Guest guest Posted March 3, 2002 Report Share Posted March 3, 2002 I was on Dana's site once and read some other parent's notes from the last DAN conference. I understand that either or Karyn Serrousi commented that if GFCF did not help after about three months than perhaps it's just as well to check the " tried that " box and move on. Duncan is 26 months. He went GFCF all at once November 13. There was noticeable improvement in that he waved and showed his belly as hadn't in months. He was generally more communicative in eye contact etc. . . But also had diarrhea begin that never was an issue before. We started enzymes in December. By that time the before stated improvements had disappeared again. No better, no worse and diarrhea continued. He started a more intensive behavior intervention in January. And we let him have cheese and butter, which resulted in occasional well formed poop. The past few days we've gone back to gluten with no change. I would just move on, but any idea why there was initial good result with the diet? And if his symptoms are not tied to metabolism or diet, is it worth continuing digestive enzymes? Thanks Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2002 Report Share Posted March 4, 2002 Kris -- We had a similar reaction to the GFCF diet, and prior to that point, I hadn't noticed any real food intolerances before in my son. He responded moderately well to the diet, and although we didn't notice any earth-shattering changes on the diet, if we took him OFF the diet, he did have very NEGATIVE earth-shattering changes (increased hyperactivity, head-dragging on the floor, throwing himself down on the floor for no reason, etc.). That was enough to convince us to stick with the diet. But now, with the enzymes, we are really seeing some good changes. Increased eye contact, increased awareness of the world around him, much better communication, better processing of verbal directions, plays much better with other children, and less hyperactivity. His teacher said he had his best week ever last week at school--so these are enough to keep us going on enzymes. Good luck Kris (yes, another Kris!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2002 Report Share Posted March 4, 2002 boy, I don't know if I agree with that... gluten can stay in the body up to a year...if I would have quit after 3 months or so, I would never have achieved the results I did with my son...I know that....most of his progress came after he was completely " gluten free " ..... we can say our kids are CFGF based on " diet description " , but their systems still hold the gluten very very long. It took forever for me to go from one word with Zachary to him putting at least two words together....now, he is speaking in sentences...this week, he told him sister when she put a book away... " give me that green book " ...I know real conversation is just around the corner for him...and he has been on the diet for 2 years now. So, would I give up after 3 months, absolutely not! I just started Zachary on the enzymes. I have noticed better eye contact. Don't plan on introducing " offending foods " for at least 5 months. I know enzymes work " on that meal " , that you don't really have to " build up " , but, I want to see his behavior much more first...to really, really be able to judge benefit of the enzymes from both aspects....on CFGF diet and then with reintroduction of foods. I'm that super cautious mom, I guess. It's just been too long a road for me. So, to those of you on CFGF diet...my advice is to give it more of a chance...the really big changes in my son, took at least 10 months to show up...just about as long as it takes for his system to truly be CFGF. Jeanne A. Brohart http://www.autismhelpforyou.com/ unabrett wrote: > I was on Dana's site once and read some other parent's notes from the > > last DAN conference. I understand that either or Karyn > Serrousi commented that if GFCF did not help after about three months > than perhaps it's just as well to check the " tried that " box and move > on. > > Duncan is 26 months. He went GFCF all at once November 13. There > was noticeable improvement in that he waved and showed his belly as > hadn't in months. He was generally more communicative in eye contact > etc. . . But also had diarrhea begin that never was an issue before. > > We started enzymes in December. By that time the before stated > improvements had disappeared again. No better, no worse and diarrhea > continued. > > He started a more intensive behavior intervention in January. And we > let him have cheese and butter, which resulted in occasional well > formed poop. The past few days we've gone back to gluten with no > change. > > I would just move on, but any idea why there was initial good result > with the diet? > > And if his symptoms are not tied to metabolism or diet, is it worth > continuing digestive enzymes? > > > Thanks > > Kris > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2002 Report Share Posted March 4, 2002 > I was on Dana's site once and read some other parent's notes from the > last DAN conference. I understand that either or Karyn > Serrousi commented that if GFCF did not help after about three months > than perhaps it's just as well to check the " tried that " box and move > on. Yes this is Karyn's advice. My son I did not see what I would call " noticeable " improvement until about 8 months, because he is much more gluten intolerant, but MOST children you will see something by three months. My son was intolerant of ALL foods, except four, so this is why he did not show so much improvement. He is also highly metal toxic, and I really only saw what I would term " major " improvement with gf diet, HNI enzymes, and chelation. Here is his story, if you are interested. http://www.autismchannel.net/dana/myson.htm I would not see my child now as not autistic, if I was still feeding him the few foods that he still does not tolerate without enzymes. So for him, he still needed to be gf plus a few other removals, HNI enzymes for the rest of the foods, and now chelation to remove the metals. Because you did see changes in your child when you did gfcf before, I believe you should keep enzymes, consider continuing gfcf, and consider chelation for your child. Dana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2002 Report Share Posted March 5, 2002 He responded moderately well to the diet, and although we didn't notice any earth-shattering changes on the diet, if we took him OFF the diet, he did have very NEGATIVE earth-shattering changes (increased hyperactivity, head-dragging on the floor, throwing himself down on the floor for no reason, etc.). That was enough to convince us to stick with the diet. Kris & Kris, This has been our experience with the diet also. Nothing dramatic on the diet, but craziness with every infraction. We have already noticed huge improvements after five days of enzymes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 6, 2002 Report Share Posted March 6, 2002 This has been our experience too. My son also had Ritalin for a couple of months just over a year ago, and that was the same story - no dramatic improvement, but BOY was there a downturn when the meds wore off every couple of hours..... > He responded moderately > well to the diet, and although we didn't notice any earth- shattering changes > on the diet, if we took him OFF the diet, he did have very NEGATIVE > earth-shattering changes (increased hyperactivity, head-dragging on the > floor, throwing himself down on the floor for no reason, etc.). That was > enough to convince us to stick with the diet. > > Kris & Kris, > > This has been our experience with the diet also. Nothing dramatic on the > diet, but craziness with every infraction. We have already noticed huge > improvements after five days of enzymes. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 6, 2002 Report Share Posted March 6, 2002 I hate to keep singing the same old song, but my reason for posting was that this was NOT my experience. Hence the dilemma. My son responded moderately well the first two weeks of diet. But that was also when diarrhea started and then initial improvement (waving etc.) reversed. I began enzymes a couple of weeks after that and enzymes seem to make things no better or worse. Also, " infractions " make things no better or worse (communication or behavior wise . . . while some dairy products seemed to make Poop better). Two responses suggested that it may take 8-10 months of gfcf to see real results. However, nobody has responded to why my son has diarrhea only AFTER starting the diet. The only solid poop he's had since November came recently after we allowed butter, cheese and yogurt. We continued to keep him off gluten until the 3 month anniversary of his start on the diet. When he had gluten product, we saw no change in behavior . . . so the " Dilemma " was whether his autism was not triggered by diet (but then why initial improvement?) or whether it was enzymes that were allowing him to eat these things with no effect on behavior. Kris Re: [ ] enzyme dilemma He responded moderately well to the diet, and although we didn't notice any earth-shattering changes on the diet, if we took him OFF the diet, he did have very NEGATIVE earth-shattering changes (increased hyperactivity, head-dragging on the floor, throwing himself down on the floor for no reason, etc.). That was enough to convince us to stick with the diet. Kris & Kris, This has been our experience with the diet also. Nothing dramatic on the diet, but craziness with every infraction. We have already noticed huge improvements after five days of enzymes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 6, 2002 Report Share Posted March 6, 2002 are you giving your child bananas or apples? both of these are " binders " when it comes to poop. diarrhea is a sign of yeast die off... our son had it whenever he ate foods he should not have (casein and gluten) and when he went through die off also. Jeanne http://www.autismhelpforyou.com/ Brett and Kris wrote: > I hate to keep singing the same old song, but my reason for posting > was > that this was NOT my experience. Hence the dilemma. My son responded > > moderately well the first two weeks of diet. But that was also when > diarrhea started and then initial improvement (waving etc.) reversed. > I > began enzymes a couple of weeks after that and enzymes seem to make > things no better or worse. Also, " infractions " make things no better > or > worse (communication or behavior wise . . . while some dairy products > seemed to make Poop better). > > Two responses suggested that it may take 8-10 months of gfcf to see > real > results. > > However, nobody has responded to why my son has diarrhea only AFTER > starting the diet. The only solid poop he's had since November came > recently after we allowed butter, cheese and yogurt. We continued to > keep him off gluten until the 3 month anniversary of his start on the > diet. When he had gluten product, we saw no change in behavior . . . > so the " Dilemma " was whether his autism was not triggered by diet (but > > then why initial improvement?) or whether it was enzymes that were > allowing him to eat these things with no effect on behavior. > > Kris > > Re: [ ] enzyme dilemma > > He responded moderately > well to the diet, and although we didn't notice any earth-shattering > changes > on the diet, if we took him OFF the diet, he did have very NEGATIVE > earth-shattering changes (increased hyperactivity, head-dragging on > the > floor, throwing himself down on the floor for no reason, etc.). That > was > enough to convince us to stick with the diet. > > Kris & Kris, > > This has been our experience with the diet also. Nothing dramatic on > the > diet, but craziness with every infraction. We have already noticed > huge > improvements after five days of enzymes. > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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