How to get started with a 20 year-old: Questions for Dr. McCandless & others

[Guest guest]

How to get started with a 20 year-old: questions for Dr. McCandless and

others.

Hello. My name is Stan and I’m a first-time writer to this list. My 20

year-old son has a long history of academic and social struggles, although he

has completed high school and has taken some courses at a community college.

For years, we thought the term Asperger’s Syndrome best identified his

cluster of characteristics. However, my wife and I attended numerous seminars

and

never got much practical information. More recently, we have been reading

about Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD), and have found it to be a much more

helpful label. We have even found an “NLD coach†who has been a great help

to us.

It was our coach who directed us to Dr. McCandless’ book. We were stunned.

We never realized that there were such powerful dietary interventions. Our

son has a number of low-level health issues. He is never

sick, but he rarely seems completely well. He has frequent headaches,

variable appetite, fatigue and bad acne. We haven’t been negligent. We have

been

to physicians, chiropractors, and even dieticians.

Now, just when he is about to go off to college (a small college close to

home with a good LD support program), we learn about these powerful

interventions. Obviously, we could kick ourselves for not learning about these

sooner,

but we can’t do anything about that now. Here’s our question: Since

he’ll

be off at college, it will be very difficult to make major dietary changes.

He will eat in a school cafeteria. However, are there some moderate

interventions, along with some supplements that could at least help him feel

better

and give him greater energy and focus?

Of course we’re dealing with a 20-year-old so he’ll have to buy into

anything that we try. However, he is usually agreeable to things that we

suggest.

He wants to feel better too.

We live in the Atlanta area, so we would be particularly interested in local

resources. Thanks so much!

[Guest guest]

Stan,

Two very easy things your son can do are to cut down on refined sugar

and take probiotics every day. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that

we all have. They are also found in yogurt (plain yogurt is best).

You can get probiotics in capsule form at the health food store or

through a company such as Kirkman Labs. Check how many cells are in

the product. A lot of people like a product called Culturelle.

If your son does not want to start a special diet right now he might

find digestive enzymes helpful. Also, do NOT let him have ANY

vaccinations before college.

It all depends how much your son is willing to do improve his health.

Good Luck,

Hope

> How to get started with a 20 year-old: questions for Dr. McCandless

and

> others.

>

> Hello. My name is Stan and I’m a first-time writer to this list.

My 20

> year-old son has a long history of academic and social struggles,

although he

> has completed high school and has taken some courses at a community

college.

> For years, we thought the term Asperger’s Syndrome best

identified his

> cluster of characteristics. However, my wife and I attended

numerous seminars and

> never got much practical information. More recently, we have been

reading

> about Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD), and have found it to be

a much more

> helpful label. We have even found an “NLD coach†who has been

a great help

> to us.

>

> It was our coach who directed us to Dr. McCandless’ book. We were

stunned.

> We never realized that there were such powerful dietary

interventions. Our

> son has a number of low-level health issues. He is never

> sick, but he rarely seems completely well. He has frequent headaches,

> variable appetite, fatigue and bad acne. We haven’t been

negligent. We have been

> to physicians, chiropractors, and even dieticians.

>

> Now, just when he is about to go off to college (a small college

close to

> home with a good LD support program), we learn about these powerful

> interventions. Obviously, we could kick ourselves for not learning

about these sooner,

> but we can’t do anything about that now. Here’s our question:

Since he’ll

> be off at college, it will be very difficult to make major dietary

changes.

> He will eat in a school cafeteria. However, are there some moderate

> interventions, along with some supplements that could at least help

him feel better

> and give him greater energy and focus?

>

> Of course we’re dealing with a 20-year-old so he’ll have to buy

into

> anything that we try. However, he is usually agreeable to things

that we suggest.

> He wants to feel better too.

>

> We live in the Atlanta area, so we would be particularly interested

in local

> resources. Thanks so much!

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Now, just when he is about to go off to college (a small college

close to

> home with a good LD support program), we learn about these

powerful

> interventions. Obviously, we could kick ourselves for not

learning about these sooner,

> but we can’t do anything about that now.

I would support you in congratulating yourselves for being

so receptive to this new information, and skip any kicking.

It sounds like you have done a lot for and with your son,

and that you still have energy, interest and resources to

continue -- give yourselves a lot of credit, please.

> Here’s our question: Since he’ll

> be off at college, it will be very difficult to make major

dietary changes.

> He will eat in a school cafeteria. However, are there some

moderate

> interventions, along with some supplements that could at least

help him feel better

> and give him greater energy and focus?

I would suggest digestive enzymes (such as Kirkman's or

Houston). I agree with the prior comments about probiotics

(and they are very easy, just a pill to swallow). (Most

commercial yogurt does NOT have probiotic cultures in it,

BTW, although most yogurt at a health food store does.)

I would also suggest that you do a hair test or a fractionated

urine porhpyrins test, or both, to look for metal tosicity

http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/HOW_TO_hair_test.html

http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/ANDY_INDEX.html ==> look

for the section about " determining mercury toxicity: fractionated

urine porphyrins test " .

> We live in the Atlanta area, so we would be particularly

interested in local

> resources. Thanks so much!

Sorry, I don't know any. If you want some lists of doctors

to check, here are some:

http://home.earthlink.net/~moriam/HOW_TO_find_doctor.html

Not sure if this is useful.

I also would very much suggest that you plan now and in future

that he will NOT have any amalgam (mercury) dental fillings placed

in his mouth. You can take your time to learn about this, but

in the meantime, do not allow any amalagam fillings. Same for

vaccinations. Take all the time you want to read up on it, but

in the meantime don't allow any. And make sure he knows these

guidelines, and make them clear to dentists etc.

In general, you can probably also make a lot of progress with

nutritional supplements--- such as vitamin C, E, magnesium.

What is helpful varies and will take some experimentation

and/or testing.

good wishes,

Moria

(not a mom)