Panic! I think DS is in the midst of an autisic regression

[sadminster]

DS is 2.9 being assessed for a severe language delay, has a number of 'autistic traits' but he seems to be getting worse very quickly.

A month ago I have video of him grinning, turning to us and pointing out an aeroplane flying over, dancing, laughing, patting his baby sister (saying 'gentle') & laughing when she burped. Now he is withdrawn, more aggressive, looks ill & tired, everything as to be coaxed out of him, only language is labelling. He suddenly has eczema and horrible stinking loose stools. His concentration is definitely worse.

Anyone got any idea what I should do?

[lingle]

Oh I am sorry.

Lack of sleep changes everything doesn't it?

[jabberwocky]

So sorry the weird paradox is that our kids need sleep even more than others but have a much harder time getting it. Ds1 always had a terrible time going to/staying asleep. At one point out of sheer desperation I set up a dvd player in his room and put on the most boring dvd I could find (baby einstein, lol) and that helped a bit. Melatonin has worked very well for us but I don't know if there is an age factor there or not.

DS1 also had a thing about not eating until around 10 am. Can you get him to take some juice and maybe a gluten-free cereal bar? Something that is more on-the-run vs having to sit down and eat an official meal? Ds1 would eat in the car sometimes when he wouldn't touch food otherwise.

I would also really try to push for something for yeast like diflucan or nystatin. Are you sure he doesn't have an impaction? That can also creat weird-looking stools from the seepage around the impaction. A little too much experience with that one but not in a year so it can be fixed!

Is there any way someone can watch him for a few hours while you do something special with dd1? That might help her to feel better.

[saintlydamemrsturnip]

We had impaction too!

Actually ds1 won't eat breakfast either. He usually has one or two apples whilst running around and that does him until snack time.

[jabberwocky]

weird how common impaction is with our kids isn't it? There is finally a study going on looking at the gut/brain/immune triad. Finally!!!

[jabberwocky]

weird how common impaction is with our kids isn't it? There is finally a study going on looking at the gut/brain/immune triad. I am really looking forward to seeing the results.

[jabberwocky]

sorry for the double post

[sadminster]

I don't know re the poo - yesterday he had 2 very running ones then a normal one. He doesn't seem in any discomfort. Have a stool sample pot for him now. Had another pretty bad night last night, he's going down okay but then waking a lot. He was subdued yesterday - had a cold - but pretty cheerful (one of those days when I let myself think there's not much really wrong - then I notice the odd stuff & it makes me feel shit again).

So hard to juggle everyone - dd1 i being so argumentative, I feel awful if I leave ds to his own devices even for half an hour (but exhausted by 1pm after hours of 'interacting'), dd2 has terrible colic & is pretty much ignored.

The things that I was feeling better about - ds is pretty good at taking turns with playdoh/drawing seem to have turned into obsessions & are now on the list of 'odd' things. He's so quiet it is unnerving - I hate this time of day with 12 hours of on my own stretching out ahead of me. HV said the sn nusery is almost certainly going to be closed because of swine flu.

The lack of diagnosis is so hard - I thought I'd got to the point where I'd assume he had ASD (even if he doesn't his language problems are so severe that the therapies are pretty much the same) and I'm determined to just get on with it then I read something (yesterday it was PEACH's 2-5% of autistic people are independent) and I want to start crying again

[jabberwocky]

sadminster, I know it must be so terribly hard on you and the whole family. Your dd1 is old enough to be bewildered and afraid of everything that is going on and is probably taking this out on you. Have you sat her down and had a heart to heart talk about your ds? Perhaps think of ways that she can help? Someone just pointed me to a website that looks really good. I haven't explored it fully yet but here's the link It's TACA - talk about curing autism.

[sadminster]

I just thought I'd update - we're still terribly worried about ds.

He's okay on the GFCF diet (we also found that peanuts seemed to cause problems so have cut the p'nut butter out) - eating pretty well (too much soya thought), having the multi vits & omega oils most days. He's eating really well with the CM - fish, veggies, fruit - but is very restricted at home still If anything he's now constipated - he's pooing only every couple of days, smells less vile.

Skin is looking better.

BUT he looks awful - we're really concerned, took him to the GP last week & are going to take him again asap. He is pale & totally exhausted, dark rings etc. HV is concerned that he is becoming anaemic - we haven't managed to find a iron fortified GFCF cereal. I'm worried we're doing more harm than good.

CM was concerned today that he was spaced out (far more so than his last session on Monday) - his eye contact is good, but he is pointing much less than he has been & having more zoned out moments. He has also started walking on tiptoes which he has never done before (been doing it for three days now) and making strange oinking noises which might be a verbal stim He has fallen asleep on the sofa for daytime naps three times this week which is extremely unusual.

Not sure what to do.

[juliaw]

There is an iron supplement from health food shops I think its called floridix and i think it may be Gluten free, but you would need to check.

[morningsuncanslay]

sadminster~going back to basics but have you checked his temp ?..as infections in children present with tiredness and behaviour changes.
has he got a rash or red throat etc?

[sadminster]

He's had a cold & isn't sleeping long enough - two days with the CM are really tiring for him

Thanks for the floridix recommendation - I don't think he'll go for it but he might take spatone with his juice.

Had some tantrums yesterday which is unusual, tip toe walking is continuing but poo is fine now & skin better.

[saintlydamemrsturnip]

Yes you can get floridix that is gluten free or spatone which is an iron supplement that consists of water you add to juice. Comes in a big orange box, Boots always stocked it.

DS1 cannot have peanuts either. You're the first other person I have met who has said that.

His diet sounds fine btw if he is eating at CM's. DS1 didn't eat for years but thrived on it still (never lethargic).

How's his sleep? I would rule out other causes of the lethargy.

[sadminster]

mrsT the peanut thing was amazing - I ran out of peanut butter when we went GFCF (he usually has it on his toast every morning) & finally got around to getting some more last weekend - within 2 hours of eating it he had 4 awful nappies. Since we've stopped again poo has been normal. I didn't notice any change in his behaviour but he was certainly uncomfortable from a sore tummy.

Sleep isn't brilliant - he's okay at going to bed but is disturbed during the night & wakes up too soon. I think he's be much better if he slept more.

[bubblagirl]

sadminster do you have melatonin for him i found when my ds was not sleeping my goodness he was pale dark circles under eyes behaviour was bad , sensitivities were cropping up all over the place that he never had before

to get him out the house well one week we didnt leave at all it was terrible huge meltdowns etc

took him to paed and got melatonin and what a difference his meltdowns stopped the colour returned to his cheeks , his sensitivities lessoned he would walk with me outside instead of being forced into a chair just to get out

he ate more generally was a different little boy and was all down to sleep he just couldn't function poor thing now well come along leaps and bounds none of the old problems are here unless ill or tired