Could it really be the vitamins?

[OnTheBen10DaysofChristmas]

Having failed to get any of the super-duper supplements into DS, I settled on http://www.seven-seas.com/products/minadex/tonic-orange-flavour-200 Minadex which he has had for the last week without knowing it in his juice.

He has suddenly stopped sensory seeking jumping and running in the house, is communicating with his GPs, has allowed them to kiss him, has been v affectionate with the cats and not hurt them, has sat for an hour at least and made the whole Lego City advent calendar with me and then has actually been playing. It really is a huge difference that we have never noticed during other school holidays.

He is 6, has v restricted diet and has dyspraxia, SPD and suspected HFA/AS. Could just these basic vitamins/minerals make such a difference?

Hi all

Ds1 is starting the Robin pauc recommended vit/supplement regime and he is going to have;

Veg epa omega chewable tabs - vegepa.com
Floradix liquid - revital.com
Kindervital liquid - revital.com

HTH x

Reading this thread with interest - in process of diagnosis of ASD with DS1, already have Dyspraxia diagnosis. He has very very bad constipation, has done since he was 2, and am going to see GP tomorrow as it is not getting better, if anything it's getting worse, with blood etc now.
Will have a look for multivits in town tomorrow, and am very interested in trying dairyfree/gf - what milk/yoghurts are people using?

GottaLTC - read the GAPS diet to find out more about your DCs constipation, and what you can and can't eat.

gottalove Is your ds on anything? ie: lactulose, movicol etc???

They can help short term but supplements and diet is the only long term solution IME x

(ds has also been using a chewable strawberry flavoured probiotc from hollland and Barrat which you might want to try?)

Indigo - baby shares a bath with DS - do you think epsom salts are OK in the bath for an 8 month old?

Not sure. But I think I'd wait fill the baby was 1.

Because their is a RDA for magnesium for 1 year olds.

Hi everyone,

I'm a nutritional biochemist. Yes, nutrients can be powerfully positive. It's just a lot of drug companies push the pharmaceutical front, and G.Ps have such little nutritional training that they don't feel confident to recommend them.
Of course, you have to make sure you know what you're doing - but I'm pleased to read that so many of you have discovered such a change.

Hello Mumofmollyandjosh,

Is it better to have an actual test done of your child to find out what they are deficient in?

I'm not sure if guessing is a good thing ...

DS has been sick twice after me giving him the Nature's Plus Animal Parade liquid. I think its because he hates the taste, but worry that his body is rejecting what may actually not be good for him.

Although DS seems to be really benefitting from the vitamins etc, I always worry about what is going on inside his body that i cannot see.

Well, that's a logical question. The answer is that hard and fast biochemical testing simply isn't available (and don't go down the route of dodgy vega testing or anything like that - those I'm not oppose to complementary therapies in any way).

Have you seen a nutritionist with ds? A skilled nutritionist will be able to assess nutrient needs based on a few questions. They will get an educated 'feel' for intakes, and possibly suggest various supplements.

Yes, you are right that your ds might find the taste unpaletable. Here's a crafty trick: Mix them up with jam, and give it to them inside a sandwich (liquid, obvious, tablets: you crush first) to change the consistency. This way, they won't associate with the bad first experience, and might just prefer the texture.

Thank you - that is a good tip, about the jam.

I was mixing the liquid with apple juice - but this made DS sick!

I haven't seen a nutritionist with DS - but might do that ... someone I knew who is a nutritionist was saying that you can have hair samples taken?? and also something else that was more sophisticated - bloods I think.

www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/pdf/hair-sample-form-child.pdf
for kids hair tests.

Ordinary GP's do mineral blood tests (how I know about Ds's iron and mg levels).

The Sunderland peeps have access to recs for blood test clinics