SUPPLEMENTS FOR ASPERGER'S SYNDROME - GUESS WHAT? THEY WORK!

Teachers have reported the following changes over the last 6 months, since my son started taking supplements prescribed for ASD:

• Increased eye contact
• Ownership around school work
• A more alert child
• Less negative facial expressions
• Less prompting to stay on task
• Self-regulation

Changes I've noticed at home:

• All symptoms of depression are gone
• Increased self-esteem
• No more self-hate talk
• Maturing
• No more one word answers
• Generally happier
• More positive outlook

So what are these magic pills?

My son had began spiralling so deep into depression at the end of 2012 that I was beginning to consider anti-depressants for him. A combination of  social anxiety, miscommunications with peers, schoolwork stresses, along with low self-esteem and a short fuse were the key factors. We did breathing exercises, relaxation CDs, self-esteem worksheets, but nothing was working. He was slipping away into darkness while I struggled to keep my grip on his hand. Medicating my son was something I did not feel comfortable with and had turned my nose up to many times over the years. It was when my hair began falling out in clumps that I booked him to see his therapist and told her that if she recommend meds, I'd be on board.

Serendipitously, that week I attended a parent support group for those with children on the autism spectrum and there is where I met Dr. Sonya Doherty, Naturopathic Doctor. http://naturalcareclinic.ca/dr-sonya-doherty/ She talked about the link between dairy, wheat, and ASD; she spoke about supplements, and showed us a diagram of wheels on a cog and how those wheels turn more slowly for our kids in comparison to neuro-typical children. I booked a meeting with her the next day and, after her assessment, we were given a prescription for supplements and a recommended diet plan. She even gave me the opportunity to have an educational shopping trip with the clinic's nutritionist.

Benefits of treatment include:

• Enhancement in receptive, expressive and spontaneous language development (was not an issue)
• Increase in vocabulary, language complexity and appropriate use of language (saw this change)
• Increased social awareness, interaction and appropriate play (saw this change)
• Cognition, understanding and learning (saw this change)
• Eye contact and responsiveness (saw this change)
• Normalized behaviours and interaction including self-stimulating, self-injurious, tics and aggression (saw this change)
• Understanding and feeling emotions, affection or increased tolerance to touch (saw this change)

How Did I Get Him to Take the Supplements?

I introduced each supplement in monthly increments. First was St. John's Wort (for depression), then the Vitamin B injection (best way to absorb this particular vitamin), then the specially prescribed Beneficial Oils
in pill form and we just added the specially formulated multivitamin, Brain Fuel to his regime.

My son had to learn to swallow pills which took some encouragement and now it is just a part of everyday life. Here's a trick that worked - practice swallowing Nerds candies starting with the small ones and working up to the larger ones. He understands why he takes each supplement and what the intended result is for each. I think that forcing a child to do something 'because I said so' isn't the way to gain their cooperation. I treat my son with respect, he has the right to know what I'm suggesting he put into his body and why. Although he has said that he does not want to cure his Asperger's because it makes him who he is, he does posses the desire to lessen the negative feelings and consequences that come along with the the disorder. The thing about Aspie's, I find, is that they are immature in some ways and wise beyond their years in others.

St. John's Wort
"Those who have Asperger's syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder characterized by impaired social and communication skills, can often find themselves feeling anxious, nervous, or depressed. One form of treatment for these symptoms is St John's Wort, a herbal supplement that can be purchased at health stores or online. The St John's Wort asperger's syndrome treatment option is helpful for certain people, particularly those with milder symptoms." http://www.healthguideinfo.com/aspergers-syndrome/p77260/

Vitamin B12 Injections
Dr. S. Jill James (who has recently received a NIH - National Institute of Health - grant for her research) has shown that children with ASD have impaired methylation and decreased levels of glutathione.  Supporting and/or repairing the underlying impairment and deficiency translates into increased social, cognitive and language development. http://treatautism.ca/b12-and-methylation/
Beneficial Oils"Two American researchers, Louise Patrick, SLP, and Ronald M. Salik, M.D., have recently reported the results of a clinical trial of the effects of a fish-oil supplement on language development and learning skills in children with autism or Asperger’s syndrome. Fish oil provides essential fatty acids (EFAS), which are critical for brain health. Children with attention deficit, autistic, and related disorders have been shown to have significantly lower levels of EFAS in their red blood cells." http://www.totalhealthmagazine.com/features/childrens-health/fish-oil-supplementation-and-autism-aspergers-syndrome.html

Brain Fuel

"Brain Fuel was developed by Dr. Sonya Doherty in conjunction with her sister, a biomedical toxicologist and naturopathic doctor specializing in fertility treatment.  The Brain Fuel ingredients are based on the most recent research on essential fatty acids and development. Brain Fuel is used to promote language, social and cognitive development for children with autism, PDD, Asperger’s Syndrome, OCD, TS, ADD and ADHD.  It combines fat soluble vitamins (A, E, D, and K) with high levels of EPA, DHA with a small amount of GLA.  Brain Fuel is in a phosopholipid base that increases effectiveness. This unique essential fatty acid support is made by Douglas Laboratories and distributed by the Natural Care Clinic." See the website above to order online.
The only drawback is that the supplements can run me about $100 per month, but they are well worth it, given the results. I suspect that changing his diet will even further increase his abilities, and maybe now is the time to start. I also hope to be able to switch him to the pill form of vitamin B, so that I don't have to continue giving him a needle in his backside into his teen years.

It is six months later and his social skills still need a lot of work, but I couldn't be more thrilled with the report I received from the school. Now that we have added the Brain Fuel supplement, I look forward to seeing even more progress. Of course supplements alone can't do it all. A support team of professionals, school supports, and social supports are all key factors in bringing your child to a level of Independence that will give him solid ground to stand on as he navigates the teen years and adulthood.

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please leave a comment. I'm happy to share my experience with you or learn from yours.

Good luck out there,

JB



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