kim

since many of us have kids that are nearing an age where another round of vaxes are recommended, I thought I would share this, as it helped me feel better about declining this vax for my 14 yr. old. I had read this before but it was recently posted on another forum, from the CDC site. Thanks to LI on mothering.dot com vaccine Menactra This report provides information regarding the modestly increased risk for meningococcal disease among college freshmen, particularly those who live in dormitories or residence halls. It presents recommendations developed by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices regarding the education of students and parents about meningococcal disease and the polysaccharide meningococcal vaccine so that they can make informed decisions regarding vaccination. Forty-three cases of meningococcal disease were reported during the 2 years from colleges with a total enrollment of 4,393,744 students, for a low overall incidence of 1.0 per 100,000 population per year. However, cases of meningococcal disease occurred 9--23 times more frequently in students residing in dormitories than in those residing in other types of accommodations. Vaccination of freshmen who live in dormitories would result in the administration of approximately 300,000--500,000 doses of vaccine each year, preventing 15--30 cases of meningococcal disease and one to three deaths each year. Vaccination does not eliminate risk because a) the vaccine confers no protection against serogroup B disease and although the vaccine is highly effective against serogroups C, Y, W-135, and A, efficacy is <100%. The risk for meningococcal disease among college students is low; therefore, vaccination of all college students, all freshmen, or only freshmen who live in dormitories or residence halls is not likely to be cost-effective for society as a whole.

CP, I think the amount of B6 that someone can tolerate/benefit from varies. I think 100 mgs. is too much for my boys, but maybe if I would have introduced it more gradually, it would have been different. I was really happy to come across this paper written by Bonnie Grimaldi. It's been a while since I read it, but I have it saved. It may give you some insights. Note; http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/neur-sci/1996...ary/022416.html The info on strep/antibiotics and vit B was interesting too.

Juls, Welcome and thank you so much for sharing your son's experience. I just ran across this last nite, and thought of it, when I read your post. The first link is the forum where I found the article. It's the last post in the thread http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/archiv...php/t-5563.html http://www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/...ol_and_OCD.html

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...ory/Environment Paul, DS, AW Harmon, V Devesa, DJ Thomas and M Styblo. 2007. Molecular mechanisms of the diabetogenic effects of arsenic: Inhibition of insulin signaling by arsenite and methylarsonous acid. Environmental Health Perspectives. Published online Jan. 29, 2007. (DOI:10.1289/ehp9867). Synopsis by Dr. Edward Orlando and Wendy Hessler April 6, 2007 Arsenic interferes with the ability of human fat cells to regulate their blood sugar, according to new research. The effect is evident at exposure levels below what is necessary for overt toxicity. This result may help explain how the heavy metal contributes to type II diabetes, a chronic, life-changing disease.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...ory/Environment 'Inherently toxic' chemical faces its future Bisphenol A, common in plastic and canned goods, is dividing industry and science, writes MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT and

CFinEP, I never had a clue my oldest son had a tic until 7 or 8, it's hard to remember. I do remember the first time he did it, he shook his head from side to side much like a wet dog would. I kind of laughed and said "what was that?" But...he was driving his kindergarden teacher crazy humming in class. That was probably a tic, but I had no idea. He also had sleeping issues, and some things that I thought were just personality traits, from the time he was a toddler. He never had the blinking or twitcy around the eyes stuff. My younger son, like you mentioned, I could tell around 3 because of the movement around his eys (when he sat to watch tv was when I really noticed it) he has had the eye rolls, blinking, shoulder shrugging and very brief periods of the bigger tics, such as head shaking. He is now 10 1/2. I would say their tics have been very different. As far as testing, I'm really interested in Dr. Amy Yasko's work. Anyone, that is exploring answers for syndromes that seem to be expoding, has my attention. I'm especially interested for my boys, kids. Right now, everything here is pretty stable, but we all know that tomorrow may be different. Here are some links to her site. http://www.ch3nutrigenomics.com/phpBB2/welcome.html Genetic testing/available now at www.holisticheal.com There are 3 Dr.s posted on this forum, one is in Calif, that are supposed to be very good with her protocol. I'll try to find them, in case one is near you. Might be something to explore?

Congrats on NO cavities!!!! I knew I had read something baaaad about sealants. Found it! http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...=009&sc=152 Bisphenol-A, a hormone disrupter, is also used in dental sealants and in the resins that line food cans, in addition to hard, clear plastic products, such as baby bottles. Because of their body weight, children are far more susceptible to adverse affects from chemical exposures than adults, even at very low doses. Chan's legislation (Assembly Bill 319) targets children under age 3 -- one of the most vulnerable populations by far. I'm sure these substances are harder on a younger child, but I still don't want to put anything permanent in the boys mouths that doesn't have to be there. You can do a search on Bisphenol-A. I'm sure you will find a lot of info, since there have been many articles posted about it recently. Edit....CP I was thinking that you might want to search porcelian or "white fillings" too. Just type in white fillings and the word dangers or toxins. It might be a good idea to weigh the risks of what ever junk might be in there too. I dread the day either of the boys get a cavity. So far, neither has had one.

itsme, I hate to keep breaking in on questions for Chemar....but, I had to tell you, I have been around the block with the histamine/allergy thing especially with my oldest son. YES YES, I think allergies can be a tic trigger AND a mood disrupter. We found zyrtec to be superior to Allegra. For some reason, they keep giving us a bit of a hard time on our zyrtec refills. I think I read somewhere, where the patent expired and it's not as profitable anymore? Anyway, I keep insisting and I have been able to keep getting it. I know we used Clarinex, but didn't like it for some reason. Have tried rather high amts. of vit. C and quercitin, but so far have not been able to totally get off Zyrtec. I wonder if you have ever read anything by Dr. Walsh? I like to post this for newer people, because it gives some really good info, without getting so technical that you just feel Gives you a basic understanding of methylation too. I still refer to these pages. Here is a page with some histime info. http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/art.../walshFL.htm#Hi This is the first page with clickable pages at the bottom http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/walsh.htm Pages F-L Pages M-P Pages Q-Z You might want to ask Cheri, your question again, so she doesn't miss it!

And Essential Fatty Acids!

I ran across this while I was looking for info. on gut flora, after my son's recent strep. Many here probably know about my frustration with my youngest sons limited diet. This caught my eye http://www.phoenixpeptide.com/allobesity/C...n/Bombesin.html We conclude that BN-related peptides play an important role in the control of food intake, and may contribute to ingestive disruptions associated with anorexia (anorexia nervosa, AIDS and cancer anorexia), bulimia, obesity and depression. Hence, pharmacological targeting of these systems may be of therapeutic value. Then I found info. relating to gastrin-releasing peptide or bombesin like peptides in TS, and asthma (my boys don't have asthma, but Dr.s have treated them with albuterol, and other asthma like meds. for respiratory illness) Just thought others might find this interesting. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=137580 In linkage studies of 25 families, Comings et al. (1986) found no linkage but observed a family in which 6 members with various manifestations of Tourette syndrome carried a balanced translocation, t(7;18)(q22;q22.1). Linkage to a COL1A2 RFLP was excluded, suggesting that the mutation is on chromosome 18. They noted with interest the assignment of the gene for gastrin-releasing peptide (bombesin; 137260) and pointed to this as a candidate for the site of the mutation in Tourette syndrome. They stated that injection of bombesin 'into the brains of mice reproduce many of the symptoms of Tourette syndrome.' Donnai (1987) presented further evidence for the location of the Tourette gene at 18q22.1; deletion at this site was found in a 23-year-old woman who 'had the behavioral characteristics described in members of Tourette families. http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/G...leasing_peptide gastrin-releasing peptide (Science: hormone) a regulatory peptide (27 amino acids) thought to be the mammalian equivalent of bombesin. It elicits gastrin release and regulates gastric acid secretion and motor function. It causes bronchoconstriction and vasodilation in the respiratory tract and stimulates the growth and mitogenesis of cells in culture. once released from nerves in the antrum of the stomach, the neuropeptide stimulates release of gastrin from the g cells. http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/full/158/1/320 The control mechanisms for epithelial cell migration after injury remain unclear and require a deeper understanding of how agents such as BLP may be linked to the action of matrix proteins which may be concerned with cell migration such as fibronectin, insulin, transforming growth factor-A, inflammatory cytokines, and epidermal growth factor (EGF). The GRB is associated with phospholipase and is known to activate protein kinase-C (PKC) so that GRB receptor ligand interactions can involve several different signal transduction pathways, all of which require elucidation.

Imcgill, When I email a vit. order, I usually get a confirmation email, that the order has shipped, within a day or two. If they are available in any health stores, I'm not aware of it. Did you email an inquiry, or an order?

itsme, While you're waiting for other replys, you might find these interesting reading. http://www.clevelandclinic.org/arthritis/t...ts/steroids.htm Does everyone have side effects? Not all patients will develop side effects. How often any side effect occurs varies from patient to patient. If steroid use is brief (from a few days to a few weeks), it is possible that none of the listed side effects will occur. The side effects listed to the left generally do not occur when occasional steroid injections are given for arthritis, tendinitis or bursitis. http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/bones/...t.antirheum.htm Corticosteroids. The corticosteroid drug prednisone (Deltasone, Meticorten, Prednisone Intensol, Sterapred) usually produces rapid and dramatic symptomatic improvement by reducing inflammation and suppressing the immune system. As a result, physicians and patients alike have been tempted to continue steroid use for long periods, despite many serious side effects including stomach ulcers, diabetes, high blood pressure, muscle wasting, cataracts, increased susceptibility to infections, and psychiatric disturbances. (I didn't know about that concern) http://au.geocities.com/jones_kacm/chem.htm Androgens It has long been known that androgens (such as testosterone, the male sex hormone) affect Tourette syndrome. This is why Tourette syndrome affects three times more males than females. Also, Shapiro et al. (1988) and Scahill (1990) reported that anabolic steroids made Tourette syndrome symptoms worse. The reason these androgens aggravate Tourette syndrome is probably related to serotonin. It is known that steroids lower serotonin levels, and it is probable that high levels of other androgens will as well.

Imcgill, Here is the link to Bonnie's site. Both of my boys use the Bontech vits. and we have found them to be very helpful. http://www.bonniegr.com/

Irena, This was one of the articles that I referred to in the PM. http://www.thorne.com/media/vitamin_d10-2.pdf It says that controlled studies should be done but.... Conclusion There is ample and compelling evidence that a blood level of 30-50 ng/mL is necessary for optimal health. In the absence of adequate sun exposure, 1,000 IU vitamin D daily for children and adults is required to achieve these levels. With the recent announcement that health care expenditures in the United States reached $1.7 trillion in 2003, accounting for 15.3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product,201 more effort must be made to maintain optimal health and prevent disease.

Cheri (ALL), A Mom posted that they use IP6..a form of inositol. She mentions that they use it as an immune system modulator. Have you ever heard anything about that?

Many articles thanks to posters at autisminfo! Scent of danger? By JEANNÉ MCCARTIN features@seacoaston line.com Complete Health Index So what do you get when you mix honeysuckle laundry detergent, lemony air-freshener, pine-sweet wood cleaner and a summer spring candle? Don't know? Chances are no one else does either. At least there hasn't been any mandated research on the issue. What we do know is, if you're not buying very specific products, you have a lot of chemicals wafting through your air. Calls requesting information on the effects of these products went out to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, two offices in the Environmental Protection Agency and to the press office of the Food and Drug Administration. The response was, no one is required to oversee the combination of ingredients that create scents in our household products. There are no laws requiring household manufacturers to disclose product ingredients. There are no laws requiring cosmetics and personal care products to be tested before hitting the market either. Does it matter? Fair question. The answer isn't clear because the research isn't there. The average Americans, where and when they can find ingredients, are expected to determine on their own if methylene chloride, ir a-pinene (which damages the immune system) or g-terpinene, (which the EPA says causes central nervous systems disorders) in different combinations pose a health treat. CNS disorders include multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and sudden infant death syndrome. But, if you take a look at the list of ingredients commonly used in these products, you might imagine that it matters quite a bit. One fact the EPA is clarifying is that indoor air quality of many homes, even outside major industrial areas, can be worse than outdoor air quality in even the largest and most industrialized cities. To add more to that mix "" in the name of smell "" may not be one of the wisest choices. Let's call this a cautionary tale. Is caution really necessary? "Yes," says Natalie Cadranel, project manager at Healthy Child Healthy World, a national leader in protecting children from harmful environmental exposures. "Air fresheners or fragrances are most likely synthesized, primarily from petroleum products. Most use more than one chemical, from 10 to hundreds on average. About 3,000 chemicals are used in the fragrance industry, but hardly any of these have been tested for their cancer-causing potential or other health effects." And importantly, none has been tested on children, she adds. These products are potentially harmful and unhealthy. "If made with these dangerous chemicals, then they definitely lead to poor indoor-air quality and increase the chances of skin irritation or an allergic reaction." There are many groups forming to address this issue, among them Citizens for a Toxic-Free Marin. According to information compiled by members and posted on the Web site 84 percent of scent-product ingredients have never been tested for human toxicity, or have been tested only minimally. It further states approximately 95 percent of chemicals used in fragrances are derived from petrochemicals, which may enter the bodies of users by nose or skin and that in 1986 the National Academy of Sciences targeted fragrances as one of the six categories of chemicals that should be given high priority for neurotoxicity testing. A source of ingredient information is the industry-generated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). By law these lists are only required to contain potentially hazardous substances as defined by the U.S. government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA cannot mandate manufacturers disclose elements that are not required by the Hazard Communication Standard. A sample of a dryer sheet listing includes alpha-terpineol, which the EPA says may cause CNS disorders, among a long list of other ailments. Another is camphor, which is readily absorbed through body tissues. It too is a potential cause of CNS disorders. Among its side-effects are dizziness, twitching muscles and convulsions. The EPA listing warns "avoid inhalation of vapors." There are 33 cautionary fragrance products listed on the Toxic-Free Marin Web site garnered from the EPA's own. Among them is Acetone, found in cologne, dishwashing liquid and detergent and on the list of hazardous waste. It acts primarily as a central nervous system depressant. There's Benzldehye, which shows up in hairspray, deodorants, bar soap shampoo and soaps. It's another CNS depressant, also listed as a narcotic. One of its numerous warnings is it may cause kidney damage. Benzyl Acetate is found in most the above, and fabric softener and air fresheners. It's a carcinogenic "" it carries a warning to not flush to the sewer. Another on the EPA Hazardous Waste list is ethyl acetate, which can be found in aftershave, shampoo and dishwashing liquid. Among the EPA warnings are irritation to the eyes and respiratory tract and damage to liver and kidneys. The warning reads "Wash thoroughly after handling." And the list goes on. No one has done the math or any other form of testing on the combinations of these ingredients. Perfume, like so many home products, belong to the wild, wild chemical west. What is certain is that illnesses are on the rise and the causes are unclear. And, according to Cadranel, allergic reactions to fragrances are on the rise. "(They're) increasing from 9 percent to about 12 to 13 percent of dermatitis patients over the last decade," she says, quoting Dr. Donald Belsito, a dermatologist at the University of Kansas Medical Center, in a February 2002 MSNBC article "Scents and Sensitivities. " Without having a list in front of you, the best indication of what is in a product is the warning on the labels, says Patty Davis at the EPA. The EPA is responsible for ensuring warnings of regulated substances appear on labels, "if a product "¦ requires a cautionary use, a warning, such as ventilated room, etc. But the regulation does not address the chemicals." Davis highly recommends consumers read with care. David Deegan, spokesman for the New England EPA regional office, suggests checking the EPA's Web site. "We don't warn, but we do educate about indoor air." "The take-home message for people is some of this comes down to exercising common sense. If you have child with asthma, be careful of candles and other scented items. Same goes for those with asthma and other respiratory illness. "¦ But it's important to consult with a physician. "¦. But the main thing you can do to regulate quality is ventilate." There was also the suggestion to not store what you're not going to use, don't buy more than you need. No one interviewed said don't buy unless it's a necessary product. Just choose fewer and wisely, or maybe an alternative product that doesn't have a roster of chemicals on a hazardous waste list. The public may also consider asking government officials to consider requiring all ingredients, and their health risks, be listed. Could that be the smell of change in the air? CHECK IT OUT Healthy Child Healthy World: http://www.healthyc hild.org US Consumer Products Safety Commission: http://www.cpsc. gov US Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa. gov/iaq/voc. html * The material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.For more information go to: http://www4. law.cornell. edu/uscode/ 17/107.html http://oregon. uoregon.edu/ ~csundt/document s.htm If you wish to use copyrighted material from this email for purposes that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. * * ** * * ** * * http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2172/8/5/abstract Vitamin D and the vitamin D receptor are critical for control of the innate immune response to colonic injury http://www.internationalbreastfeedingjourn.../2/1/6/abstract Interesting note on stress and inflammation A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments protect maternal mental health March 31, 2007 Pet Food Contained Chemical Found in Plastic, F.D.A. Says By BRENDA GOODMAN http://www.nytimes. com/2007/ 03/31/us/ 31petfood. html http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html Read "The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality" Organic Gases (Volatile Organic Compounds - VOCs) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions. http://www.scrippsn ews.com/node/ 20727 The abrupt collapse of bee colonies typically leave only a queen and a few attendants remaining alive. Pathogens, pesticides and mites have all been blamed. Scientists more generally say "stress" _ physical, not emotional _ can compromise bees' immune systems. Beyond that, numerous research questions beckon. Publicly, it's heating up too; the subcommittee hearing Thursday morning attracted multiple camera crews. FROM A DIFFERENT ARTICLE 'A different kind of political problem faces beekeepers that want federal regulators to tighten pesticide rules. Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency requires that pesticides be tested for adult bee toxicity. In a proposal pesticide manufacturers might resist, beekeepers say chemicals should also be assessed for their potential to cause non-fatal harm. "Some pesticides may cause bees to lose their memory, which prevents them from flying back to their hive," Brandi testified.'

itsme, Thamks for responding I'm curious about how many people see an increase or decrease with the use of steroids, specifically with regards to PITANDS. http://www.webpediatrics.com/pandas.html PITANDS 4) There must be evidence of an antecedent or concomitant infection. Such evidence might include a positive throat culture, positive streptococcal serologic findings (e.g. anti-streptolysin O or anti-streptococcal DNAse , or a history of illness (e.g. pharyngitis, sinusitis, infection with Epstein-Barr virus, influenza, ?recurrent otitis media), and possibly recent exposure to childhood vaccination. (7) Measurable clinical improvement following "Steroid Burst". If tics increase with illness, and you see improvement with a steroid, is it due to a reduction in inflammation or due to immune suppression? You said that you thought you saw an increase, and there sure is a case for that. I'm just hoping everyone keeps an eye out for improvement too. I wanted to include a site that I ran across while searching for info on Benzoate. I think I read a parents letter about her childs asthma increasing with the use of amox. and she talks about some of the things in the medication that were irritating her child. We have a parent here, Jeff, that posts quite frequently about the improvements that he and his daughters have seen following Feingold, and recently PetB's posts regarding harmful things in the diet. I just thought you guys might be interested in reading some of these, since so many were in regards to asthma. http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/sto...toryasthma1.htm http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story1.htm I'm sorry if this is confusing. I'm trying to work,type...listen as others are talking to me. Probably not a good time to post, but at least I'm not half asleep!

Thank you so much CP. I wonder if they have lowered the range for what is considered high for yeast/D arabinitol? My sons # of of 51 is right at the end of the green. 57 starts the yellow zone. He is in the 4th quintile, at about 70%. Im going to call Direct Labs/Metametrix, as soon as I get a chance and ask about that. This test was done a while ago. You mentioned that your Ped did a test for yeast. Mine did too. It was blood work-negative. Claire very patiently went over with me, why blood results won't show a problem with yeast in the GIT. It will show more of an allergic type reaction, to candida, apparently, but not what we're looking for. The urine test that Metametrix and Great Plains are looking for will only be found in urine, and they do not agree on what that metabolite is. Now don't go throwing me for a loop, and telling me the test your Ped. did was urine????? I couldn't find a urine test anywhere from Lab corp or Quest for candida/yeast, the two that my Ped would agree to As for the other #'s it kind of confirms what I have thought all along. My son probably has more gut problems then some kids here have. I would expect that from the limited diet that he consumes.

Hi itsme, welcome! Just one quick question. What happened while your son was taking Prednisone? Did the tics decrease?

Faith, I ran across this and thought I'd save it for you. Forgot to post it. http://cjasn.asnjournals.org/cgi/content/full/1/3/441 Increased Anion Gap Metabolic Acidosis as a Result of 5-Oxoproline (Pyroglutamic Acid): A Role for Acetaminophen. This is just some other misc. info. I had saved Dihydroxyphenylpropionate http://jmm.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/54/10/987 Clostridia are recognized toxin-producers, including neurotoxins (Hatheway, 1990). Theoretically, toxic products may be overexpressed in the autistic gut, which may lead to increased levels in the bloodstream and thus exert systemic effects. Interestingly, many anecdotal reports from parents of autistic children report worsening of behavioural symptoms coinciding with bouts of GI problems. AND Previous studies have reported increased resistance of clostridia to several antimicrobial agents. Sandler et al. (2000) demonstrated significant improvements in ASD children given vancomycin orally. However, the benefit was short term, with regression noted approximately 2 weeks after treatment ceased. These findings may be explained by vancomycin treatment reducing the Clostridium population, but due to the persistence of spores the clostridial levels return once treatment has stopped. Since orally administered vancomycin is only minimally absorbed, it is likely that the effect is mediated, in some way, through vancomycin activity on intestinal bacteria. Thus, it has been suggested that the short-term benefit from vancomycin treatment might be due to the temporary elimination of neurotoxin-producing micro-organisms. There is now evidence that the gut microflora plays a role in autism. Modulation of the gut microflora by reducing the numbers of certain clostridia in ASD patients, while stimulating more beneficial gut bacteria, may help alleviate some of the related symptoms. http://www.naturalhealthservice.org/metabolic_profile.html D-lactate elevation is an indicator of dysbiosis caused by carbohydrate malabsorption. http://pediatric.um-surgery.org/program/sbs/B_short.html d-lactic acidosis has been reported in children, causing metabolic acidosis, drowsiness and confusion. This diagnosis should be considered in a child with SBS who presents with metabolic acidosis, high serum anion gap, normal lactate level, and negative Acetest. It may result from a combination of factors including carbohydrate malabsorption with increased delivery of nutrients to the colon, high carbohydrate intake, colonic flora of the type to produce d lactic acid, altered colonic motility, allowing time for the nutrients to undergo fermentation, and impaired d-lactate metabolism

Faith, I did start the zithromax on Sunday when it was prescribed. I have not seen any increase in tics. If I watch his face close, I can see a little extra movement, but again, he has not been getting some of his regular supplements, and he has had more juice and even a MEDIUM size RED slurpee. I almost called Child Protective Services on myself. He just wanted it soooo bad and he felt so rotten. If we have a problem, I think it will be more likely due to candida than strep antibodies at this point. C.P. I think your son's Dihydroxyphenylpropionate indicates that he does not have a problem with clostridial overgrowth. From my understanding, that can be something that you don't want an overgrowth of. Both of our guys have low #'s there. From what I've read Clostrida is present in healthy individuals. Is it abnormal for those numbers to be that low? I don't know. The low # on D-lactate should mean it would be fine for him to take probiotics containing Lactobacillus acidophilus. I would not consider a number of 27 for D-arabinitol to be high. Didn't your Dr. make a remark about it creeping up? Was this a repeat test? Just thought I would mention that I don't have total confidence in this test as far as the metabolite that they measure for yeast/fungal. I would feel much more confident in Great Plains OAT. I have read where many parents do rotate probiotics. C.P. will you do me a favor? Will you check your son's numbers for Benzoate and Hippurate. Also, p-Hydroxphenylacetate. My son had benzoate edging the high zone, with low hippurate. This may indicate a need for Lysine. Tonight I found this article about a medical error resulting in babies being exposed to benzoate in a medical setting. They developed a gasping syndrome. Kind of interesting. Thought you might like to read this too. Do you think populating the gut with good stuff, might help some kids with a growth spurt? http://en.allexperts.com/e/g/gu/gut_flora.htm Carbohydrate fermentation and absorption Without gut flora, the human body would be unable to break down and use some of the carbohydrates it consumes, because some types of gut flora have enzymes that human cells lack for breaking down polysaccharides. Rodents raised in a sterile environment and lacking in gut flora need to eat 30% more calories just to remain the same weight as their normal counterparts. Carbohydrates that humans cannot digest without bacterial help include starches; fiber; oligosaccharides and sugars that the body failed to absorb like lactose and alcohols; mucus produced by the gut; and proteins. PetB. I have Primadolphilius bookmarked, so I know someone was saying it was a good product. Is your son taking the liquid amox? Do you think he could be reacting to something in that? The other thing, could be the staph or strep that is causing the impetigo, causing the tics to flair? How close to the start of the antibiotic did you notice the increase?

Hi Ari, The name of the NOW brand is activated NASAL. My son had a small spot of what I thought was probably impetigo under one nostril, and was complaining that his nose felt funny inside. I thought this product might help to clear the staph or strep if that's what it was, since it does contain GSE (grapefruit seed extract). I will be ordering the Xlear for more frequent use, for allergy irritation. Just wanted to clarify that. I thought my last post was kind of confusing.

Loren, I totally agree, that ruling PANDAS in or out, is a good idea. This was his opinion based on just looking at his throat right? Not a 72 hour strep culture? Again, I may be wrong, but I think most parents that have discovered PANDAS, initially have a positive culture. The blood work that you are requesting would only be significant, if there is a negative culture. If there is an active infection, you would expect the levels to be elevated. If you have a negative culture, now, and the titers in blood work are elevated, then I guess, it would be significant. If you keep the appt. I'm thinking you should request the 72 hour cultured strep test. Whether you have the blood work done at this same appt. or not, is something I wish one of our PANDAS Mom's would comment on. I just wouldn't want you to have to pay for the test again, in the event that there is currently an active infection.

Had to let you guys know, I just got a call from 10 yr old (the one with strep on zpak) teacher. He asked if something traumatic had happend to my son, since he was out of school, and acting "so not himself." He said he is all over the room, and even talking back, when told to sit down. He said this is very unusual for him (which I know, he does not like to be in any trouble with an "authority" figure). I have noticed some facial tics, and even a couple of shoulder shrugs, but he has not been eating enough to get in his usual amt. of supplements. Also, I can't give him his digestive enzymes near the zithromax, I can't give him magnesium near zithromax, and I can't give a probiotic near enzymes or zithromax. So is this stress from being sick, the antibiotic itself (dyes..whatever?) or are strep antibodies having some effect on his brain? Lack of supplements?????? Just another day hau?

Loren, I hesitate to even send this message, because I am not the best one to advise you on this, but...... I'm a little confused as to whether you want your Dr. to do the ASO and antiDNASE test today. Do you remember this from a post on your thread . This is my understanding, and I may be wrong The blood test will show, if there are elevated strep antibodies, but if there is an active infection, they will just treat it with an antibiotic anyway, and say it's normal for the things the blood work tests for, to be elevated at this point anyway. These markers or antibodies, are supposed to fall, after the active infection is cleared, but don't in the case of PANDAS. You may be better off, to only pay for a 72 hour strep culture, at this point. If you see improvement with antibiotic treatment (assuming the culture is positive), but the symptoms reoccur after the course is finished, then you may want the blood work done, to see what the titer levels are. I hope someone will recommend how long to wait in between, as I really don't know. Come on PANDAS mama's....we need some advice here!