Re: Any other newbies overwelmed with supplement schedules?

[Guest guest]

Hi Jan

I know how you feel. I'm preparing for a few days away, and making

sure that everything is in place so that my husband can take care of

our son's supplements makes my head spin.

You can get powdered/liquid versions of pretty much everything (or

open capsules), no need to grind tablets up. The problem is that

some of these things taste pretty bad (b complex and amino acids come

to mind). You might want to use the Kirkman flavoured powders for

the gross stuff, and just use regular capsules, etc for the other

things.

My son is still quite young, so this may not work for your older

child, but I often line up a row of 3-4 sippy cups in the morning,

depending on our schedule, and put all the day's dry supplements in

the bottom. When it's time, I just fill the cup with water/juice,

put the lid on, and shake it up. For this weekend I've bought a

super-duper, large size pill minder with 4 compartments for every

day. I'm going to put the powders into each compartment. This pill

minder is for a week, so if this works I might use it all the time -

making the supplement madness a once-a week thing.

For the most part, I just divide everything by four without worrying

about calcium with zinc, etc. It seems to work fine. A few

supplements are for specific purposes like getting to sleep, etc, so

they are put in the " bedtime " cup. I add probiotics only when I'm

ready to give my son his juice, so I can keep them refrigerated.

Good luck finding something that works.

René

>

> I am trying to list all the supplements, doses and when to give

them

> for both of my children. Not to mention how I will get them all in

at

> that time. Any pointers on simplifying this a bit.

[Guest guest]

Jan, I sympathize with your concern about the practicalities of supps!

Rene's advice re pill organizers is an excellent one. If you can limit

your own " compounding " to a daily or even weekly endeavor, you will

really simplify your life. I have typed out schedules as well so that

when my husband is in charge, he knows just what to do. We have a

little " done " sticker that we put by the last dosage, so that we know

just where we are. I have to say this has helped our marriage

tremendously as the whole supp issue was creating a lot of tension (I

would go out, come home, and vitamins wouldn't have been taken care of

because my husband didn't have clear what to do).

If you look in the files section of this group, you'll find a great

file on supplementation. We also have Murray's book (Encyclopedia of

Nutritional Supplements). I would say it's helpful to have some

overall understanding of supps in healthy people, supps for asd

children, and then your own child's needs (chelating or not, lab

tests?, etc).

Like you, I still have some practical questions - I understand calcium

should be given separately from other minerals. At what point during

the day do you, according to Cutler's schedule, give calcium if it

should be done 4x per day? Everyone has different ways of sorting this

out but this is one question I have. I'm going to go back to Murray's

book but if anyone has an answer to this, I would be grateful.

I don't know how your child's palate is, but we have found the

unflavored Brainchild Nutritionals Multi a good start. We mix it with

a small amount of pear juice and we no longer have complaints. It's

more expensive then say, Kirkman, but I think Brainchild vitamins are

made the most " naturally " (correct me if I'm wrong, anyone!). For

minerals, we use small custard dishes and add the powder to pear

sauce.

Hope this helps!

Olivia

>

> I am trying to list all the supplements, doses and when to give them

> for both of my children. Not to mention how I will get them all in at

> that time. Any pointers on simplifying this a bit. I am sorry, I get

> confused easily and overwelmed..(mercury myself). I know I need to

get

> my kids on all of the basics before I can proceed. Anyone's

> experiences are welcome. It is easier to grind it all up and give it?

> What should not be given with what? What do you use to grind up

pills,

> or to separate capsule doses? As I map this out it seems I will be

> giving something every few hours. Does that sound right? My oldest is

> already balking at all the pills and she is not even on everything

> yet. Sorry, I guess I just feel under a mountain right now. I am sure

> everyone else has had the same feelings. Thanks for any input!

> You have all been great!

>

[Guest guest]

You could do a chart for each child with a list of all the supps down the side

and times of day (morning, noon, afternoon, and bedtime, for example, across the

top and put numbers or check marks in the appropriate boxes. Laminate the sheet

and put it on the refrigerator with a magnet or use it as a place mat to keep it

handy. You can lay out the supps on it each time if that makes it easier.

S S

I am trying to list all the supplements, doses and when to give them <BR>

for both of my children. Not to mention how I will get them all in at <BR>

that time. Any pointers on simplifying this a bit. I am sorry, I get <BR>

confused easily and overwelmed..(mercury myself). I know I need to get <BR>

my kids on all of the basics before I can proceed. Anyone's <BR>

experiences are welcome. It is easier to grind it all up and give it?<BR>

What should not be given with what? What do you use to grind up pills, <BR>

or to separate capsule doses? As I map this out it seems I will be <BR>

giving something every few hours. Does that sound right? My oldest is <BR>

already balking at all the pills and she is not even on everything <BR>

yet. Sorry, I guess I just feel under a mountain right now. I am sure <BR>

everyone else has had the same feelings. Thanks for any input!<BR>

You have all been great!<BR>

<BR>

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[Guest guest]

>>It is easier to grind it all up and give it?

In my family, it is easiest to give capsules. One of my kids refuses

capsules tho, so I mix all of his stuff into peanut butter and honey.

I give supps usually 3x per day.

> What should not be given with what?

Depends on what you are trying to give.

>>What do you use to grind up pills,

> or to separate capsule doses?

I separate capsule doses using the " eyeball " method [i look and see

what looks right].

>>My oldest is

> already balking at all the pills and she is not even on everything

> yet.

My #1 and I have an agreement that he only gets 8 capsules 1x per day

unless he requests something on his own [he can dx himself with yeast

overgrowth, constipation, etc]. I take all his small capsules, open

them, and combine them into larger capsules. If the total number of

capsules will exceed 8, even if I am combining them, then I have to

rotate things and give them every other day instead of every day. I

make the decision of what can be given on alternate days, and what is

required every day. This has worked for us for about 2 years now. My

#1 is my least affected child, and I have used ALA without any

supplements whatsoever and all my kids did fine, so this works for us.

I also have a rule for all of my kids, that I never give more than

about 15 different supplements at any one time, so I know what

supplement does what, and I can figure out when it is time to remove

one or more of them.

Good luck.

Dana