Thursday, August 29, 2013

Reducing our Toxic Load- Changes We Have Been Making

As I have mentioned in previous posts, as painful as our son's diagnosis of autism was for us and still is, among all of the struggles and tears, there have been some good things to come out of it. One of those being our "paradigm shift" when looking at what we are putting in our bodies, on our bodies and what we are exposing ourselves to on a daily basis. I have spent the last year learning about how to reduce our son's toxic load/exposure to toxins. This is crucial to his health and development. He is more susceptible to issues since he has a neurological impairment.

Here are the areas we have changed over the last 6 months. I will note that we are nowhere near where we should be but we are working towards changes. Little by little.

1) We have ditched our old cookware- no more non stick or stainless steel or aluminum. We are only using cast iron cookware, which has been found to be the safest option. Also, we are only using glassware to store food and drinks.

2) We installed a house water filter in our home to reduce the toxins we get from drinking tap water.

3) We switched our dog over to natural flea and tick prevention. No more topical ointments which are linked to neurological conditions and cancers.

4) We installed an air filter that clears more toxins from the air than a typical one does. It is more costly but the air quality is so important for a child with autism.

5) We are buying organic when we are able to. This has been a big change for us. We are also very careful about the meats we are using. It is more costly to do this but we know it is important.

6) We have switched over to safe toothpaste (fluoride free), shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, body wash, lotions and household cleaners (bathroom cleaner, laundry detergent, dish detergent). We are currently in the process of clearing our cabinets of chemical cleaners and sticking to all natural/safe products.

I still have not given up our microwave which is a big one that does need to go. I also need to look at my cosmetics and perfumes.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Update on Noah- Taking a "Break"

I don't know what I was envisioning for our 3 week break from CEASE... I guess I was thinking that Noah would feel good and we would have a break from the normal clearing symptoms we have become so used to these last 6 months. Well, unfortunately that is not the case!

We are in week 2 of our break and Noah has been struggling throughout the last week and a half since his last dosing of Hep B 10m. It started last Monday, with irritability, lack of appetite, insomnia-- Noah didn't seem like himself. His face was flushed and I saw him rubbing his ears. As the week went on his stimming hit new heights (now he is turning in circles constantly)... he was so irritable and zoned out as well. His appetite went down the tubes. He started refusing the foods he usually eats. He is now only eating oatmeal, chocolate pudding and gluten free cookies and juice  (not the most nutritious!). Then he started vomiting on Saturday when he drinks anything and he hasn't stopped. His stomach has been hurting him and he is very gaseous. He threw up twice today. I am trying not to over react and let this play itself out but it is hard to see him not feeling well.

I am still unsure if this is all from the last dose of Hep B 10m or if this was a result of a virus. Hopefully next time I post we will have seen positive gains from this yucky time.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hep B Clearing Recap- CEASE Therapy

I am so happy to report that last Friday we dosed Noah with the last dose of Hep B 10m!!!! It took 6 LONG months but we finally completed it. I feel good about what has been accomplished so far but I know we still have much more to clear, much more healing needs to take place. We continue to work towards complete healing and full recovery for Noah.

I thought it may be helpful to the readers to see a summary of how the Hep B clearing went for our son over these last 6 months.

I will start with a list of the aggravations we saw throughout the 6 months. I will note that aggravations typically did not stay more than a week and then would disappear, some appeared/disappeared within a day. Also, not all children will respond this exact way to the clearing. These symptoms were unique to Noah. Aggravations can range from mild to strong. We saw both during the 6 months. I know this list will look scary but it wasn't as bad as it looks. The gains were most definitely worth all of the aggravations!

AGGRAVATIONS:

intestinal issues- gas, bloating, diarrhea and toxic smelling diapers
ear infections
colds, coughs, nose and ear duct draining
fever
vomiting
lethargy
rashes- eczema, sores, severe diaper rashes
insomnia
emotional reactions- anger, sadness, fear, tantrums, high pitch screaming
swelling of his lips
return of old symptoms we saw when he was 9 months to 15 months: facial tics, limping, and shaking head left to right
increase in stimming- side eyes, pacing, rituals
noise sensitivity- holding ears to block out noise
loss of appetite
OCD type behaviors
lack of eye contact
biting
excessive thirst
rubbing face into floor, licking floor (I know, this freaked me out!)

And now onto the GAINS we saw during the 6 months on the Hep B clearing. The gains were fairly regular, occurring almost weekly. We noticed that every time Noah responded strongly to a dose, he would have a pretty strong gain afterwards. This may not be the case for all children, but this was our experience.

GAINS:

The "fog" he was in disappeared! He became present, alert, aware of his surroundings, of people and objects that he never noticed before. Once the fog disappeared learning and therapy really seemed to sink in for him. His learning took off and his development, which had stalled, started progressing.

Social Anxiety disappeared- He used to have extreme anxiety around strangers and other children. So bad that we could not attend church or leave him at a babysitters house. He cried constantly when he went to Gymboree. Now, he loves being around other children and doing activities in the community. He still is shy around new people who enter his home but it is not how it used to be.

We saw significant improvements in receptive language. In February of this year, before CEASE began, he tested at a 6 month level for receptive language. Now he is scoring in the 18-24 month range!  That is a huge leap in development.

His expressive language emerged!!!! It felt like I was pulling teeth to get Noah to even say a few words a day before he started CEASE. He struggled to spit a word out. Then, 6 weeks into the clearing he started talking and every week since his language has continued to improve. In February he tested at 12 months for expressive language. Now he is testing at 18-24 months range. He is easily identifying objects and repeating what he hears. We are still working on using words to communicate with others, making requests and such. Two and three word phrases are beginning to emerge at this time.

And lastly his overall development has jumped forward. We have seen improvements with gross and fine motor skills, play skills, self help skills, and we are starting to see the emergence of imaginative play. He is scoring within the normal range in all of these areas now. In February he was still very behind, at around 15 months.

THERE is MUCH LEFT TO DO

I am so thankful for the healing that has taken place and the steps forward. I am ready to keep going though because we still are not at recovery. Still more to clear, still more healing that needs to take place.

We are taking a 3 week break to give Noah a much needed time off. After our break we will tackle the DTaP vaccination. I will continue to post through the next few weeks and give you more updates on Noah. We plan on continuing his vitamin C and his constitutional remedy on Saturdays.







Saturday, August 10, 2013

Week 22 Hep B 10m- CEASE Update- Good Reports!!!!

We saw significant aggravations from the 1 dose of 10 m last week. By Monday, Noah had started to limp like he did when he was 15 months old. He also broke out in a red bumpy rash on his back and continued to have fowl smelling diarrhea. He was stimming pretty intensely as well with his side eyes and his posture and hand movements were also much more "floppy" and loose than usual. His eye contact had gone down the tube. Needless to say, he wasn't doing well with this dosing. So our homeopath had us do a dilution protocol with Noah from the 10m. He was dosed with this dilution 4 times in four hours. By Wednesday, his limping and diarrhea were gone. His eye contact has returned and he hasn't been as floppy in his walking and hand movements. The stimming does continue on but I have not noticed as many facial tics lately so that makes me hopeful that it isn't going to be a problem long term.

So, onto our good reports for the week: On Thursday, Noah's occupational therapist from Early Intervention came over to do the reassessment for Noah. She had to update where Noah is developmentally. I was so shocked to find out that in most areas Noah is scoring now in the 24 to 30 month range (he is 27 months!). His verbal, receptive and expressive are still delayed, probably closer to the 18-20 month range. We will know the numbers for sure in the next few weeks. When he was assessed at 15 months he was delayed in all areas except gross motor- Over 25% delay in all areas except gross motor. Wow! I am still in shock. I am absolutely sure this is the result of ALL of the interventions, and the day in day out, constant redirection and therapy we have given Noah. We have not stopped to get him well. And I am CERTAIN that if he did not receive CEASE therapy we would not have been nearly as far. I remember that in January (right before CEASE began) we had a review meeting with Early Intervention. At that time, we discussed his development and he appeared to be moving slowly forward after 5 months of EI. They told me that it took time and to not get discouraged. Then CEASE started and the fog was removed- He was able to learn! With the fog gone, he was aware of people, his surroundings, he understood more and he started to jump forward in development.

One area we continue to struggle with is Noah's receptive language. He understands many things but he is hit and miss with commands. He rarely comes to us when his name is called and if I asked him to give me the ball on the floor he would not understand to do that as well. However, if I say close the door, or let's go outside, or time to clean up or let's read a book, he does understand. If I ask him to say a certain word he tries. Our occupational therapist said that she think he understands more of what we are saying but he is either ignoring it or barely responding.

So, on Friday, as I was leaving for work, we were doing our normal "goodbye ritual" with Noah. Usually, I am very excited if he says "bye" and looks at me in the eyes. I am even more excited if he says "bye mommy".... so on this morning, Noah was not facing me, sitting on the floor playing with his toys. My mom told Noah "stand up, come give your momma a hug and say bye mommy." ( I thought to myself "yeah right, this will never happen!")..... and then Noah, without any additional prompting, got up from his toys, stood up and turned around, walked up to me, hugged me AND said "bye mommy" AND then walked me to the door!!!!!!!! I still am in disbelief!!!! This has never ever ever happened, except in my wildest dreams. I don't expect it to happen like this every day from here on out but I KNOW IT IS POSSIBLE and this alone gives me SO MUCH HOPE.

So that is it for this week! Pretty good stuff, huh? I will continue to post weekly updates as we treat our son with CEASE therapy and work towards recovery and healing. We will be taking a 3 week break when we wrap up Hep B. I spoke to our homeopath and the next clearing will be the DTaP.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, my world came crashing down around me. My life, our life, has never been the same since.

That day, August 7, 2012, started off like any other day. I was getting ready to leave for work. My mother had just arrived to my home to care for Noah. She casually mentioned Noah's upcoming pediatrician visit and said to me "you should mention to the pediatrician that Noah is avoiding eye contact." Hearing this confirmed something deep inside of me that I had been brushing off for many many months. I had been uneasy about Noah for a long time, but I was dismissed by the doctor and other medical professionals on many occasions.

So, I went upstairs to my computer and typed into the Google search bar "toddler avoiding eye contact" and I was not prepared for what glared back at me----

AUTISM

My heart dropped. I searched frantically through the search entries, looking at all of the signs and symptoms of autism in a toddler....I tried to find any entry that eased my worry. But there weren't any. The more I read, the more I realized we had a huge problem. I was certain that Noah met all of the diagnostic criteria for a diagnosis of autism. I knew that very day what my son had. I kept this to myself because my husband and family would not have been prepared for this knife to the heart.

The agony that followed from knowing what my son had was nothing I have EVER experienced in my life. I called out from work for an entire week following that day. I could barely get out of bed (my family thought I had the flu). The grief swept over me......My only son had autism.... Every emotion poured over me: regrets, failure, fear, grief, and huge amounts of anxiety. I had severe depression and anxiety for over 6 months following this. And I continue to have bouts to this day. I cried all of the time- driving, at work, at home, in the shower, in my sleep even. I stopped eating. My husband had a hard time coming to terms with the possibility of his son having autism. My mother was in denial and we were constantly at odds. Everyone handles their grief in different ways. I handled it head on, they did not. This just made this time even more difficult for me.

Looking back over this last year, so much of it I cannot remember. The pain was so great that I don't recall much, except for key events and services that I fought to get for Noah. One thing I do recall vividly, is this intense DRIVE that took over my body...  I felt that I MUST find a way to pull Noah out of this dark hole that was consuming him. This drive propelled me to immediately start implementing interventions, finding help and services for my son. I fought for as many services as I possibly could get for him. Early Intervention was implemented (at my insistence- the pediatrician didn't think to do this either!), a diagnosis was made shortly after EI began and I worked hard so that Noah could get ABA therapy and his Medicaid Waiver. I hit dead ends, red tape, no answers. I knew more than the case managers, the doctors, the so called specialists- how can this be? This scares me because these "professionals" are supposed to help parents when this happens. I just did not find this in my experience.

I have been a social worker for many years and I have fought many fights on behalf of my clients. I have to say, this fight-- navigating through this broken system of services for my son to get him what he needed was the absolute HARDEST fight of my life. This just shouldn't be....

In February, Noah began ABA therapy and CEASE Therapy. This was a turning point for our family and for Noah. CEASE therapy removed the fog Noah was consumed in and ABA therapy helped Noah catch up on many things he had not yet learned. After every dose of Hep B, we saw aggravations and gains. By May, Noah had begun to talk. This was such an answer to my prayers.

I can now say that I see a distant light at the end of this tunnel. We have much farther to travel but I have hope to one day leave this dark place and see the day when my son is healed and fully recovered from this horrible condition. CEASE therapy has been the main intervention we have seen the most gains from. It is helping his body heal from vaccination injury. It is removing toxins that are hindering healthy development.

I must also say that the Lord was with me throughout this year when most of my friends and family disappeared. He was there comforting me in the darkness as I cried my heart out. And He is here still giving us the wisdom and strength to face each day and to have faith for our future.  I am so thankful to Him for his comfort, guidance and provision. I am so thankful for His healing. He is healing my son and he is healing my family.




Friday, August 2, 2013

Week 21 Hep B Clearing---Trust the Process

We dosed Noah with 10m on Monday. He continued to have diarrhea all throughout this week and the smell of it was toxic! We noticed the return of facial tics, stimming and a reduction in eye contact. He really was feeling distant again which always causes me anxiety to see. He is also tantruming more than usual-- is this just 2 year old behavior or more? not sure.

As far as positives: Noah said "I love you" this week! Without any prompting! Not sure if he understands what it means fully but I will take it :-) He also seems to pointing now to communicate. This is in the very early stages but I believe he is starting to get it. He has pointed to pictures in books but never as a way to communicate to others so this is a new development. And this past Saturday, Noah was an "all star" at his Gymboree class. He loved it and he didn't act up, or stim... he was appropriate the whole time, doing the activities all of the other children did. I was so proud of my little man. He has come such a long way.

As we are nearing the end of Hep B, I have been reflecting on this journey so far... the progress, the healing, the change in our little boy has been beyond amazing. Our son still has autism but he is not in a constant drugged up, zoned out, zombie state that he was. This clearing has taken that fog away and has allowed Noah's beautiful voice to come forth and learning to take place! The gains have been SO WORTH the aggravations. When I get discouraged about the new stimming behaviors and facial tics that appear to have gotten worse during this clear, I remember all of the GOOD things we have seen and experienced. I must TRUST THE PROCESS. There are layers that need to be pulled away and healed and we have peeled many of those layers away in this clearing.

I am just so thankful!!!!

I will continue to post weekly updates as we treat our son with CEASE therapy.