Detox, Friend or Foe?

Dante enjoys a water game during swim class

Well, well, well.  Where to begin?  I thought I was doing everything right to support Dante during his detox, but now I’m not so sure.  Every day is a learning experience with these kids.  Thank God for the Holidays – and the time to devote myself to this little boy.  My head is spinning from everything we’ve gone through – the good, the bad, and the healing.

First lesson:  maybe Dante shouldn’t have so much coconut oil after all.  So here’s why we’ve had to…

DTaP Detox Days

The good times came to a screeching halt last weekend, about a week after Dante got his DTaP 10M dose.  I thought at first that Dante was upset because he had a permanent molar coming out, but his discomfort suggested that it was more than that. It had been over a year since we had strong detox from a vaccine clearing, so I didn’t recognize the signs at first.  There is one tell-tale sign, though:  Motrin doesn’t help Dante if he’s detoxing.  So if I give Dante Motrin and he’s still very uncomfortable…it may be that he is detoxing.  Ugh!

We all need a break!

Here are the typical detox signs in Dante:

·         Wakes up crying with hunger

·         Very thirsty, drinking constantly

·         Head-butting me when hungry or tired

·         Taking food out of mouth (sensitivity, maybe?)

·         Drooling, chewing shirt

·         Darker circles around his eyes than usual

·         Yeasty bowel movements, irritated enough to need Desitin

·         Bright red cheeks for a few days

·         The classic symptom for Dante in Detox:  tantrum mid-breakfast

What is nice, however, is that the symptoms were not as continuous this time as when we had detox before.  That gave me a little time to recover to help him get through the day.  He had many periods of good behavior, but I definitely had to be on my toes when he did not feel well. 

Happy Days

Dante very happy walking into the pool

The good times continue!  I’m currently attempting to summarize in my head what I observe in Dante and in our family and convey it in the clearest way possible.  It’s simple, really, yet quite surreal for us.  Dante is healthier and happier than ever, and I feel, so are we.  It’s a good time for Thanksgiving in our home.

Yes, Dante has been so happy, he has the most energy ever, and he’s communicating better and more insistently.  It’s interesting because I’m so used to him needing attention because he doesn’t feel well.  Now he’s demanding attention but it is to request things, to share his joy over something, to give us a hug, or to look deeply into our eyes.  That is what has changed so much in this time since the seizures ended, not only is my boy feeling so much better, but now he shows us his will. 

DTaP Vaccine Clearing Continued

Dante sits calmly to watch TV after a long day

Dante went through his first DTaP clearing during February 2011.  I thought it was pretty easygoing and provided some improvements as far as gross motor and fine motor skills.  Because of this, we are now on his second DTaP clearing.  We are doing the DTaP clearing in a way that minimizes any impact to school days.  Similar to this other mother’s approach, we are doing one potency at a time and keeping Dante on it until we see no more reaction or aggravations from it.

It is really helpful for me to go back and read what happened the first time around, as it helps foresee what he will go through again.  The reactions usually get easier every time around, as the child is cleared from the toxic imprint.  Spacing the doses out does make the process easier as there are less aggravations and we are better able to observe the benefits of a particular potency before the next dose.  This weekend Dantino was the sweetest angel ever, wanting to spend time together and giving me lots of hugs and kisses.  

Forward

Great Weekend.  Enough to motivate me to post again and (hopefully) motivate others to keep their quest for health going.  Whenever I hold off on posting it’s because I’m waiting to see a significant-enough shift in Dante that is actually post-worthy.  I want to peel back another layer and be able to share it with others.  I want to share a new lesson.  When I feel nothing is shifting, I tend to not post.  So what is new?


Baby, you can drive my car!

Well, the school year has started, for one thing.  And I actually feel like my quality of life is better so far this school year!  Although we’re getting up much earlier, Dante has had pretty good mornings so far and I’ve been able to get to work right around 8:30am – which is unheard of for me (reason why I have a “part-time” schedule).  Less stressful mornings – that is definitely a sign of progress in our home.  I believe changing Dante to our more aggressive homeopath has really set us in a new and very positive path, and easier mornings are one example of that.

At last I have lately felt what our previous homeopath had talked about:  Less Wear and Tear for us.  I am infinitely thankful.

Are parasites a key to preventing Autism in the Future?

Dante, "chillaxing" at the pool yesterday

I just finished reading a fascinating article about the connection between inflammation and not only Autism, but many other diseases of the day.  It seems that inflammation during pregnancy is linked with autism in the offspring.  But what is causing the increase in so many inflammatory diseases these days?  The author argues that the elimination of typical parasites once found in our bodies leaves us exposed because, lo and behold, we used to depend on these little guys to help us fight off inflammation. WOW. 

Please do not try this at home

The information contained in this blog is not intended as medical advice.  The fact that a particular remedy worked for Dante does not in any way, shape, or form mean that it will work for someone else.  Homeopathic remedies, unlike pharmaceuticals, are not a one-size-fits-all type of medication.  A homeopathic remedy is specifically selected by an experienced homeopath based on the totality of physical and emotional characteristics an individual experiences.  Although remedies may be readily available for purchase, using them generically like an over-the-counter medication usually only resolves a superficial problem.  If you are looking for profound healing, the kind that is long lasting and truly improves your quality of life, you will need the specific remedy that resonates with all of you.  And since there are thousands of different remedies (from plants, minerals, animals, etc.), it is very important to use an experienced homeopath.  Otherwise homeopathy will probably not yield the effective results you may read about.

I highly encourage anyone interested in using homeopathy to read about its origins and understand how it works.  Because homeopathy works completely different from medication, this understanding will help you and your homeopath achieve the best results.

Here is some recommended reading:

• What is Homeopathy?
• What is CEASE therapy?
• New Dimensions in the Treatment of Autism with Homeopathy
• Nobel Prize Winner Luc Montagnier Supports Science of Homeopathy

Zero Meds, Zero Seizures, Thriving Dante: all with Helium

Dante has gained six pounds in the last three weeks.  He is running faster than ever, fooling around and laughing heartily.  He is pooping daily so he has no more rashes.  He is excited and loving life.  He is sleeping well.  He has been seizure free for 8 weeks and is not taking any medications.  Dante is thriving, God bless him.  Life at our house is completely different thanks to the Helium homeopathic remedy and the Modified Atkins for Seizures.

Dante enjoys Abuelo and Abuela, fresh off the plane from Puerto Rico

We are very happy to have Abuelo and Abuela visiting from Puerto Rico.  They could not believe how well Dante is doing.  My mom says he is a “different boy”.  They last saw him 7 months ago when he was having drop seizures.  We started using the Helium homeopathic remedy with Dante 2 months ago and the changes have been profound. 

Helium Rocks!

I understand that the Helium homeopathic remedy is not too well known or widely used; however, there is some evidence of its successful use for children with autism.  My eight-year-old son Dante so far appears to be yet another happy beneficiary of this remedy’s power.

Dante, today

A little over six weeks ago I switched Dante from the Lycopodium remedy he was taking to Helium, as had been recommended a while back by my homeopath.  I feel what happened next is a great example of Homeopathy’s power to heal.  Within two weeks of the dose Dante’s terrible seizures basically vanished into thin air.  This change was pretty dramatic after four months of partial improvement using the Modified Atkins Diet for seizures.  After the Helium dose my sweet boy became strong, very coordinated on his feet, and began vocalizing lots.  During the weeks since we have been rediscovering our son as he rediscovers the world around him.  As I prayed so hard that he would be:  Dante has been freed. 

Zero Seizures

I can’t believe I’m writing this.  It was last June 2011 when Dante started having falls for no apparent reason and leaving us puzzled.  What a hard year this has been.  We have been tried.  Even Dante has some gray hairs coming out!  This past week, the last of May 2012, Dante had no seizures:  Zip, Zero, Nothing.  Praise the Lord!

Planting Hope

Yesterday I had several new trees planted around our house.  They are colorful Forest Pansy Redbuds, Seven Son Flower Trees, and White Fringe Trees, among others.  They are small but very ambitious.  I hope they will provide many years of beauty, interest, and shade.  Right now they represent for me the new hope we are feeling for Dante.

Forest Pansy Redbud

Before going further, I would like to thank each and every one who, regardless of whether I post, keeps Dante in your thoughts and prayers.  Thank you for being a source of love and healing for my son.  I wish that faith and hope-filled connection for every single child.  I call it my “life line” and it is a blessing.  And now to the news…

We just finished week 16 of the Modified Atkins Diet for seizures and this past week things were significantly different.  Going back a couple of weeks ago, Dante was again super weak, as he has been on and off with this diet.  I decided that I wanted to try a new homeopath who would work with Dante’s remedy more aggressively than our current one.  I felt Dante should be getting more support from his remedy, which he had been on for a month already.  I just was not seeing the results I expect from homeopathy.  What followed is an example of the mysterious ways homeopathy works.

Give me Diet over Medication for seizures any day!!!

Dante enjoying the start of the MAD diet

This past week was yet another transitional week for Dante.  We have been on a strict Modified Atkins Diet for his seizures for five weeks already, and the news are good!  Now let me set the stage for where we are at…

By the third week on the diet Dante seemed to be getting weaker.  He was slumping forward sometimes while sitting or remain like that after a “nod” seizure for a little bit.  This symptom reminded me very much of how he did while on Topamax (which we weaned him from a couple of months ago), so I started associating it with his Keppra, the only medication he’s on at this time.  Since the diet works like a medication, as it becomes more effective the seizure medications the child is on may actually become excessive. Last weekend I decided to test this out.  I reduced his nighttime Keppra dose very slightly, by 12% (from 5ml to 4.4ml).  The following two days we saw his seizures go down by more than 50%. 

Dante sleeps safe and sound

With progress come new challenges.  We are on week 3 of the Modified Atkins Diet (MAD) for seizures and the process has had its ups and downs.  On the 'up' side, Dante's motor skills have returned full force, he finally has his typical energy and his communication and attention have been great.  His seizures are fewer and much milder, and we have seen very few of the stronger type since on the diet.  He may still fall down, however, even after a quick nod.  That is where the difficulties remain.



Dante works on addition at school



While on Topamax for his seizures, Dante had no strength.  He may have woken up during the night but he would remain on his bed and not move.  Now that he's much stronger he may get up from his bed, open the door, turn on his light and go play with his toys.  As soon as he's off the bed there is a danger of him hurting himself if he were to fall.  Even though his falls have been softer lately (many like in "slow-motion"), he may still fall.  Unfortunately we experienced this on two consecutive mornings this past week when Dante happily got up before us.  It wasn't long before he fell in his bedroom and we heard him crying softly.  That is a super stressful way for anyone to begin their day.

That experience consumed us as we thought of different approaches to keep Dante safe.  My husband stressed getting any hard furniture out of the bedroom.  I was focused on either some way to warn us he was up, or some way to not allow him to leave his bed.  Of course the brainstorming in my head was happening between 4 and 5am in the morning, well before Dante awoke.  Necessity is the father of invention, indeed.  I am so proud to present the solution to Dante's bedroom safety concerns:

Dantino, on his way back

Dante enjoys his new "brain food", with lots of extra virgin olive oil

Happy 2012, Everyone!

This afternoon Dante and I were working on addition.  Did you say "addition"?  Yes, I said addition.  We’ve come a looong way this month. I thank God for every meaningful look, every enthusiastic jump, and every second of laughter Dante has given me these last few weeks.  Now I will share what has happened.

The big wave of drop seizures that began last Summer has tried with all its might to keep us under.  Oh, but so many others have survived this wave that there is wisdom to be found for the benefit of all of us coming after.  I am passionate about weaning (withdrawing) Dante from Topamax – the medicine that took away his few words, his little fine motor skills, his cognitive skills, a lot of his gross motor strength, and most of his joyful laughter.  Topamax bought us time while we researched other options, but I am so ready to let it go.