Re: OT; Lithium update; tested blood plasma and hair

[Guest guest]

Hi We did both hair and blood plasma. The tests were covered by insurance. FYI, the range I gave <0.1 reference range >= 0.6 is for the blood plasma. I do not have copies of the hair results which might be a differenct scale -- but the results were the same. He did not register any detectable levels of lithium in either test. I hate posting completely unsubstantiated reports -- so please keep this next note in the context that one person from Israel posted it on another list over a year ago. She is the one who first got me thinking about lithium. She said that the University of Tel Aviv had recently discovered that a group of children with HFA, ADHD, ADD and Asperges (full blown autism was not included) were all deficient in lithium. They started supplementing with low dose lithium (again not the Rx anti-psychotic kind with all the negative side

effects) and the kids made remarkable progress -- some even moved off the spectrum. This lady said that the study found that the mothers of the low lithium kids often had trouble going into labor, having labor progress and/or producing contractions. I had to be induced with both pregnancies so we decided to have tested. Everything I read about lithium was really scary and then I found out that the homeopaths and long been using lithium orotate with much success for bi-polar, ADD and other similar afflictions. They orotate did not produce any of the negative reactions. I then found out that Dr. Neubrander and formulated a low dose elemental lithium (the kind found in municipal drinking water) supplement for Kirkman's and had many of his patients on it. The orotate is not FDA approved but neither is anything else we do, so I am not sure that is a big deal. Any way, I found that there

were two routes and I threw a dart at the board and chose the elemental lithium through Kirkmans. Later we switched to the liquid lithium from New Beginnings. The improvement came when we started dosing the pills throughout the day which was a major pain so we switched to the liquid from New Beginnings. We are still seeing continued better normal behavior -- definitely a positive. Like I said, when we first started, we saw great things at the beginning and then nothing (and many of the gains were not sustained). Of course, like all of you, we are doing everything and the kitchen sink so it is really hard to credit just one intervention. BTW, the Tel Aviv researchers (per this one post) theorized that low lithium hence became another risk factor for ASD. I have never seen the reseach to back up that post but the ADD/extreme social awkwardness/mood swings/sporadic irrational

behavior fit my son to a tee. Both this post and the a speaker at a DAN conference commented that if the kids are low in lithium so is the mother (or at least it is very likely she is deficient). The condition is hereditary (or inherited) but not genetic. A disproportionate share of ASD moms (like me) had to be induced. Everyone has long blamed the pictocin has a risk factor for ASD but no one could never "pin the tail on the donkey." It has been confirmed that pictocin does not contain mercury as many thought. So my own totally unsubstantiated theory is that the moms did need the pictocin because of the low lithium and it was the low lithium that put the kids at risk for ASD -- and not the pictocin. But like I said, it is something I have wondered about -- totally not proven or necessarily backed by facts. Vera Fund

wrote: What is the test you are using to determine lithiumlevel?--- Vera <sircarlitosbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote:> Hi> > I also wanted to post a lithium update. We first> tested lithium about 9 months ago and found out that> my son had virtually none. We started supplementing> with 250 mcgs per day (per the Kirkman website) and> saw immediate gains (which were later lost) and

then> saw nothing in terms of general ASD (socially> appropriate) behavior with the only gains being> fewer inappropriate meltdowns. We retested in> November and got the results back. His lithium had> not budged after 9 months of supplementing.> > So now we changed from once in the AM to four> smaller doses throughout the day and then most> recently switched to a liquid form and we got the> initial gains back and are slowly starting to see> more and more normal speech with correct> infllections, etc. The gains came with changing the> timing not the form (pill to liquid). An example of> inappropriate speech:> > Mom: , hi, are you okay?> : "Welllllllllllllllllllll, of course I> ammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!" Way to slow, way too long,> way too loud.> > Now:> Mom: Hi, how's it going?> : "Great" or "I'm

tired."> > So much much better. We will see if the lithium> has budged when we test again in February but the> point I wanted to emphasize (no matter what the> protocol -- assuming it is a supplement) -- if it is> not working, try again in smaller more frequent> doses for better absorption.> > He also stopped messing his pants again. The> first time we started lithium, he immediately> started reaching the toilet for BMs -- at age 5.5. > He got to a 100% and then slowly regressed along. > He also stopped seeing any progress with socially> more appropriate behavior. So we restarted by> spreading the dose out and voila -- we got the gains> back and they appear to be holding.> > Doing the happy dance --> Vera> Just wanted to pass along.> > > >

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