What is the likelihood of Lyme?

[bws1565]

I am posting this for a friend.

 

She has a child who is about 10 years old. He has been displaying ASD features since about 20 months of age.

 

However, when he was about 6-7 years old, he developed severe knee pain which was eventually diagnosed as rheumatic fever, with high strep levels. Also possibly Pandas. He was put onto Zithromax long term and his autistic behavior greatly improved. Mom kept him on antibiotic for a long time, I believe close to two years, until she decided that this is not an option for her anymore. Of course he slid backwards. Mom is accepting the autism diagnosis, and is not interested into looking into further antibiotic treatment.

 

I am literally begging her, on hands and knees, to check this child for Lyme. With classic knee pain symptoms, and improvement with antibiotic, I don't see why she would not. She is currently living out of the country, with Lyme testing a near impossibility, but is expected to visit soon. She does not have USA insurance.

 

How likely is it that this child has lyme disease? What is the possibility of classic knee pain developing many years after the first autistic signs and this still being lyme, and treatable??? Which tests would you do, bearing in mind the no insurance issue.

 

 

I have had success, after many years with the lyme route with my own DD. I am thankful that we are getting her out of the rut. I would love my friends DS to have the same results.

[LNN]

I can understand your reasons for wondering about Lyme. It seems reasonable to investigate.

 

But...if the mom doesn't have access to long term treatment options by a knowledgeable LLMD, then I'm not sure it's worth it. Without insurance or the financial means to pay out of pocket, without the oversight of an LLMD, you'd need to be willing to really, really educate yourself and pursue a very methodical herbal/natural route. Stephen Buhner's books are great. But you need to be the kind of person who can do research and play a really active role. If your friend is inclined to accept an ASD dx and isn't being receptive, then I'm not sure she'd be able to handle the very significant load of being the Lyme advocate/case manager.