted to them.

It sounds like your child is still in the 'food fog' that so many of our kids are. When we took out the chicken, corn, rice, soy in addition to gluten and casein is when Aleks had her severe withdrawals. For 3 weeks she was up crying at night and just plain miserable. Then it stopped and it has gradually gotten better. Is your child in Speech Therapy? If not that has been huge for Aleks. We love our ST if you need the name of someone. She has experience with autism and really supports the GFCF diet. Before the diet, Aleks attention span was seconds to a few minutes max. 3 weeks after the starting the diet she was up to 20 minutes for being able to sit still and concentrate. The speech has come along from there. She has never been non-verbal, but has always struggled with just a few words. Now, six months later she is talking in short sentences. The other key element in her healing has been supplementation. I buy many of
mine from Kirkman Labs. I know Dr. Spore will soon start carrying them. Their Super Nu Thera was developed for autistic children and is a high dose of Vit. Bs and magnesium. We also found that Nordic Naturals 'Children's DHA' really has helped. During the beginning of the diet she did 1 t. 2x day. We mixed it in with her apple juice, along with the Super Nu Thera and a few others. The DHA helps calm the brain down. They're finding that so many of our kids have swollen brains. I have Aleks on a strict supplement schedule. I got it from Dr. McCandless's book recommendations and Dr. Spore.

As far as your child's speech, a ST will most likely be able to help you figure out what is going on. We learned that besides it being a speech problem that Aleks wasn't able to comprehend what we were saying. Her cognitive just wasn't there. ST has helped. Susan, our ST, also really helped by giving us tips on how to talk to her which helped. It is so cool to see once things come together. One of the things we learned is to talk as slowly and simply as possible. Fewer words, simple commands and use as many visuals as possible. It won't always be that way, but it will help his brain catch up.

I hope some of this helps. You've been on my mind a lot lately. Rough couple of days with Aleks being sick. It is amazing how the autism stims always get worse during illness.

You're in my thoughts & prayers. Hang in there and know you're not alone.

Blessings-

Melissa

You're Blessed to be a 'Special Mother'

I love it when I receive a story or a poem that makes me smile, cry and thank Jesus all at the same time. I did just that when I read the following poem from Erma Bombeck.

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The Special Mother
by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit. This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."

"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has his own world. She has to make him live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect -she has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a "spoken word". She will consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says "Momma" for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!"

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side".

"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."