Major Behavioral Changes

When Tanishk's behaviors were so bad in his last vacations, we were not able to control his behavior through ABA therapy and motivational system, and most of the time we spent in screams, shouting and crying. I was so frustrated all the time and wanted to have a quick solution, as it was creating a hindrance in his learning too. He was not able to focus or concentrate on any thing. I decided to find out other ways to help him to calm down & be more focused and attentive. I read about Sensory Integration Therapy, Massage Therapy, Bio-medical Intervention and Dietary Intervention. And also I tried to find out more activities to keep him engaged every time.

Already, I was following the GFCF diet. We were wondering where we are going wrong. I was reading a book on Digestive Enzymes - Enzymes for Autism and other Neurological Conditions written by Karen Defelice. This book says that if we give proper digestive enzymes to our autistic kids, their gut can heal sooner and it is also possible that we don't need to give any specific diet to our kids, just digestive enzymes will also be sufficient for gut health. So, I started to give digestive enzymes regularly to Tanishk. I started to give Papaya & Pineapple more as these two fruits have digestive enzymes.

Tanishk was so much hyperactive those days and very much uncontrollable. My husband was suspicious about thyroid medication and also digestive enzymes. Then I & my husband decided that we should stop all the medications and supplements, and then we should introduce them one by one. That worked amazingly. His behaviors were lessened.

We started only thyroid medication and B12 shots. Then we started Oxytocin nasal spray prescribed by doctor and also gave calcium-magnesium supplement. The day when we gave Tanishk his liquid calcium-magnesium supplement, his behavior was tremendously changed. That day was totally amazing day. I was doing his therapy and I had to take the data on his behavior. He was so much focused and attentive. He did everything very nicely and he was complying all the instructions. He did puzzle so nicely and without any behavior. I was shocked to see that he even didn't need any prompt for his tasks. :) 

I read a book Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother's Story of Research & Recovery written by Karyn Seroussi. This book tells us about the dietary intervention / elimination diet. This book gives much stress on the GFCF diet and says every one will get benefit by it, even if they don't have behavioral problems. After reading this book, I started to believe strongly in dietary intervention. Now, my theory is that instead of taking so much supplement tablets or gels, we should eat the proper food which contains all needed nutrients. We should try to get most of the nutrition through diet. I started to include more vegetables and fruits in diet, started to cook food that needs very less cooking.

Recently we saw few major changes in Tanishk. He was calmed down. Now he has less behavioral issues. He has become more attentive. Yes, still he has behaviors but less frequent. He still repeats the things & talks, but also listens to us. He reads the books, plays with toys appropriately. He solves the puzzles more focused. His handwriting and coloring are also improved a lot. He has become more cautious about his behavior, people around him and their reactions. He corrects his behavior when I give him a quiet look.

He plays hide & seek with his father. He likes squeezing against us. He understands most of the things what are they. But he doesn't understand reasoning. Why he should wait? Why he should not run or jump anywhere? Why should he be quiet sometimes or loud sometimes?

He understands word quiet & loud. We got to know that when we went to the library & read a book about quiet & loud. When he was reading, he was changing his tone appropriately for quiet & loud things. He was awesome. But, when someone is sleeping and we tell him that he should be quiet or whisper, but he doesn't understand.

Tanay's Birthday

2 Dec 2011. Tanay has completed his 2 years of life. We planned to have birthday party for him and to invite 3-4 neighborhood kids. But with passage of time, Tanishk's behaviors were worsened and we were not sure how will he behave when children will come in the party. I knew that Tanay will enjoy the party, but still he doesn't have idea about the birthday. So, we decided not to have any party.

I decided to bake the cake myself. So, I thought about it thoroughly. I wanted to make something new which no one has eaten earlier. First I thought, I should make the chocolate cake, but I made chocolate cake on Tanishk's birthday and I wanted this time very much different.

Finally, I baked a pineapple cake. I didn't know it, that it will be so yummy. Yes, indeed pineapple cake is very delicious to eat. But why did I chose the pineapple cake? There is a reason behind it. That is the different story in my next post Major Behavioral Changes. Just now, I know that Pineapple has proteolytic enzyme, bromelain, which breaks down protein.

So, I baked two round pineapple cakes, and then I applied frozen gluten free frosting on one cake. That was leftover, so was enough to cover only one cake. I put other cake on the cake with frosting. I made new frosting - Coconut Cream Frosting sweetened with Agave. Then I applied it on the cake and above of that I decorated the cake with slivered almonds. Then, pineapple cake with coconut cream frosting was ready to cut.

Pineapple cake with coconut cream frosting and decorated by slivered almonds

Tanay has blown the candle & is ready to cut the cake

Half of the cake is already finished

Both kids were happy to see the cake and wanted to touch it. Tanishk was saying again & again "I want to blow the candle & cut the cake". We told him that Tanay will cut the cake as it's his birthday. Tanay was also happy to see the cake but it was new for him. He tried to blow the candle and he cut the cake with help of his father.

Tanishk was so excited that he wasn't sitting still. He ate the cake & liked the cake. He was asking for more cake. Overall his behavior was good. He also wished "Happy Birthday" to Tanay. He was repeating sentence after 2-3 days - "It's Tanay's birthday". Tanay also liked the cake. I was happy to see my kids happy. :)

After long time

I didn't write anything after my last post in July. I thought but I didn't get any time to write in these days. My both sons made me very busy. In these 5 months, there were so many ups and downs.

As I had written in my last post Summer Vacations, that Tanishk's vacations went great in june. But again when his vacations started in August, it was not that great. I tried my best, but this time it became very tough to get him focused on the tasks. Every-time he wanted to go out. He started to show his tantrums - screaming, shouting and crying loudly. He wasn't ready to understand any reasoning. But It was not so bad too.

I followed the activity schedule and gave him rewards on his completion of tasks and good behaviors. He became more aware but was less focused. His sensory issues were major. His nail biting, teeth grinding, touching his toes, picking up nose, pressing his lips, jumping and running here and there, not sitting still, looking from the corner of eye, lying down on the floor, walking on the toes, playing with the wheels instead of cars, pressing the buttons of the gadgets, verbal stim, flipping the books etc.

Tanay is also growing up and seeking my attention especially when I was trying to concentrate on Tanishk. Now Tanay is also not easy to keep busy. He also has started to cry and scream for most of the things. He also wanted everything Tanishk has. He wants to sit where Tanishk is sitting. When I want Tanishk to sit still, Tanay comes and pushes him. Tanishk gets distracted when Tanay makes noises or plays. They make fight for one common thing - car, book, toys etc. Still, they are like that. They both are at same level and wanted to play with same thing at same time. They don't want to share at all.

Now Tanay has grown up strong and has also become very particular about things he wants. If he wants something, then he wants it surely. No negotiations please. It is same for food. If he doesn't want to eat, no one can force or prompt him to eat.

Tanishk's behaviors became more worse now. He had become stubborn. He didn't want to get out from the car or stroller. He didn't like to go anyone's house. We went for Ganesh Puja at my friend's place. Tanishk didn't enter the house and started to scream when we forced him. Tanay got scared and he also didn't get in. My husband had to stand outside with both kids for one hour. Then we decided to leave from there as it was no point to stay there if the kids are not getting in and attending puja.

We went to "Touch Me" museum and both kids were in the strollers. Tanishk didn't take any interest there and just wanted to keep sitting in the stroller & moving. Whenever we stop to see something, he started to scream and just said "I want drive". Tanay enjoyed a lot there.

3-4 months back there was a birthday party in our neighborhood. He started to scream and was uncontrollable. I had to come back with him leaving Tanay with his father. Tanay enjoyed there.

When his behaviors got so much worse and were uncontrollable by ABA therapy too, we thought to stop all his medications and bio-medical supplements. We stopped everything for one week. And then we start with only his thyroid medication and B12 shots. Behaviors were lessened. Yes, something was going wrong. Still there are behaviors but the frequency of those behaviors are lessened. And also became more focused and attentive.

Last week, there was one more birthday party of 2 year old boy. Tanishk went there. He was well behaved. He was sitting on the chair nicely. He also played with piano. So, we were happy that he didn't create any problem there. After coming from there, he said "I want to go to birthday party".