test results in

Took my son back to the doctor last week for his test results. He is very allergic to casein, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, cow's milk, goat's milk, and yogurt. He shows mild allergies to peanuts, olives, walnuts and sweet potatoes. He had been eating a lot of sweet potatoes so may not be allergic to those. He showed overgrowth of 3 different kinds of yeast and some other bacterias. He has wheat and milk peptides in his urine. He doesn't show allergies to wheat though. The results to the hair testing were not in yet.
The doctor is putting him on Diflucan and some digestive enzymes. He is to continue the Gastrocrom for now, but the doctor said that he could start taking it only once a day. He has to avoid wheat and milk especially. The doctor said that I am doing him more harm than good to give in and let him have the milk or wheat occasionally. Once the yeast and bacteria are taken care of, he wants to start him on EPD Immunotherapy.
Jacob also had a lot of antibodies from airborne and/ or chemical allergies.
The doctor told me to expect problems when I start him on the Diflucan. He said that he could break out in a rash from head to toe and have behavior problems that will last for 2 to 3 weeks. He said that this is not an allergic reaction but a result of the chemicals that the yeast give off when they die. Has anyone had experience with this?
I thought of another question since I talked to the doctor. Maybe someone could help me with this. I have read quite a bit about the wheat and milk peptides in relation to autism. My son does not display autistic behavior. Is he just lucky or are there other kids that have the same problem and are labeled ADHD and ODD?

 

Sounds like you're going to be doing some of the same things we are. Both of my boys are off of all milk and dairy, milk chocolate and whole wheat. Our pediatrician doesn't have them avoid the really processed wheat because he says once it's processed it's not as likely to set off the immune system. I am so glad, I really wouldn't relish having to avoid all wheat.

My boys are both on Diflucan. It is much more effective than Nystatin, which alot of previous docs prescribed for my younger son. Is your doctor having you start on a lower dose of Diflucan at first? Our pediatrician had me give them a 1/2 dose for the first six days so the die-off was not too severe. My younger son goes thru major die-off symptoms when first started on an anti-fungal. After about two days there is a definite worsening of his behavior. I think that he started to improve just in time to raise the dose and worsen for another 4-5 days. It is different for everyone, but I would think you should have things going better within a couple of weeks.

There are more doctors who are making the connection between autism spectrum and ADHD. Our pediatrician believes the age, level of development, and severity is what determines it. Their research is finding the same type of abnormalities in autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), aspergers, quiet add, mixed adhd, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) all the way up to adults diagnosed with CFS and other autoimmune/neuroimmune disorders. I have one son who was thought to be ADHD but it was actually Aspergers with the later addition of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). My older son developed CFS during puberty.

Well good luck, I really feel for what you are going to deal with when the die-off starts, been there done that. Just keep repeating to yourself that it will get better, it's only temporary and you will live thru it.

Cheryl

 

It sounds like you have an excellent doctor that knows exactly what he is doing. I wish everyone had a doctor like that.

You need to eliminate all gluten (wheat flour, barley, oat & rye). Pamela's baking mix from Whole Foods (health food grocery store) has saved me. Rice is okay, too.

You are definitely on the right track. Read these books:

"Biological Treatments of Autism & Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)" by William Shaw. It has to do with ADD, ADHD, too, etc. It is the best book that explains about the yeast, the die off, how gluten & casein affect the sensory system, digestive system, etc.

Good luck. Just getting a doctor like this & learning about all of this, you are 90% ahead of the game. I'd listen to your & take his advice. Most doctors do not have a clue about this stuff.

Straw

P.S. After you have learned all about it & your son has recovered & is healthy, please spread the word to other parents, telling them what you know & what you have done. It is one of the only ways they will figure it out.

 

Oh I forgot to answer your questions. Yes, your son is lucky that he has you for a mom (who has done research & gotten a great doctor).

It is now thought that perhaps as many as 1 in 33 people in the U.S. may have some sensitivity to gluten and/or casein (according to a recent study). It is probable that many of the children who are diagnosed with any behavior problem are not getting the nutrients their brain needs to function properly. Whatever is preventing the proper absorption to get the right nutrients needs to be found & corrected. Often it is making the diet more nutritious. (Whole foods & less convenient foods). Other times supplements, detoxing the heavy metals & other toxins, and eliminating foods can help get the balance (of nutrients) corrected, as well as getting the yeast & parasites under control can be a part of the puzzle. You have found several key pieces to your puzzle. Your child is indeed lucky.

 

Originally posted by cheryl1b:
Sounds like you're going to be doing some of the same things we are. Both of my boys are off of all milk and dairy, milk chocolate and whole wheat. Our pediatrician doesn't have them avoid the really processed wheat because he says once it's processed it's not as likely to set off the immune system. I am so glad, I really wouldn't relish having to avoid all wheat.

My boys are both on Diflucan. It is much more effective than Nystatin, which alot of previous docs prescribed for my younger son. Is your doctor having you start on a lower dose of Diflucan at first? Our pediatrician had me give them a 1/2 dose for the first six days so the die-off was not too severe. My younger son goes thru major die-off symptoms when first started on an anti-fungal. After about two days there is a definite worsening of his behavior. I think that he started to improve just in time to raise the dose and worsen for another 4-5 days. It is different for everyone, but I would think you should have things going better within a couple of weeks.

There are more doctors who are making the connection between autism spectrum and ADHD. Our pediatrician believes the age, level of development, and severity is what determines it. Their research is finding the same type of abnormalities in autism/Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), aspergers, quiet add, mixed adhd, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) all the way up to adults diagnosed with CFS and other autoimmune/neuroimmune disorders. I have one son who was thought to be ADHD but it was actually Aspergers with the later addition of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). My older son developed CFS during puberty.

Well good luck, I really feel for what you are going to deal with when the die-off starts, been there done that. Just keep repeating to yourself that it will get better, it's only temporary and you will live thru it.

Cheryl

Thanks so much for letting me know I am not alone in this. Being a single parent only makes me feel that much more alone in all of this. If it weren't for the internet and all of these support groups, I wouldn't even know to check for food allergies or where to look for answers.
Do your sons have to take Diflucan often. I was hoping that it would be a one time thing. Will we have to go through this every so often?
Connie

 

Originally posted by strawberryisland:
It sounds like you have an excellent doctor that knows exactly what he is doing. I wish everyone had a doctor like that.

You need to eliminate all gluten (wheat flour, barley, oat & rye). Pamela's baking mix from Whole Foods (health food grocery store) has saved me. Rice is okay, too.

You are definitely on the right track. Read these books:

"Biological Treatments of Autism & Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)" by William Shaw. It has to do with ADD, ADHD, too, etc. It is the best book that explains about the yeast, the die off, how gluten & casein affect the sensory system, digestive system, etc.

Good luck. Just getting a doctor like this & learning about all of this, you are 90% ahead of the game. I'd listen to your & take his advice. Most doctors do not have a clue about this stuff.

Straw

P.S. After you have learned all about it & your son has recovered & is healthy, please spread the word to other parents, telling them what you know & what you have done. It is one of the only ways they will figure it out.

Thanks so much for the information. I feel like I have gone back to school with all of the research, but my son's behavior has already improved with what little we have done so far. If I can manage to survive this ordeal with him, I plan to tell everyone. I have already ran my mouth enough to make people want to run when they see me coming.

I get angry ever time I think of all the antibiotics, decongestants and the ear tubes my son has had. Why didn't someone at least mention allergies. I even asked his doctor about food allergies before I had any idea of all that I have recently learned. I want everyone to know about food allergies in relation to behavior problems. Lots of kids could stop taking Ritalin and other drugs if people were more aware. A woman at my son's school told me that she had heard of food allergies and behavior problems but didn't know of anyone else who has actually followed through. Several teachers have expressed interest in all of the testing. Jacob's report card showed the difference off of milk. For the first time since being in school (now going to third grade), he got a check on self control! No one could ever convince me that food allergies has nothing to do with his behavior after seeing the difference in him.
Thanks again for the support.
Connie

 

Connie,

I am so happy that you are learning about this. There are several here on the board who have had success. Please get the book I mentioned. It will really help consolidate everything you are learning. Also, I'll try to post the Lisa Lewis articles for you (at the bottom of this)... please print & read & highlight as you have time. No, your child isn't autistic, mine isn't either & neither is Moonglow's, NS, Sherry's, Ozgirls, or any of the others. They just have Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), ADHD, or Autistic symptoms, but the cause is not getting the right nutrients, amino acids & enzymes to the brain at exactly the right time for the brain cells to absorb them to do what they were supposed to do.

If your child was on antibiotics, you need a good probiotic. Culturelle 1-888-828-4242 is one of the best. I've also heard that one day you should take that & the next day take bifidus. You need to replace the healthy bacteria in the gut that you killed with the antibiotics when you gave it to kill the infection. Think of the digestive system as a huge compost pile. You need the right living organisms in it to break down the food properly. The gluten causes the villi of the intestine to lay down flat & then the small intestine cannot absorb nutrients. This is called Celiac Disease. Do a search & you'll find all sorts of recipes, support groups, food to order, ideas, etc. Wheat gluten also can contribute to arthritus & skin disorders. If anyone else in the family has either of these, please get them off gluten, also. They will feel much better.

It is hard, but in our case we substitute brown rice & whole corn chips for pasta. I also use rice pasta & there are some other kinds. My child (or husband) didn't even notice the difference when I served it.

We need your knowledge & sharing on the board as you learn. Not many people are clued in to the "diet connection" of these behavior disorders and the doctors tell the parents that "diet has absolutely nothing to do with behavior" so the parents get off track. Actually, I have studies somewhere that I've posted that have proven diet (in some cases) has EVERYTHING to do with behavior. In my child's case, it had everything to do with it. He is ADHD & wasn't diagnosed ODD, but he was ODD, too. (I try to not get formal diagnosis's on him in his medical file, for personal reasons.... some things are not covered by insurance, so I don't want certain things in the files if they are not absolutely sure he has that. They are 100% sure he has severe ADHD, though. However, we have just started (2 weeks) ZAN and have noticed a change in hyperactivity & impulsiveness & also in focus. It is an herb that acts as a natural stimulant, so you can't have adderall or ritalin while taking the zan. If your child is ADD, try it. But, continue with eliminating gluten & the other things. Also, find out how to do some relaxation techniques. It will help your child repair his gut lining quicker.

I'll type more later, but I'm not sure how much info I've given you before, or what you already know, so I don't want to be redundant. Also, when I make these long posts, I tend to get a ton of emails & these days I don't have time to answer all of them. This does involve cooking whole foods from scratch a bunch, but it is so worth it. Also look up https://web.archive.org/web/20130808072857/http://www.hriptc.org/index.php & you may find some interesting reading.

Good luck!

Straw

 

Connie,

I just did a search for your posts & found out I hadn't posted to you at all! Sorry. I've been out of pocket lately & didn't see your posts.

I'll try to gather more info (you won't be happy I finally saw your post, lol)

& email it to you to print & read at your leisure.... like you have any, cooking reading, etc. I know. It took me nearly 3 years & at least 25 books to learn what I have, plus several internet sites.

I just want to promise you that I am a normal mom & I have had success with diet changes, Nystatin, etc. Basically, I had to read William Shaw's book about 5 times to understand it. It is a little techical, but very correct. You really need to get it.

No matter what it is, I promise you, after you learn it & start cooking, preparing, giving the supplements, etc. & the Nystatin or Diflucan, it will get better. It could be a yeast die off reaction. My child didn't have it, though. I also did an anti-candida diet at the same time. Just keep reading & learning & doing what your doctor says. He is worth his weight in gold. He knows what he is doing. I had gone to an environmental doctor 4 yrs ago & they didn't have a clue. They should have known. Food allergies will be more & more heard of & probably within 10 years (hopefully) removing foods, etc. will be the first line of treatment for kids with behavior problems. The word is out & more & more doctors are seeing their patients do the alternatives & the kids getting better, so the patients are then teaching the doctors. Whew. What a screwed up system!

Straw

 

Straw,
Please keep sending information. It may take me a while to read it all, but I will. Sometimes I have to just put it all aside and clear my mind. There is so much information out there and seems the more I learn, the more there is to learn.
Everyone keeps talking about giving stimulants to kids with ADHD, but no one else seems to have a problem with caffeine. I refused to even try the Ritalin so don't know what that would have done. My son is not allergic to caffeine, but I learned very early in his life that he cannot have it. He gets extremely hyper with just a small amount. I am wondering if any other kind of stimulant would affect him differently. It seems that other kids with ADHD calm down when given caffeine. Do you have any idea why caffeine would affect my son so differently? If I were to give him a stimulant natural or otherwise, would it affect him the same as caffeine?
Connie

 

this is so darn interesting!!!!!!
Im so gald that you got all this testing done!! and Im glad you posted all this info on here!! I think I'll archive this one just for the info!!

Now if I could just find a doctor to help my kid.. It's not right.. I am the stupid moderator of this board and everyone elses kids are getting good treatment and mine isnt. WAHHHHH

Anyways,I am gald you are getting all this done and it's working!

------------------
7 yr old girl Bipolar/ADD/ODD
Currently on a new natural treatment (wish me luck)
off ALL medications!!
Fav. Funny quote- "Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll
probably still be a dog. <Sigh!> There's so little hope for advancement."
- Snoopy

"With out God, my life would fall apart"