Re: Just starting and have some questions

December 31, 2004

Hi, Robin.

I am a mom to a seven year old boy, as well, who is going to be graduating

from kindergarten in two weeks--we homeschool now, but we had 2 very

unsuccessful years in public school kindergarten. I know the trying times!

Dakota has multiple health problems, but he is small for his age--he now

weighs 44 pounds and is 42 inches tall. We were GFCF for two years prior to

starting SCD. Dakota had horrible problems with constipation, and we were

always told that it was related to his seizure disorders. But, he is now

having regular bowel movements (which also has decreased the seizures, as

well). I have found SCD to be very easy--some days harder than others, and

we went through a VERY long die-off period (close to 6 months), but we

managed very well. He has grown two inches and two pounds since starting

SCD, and this has been within the past 6 months. Our whole family is SCD,

and it has not been a problem for us--it is so much easier than making

individual meals for the entire family! I hope that it works for your

family and especially for your son. This is a wonderfully supportive and

knowledgeable group who will always be there to help. Good luck!

whole family SCD

Mom to Dakota (7--NF, BWS, CDD, Seizure Disorder--GFCF 3+years; SCD 1+ year)

and (4--healthy, happy, supportive little brother :-) )

December 31, 2004

> Hi, Robin.

>

> I am a mom to a seven year old boy, as well, who is going to be

graduating

> from kindergarten in two weeks--we homeschool now, but we had 2 very

> unsuccessful years in public school kindergarten. I know the trying

times!

> Dakota has multiple health problems, but he is small for his age--he now

> weighs 44 pounds and is 42 inches tall. We were GFCF for two years

prior to

> starting SCD. Dakota had horrible problems with constipation, and

we were

> always told that it was related to his seizure disorders. But, he

is now

> having regular bowel movements (which also has decreased the

seizures, as

> well). I have found SCD to be very easy--some days harder than

others, and

> we went through a VERY long die-off period (close to 6 months), but we

> managed very well. He has grown two inches and two pounds since

starting

> SCD, and this has been within the past 6 months. Our whole family

is SCD,

> and it has not been a problem for us--it is so much easier than making

> individual meals for the entire family! I hope that it works for your

> family and especially for your son. This is a wonderfully

supportive and

> knowledgeable group who will always be there to help. Good luck!

>

> whole family SCD

> Mom to Dakota (7--NF, BWS, CDD, Seizure Disorder--GFCF 3+years; SCD

1+ year)

> and (4--healthy, happy, supportive little brother :-) )

Thank you so much. I feel very encouraged. I would love to talk and

compare notes on what works and what does not for our little gifts.

I homeschooled for a year and a half and no matter how hard we

worked he didn't get it. I gave up last spring and put him in public

school with special help and an IEP. He still didn't get it. So now

he is repeating K again and working at about an average level, but we

know he will not do well in 1st grade here unless something changes.

His teacher is very upset with us that we will not put him on a

psychotropic to help him concentrate, but I have mandates from two

pediatricians that this is not an option.

We started seeing Dr. Megson in November and WOW - for the first

time they aren't sending me for parent counseling or shrugging their

shoulders. His blood work has shown gluten enteropathy, copper

displacement and low zinc and hyper thyroid. His hair analysis came

back with high levels of all heavy metals and his urinalysis showed a

clostridium infection and yeast overgrowth. His stool analysis is not

back yet. Along with regular supplements they've added l-carnosine

and we just started a Rx of flagyl for the clostridium.

I feel like he is waking up out of a drugged stupor for the first time

in a long time. He is alert and wants to participate in life. He is

actually beginning to care about things. School has not seen a

difference yet though so they are not pleased with us.

Anyway,

thank you so much for your encouragement.

God Bless,

Robin

January 4, 2005

Hi Robin,

> My concern is his weight. At his last check-up last spring, he

> weighed 46 lbs. He has lost weight on the Celiacs Diet and is now

at

> 43 lbs. If I pull him off of all grains, will he lose more

weight?

Some kids do lose weight when they begin SCD but usually start to

add weight again once they adjust to the diet. The most common

reason for that initaial dip (which not all kids go through) is that

their bodies are adapting to the change in *type of food*. It is

shifting from " rumen type " digestion to " human " digestion. The good

news is that once the body adjusts to that change in usually starts

making up for lost time (the increase in appetite) and in many cases

the children start to grow as they should. Many families have

reported that their kids shoot up once stabilized on the diet.

Likely do to with their bodies resuming their natural growth pattern

once the body begins to heal and is able to channel the needed

nutrients, minerals and vitamins for growth like other healthy

children.

> Diarrhea is not a problem although he is on medication for a

> clostridium infection and will be on medication for a yeast

overgrowth

> beginning next month.

Some links related to these:

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/clostridium

_difficile.htm

The " Yeast and SCD: file in:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pecanbread/files/

Since he has both C. diff and yeast taking a probiotic or some

yogurt will help repopulate his body with good bacteria.

http://pecanbread.com/probiotics.html

http://pecanbread.com/goatyogurt.html

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/beginners_guide/yoghurt/yoghu

rt.htm

Quite the opposite, he has been known to go up

> to 2-3 weeks without a bowel movement.

If the diet alone (a week or so) doesn't clear up his constipation

check out

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/constipatio

n.htm

and especially:

http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/knowledge_base/kb/constipatio

n_continued.htm

Raw fruit and vegetables and even the peels of cooked f & v can

worsen constipation.

I am hoping that we will have

> the same results that I have read about where children finally

begin

> to grow at a normal rate. His weight is very indicative of his

growth

> pattern since adding solid food at the age of 13 months. (He was

> strictly nursed prior to this)

>

> Is this diet going to be too harsh for him? I must say that the

whole

> family has thoroughly enjoyed the recipes I have done from Breaking

> the Viscious Cycle, so I won't be making separate meals anymore

(as I

> do with the Celiacs diet).

If you need help looking for recipe ideas when you start let us

know.

Sheila 47 mos SCD, 20 yrs UC

mom of SCD 32 mos

January 4, 2005