Okay, so now we're really starting CEASE...

As a recap, Dante has been using homeopathy since Fall 2009.  We definitely saw a big improvement after a month using Lycopodium Clavatum, but we would really like to increase the rate of progress.  Dante’s homeopathic physician, Dr. Doug Falkner, M.D., recommended we both read about CEASE and decide whether that would be a good option for Dante.

CEASE Book by Tinus Smits, M.D.

So what is this CEASE homeopathic therapy anyway?

Whereas classical homeopathy uses one remedy to help the person heal mental, physically, and emotionally, as in the case of Dante using the Lycopodium, the CEASE approach adds another dimension to the treatment.  CEASE adds specific remedies to get rid of the various toxins that may have impacted the child.  The toxins being addressed may be vaccines, antibiotics, childhood diseases, etc. Using remedies, these toxins are addressed or "cleared" one by one, each time looking closely at how the child responds to the remedy in order to determine if the issue was effectively cleared.  Dr. Tinus Smits, who developed CEASE, noticed that when the children reacted to a remedy it was usually followed by an improvement in their symptoms.  It is as though the remedy triggers the body to release the toxin in some way (a fever, boils, diarrhea, etc.) and after that passes the children improve.

He followed this process carefully, identifying with the parents each possible toxin that may have impacted their child.  Children reacted to some of the remedies, but not necessarily to all.  Which also meant that they did not necessarily improve after each remedy.   When symptoms remained, these were almost always addressed by clearing a subsequent toxin.  The book describes numerous cases of different children who responded in different ways.  Basically all of them improved in one way or another, many dramatically.

On top of that, the CEASE approach recommends other support, specifically:

Antioxidants - Omega-3 fatty acids, and Vitamin C, these help with the oxidative stress that is caused when you clear away the toxins.  In Dante, as yeast dies off he gets dark circles under his eyes, for example.

Oxidative Stress: dark circles under eyes

Intestinal and brain support - Zinc,  Ascorbate Complex (water soluble vitamin C, combined with Potassium, Magnesium (which acts as a tranquilizer), and Zinc)
Remaining Autistic traits - Dr. Smits also recommended "fine-tuning" any remaining issues with a classical, constitutional remedy.  One that he was very successful with was Saccharum Officinale, which also happens to really help with digestion.

We kind-of started the process already!

So we have in a way started the process already, since Dante has been using Lycopodium Clavatum for over a year.  Always the optimist, I hope that has gained us some ground in this CEASE process, in the “fine-tuning” part at least, as we take our next step.

Also, during the month of December 2010, before learning about CEASE, I increased Dante's omega-3 fatty acids to 500mg/day [note: numbers corrected after original post!], as recommended in the book, he had been taking about 250mg/day.  I noticed these changes in Dante within two weeks of increasing his omega-3’s

• he became more connected
• his few words came more frequently, always at appropriate times
• his eye contact improved
• his overall tolerance improved

Right after that, however, Dante's yeast die-off symptoms became apparent (as detailed in this post).  However, through this period Dante's positive changes have held up.  He may become more intolerant at times, but the words and eye-contact have continued.   So when I read the CEASE book, it was as though we had already started down that road before learning about it.

Key Data Point:  What will be important to see is if these positive changes continue.  As so many parents will attest, gains are not necessarily retained in children with autism, which is one of the key disappointments we go through.  I have specifically seen these improvements before, during another die-off period in April 2010.  What we want to see hold are:  eye contact gained, words used & frequency, self control/tolerance.

Where to begin?

After reading the book, I assessed where we were at with the recommendations:

• Unknowingly I had brought Dante to the correct omega-3 dose, and the resulting positive changes reinforced that change
• Dante already takes the right dosage of Zinc
• I then tried to introduce him to the vitamin C (Ascorbate Complex) but Dante did not tolerate it, so I stopped.  I will hold off on all types of Vitamin C (sadly) for now.

The next decision was where to begin as far as remedies.   I was very curious about the potential in Saccharum Officinale (or “Sacc Off”).  If it really supports the digestive system as Tinus Smits found with the children he saw, what can this remedy do for Dante?

Dante's homeopathic physician and I agreed that we could begin with "Sacc Off 6x" first and see what that does for Dante before embarking on any remedies to address toxins.  We received the Sacc Off last Friday, Jan. 21^st, and started it that same evening.  Dante had a great weekend, and I would say his week has started well too.  This is part of the email I got from his teacher yesterday, three days into the remedy: 


...By the way, Dante had an INCREDIBLE day - he was in a GREAT mood!!  He didn't stop laughing all day - and I'm NOT kidding!  He was so fun!  We pulled out buckets of shaving cream and did some sensory activities with it at the end of the day (hence the mess on his shirt) and he tolerated it very well!!  I just wanted to share with you that today was a GREAT day for Dante! :)


I need very little to make my day after an email like that.  I hope and pray that the trend continues to be positive!