We're off the chart

[faith]

Hi all,

my poor little skinny guy is now fallen off the growth chart. he is under weight for his age. yikes. could I feel even worse now for the dietary restrictions? you see that is why I can't do some of these things absolutely, it was always a battle between the tics and his weight. on one hand I have to get some food and calories and nutrition into this guy, and on the other, I know there are some things that definitely aggravate his tics, and I think 'specific' type tics. I've been at this for a few years now, and I seem to see that corn/corn syrup products kick up my son's neck/head tics. not on immediate consumption, but more of a cummulative effect, when he gets too much, hard to gauge the threshold, but I think he can tolerate some here and there, but not days and days in a row. I also see that salicylates (certain fruits) get his eye tics going).

 

Now that I have tried to relax and just give him whatever he wants to eat, (altho let me clarify that he is and always was a picky eater and I am still having to prod him to eat) and including all categories, (i.e. he has had Life cereal and Raisin Bran crunch for a couple weeks, and I know he was drinking the apple juice (salidylates)in school alot, altho I told him not to). Last night I could see he was moving his neck around more than usual. Its not that his tics were gone and now they are not, but I could see the neck had calmed somewhat during the last part of the summer when we "got back to basics and cleaned up the corn pruducts". it did help, I could see that. his eye tics were gone for a while too, altho we wer still plagued with the louder vocal and some soft head shaking. But my point being that I can see that now that I am letting more of these products in, I am definitely seeing these old tics again, namely the neck stretching, that really seems to get aggravated, and now I am noticing some winking with the side of the mouth turnup with with it (like the exagerated wink), I'm convinced its because of the apple juice and raisins, they are salicylates. oh and we can't forget that halloween just passed and there was alot of candy eaten that I wouldn't have otherwise allowed. So either I have a big ticcer or a skeleton, either way I lose......

 

Some of you know that I have recently been exploring PANDAS and how this may relate to my son. We don't have obvious cases of strep here and titers testing has always come out low. We definitely did have one 'strep + episode when he was 7, but subsequent testing proved negative and I did not really feel comfortable persuing the high dose prophylactic abs that everyone was talking about at the time. I am trying antibiotics as a first step now, but thus far havn't really seen any good results. but I am going to a couple of docs to try and figure this out and see if there are any options for my son. The reason I am going back to this route is because I see that my son hs many of the 'other' symptoms that seem to go along with the disorder, namely ocd, separation anxiety, tantrumy (some call it raging, but ours is not as severe), high irritability, sensory problems (and those last two seem to feed off of each other), ... basically these issues are each still causing difficulty in my household and I feel that it shouldn't be this way with a 10 year old boy. I can that his attention/focus/time management problems are declining and thus having an impact on his schoowork. Also, last night at homework, I saw the OCD of repetitive erasing start to vamp up again, as it did last year at this time.

 

So even tho or if some of his tics are exacerbated by this thing called PANDAS, I still do see and believe that certain foods aggravate the tics. I have always focused on the tics, so really havn't tracked dietary and supplements in relation to other behaviors. Some foods are definitely inflammatory to the system, and those should be limited if it is a problem for your ticcy kid. For us I think the biggies are corn/corn syrup and salicylates, and of course the artificial flavors/colors. So for those of you that feel there's something to it, stick with it, and for newbies on the search, I absolutely feel it is an essential part of the program. Afterall, its all part of keeping our kids immune system in check.

 

I will keep you all posted on my search.

 

 

Fatih

[CSP]

HI Faith,

 

I really understand what you are saying. My DS has always been the skinny one. I have been wondering about the tonsils and have read that some kids do gain weight after the T&A are removed. I'm wondering if this has been my son's problem in the past. not so much now because I feel he has grown into a young man and everything about him is getting bigger. Anyway when my son was 10yo he would not want to eat because he thought he would choke. I now think it was because of how large his tonsils are.

 

Just wondering how big your guys tonsils are?

 

BTW, I was waiting for the comedian in you to say,"Assauts of the last 50 years was a plague." (Re: PANDAS post)

 

CP

[faith]

CP,

 

huh?.....

 

my son's tonsils have been noted to be large (I think the DAN doc and someone else said that) they bulge out, I don't know if that's normal. I don't see that he's had any problems tho, no chronic sore throat, no sleep apnea, he seems to breathe okay, altho I think he breathes thru his mouth at nite, but is not noisy/snory. so really don't know here, but I probably should just hve someone look at them.

 

 

Faith

[bmom]

My son has never been on the small side. Although he is not heavy, he is tall and strong. Last year we had his T and A and IVIG in a short time frame to each other. Since then, he has probably gained 20 lbs. People have made comments on how he has grown. I do not know if it is a growth spurt or one of the procedures. I actually thought is was perhaps the IVIG, but I do not know. I do know he is ALWAYS hungry ,but he was like that before last year.

[ilovedogs]

(((Faith))), I know you're struggling to fit all the pieces together. Sounds like you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. What is your son's weight, if you don't mind my asking. My son is relatively skinny for his age. He has friends who weigh close to 90-100 lbs and he's weighing in around 78. But, I don't see a problem with his eating, just that his anxiety sometimes makes his stomach upset and I have a hard time getting him to eat anything if he's nauseous. I've thrown the PANDAs thing past both naturopaths we use and they aren't seeing it for my son. Of course, we have emotional issues with him but they're mostly relating to his anxiety(he doesn't seem to have anger issues or outbursts).

 

Just today I was visiting with the naturopath and we talked about testosterone spiking in pre-pubescent boys. He said the spike in test. will cause norepinephrine to spike, too, which will increase anxiety and emotional lability in boys. So, he says that boys are more unpredictable in their hormonal spikes than girls are since girls fall into a more cyclical hormonal pattern due to their feminine nature. He had actually suggested that we try Saw Palmetto for ds for when he seems hormonal. He said that current research on saw palmetto is focused on male problems later in life like prostate problems and male pattern baldness but if you dig deeper into history you'll see the other uses that saw palmetto had in the past. So, I'll be picking up a tincture of saw palmetto soon to see if it helps??!!! Who knows, it's worth a shot, right?

Anyway, just wanted to throw that out there so you can discuss hormonal changes with your doctor at some point. I totally know where you're coming from, Faith!!!

[faith]

Hi Bonnie,

I'll take the 78!....my sone is 10 1/2 and he is about 52 lbs. .... ..... he never gains any signigicant weight each year, I creep up every year faster than he does!...

 

saw palmetto sounds interesting, let us know how it goes if you try it. .... how are things going now with your little guy?

 

 

Faith

[ilovedogs]

Hi Bonnie,

I'll take the 78!....my sone is 10 1/2 and he is about 52 lbs. .... ..... he never gains any signigicant weight each year, I creep up every year faster than he does!...

 

saw palmetto sounds interesting, let us know how it goes if you try it. .... how are things going now with your little guy?

 

 

Faith

 

Faith, things are still a bit on the wild side over here. Random crying about his anxious thoughts. He'll have 2 days of nothing and then a day where he spends most of the AM in tears. It's really been quite unpredictable and I've been keeping track of his foods and I'm not coming up with any new trigger or a pattern that would identify where this is coming from. I spoke to our naturopath about possibly trying Prozac but he was adamantly against it b/c there's no guarantee meds will work, they won't work 100% anyway, and they only mask the problem while in turn creating more problems with the neurotransmitters down the road.

 

We have some GABA that we've tried but I've not seen it helping. Again, the doc is wondering if we're dealing with hormonal issues here, too. I have a friend whose dd was really emotional for her pre-teen years and I knew it was hormonal, but I never thought that boys could be emotional like girls. Of course, ds' emotions are based on his anxiety so somehow they are all tied together. Trying to fit the pieces into the puzzle is really driving me crazy!!!

 

Bonnie

[CSP]

Faith,

 

My brother said his 3 yo dd is 52lbs. I think she is on the heavy side. My son will be getting a physical through the county Sat. for the Fire Dept. I told him to take note of the weight so after the tonsils come out we can see how much he has gained. He was about 115lbs last time he checked. Kinda low for a 16yo boy.

 

CP

[patty]

Faith,

 

I feel your frustration. How about making him soup? You can use any kind of meat, bones, vegetables, onion, garlic.... to make a clear stock and add his favorite pasta or beans to it. Most kids who are picky will drink soup and it is full of nutrients. We have soup often at our house because my dd is kind of picky and her weight is also off the chart, but she is healthy, so i am not too concern about her weight. My weight was also off the chart when i was young so i guess it runs in the family.

 

Are you still using NAET to help w/his food sensitivities? Since corn is one of his big offenders, have you treat it? If so, did it raise his tolerance to it?

 

NAET has been effective for us in treating my son's food sensitivities, now he can eat pretty much anything w/o a reaction. So an occassional junk like food colorings, perservatives... is OK.

 

And is the chiropractic adjustment helping?

 

Pat

[faith]

Hi Pat,

yes, he'll eat a nice homemade soup, thanks, I should make that more often, sometimes I take the carrots, celery and onion that's in there out and blend it up to a puree and then pour it back in so it makes a nice thicker ant tastier broth. I made a pot of chili the other day and he's been eating that and last night I put it over some curly pasta and melted pieces of mozzarella in it and added more pasta sauce and he loved it. but hes' weird, things he likes, like say granola, he'll eat and love for a few weeks, and now he says he doesn't like it anymore, the last time I put it on the table it was a no go. so a pain to keep up with his changing likes and dislikes.

 

Pat, I don't think I've had any real success or breakthru with NAET. however, I have not treated the things I really suspect, like the high fructose corn syrup, which is different from just th corn, our practitioner says. we did treat corn. can't really say if it helped, because his reactions are not immediate anyway, more from too much. she didn't have a vial for hfcs and I said I wanted to get hold of the real thing and treat it that way, but don't know where to find it. I think I may ask her to get it. I hate spending that 60 bucks each time and if he fails, then its another 60. the last treatment was nightshades, and it was like twice for nightshades, then tomatoe individually for 4 times, .. everytime I wenit in I just wanted him to pass so I could take a break. and then he'd fail so I'd have to treat again and pony up another 60. so finally we passed tomato, she said it was a big one for him and tht tomatoes were for alot of people as they are very inflammatory, but since, I can't say I see any change in him physically with tics or otherwise, but..... I may go in and try again with the corn syrup just for fun.. , and there's a few other things I want to try my luck at, but I'm not very confident on it. Pat, does your prac have one of those BIO machines, don't exactly know what its called, but they 'read' the body and it kind of gives out or detects the things that your body is energetically having trouble with? don't know how to explain it. Another patient told me about it, but it was another NAET practioner that she found, she did it there and brought the read out to our NAET doctor and she told her what things she wanted to treat. some funky stuff.

 

I'll keep you posted, I've got a few things on the plate here, so trying to do it all without being admitted or going broke. I just want his symptoms, especially the tics to take a %$%$#@ hike!!! .....

 

Faith

[patty]

Faith,

 

I hear you! I often think that to myself too! Tics takes a #@%!$!!! so i can take a break from time & money.

 

This is what i would do Faith, remember i took you that my son is very sensitive? Even when he passed the NAET treatment, he still have a reaction. I was not convinced, so i collected the actual sample and put it in a glass jar. And guess what, he tested sensitive! Keep in mind, the NAET vials are energetic but are also generic imprints of things extracted. Our body is so specific, go directly to the cause.

 

Regard HFCS, forget about the vial. Get a bottle from your grocery store and treat the actual sample. Treating the actual sample is most effective. I have been doing this w/my son for almost 4 years, i have discovered ways of treatment that my practitioner does not know. I have more to post about apple cider vinegar, but i need to run. Will do a separate post later and it is fascinating.

 

I know it is expensive, but before stopping NAET, give HFSC a try since it is one of his BIG triggers and see if it makes a different. I have been doing this awhile, i can narrow down some of his specific tic triggers. EX. vocal tic is caused by fish oil, apple cider vinegar, and some trees, particularily the one with yellow pollens at his school...

 

Pat

[CSP]

My homemade tortilla soup is simmering as we speak! Smells so good. Patty my husband could not believe the stew I made with homemade beef stock. Son's Dr. told us to use bone marrow and other meat bones and put apple cider vinegar in it. The acv pulls more of the good stuff out.

 

I just noticed you said ACV is a trigger. Well I'll leave that for anyone else who would like that info.

 

CP

[patty]

Yes CP ACV is one of my son's vocal trigger!! I will do a separate post later to explain. Got to do something right now.

 

Pat

[ilovedogs]

My homemade tortilla soup is simmering as we speak! Smells so good. Patty my husband could not believe the stew I made with homemade beef stock. Son's Dr. told us to use bone marrow and other meat bones and put apple cider vinegar in it. The acv pulls more of the good stuff out.

 

I just noticed you said ACV is a trigger. Well I'll leave that for anyone else who would like that info.

 

CP

OK, so you used ACV to make a beef stock? I've never made my own stock (well, except for chicken occasionally). I love to make soups and stews and chili. I just wish ds would eat them! He hates eating food all mixed together like in soups, casseroles, etc. The only soup he'll eat is homemade chicken noodle.

 

Ds is a good eater, though. He just eats things separately on his plate. Not sure what I'm going to feed him tonight as I'm making a chicken coconut milk soup for dinner for dh and I. I have leftover tortellini and plenty of meats in the fridge.

 

CP: can you email me the recipe for your stock? I'd love to try my hand at it, thanks!

 

Bonnie

[CSP]

Bonnie,

 

I will get that for you. I have to run to church, then to work, so I'll get that tomorrow.

 

CP