Uncontrollable at 12 - Waco,TX

Glen Luepnitz is a nutritional oncologist. He usually treats cancer patients, but he is the go to guy in the Austin area for autism nutrition. I think supplements and or diet control may be a better way to go than medicine. It sounds like the medicine isn't working. He is at Lonestar Oncology off of Braker Lane. It took us 6 months to get in to see him. I would make an appointment right away. You can then research him to see if you really want to take him there. You can always cancel the appointment.
Good Luck!
S. M

Dear T.,

My heart goes out to you! Yes, the doctor has misdiagnosed him. The drugs are making him worse! Please get informed at CCHR website re the dangers of these powerful drugs. I would also advise going to www.westonaprice.org to get the proper info on nutrition. Take him off all processed foods, cokes, etc. He needs grass fed beef, chicken, raw milk, organic only. The conventional doctors have not solved his problem. That doesn't mean it is not solvable. There are answers out there, but you must search.
Best of luck to you!
L. B

Try the mangosteen juice it helps great with kids. inside and out. It has lots of science behind it. email me.

O.

Hi T.,

From you posting it sounds like you got your hands full here. You can do a lot with diet, but I am going to suggest some reading material for you to get. I do not know if you have been exposed to natural healing, but with children working with diet does wonders.
www.creeksideherbhouse.com that is my free teaching website. The theory page is where to start with learning. The books I am going to suggest you can get at any library.

A CURE FOR ALL DISEASE BY DR. HULDA CLARK
TODAYS HERBAL HEALTH ESSENTIAL REFERENCE GUIDE BY LOUISE TENNEY M.H.
THE CALCIUM FACTOR BY ROBERT BAREFOOT AND DR. CARL J REICH

You can start with juicing 16 oz of carrot juice, add one piece of celery and one granny smith green apple. It is a good tasting juice, and will booste the natural immune system, which is the one system that knows what is wrong with the body. If you can give that system the nutrition it needs to operate properly, it will help heal the rest of the body.

Get some peppermint tea and melt raw pure honey and have them drink that when they want something to drink. You can also get some childrens calcium, minerals and proboitics to help their bodies operate properly. Then change their diets to the diet suggested on the theory page of the creeksideherbhouse.com site.

I will keep you in my prayers

Blessings
J.

I recommend you try Dr. Kendal Stewart with the NeuroSensory Center. ###-###-#### www.neurosensorycenters.com
He is a very different kind of doctor--he tries to treat the source of the problem (usually within the sensory system) instead of just the symptoms. This will not be a "quick fix"--it takes up to 3 months to get an appointment, and it takes a while for the medicine to take effect--but it will be worth it in the end. My son is seeing him and we have been very pleased.
I also recommend the book: "Beyond Consequences Logic and Control" by Heather Forbes and Bryan Post. www.beyondconsequences.com The book was written for parents of adopted kids, but the techniques work for any kid with severe behavior problems. What is suggested is not easy, but I am guessing it will help.
K.

I met a chiropractor who specializes in helping children with special needs. He has further training in neurology and pediatrics. He gave an informative talk at the Rosedale parent co-op meeting last month and I was fascinated thinking about how the body and brain works from the inside out and when one system is not giving proper cues how can the body function in a healthy way? My 5 year old has Opitz sydrome and MR and I have been thinking about different therapies to help him function at his optimum level...whatever that may be!
Dr. Crump is in Georgetown ####-###-#### or try ____@____.com
I have 3 boys and usually feel pretty exhausted and crazy. Keep trying to do what is best for your son. Even if it doesn't last you'll learn from each stage what to take into the next one and what to leave behind as a lesson learned. The hardest part is to keep taking care of yourself. You can't help your son if you are too tired/angry/stressed out/etc. Pick one little thing that makes your life your own again (I love dark chocolate after the kids go to bed! Just a nibble...or two... and aromatherapy oils for relaxation.)

Try contacting the Coastal Bend Autism Advocacy group, I am sure you will be able to get GREAT suggestions - the founders are parents with children with Autism..

There are meetings held at Driscoll Children's Hospital Rehabilitation Lobby on the Last Thursday of the Month at 7pm.

J.

Pray to God and ask him for help. Leave it in God's hands. Believe in Him and expect a miracle. Don't give up. Have faith. You may not even need any meds ever again.

I would suggest the book by Dr. Alan E. Kazdin called "The Kazdin Method for Parenting the Defiant Child with No Pills, No Therapy, No Contest of Wills". It also comes with a DVD. I think this is a great and inexpensive resource that you and your husband could utilize most effectively with your oldest child, but can be a big help with the younger ones, too. You can check it out at your local library or buy it on Amazon/Half.com. I was really surprised at the results. It's made me a much more effective and peaceful parent. Dr. Kazdin has 35 years of experience working with difficult cases like your son's. Good luck!!

Has any one checked him for bipolar? I have a friend whose son sounds a lot like yours and she is checking into having him looked at to see if he is bipolar. You may want to read up on this. Many doctors are reluctant to "lable" a child with this disorder but if they have it they need help before they begin to self medicate with drugs. I will pray for you and your son.

Are you sure you are not talking about my 11 yr old daughter?!You described her to a T !

Did they do an IQ test on your son? What was his score?
I'll bet it was higher than normal.

Hi T.,

My prayers are with you. Have you used any type of Omega 3 supplementation for your child? You would most likely need to get Carlson's Fish Oil in the liquid form. You can put it into a smoothie and there is no taste. It can also be added to oatmeal and soups or even mixed with butter and put on bread.

It is a fabulous supplement for any age. It helps feed the brain. Check it out and may the Angels be with you!

Many blessings,
C.

Hey T.,

In reviewing old emails, I re-read this. I've found a book that might offer you some fresh ideas and support. For other moms of children with behavioral challenges or developmental issues who are reading this post, you might also like to read this. The book is called "Autism, Aspergers, ADHD, ADD, ? - A Parent's Roadmap to Understanding and Support!". The author is Diane Drake Burns. The author emphasizes the need to be your child's advocate in all important issues, to take care of yourself and to build a support network, among other things. It is a great book!

This sounds like a pretty complicated situation. As the mom, you are the best one to judge what will work, but please consider seeking someone who specializes in behavior modification for kids with PDD and autism.

You will probably find the answer lies in a combination of a modified diet, certain medications and certain methods to help him learn more self-control.

Just because he has challenges does not mean you shouldn't expect him to grow to behave in a better manner. Remember, too, that this impacts the whole family, so make sure to keep the needs of all your children, your husband AND YOU at heart.

Hold it in your heart that he will improve and the situation will improve. Your loved ones will sense this and rise up to that expectation. Find ways that the family can have fun together. At the moment, it might need to be low key and simple (ex: shooting baskets outside, taking a walk, etc.), but this will build positive memories and a sense of connectedness for the family.

As your son grows, his hormones will change and that will impact what works for him. Be prepared to keep searching, reading, seeking input from trusted authorities in various fields, and, if you are spiritual, spiritual guidance - in short, continue to be his number one advocate (a job you are uniquely suited to hold).

You can do this!

Good luck,

J. B
Parent Coach

I feel for you, I truly do. It probably is not what you want to hear, but you have 4 other children to think about. If your eldest is making your home a hostile environment for them, then you probably should consider removing him from the home. There are schools, etc that you can send him to that are equipped to deal with his issues, probably better than you are. It might be the best thing for him, and for your entire family.

Read Jenny McCarthy's book A Mother's Journey. Good book on her road to find a cure for autism. Her son was a happy/go lucky/healthy baby/toddler ..... Find an autism support group and talk these parents.

You have your hands full. You definitly need to seek outside help. Have you considered sending him to a boarding school for children with his disabilities. There are many good ones out there but they can be very expensive. Also, have you tried a day without the medication. Maybe he would be better off with a good no preservative diet.

I completely agree with the post about changing diet. I would also add to that that many people have sensentivities to chemicals found in the products used in their homes. I have an ADD child who is on very good vitamins (Omega-3 included) that are working well for him and I removed all the chemicals from my home. He is doing great!

I didn't have to pay more for natural products either. Check out Melaleuca.com. As a preferred customer, you get loyalty shopping rewards (my local supermarket is doing much the same thing now), which gets you free products. You get the wholesale prices and if you want, you can earn an income to cover all your costs just by telling others about the store. I get a check every month that more than covers the amount of money I spend at Melaleuca so it's really helped my budget.

I think all the time about the people that are spending tons of money on drugs for their ADD/Autistic kids when natural works great and could end up not costing anything for a little work. It was a win-win situation for me changing my store to Melaleuca.

Feel free to contact me for more information:
J.
____@____.com
www.livetotalwellness.com/janislanz

T., hi have you ever heard of Dr. Jepson at Thoughtful House on Bee Caves or a behavorial therapist? My daughter Sidni has been going to Dr. Jepson whose entire office works with Autistic children. He's great!!! Also my daughter sees a behavorial therapist. Both have worked very well for her. Hope this helps, hang in there!!! S.

T.,

We use to work at a girls ranch and had to deal with this often. Watch what you are giving your child to eat, drink. No dairy products or very little. Nothing with red die in it, such as koolaides and hot dogs. Check labels and cut out his sugar content as much as possible. You will find a different child. No soft drinks also. When we went to the ranch every child we had was on something for adhd, but within a year we had almost all of them off of the meds. We controlled it with diet.

I second the diet. My oldest (SID,OCD,AS, and I'm sure ODD at times) was at the point that I couldn't imagine NOT putting her on meds. We already had no artificial anything, little to no sugar, no dyes, ect. That's when I tried removing all wheat and gluten from the diet. She got worse, and then she got better. We did the diet for 1 month, went back to gluten, and there was an obvious difference. I mean, that week was the week of hell in my home. We went back to GF and although she is still difficult, it's really a lot better. Except when she sneaks gluten- you can always tell when she's had gluten because she is very violent and can't control herself at all- screams and kicks and throws things for a LONG time when she gets upset.

Also, melatonin used a few times a week seems to work wonders in helping our kids sleep.

Feel free to write me privately, too.

S., mom to 4 girls on the spectrum

I just read The ADHD AUTISM Kid Friendly Cookbook and it was great on explaining sensitivities ect.

My Youngest yon has autism. He takes concerta in the Morning. The long lasting Ritalin is what it is. the he takes 5 mg of ritalin at school around 2:00.It helps control him in school to.He is also ADHD. The Doc put him on Resperdal 0.5 mg at night like half hour before he goes to bed. He sleeps through the night and it has helped his agressivness and he is more copertive in the morning with no fit throughing. Some time he takes it a little earlyer and Then he does his chores with out a fight. It has seem to help him get along at home better to.He is 16 and has been on it for quit awhile and it is still working for him.Good luck with your son. I have 8 kids and the one is Autistic and two ADHD and one Bipolar and I am bipolar. So we have a lot of working on meds going on around our house.

I realize this is way after your posting, but I just joined the site. Reading your sons description was like a mirror of my son, who's 11. I have 2 younger girls that are being affected by his issues as well. It is a hard thing to watch and go through.

I just wanted to reach out. This is the firt time in 11 years I have realized I need help and support. Well this is the first time I am willing to actively seek it. Like it is said,
"it takes a village".

Maybe if we can't "figure" it out, we can manage better with others we can relate to.

My family follows the Feingold diet and it has help alot. Many families with members who have ADHD and and Austism have been helped with this diet. The basis of it is to eliminate all food dyes, and preservatives and salycilates from the diet. When you become a member you get an extrememly large shopping list that lists all the items that have been Feingold approved you can read more about it all on their website www.feingold.org. I really can't say enough about how it has helped our family. We can all tell when the wrong foods have been eaten.

T.

Hi T., I personally don't have any experience with this. Although when I was working for an executive suites I remember one of our clients was a Neurotherapist. I remember 2 children in particular, that would "climb the walls" when they came in, They would scream, fight with each other, It was very alarming for alot of people that did not know what they were here for. I rememeber the doctor explaining to me that she did treatment for them INSTEAD of drugs because the drugs didn't work. I remember thinking well neither is your therapy! But within a matter of months the children would come in and I noticed a REMARKABLE difference! They were more calm, and if there mother spoke they would actually LOOK at her! They never even acknowladge her before! I don't even remember the name of the practice any more. It if funny though I remeber the moms name, Jackie. Anyhow I found this site that may help http://www.unt.edu/neurotherapy/clients.html

Hi T.. I feel your pain. My 3 and a half year old son has some sensory integration issues. Much of what you are describing, we are living with as well. I worry it will get worse as he gets older and even more manipulative. I had a meeting with his teachers and school director this past Monday (he's being evaluated for certain disorders this Friday so I wanted feedback from them too). The school director has an autistic daughter who is now 100% functional and in control of her life. A few things she had done....she was tested for food allergies/intollerances and discovered wheat and milk were an issue. They ommitted that from her diet and put her on a natural food (no processed) diet. Here's the website. http://www.feingold.org/pg-faq.html. It does cost $70 to get the information but I'm going to do this very soon. At the very least, check out the site. It has some very interesting information in there! They also had there daughter tested for yeast (I guess she had a lot of ear infections and had been on more than enough antibiotics; the count in her body was 200X the normal amount. Therefore toxic). They put her on an antifungal med. After these changes, she did a 180. I actually met her in January and I would have never guessed she was autistic. Anything is worth a try. I have a defiant child myself so I know how hard it will be to make a 12 year old change his diet in a drastic way. However, it is worth a try. All we want in life is a healthy and happy child. I know it hurts you to see your baby this way. Good luck to you! Keep us posted down the road.

I found quite helpful a book called The Explosive Child. Will get you the author. Have read the description part and it fits. I have five kids: three boys and two girls. The middle boy (age 8...as are his brothers...all adopted), is also explosive. There is an obvious double standard in our house as to expectations of behavior....not by intentioN...but in actuality. My answer to the other kids is if you want to be in the kind of trouble he brings upon himself....join him. Can't say it works all the time, but I think they sense there is something different about him.

He iS on mood stabilzer and abilify. Has worked pretty well for a year or so and now not so much. He has had A's in school and all good behavior marks.....and yet he also kicks and hits. He is my biggest boy, of course, and already can lose control (or purposely) and hit me pretty hard.

Don't let anyone or yourself berate you as a parent.my other four are totally not the same way. Don't take junk from therapists, friends, or relatives. Look for who may be helpful. I let people know nicely that I appreciate their comments (even when I don't) but they don't know what they are talking about.

Most importantly don't let him split you and your husband. It is the child that is impossible....not you all. Try to stay out of the blame game.

After that, I can't say where we are headed....I'm just trying to keep myself and everyone else as sane as possible.

You're not alone.

A friend of mine has a daughter with developmental delays that may have some similar symptoms. She has had significant improvement using a natural product. If you are interested in learning more about it, please call me at ###-###-####.

I haven't read any responses so I don't know if this has been advised, (and you may already be doing this) but when it was suggested that my step son may have ADHD (exhibiting similar behavior to what you describe), neither his dad nor his bio-mother was comfortable putting him on all the drugs. Initally, we did all the punishments you mentioned... to no avail. He was tested and re-tested, etc. But, what ended up WORKING for us was a COMPLETE diet change... we found out that he had FOOD allergies, which were manifesting as behavioral problems. We removed GLUTEN from his diet and another BIG factor was the food coloring Red-40. We also removed the majority of packaged foods and prepared foods from his diet. (we were able to incorporate those more, in time, so the family could enjoy dinner out, etc.) It was VERY difficult and costly and took some time to take effect but he is a different child!!! He is almost 12 now and this started when he was 8. The only "medication" he receives is not medication at all but is called Sea Buddies-Focus Formula. It is an enzymatic therapy; it is all natural! It sounds as if your child has so many drugs running through his body that, that in itself, could be as potentially dangerous as his behavior. I'm not saying that a diet change or all natural therapy WILL help, but it worked in for our little guy. Like I said, it took some time, patience, and a little expense (organic, whole foods are more expensive, in general), but it was more than worth it. He is a wonderful big brother now, of course there is still the typical resentment and sibling rivalry, but it is well within expected boundaries. He does still have moments where the monster rears its ugly head, but HE can get it in control now and he actually wants to keep it in control now. I would suggest looking in into this kind of "treatment". I will warn you, your doctor may (or may not)tell you that food allergies have nothing to do with it and it is foolish to try to treat such behavior with a change of diet, but remember, he or she probably gets "kick-backs" from those drug companies and keeping your son drugged up is what lines his doctor's pockets! It's worth a try and CAN'T hurt. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

I have a daughter who is a twin. They are going to be 15 in September. One twin is a great student and the other one was diagnosed with ADHD, Autism, Puppet Syndrome, and has Thyroid problems. It was very hard for me the first 5 years. She was finally diagnosed when she was 6 as having ADHD, all others were diagnosed in 2006. There is a wonderful doctor by the name of Dr. Kendal Stewart in Austin, Tx with the Neurosensory Center. He helps with ADHD and Autism. It is far for us, we live in Midland, but it is worth every cent. She is a total different child today.
I know what you are going through because I was a prisoner in my own home. I could not go anywhere with her because she had no knowledge of danger and her behavior was really tough for me. I know from experience that he can help. He told us that he would have her well within 2 years and he did. She is awesome at school, she now waves and smiles, she can tolerate a visit to the grocery store, she is so lovable with her twin sister and other siblings, which I never thought was possible. He is her angel because she is improving every day. She was also diagnosed as never being able to talk and is now saying words. I do sign language with her and have her try to repeat what I say. What ever he says you need to do and have faith in God. I have been all over Texas and other states looking for a solution and we finally have one that is working and she is improving so fast it is hard to believe she is the same child before Dr. Stewart. His staff is great and will always take care of your needs and the childs. I hope you will contact him and I GUARANTEE that you will not regret your decision. God Bless you and do not give up. I almost did. I almost had her committed to a hospital where she would be until she would MAYBE improve. God grants wishes, cause I prayed for an intercession so that I would not lose her. She is a beautiful child and my home is so calm and peaceful.

Oh I wish I had some answers for you. I have no first hand knowledge on the subject. I do visit ivillage.com...they have a message board for autism spectrum that I found very interessting and supportive. Sorry I can't be of more help:{

Debra

T., around this age, boys are very hormonal. They hardly bathe, brush their teeth, get angry for minute reasons, etc. Then, they began to "smell" themselves. They'll clean themselves up around age 14, but the tolerance toward siblings is about the same, just more cunning in dishing out the aggrevation. This new temprement is normal and can usually be curved quite a bit with serious father interaction, however, your circumstances include dysfunctional disorders. Disorders that exacerbate the situation. My heart goes out to you. As for dyslexia, many famous entrepreneurs have the same thing. Myself and my uncle both have dyslexia. I can read and write backwards (literally from right to left) as well as upside down. My uncle has his BA in engineering, working for Exxon Corporation more than 33 years. I worked for Exxon Corporation in accounting a couple years and went on to Transcribing for 13 years. Now I own my own business for the last 7 years. We (dyslexians) have very unique abilities. I think of it as an added benefit. None of my children are dyslexic, but I homeschooled them for several years. All three are in public school and at the top of their classes. With God, anything is possible.

I have a now 15 yr old with Asbergers,("broad specgtrum autism"), ADHD, & bipolar. He has had several hospitalizations since age 11. When losing it he is very irrational & mean & possibly violent. This last hospitalization he was given vivanyse but it gave him tics severely. He is on no ADHD meds now as most are stimulants and that does not work with him. There are a couple that are "non-stimulant", but have the side effect of sleepiness as does the Propanolol & Serroquil he is taking. I chose to treat the bipolar & Asbergers as that was most needed. He and I have worked very hard on control, respect, responsibility, and talking it out. I learned alot at therapy sessions, especially from the hospitals. NAMI is a great support group too!! As far as the meds, he is maturing, hormones are on the move, it is alot of monitoring. I kept a a notebook for several years after his first break. It really helped to see what were triggers, when meds & activities were & were not working.(I documented 5 mins here & there, late night/early morn,a moment at work, whenever i could) Yes, he will be meanest to the family first & probably most as that is safe. They are my family I know they will still love me. Don't accept it but always let him know you love him. Check with your Dr about non-stimulant or even natural ADHD meds. Also ask if the are contradictive to each other. After his first mental break he was on 5 different meds. 1 1/2 yrs later he violently fell apart. It took awhile to clean that out all those meds and start fresh to see what would work and what didn't. He was on way too many conflicting meds as well as maturing and changing. The new Dr we were blessed with at the 2nd hospital really got him on a good med track. Believe me you are your childs best advocate. No Dr, therapist, or pharmacuetical knows better what is working with him. Always remember too, you are an awesome Mother and you are doing the right thing for your son!! Stay calm, step back a take a breath & stand firm. You will get through this with your feet on the ground.

T.,

I teach 5th and 6th grade. I deal with children your son's age daily. I have to say that, perhaps you might consider admitting your son into a Child Study Center for a week or so, to allow the physicians and other professionals to monitor his behavior during the day AND the night. The Doctors may well be mis-diagnosing him, OR the may just not see the whole "Big Picture"...

I also have two Teenage daughters and I understand your fears that if his behavior esculates into his teenage years your family will be impacted in a negative way.

On a side note:

When I was in college one of our students was an older student, and the mother of several (some adopted) sons with various degrees of ADHD; in addition to several other behavioral complications. The reason she was involved with the education program was because of her special needs boys. Like your son, some of her boys had more than on e thing going on, and medication was minimally (or not) successful...She shared the following story with the class one day:

One morning, one of her boys awoke and shared an EARLY breakfast with his dad. Well, this happened a couple times a week for several weeks. SHe and her husband began to notice that his behavior was becoming better. He was more focused in school, easier to guide, and better attitude over all. They began puzzling what might be happening to change things. They finally narrowed down that the days he was the best were the days that he and dad had breakfast and COFFEE together. Long story short, they began experimenting with his caffine intake. Eventually, they were able to adjust just the right amount of caffine (stimulant) to all their boys so that they no longer used any meds... Now, this might have been a fluke... but there are so many things about the brain we do not know... We do know that many of your ADHD medications are STIMULANTS... Answers come at unexpected times in unexpected places.

Best of luck!

T.

I'll be keeping an eye on the responses you get. I'm the one who has a request from March that has gotten zero responses as of yet. You have described my 14 year old to a tee with the exception of the medications. He was also diagnosed with PDD at a very young age (I think it was three as well) and later with ADHD. Meds helped for a while and then not.

It didn't help that I came out of an abusive marriage. Circumstances always seem to play a role in their behavior. He has seemed to mellow out some in middle school, but there are still problems. It's still hard to know what to do though.

Hang in there. We'll get through this together. Feel free to send me a personal message if you wish. Sometimes it helps knowing there's someone else out there who is going through the same thing (or close) as you are.

R.