July 12, 2016

AUTISM IN YOUR FAMILY IS YOUR JOURNEY AND THE JOURNEY WILL CHANGE WITH PROGRESS OR REGRESSION MY SHOUT OUT TO YLEO! Being on the spectrum or having a loved one on the spectrum is as individual journey as anyone who is not on the spectrum’s life. After the initial diagnosis, you become the world’s best researcher, you read every book available and you start trying to find which option is going to best help your child, you eventually find a path that you can live with, your child/adult loved one can excel with and that’s the path that you choose to take for your journey. You meet others in similar situations, you reach out to help or share your personal experiences and progress because there is no set pattern to the progress of each individual and their individual journey. Individual budgets also help set out your journey. Just because you don’t have the finances to mirror someone else’s journey – you still don’t stop seeking your own. Since there is no “real” answer to the diagnosis, you can definitely see various ways the diagnosis can come about and between your own research and listening to the professionals, you will decide what journey you feel is best for your child or loved one. When we as parents and caregivers find progress in our own child we begin to share things that have helped our loved one in hopes that it will give another parent or caretaker and idea, a gleam of hope or just something to think about. For me, I personally believe, after lots of research, that healing the body from the inside out is a step for progress for Tyler. I do believe that the issues of processed foods, toxins in life, etc are a contributing factor to his diagnosis. I also believe that there is a relation between the gut and the brain. Tyler is diagnosed with Classic Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder – he has OCD traits, but that diagnosis has actually been removed and flagged as “traits”. ADD, ADHD, ODD are other common diagnosis with a spectrum diagnosis, but they could also just be “traits” that mirror these diagnosis since so many of the “traits” of those diagnosis are found in a spectrum diagnosis. His Psychiatrist opted to treat one diagnosis at a time and see what happens, with that vision, we are still treating the AU and SPD – the other diagnosis are still off the table and considered for Tyler “traits”. I want you to understand that I am not anti medication, I am just “is there another solution before medication” or “can I reduce medication” Therapy is always a must – and should not be left up to the schools (therapy in school is ONLY to support academic environment) and should always be followed up with at home. Learning that your child or loved one doesn’t have to go out into the community for every opportunity and that sometimes some days will be better than others. Also remember, when you feel it is a good time, re-introduce things that weren’t possible before. I’ve reintroduced things and some Tyler has taken too and others still no. Whatever the reasons may be, there will always be things that your child or loved one can’t adjust too or doesn’t like – some of that maybe an autism or spd thing or some it may be an individual personality thing. Now I am a firm believer and Tyler’s progress has been proof, of cleaner eating, fewer toxins to HELPING all the outta whack wiring going on his body. I do for the most part TRY – to keep Tyler gluten free, casein free, yeast free, high fructose corn syrup free, colored dyes and processed and artificial sugar free or massively reduced amounts. I began to focus on behaviors and sensory issues figured once I could get somewhat of a handle on that, then I could focus on academics and life skills. (Remember your journey and choices will be different) Making these initial changes several years ago, I started to see improvements, but many times the behaviors were just too much. I did put Tyler on medication and redirected his therapies towards issues with behaviors. My biggest issues with medication and MY child is: 1) he can’t communicate how he feels while on the medication (and there are so many mental side affects) 2) the damage it does to organs taken in the long term has me very worried. Dietary changes made a world of improvement and then of course I have him on a variety of vitamins and supplements. Then about a year and half ago I ran across YLEO from a friend. Like everything I attempt with Tyler, I make small changes so that I can try to filter out what is working and not working. I also, use myself (when possible) as a guinea pig. With YLEO – I started with using the application of the calming oils and began reducing his medication (and I didn’t completely remove him from his medication until I spoke with his psychiatrist about a medication vacation and he was very supportative of my request). Once I began to reduce the medication, I increased the oils. I watch a couple of videos from a Chiropractor out of Dallas about SPD and Autism and after he mentioned a couple of YLEO products, I decided to attempt those. I had Tyler on somewhat of a similar routine that this chiropractor mentioned, but I thought I would take it a step further. I already gave Tyler a high grade fish oil, but was curious to see what the Mindwise supplement would do. It has CoQ10, Tumeric and other oils in it that help with cognitive brain health and heart health. I know with Tumeric it is best to add Black Pepper with Tumeric to obtain the full effects, so I add black pepper oil to the bottle and surprisingly he takes that tablespoon. This Mindwise is an excellent product and Tumeric is being talking about as helping, in some people, the prevention of Alzheimer’s and Dymensia. When the medical world gets really involved they compare the “cognitive” brain of Autism to Alzheimer’s – which these studies have caught my attention (and if you have ever known anyone with Autism (at least classic or low functioning autism) and alyzheimers you can see some similarities. Now back on track…….I was really noticing a difference in “comprehension” with Tyler and so was his teacher, his therapist, his tutor and family and friends. I then revisited the issues of “trace minerals” and read up about the colloidal and ionic trace minerals and YLEO offered the ionic trace minerals (which the body absorbs easier) in their Mineral Essence supplement. I had to teach Tyler to swallow pills in order to move forward in my regiment. I had done this a couple of years ago and it was a disaster, so this was one of those things that I had to readdress – and this time it was a success. With him swallowing pills, my options and abilities became a little broader. I think wanted to give Tyler the Ningxia Red drink which is so good for overall health but he acted quirky each time I tried before. After researching deeper, it appears that on RARE RARE occasions grapefruit could interact with the medication Tyler was on. Oddly the Ningxia Red hasn’t had reactions with other people whose medication reacts with grapefruit, BUT I thought I will just wait for the medication vacation, which I did. Once I had him off the medication completely, I was able to add the Ningxia Red to his daily routine and it’s great for him in the morning as it gives him just enough spunk without going over the top. I switched up a vitamin regiment to work hand in hand with the changes I made in his new routine. So now he has a YLEO regiment along with a vitamin regiment and some dietary regiments. With these changes, improvements are happening, and that’s a parent asks for is improvement and progress. I am truly baffled at the success he’s had (and yes, since he is a human being, he will have really off days now and then, just like you and I). He is still way behind where he should be, but he’s exactly where God wants him to and that I am perfectly fine with! Life for Tyler will forever be different, which means my life will forever be different and that I am perfectly fine with. Normal is just a setting on the dryer….my normal is different than most people’s normal, but YLEO is becoming a normal part of our lives. I still plan outings different, I don’t attend everything I am invited too, I know when and when not to push the envelope (and sometimes I make the wrong call on that) I still try to do things in short periods of time and not overwhelming with constant activity (Tyler is a CUP KID – a great book by a doctor in Friendswood – his cup doesn’t empty like most – so when it feels it, it could overflow even in the most enjoyable and routine of environments). I embrace the progress, but ALWAYS fully aware of what he’s capable of, even if it hasn’t happened in quite some time. It just takes time and patience. Natural, healthier, cleaner and striving for a chemical free life is a reachable goal and for our journey – just one of many avenues. Thank you YLEO for a wonderful and product – purity matters when you are choosing natural products.