Steps and Turns

It's amazing how some people knew as kids what they wanted to become as adults. I never had a clear picture for most of my life. First, I wanted to be a doctor; hence, my two years in BS Biology. Then, my parents said I should transfer to Food Technology ("because everybody needs to eat food!" my father said). I got that degree, but after four years of counting microorganisms, doing QA on food ingredients and products, and product development of various food items (such as meat-free hotdogs), I finally found my calling as a preschool teacher. I was 28 when I discovered my passion (though I was only able to spend three years as a teacher before having to leave for the US). 

Uyyy, it's Teacher Aya!

Just as crazy as the many years I spent finding my passion, Ton's autism journey has been full of shifts, lapses and setbacks. My son has just come out of his biggest regression ever. For two months he was speaking less and had uncontrollable aggression. It’s been two weeks since we finally learned to manage his behavior. With renewed vigilance, I have been in more regular contact with his therapists and have began to work again intensely with his natural medicine pediatrician, Dr. Girl Leones.

Admittedly, we allowed Ton to deviate markedly from his Gluten-Free, Casein-Free  (GFCF) diet. This dietary intervention is based on the belief that children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are biologically unable to fully-digest gluten (wheat protein) and casein (dairy protein) like typical children. Because breakdown of gluten and casein are only partial, there are many by-products and toxins that are left in the body. Such by-products cause off-behaviors in children with autism. The holidays, our trips abroad and out-of-town, frequent restaurant visits, his visiting-from-New York Kuya Paolo and mere complacency on my part allowed Ton to enjoy fast food, wheat and dairy products and processed food. 

Deviations to his GFCF diet often cause
negative behavior changes

It had gotten so bad that even when we were bringing Ton to Dr. Girl one month ago, he was wildly kicking and hitting us (Yaya and I) as soon as we arrived at the lobby of the Medical Plaza, Makati. And then, when we arrived at the clinic, Ton climbed on top of the examination bed with shoes on. He grabbed things on the doctor’s desk. He was restless and had difficulty sitting still for his physical. When the evaluation was done, he ran to the waiting area to play with the toys. I was drained from restraining him at the lobby. But more than anything, I was devastated because he was more like the four-year old Ton than the calm, communicative six-year old that Dr. Girl first saw in June 2013.

Ton's first visit to Dr. Girl Leones in 2013

I knew that his poor diet was to blame but as Dr Girl looked through our regimen of supplements, she noticed deficiencies due to brand changes. I underestimated new dosages. Dr. Girl noticed that our magnesium dosage was greatly lacking. Magnesium is believed to have a calming effect on many ASD kids. She increased frequency of the Magnesium to twice a day. She also felt that because of poor GFCF compliance over the last few months, it was highly probable that Ton had yeast overgrowth. 

It is a strong belief among natural medicine doctors that increased wheat and sugar consumption causes proliferation of yeasts (fungi) in the body. Because Ton had been eating pizza, ice cream, cakes and juices, it was highly probable that yeasts were feasting on the sugars in Ton’s body. Dr. Girl immediately recommended a month-long round of a strong prescription anti-fungal, Diflucan.

Diflucan is initially given at half-dose for ten days to get the body adjusted to the strong effects of the anti-fungal. Die-off reactions occur with very strong anti-fungals. These reactions include increased hyperactivity, tantrums and stimming (repetitive behaviors like spinning and waving arms). In fact, with a strong anti-fungal, the child gets worse before he gets better. After ten days, the dosage is given twice a day for another 20 days. Diflucan is so strong that after our 30-day cycle, Ton will need to have a blood test done to determine whether his liver functions were affected by the strong drug.

We're already done with Diflucan. Still, we have to continue arresting the negative effects of yeast overgrowth. So, we will start on what Dr. Girl calls “the anti-fungal parade.” It is a sequence of rounds of different natural anti-fungals- caprylic acid, Saccharomyces boulardii, uva ursi, grapefruit seed extract and Candex (a combination of different natural enzymes). We will have two weeks each of these natural supplements, gradually ridding Ton of most of the fungi in his body.

Participants in the "anti-fungal parade"

This anti-fungal parade is done together with a series of probiotics. We have 4 different brands now- Dr. Ohira’s probiotics, Culturelle, PB8 and local brand Erceflora. The probiotics are given alternately, thrice a day. The goal is to promote growth of good bacteria that can keep levels of yeasts and bad bacteria under control.

Members of the probiotics group

Aside from the anti-fungals, Ton also ingests daily dosages of a special multivitamin (recommended for autism), Cod liver oil, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, GABA and Pycnogenol, He also needs to take digestive enzymes before each meal to help him break down his food better and to facilitate proper digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. 

All of these supplements/probiotics/anti-fungals are administered orally. They are either chewable or in capsule, liquid or gel form. The capsules are opened and the powders dissolved in liquids such as his morning green juice (with sayote, malunggay, celery, singkamas, kangkong, cilantro and green apple), evening red juice (sugar beets, carrots, garlic, celery, and red apple) or calamansi juice. 

Ingredients of Ton's green juice

Until recently, I never imagined that all my 24 units of chemistry, my degree in Food Technology and 2 years of pre-med would come in handy as a full-time mother. When Dr. Leones explains metabolic pathways, I'm grateful I took Chem 160 (Biochem). When she talks about yeasts and how they break down sugars to carbon dioxide and ethanol, I thank my food microbiology and food processing subjects. When she speaks of gluten and casein, the Food Tech in me remembers how gluten forms the matrix within the bread dough and how casein particles formed the cheese structure when we made white cheese out of milk through the action of rennet (an enzyme extracted from the stomach of some mammals). Eight years (2  years on leave) of a college education I never used for long were helping me understand biomedical intervention.

Me (middle) after 8 years of college, 2 courses, 2 campuses,
1 wedding and 1 baby later

What's more amazing than a child predicting his future profession? That what I once thought was wasted time (by shifting from BS Bio to Food Tech) or wasted knowledge (from Bio subjects I didn't need for my Food Tech degree) or even a wasted degree (because as a preschool teacher, I did not have use for a Food Tech degree), would all one day fall into place and prove precious in making me a better mother. I realize now that all the steps I took and the turns I made in college were all part of a plan (I used to be unaware of) and not decisions to regret. Funny how they all ended up being useful to me eventually. Even back in college, without my knowing it, I was already being prepared for our autism journey. 

Things really did happen for a reason, a very special reason- TON.

I had to live through my crazy college years so that I can
help you live through these tough years.