Ben has regained his losses in speech progression, but has not progressed any further. Essentially we are back where we were in March: a limited number of 2 word sentences. We noticed an improvement after introducing a stronger probiotic from Klaire labs and after even more endless hours of research we are going to introduce several new supplements in hopes that these will provide his body with the nutrients that will help his brain continue to recover.
Glutamine -- Research has suggested that glutamine levels may be significantly decreased in individuals with autism (Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Volumn 87 Issue 5). Glutamine plays a role in neurotransmision, providing energy to the neurons, metabolism and function of the intestinal mucosa, and glutamine is utilized at a high rate by immune cells and is required for optimal immune system function.
Silymarin -- Essentially milk thistle; it is believed to strengthen the cell membranes and limit liver toxins from entering the cells as well as increase ribosomal protein synthesis and thus increase the remarkable regenerative ability of the liver. Many studies have been done but since they are poorly structured it is difficult to accurately gauge the benefits (if any) of silymarin. However, since there are no significant risks it is on the list of supplements.
VSL #3 -- One of the few probiotics supported by clinical double blind placebo controlled studies. Although the studies focused on ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and IBS, anecdotal research is suggestive of significant gains when used as a biomedical supplement for autism spectrum disorder. It will be the most powerful probiotic we've tried to date.
Cod Liver Oil -- Although we have been giving Ben an Omega 3 6 9 supplement daily, a switch to cod liver oil is likely to benefit him. Cod liver oil is high in readily accessible vitamin A and rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation. Vitamin A is a supplement that has shown promise in autism treatment and research has shown we have an abundance of omega 6, which increases inflammation, in our modern diet and an imbalance of Omega 3 fatty acids.
There are many more supplements I am researching. However, in order to assess the impact of each supplement on behavior and language development it is necessary to introduce new supplements a minimum of one week apart. So these list will take us at least a month to go through; that's assuming we can get Ben to take any of them.
Let the
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