His first four

We started Jaden on his supplements given by Dr Erwin right after he recovered from his fever. We were given these four supplements to start off with, which is actually recommended to start off with a few supplements before slowly going full-fledged so we will know which supplement Jaden might be allergic to. 

The first supplement we gave was the cod liver oil. Cod liver oil is actually good for everybody. It is just that some out there on the market, might have used some fish that might have some mercury in them and this is a big no no for children like Jaden. We are trying to eliminate all sorts of metal from his life, in order to do so, we have to choose only the best cod liver oil claimed to be sourced from fishes that are at their minimal exposure to such poisonous components. Dr Erwin gave us the Möller's Tran Cod Liver Oil. 

So far, well, my journey in trying to feed him the cod liver oil has been going quite smoothly with a few bumps on the road after I took heed of Chris's advice by putting bits of fruits on top of the spoon and quickly letting him gulp down before he realizes anything but now, I guessed he figured out my trick and sometimes will just clamp his mouth shut so tight, it really needs a few minutes of coaxing, some smelly fishy oily drips on the floor before I can get him to gulp it all down. *sigh* This poster here really depicts the situation well. 

 

Translation: “Not the easiest thing to give, but the best thing to get”.

Picture by the awesomely talented Jill Greenberg.

Next, I started giving him the Digestive Enzymes. So what does Digestive Enzymes do? Digestive enzymes are complex proteins that aid the digestive system by carrying out chemical changes in the food ingested. Digestive enzymes need specific pH and temperature to become chemically active. The Digestive Enzymes that Jaden is consuming at the moment is the Houston Peptizyde Multiple Protease (90 capsules), 3 times a day before food. 

 

So every morning when he wakes up, there will be juice ready for me to open a capsule to mix it into the juice. Mind you, juice meaning three-four straw sips of juice only, enough just to get the whole capsule into his tummy. On days I think I might get lucky, I cut the fruit, dig a hole in the middle just nice enough to fit the whole powder from the capsule in and let him eat it all. Of course he will spit it out but I make sure he eats everything he spits out until he is done with that small tiny bite size of fruit. At the moment, the instructions given by Dr Erwin is to give him 3 times a day but I can also gradually increase it to 5 times a day. Its just that trying to feed him 3 times a day is already a struggle, 5 times??? Well, if that is what it takes to get him recovered, I will do it...

Of course, whatever we eat or do will have side effects. If not, there won't be the cause and effect theory right? Well, there are side effects to taking Digestive Enzymes too. There are certain digestive enzymes side effects that may be experienced by the user. The digestive enzyme side effects may be seen for a few days after you begin to take them. It is just the body's way of adjusting to the dose of enzymes. The digestive enzyme side effects that are commonly seen are as follows: 

Diarrhea / Constipation / Stomachache / Nausea / Bloating / Gas / Loss of Appetite / Headache / Fatigue / Dizziness

So far, I think the only side effect I see is that Jaden has been burping quite a lot, a little tummy bloatness and thats about it. Maybe sometimes in a day, he poops 3 times a day, 2 times will look kinda diarrhea-like, soft and mustardy yellowish colour but then again, that might also be due to the side effects of the probiotics, which i am writing about below.

The rule says to feed this before meal too, but other parents have told me that the digestive enzymes would digest the probiotics and then, it defeats the purpose of giving him the good bacteria so I feed this two hours after his meal. This too, I mix into the juice and let him sip it all up. I am getting really good at twisting and opening up the capsules now. He only eats 2 capsules a day because too much probiotics might also cause underlying medical issues. He takes the Klaire Lab Ther-Biotic Detoxification Support probiotics.

In rare cases, they may lead to mild digestive problems like flatulence, bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. If probiotics are taken in excess amount, there are chances of developing infections that require medical attentions. 

In case of people having an underlying disease or a compromised  immune system,  probiotics can cause potential health problems. In fact, these individuals are at a higher risk of developing infection after the use of probiotics. Symptoms such as bloody stools, skin rash and fever are indications of intestinal infection. 

In addition, probiotics may disturb the normal metabolic processes and autoimmune responses of the body. According to medical studies conducted, there is a possibility that probiotics may interact with immunosuppressive drugs, leading to life-threatening conditions. Hence, those who are on immunosuppressive medications should strictly avoid probiotics. 

Sends shiver down your spine, don't they? 

  

Last but not least, for now, this is something he drinks without pushing me away. I mixed 1/4 teaspoon of Awakening Spectrum powder by Metabolic Maintenance into his juice and just mix it till it blends. Supposedly it has no taste or smell, so the boy just laps it up like how he would drink water. Awakening Spectrum is actually multivitamins.This, I have to feed him 3 times a day after meal.

This specialty formulation contains the nine most commonly prescribed amino acids and vitamin/minerals for autism. They synergistically act as a GABA agonist; symptoms associated with hyperactivity of the nervous system, including hypersensitivities, delayed speech, anxiety, and insomnia may be corrected by the increased production of GABA, serotonin and melatonin. The amino acid combination of 5-HTP, Theanine, Taurine, and Lysine, in conjunction with P5P, Methylcobalamin, and Magnesium, may help slow down an overactive nervous system.

So there, these are currently what I am feeding Jaden at the moment. I guess, we have to wait till my next round to Dr Erwin to see if Jaden needs to add on more. You know, some children consumes more than 20 different types of supplements daily? some Vitamin B12 daily injection shots too... I am so not looking forward to that just yet... and there are some things I am still considering on giving Jaden because once you start on these meds, you don't stop. You go all the way if you want to see improvement.

Quoting from one mother I talked to, "its just like cancer patients. If they say you need to do 10 chemotherapy to see results, and you only do 5 and then you bitch about not seeing results. Whose at fault right? So its the same with biomeds, or the hours to put in for therapy sessions".

And yes, the therapy sessions is what I am going to blog in my next entry.

In conclusion, did Mr and I see any results / improvement in Jaden's journey at the moment. Well, since we got him on a strict GFCF diet, he seemed to look at people more and a little more aware of what is going on. Eye contact is still fleeting but at least he do pause a while to look at you in the eye before doing his thing again. Slowly but surely ... that shall be my motto!