3 & 1/2 months
I've been meaning to write a 3 month update for the past two weeks but I just couldn't seem to find the inspiration. It's been a funny month.
The first few weeks E stopped making amazing developments Every Single Day. Which was totally fine, that's a bit much to maintain right? And then he had some regressions. More head banging, emotional explosions, anxiety. Totally fine too, we had been pre-warned to expect regressions. Two steps forward, one step back. But after a while I think it got me down and for the first time I started to doubt we're doing the right thing and questioned if it's worth it.
We had a followup appointment with a doctor at the Autism Center and E went into a panic when he approached him. He fled to me and hit me... he hasn't hit me in a couple of months! The doctor clearly thought very little of GAPS and I guess we didn't really show it off at all either.
But then E had a cold and we realised the regressions were largely due to him tired and unwell. And I had pushed a little too hard trying to introduce cream I think and had caused a bit too much die-off. The past two weeks he has been improving again and he continues to do things that we've never known this little boy to do. He amazes us every day. I'll try not to get so glum next regression!
So, he's still eating soup and it still has to be in the same bowl and we still have to feed it to him. At the moment his daily diet is roughly:
3 or 4 (2 on a bad day) cups of soup each with a soft boiled egg, 1Tb butter, 1Tb sauerkraut, 1tsp SK juice, 1Tb avocado and 1Tb olive oil.
Each day he also has 5mls of pro-omega fish oil, 2.5mls of FCLO, 2.5mls of butter oil, 1/4 to 1/2 an apple (some for snack on preschool days and some as a treat after the oils), a pinch of bio-kult and 2000 or 3000IU of vit D.
And nuts! Over about a month or so E has been warming up to nuts. he would feed them to M & I, then he would lick them first, then he started actually eating them! We make crispy nuts and he devours any type of nut with little hesitation even if it's new. But they don't really agree with him so we've only let him have about 5 a day once or twice a week. Such a shame, because it's awesome to see him get over some of his food anxieties and introduce something new.
I was adding sour cream and was up to 1 tsp per day but he seemed to be really struggling, then got sick with a cold so I cut it out again. The past week he has had about 1/4 to 1/2 tsp per day and seems fine. I went up to 1 tsp one day and he woke up with a nightmare so it's back to 1/2 tsp.
The past couple of days I have added 1/2 tsp of coconut oil and he's been having more meltdowns for a couple of hours after having it. As exciting as it is to see die-off I think we'll go down to 1/4 tsp for a while.
I discussed follow-up blood test for vit D levels with the doctor this week. She reassured me that the 5000IU we had him on would be very unlikely to be a toxic amount and he would really need LOADS for a while. So we're thinking we'll assume he's still going to be quite deficient and delay the second blood test while putting him back on 5000IU for another month. Also, while at the doctor he was weighed and he's 18.5kgs! He was 17kg 3 & 1/2 months ago (and went down to 15kgs) so he's packing it on. He looks so healthy and vital, and rosy cheeked.
This week we've started Floortime in the Home. We're paying for some floortime students based through our OT office to come and play for 2 hours about 4 days a week. E struggled this morning (had just given him coconut oil- doh!) but hopefully he'll relax and play more and develop some meaningful relationships. He is showing so much readiness to learn, I'm glad we're able to seize the opportunity.
And here's the main problem I have had trying to formulate this post... what is actually better? It's so hard to describe.
His anxiety is less- he can enter a new environment and transition without totally flipping out. His meltdowns are less full on. He still punches his chin and bangs his head but he rarely has bruises so he's clearly doing it more gently. He just appears calmer, happier and more involved.
He talks most of the day. They are often scripts but they relate to what is happening. This week he started ANSWERING some questions! For example,if he says "P is for Pig" I can say "What sound does a pig make?" and he replies "Oink oink". This NEVER could have happened before. I would have HAD to repeat "P is for Pig" or he would have started banging his head. Yesterday he was playing with M and he pointed to a car he wanted a said "Yellow car". He would have just grunted before.
His motor planning is improving tremendously. He has so much more confidence to explore new things... he's been riding on the ride on toys at school and in the wagon (not the trikes yet). He does excellent, unique dance moves and has started to "skip" (similar to a horse trot) and spin himself till dizzy. We're constantly amazed to watch his explorations.
He usually shares a bath at the end of the day with F, but a few days okay F was really tired, had a bath early and I was putting him to bed. E was in his bath and asked "Where's F? F and Mummy"!!!! He also LOVES to play with F, and with us. He INITIATES play frequently, with smiles, eye contact and giggles
His teachers at preschool gush everyday with new things he has done. He is talking more and tolerating other children in his space and in parallel play. He plays alongside Max with the trainset and once when Max was upset, E recognised he wanted his trains and handed them to him.
Having a blast!
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