Down Syndrome: A Day to Day Guide: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Join Me on Facebook!

I don't really know what this means, yet, but... I do have a page or a group or community or something on facebook... It's at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Down-syndrome-A-Day-to-Day-Guide/193837467378474

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Gift Ideas for Babies & Toddlers

Here are links to my blog pages that have ideas for great fun, educational and non-toxic gifts for babies & toddlers.


Illustration by Kenny Durkin durkinworks.blogspot.com

Enjoy!

Toys that Support Crawling

Toys that Encourage Fine Motor Skills

Baby Book Reviews

Non-toxic Bath Toys

Educational Media Reviews

Readeez: Songs Supporting Reading

Non-toxic Educational Toys

Non-toxic Teethers

Organic Baby Clothing

Non-toxic Feeding Sets

Non-toxic Bedding

Non-toxic Bottles

First Shoes: What's Best?

Handwriting Resources

Non-toxic Diapering Supplies

Review of BrillKids Little Reader & BrillKids discounts for Special Needs Families

Monday, December 12, 2011

NeuroProtek for those with T21?

I am just amazed and elated by the progress Jett has made through taking the supplement, NeuroProtek, which he started about a year ago. While I am quite pleased about the improvements in cognition and speech--what I'm most thrilled about is the eye contact, the smiles--the first belly laugh EVER! The self-initiated hugs, the "air kisses" (doesn't initiate kisses--yet) and the... (sob) "I lub you soooooooo much!" Thank you, Dr. Theoharides, for creating NeuroProtek!

It's like "Jett" is standing before me for the first time, catching my eye, really acknowledging my existence instead of this being that I feed, diaper and clothe. Yes, okay, so it may be selfish of me to be more pleased by this new sociability than the improvements in cognition but, I'm only human and I need sustenance--through a little sweetness from my own child--to keep me going.

To all of you with a "cuddly" and friendly child with DS, eat those hugs and kisses up! Please, appreciate them--we don't all get them! Imagine if you didn't get any positive feedback. Imagine wondering: Would my child even care if I was suddenly replaced by an equally attentive mother? Does he even notice if I'm gone for the day? (He didn't even smile when I'd come home.)

And to those of you who don't get much eye contact or affection from your child... read on... NeuroProtek may be of particular interest to you...

What is NeuroProtek?

It's simply a concentrated amount of the flavonoids Luteolin, Quercetin and Rutin. Bioflavonoids are naturally found in various fruit and vegetable skins. NP harnessed those beauties to better reduce inflammation in the brain and in the gut, help clear up the effects of allergies, and, in some, help alter mood through regulating dopamine (Jackpot!) and even lessen the effects of some metal toxicity. Here is Algonot's information on NeuroProtek.

Prior to NP, Jett rarely smiled (didn't smile at me until 7 months old and I had to stimulate him vestibularly to "force" him to) and his laugh was a short "Key!" and that was it. If I hugged him, he would go so far as to "lay into" my hug, but no arms/legs around me, no pressure of reciprocation, certainly no initiation. Little positive reinforcement. I saw improvement on NP--after only 14 days-- I soon saw an increase in smiling, actual laughing -- his first belly laugh, initiated a hug (once) for the first time, initiated kisses (once) for the first time, more eye contact, even more verbal (didn't think that was possible), more organized play and thought... I saw no change in stomach issues that I can directly attribute to NP. I believe his constipation has been cleared up because of the Vitamin C, but it's true that it can take months for the full effects of NP to appear.

NeuroProtek and Mercury

So how could such a huge change in sociability come from bioflavinoids? Could be one or the combination of two benefits of NP: increase in dopamine level and prevention of mercury toxicity.

Jett's symptoms or "autistic traits" could be from mercury toxicity, which are almost identical to autistic symptoms (dare I say cause and effect?).

In the study, Luteolin and thiosalicylate inhibit HgCl(2) and thimerosal-induced VEGF release from human mast cells., it states: "Luteolin...may be useful in preventing mercury-induced toxicity".

I'd love to test his mercury level, but his pediatrician said that "unless he's been chewing on a thermometer and it broke, I'm not testing." So, I have to go by symptoms and the fact that he did get 5 vaccines in the first 5 months of age and I have 4 mercury fillings and breastfeed.

Exclusive of the characteristics that we can contribute to Down syndrome, Jett has (had) many of the telltale symptoms of ASD that coincide with mercury toxicity including

Social deficits

Lack of eye contact

Sound sensitivity

Self injurious behavior, e.g. jabbing himself in the head with his thumb & kicking himself repeatedly in the "diaper area."

For more details, check out this comparison of symptoms between autism and mercury toxicity.

NeuroProtek Side Effects

The regular version of NP has a lot of phenols in it so symptoms of phenol sensitivity may appear. If your child has a low tolerance of phenols, which Jett has to some degree, you may want to look into the low phenol version. When I switched Jett's to the low phenol type, the 3-4 symptoms he showed disappeared. (They reappear whenever I increase his phenol intake in another way, like almonds.) Here is a great explanation of phenol sensitivities and an excerpt of the symptoms:

Symptoms of phenol intolerance include (not all of these need be present):

night waking for several hours, night sweats, difficulty sleeping

dark circles under eyes,

irritability, hyperactivity, aggression

red cheeks/face/ears,

lethargy,

self-injurious behavior, head banging

inappropriate laughter

diarrhea,

eczema, and other skin conditions.

Mood Swings (negative) or Mood Changes (positive)

Some parents of children on the autism spectrum (not many w/ DS are on NP) have seen anger and/or mood swings when taking NP. This may be because, in addition to being an anti-inflammatory, quercetin is also a catechol o' methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor (also, it turns out that it is a MAO inhibitor!). This means that by inhibiting this enzyme, dopamine turnover may also be altered. Therefore, the fluctuations in dopamine can cause mood swings. The degree to which mood swings can flare up depends on COMT status. Therefore, if your child is COMT+ (genetic 'overmethylator'; limited tolerance for additional methyl donors) his/her dopamine will be already relatively high. Hence, inhibiting his/her COMT enzyme will cause more dopamine to hang around longer and the result is one crabby child.

Conversely, if your child is COMT-(genetic 'undermethylator'; can tolerate additional methyl donors), he/she will generally have a lower dopamine status. This ties into histamine because frequently, some (Pfeiffer method) will define methylation status by histamine levels i.e., low whole blood histamine will denote overmethylator, while high whole blood histamine will denote undermethylator. While this biochemical marker can be useful, it is prone to fluctuation because of supplementation e.g., MB12, TMG, 5-MTHFolate and SAM-e can alter methylation status in an individual.

For products, please see the DS Day Today amazon Store.

They have two formulas, regular and the low phenol.

My notes on Jett's experience with NeuroProtek

Originally, I was keeping notes on Piracetam, but I also restarted NeuroProtek the day after I started Piracetam. I had Jett on NP much earlier, but it disturbed his sleep so I had stopped it. (Boy do I wish I had continued!) So, as I wrote these notes, I didn't realize until later that it was the NP that was making the difference. When I ran out of the P and continued w/NP, I saw no difference in him when I stopped the P! I may restart P at a later date when I can afford the choline. But, for now, Jett is doing very well on NP with the P.

Day one

Age: 20 months

Piracetam Dosage: Jett weighs 19.8 lbs which is 8.98 kilos. So he'd get 673 mg of Piracetam per day. One capsule is 800 mg. So I will give him 1/2 a capsule (400) in the morning and 6 hours later, give him a third of a capsule (266) and see how it goes. But for day one, I'm giving him 1/3 of a capsule in the am and 1/3 in the afternoon.

Notes:

He's not on Prozac anymore and we ran out of Longvida Curcumin and EGCG (green tea extract) but, have a full bottle of Piracetam that I haven't tried so... I'll let you know what I see... I'm a little apprehensive because I rely on Prozac, LC and EGCG to support him cognitively. The last time he was off LC, I saw noticeable decreases in speech that were very uncomfortable to watch. (My mother even noticed and agreed to pay for the next bottle. Bad news/good news.)

I take 840 mg of choline a day and Jett still breastfeeds, so I am assuming that he is getting some choline 3 times a day. (I did look this up and a study supports the fact that breastfeeding woman who supplement with choline have higher choline content in their breast milk.)

Cognition pretest: I wrote 6 words on the magnadoodle, one at a time and showed him what they were in the room: bean bag, chair, cow (a picture), shoe laces, stool and umbrella. (Bean bag, shoe laces and umbrella are brand new words. The others he has seen this week.) Sometimes he wanted to write them as well after I wrote them (I mean that he made me hold his hand and he wrote them with me). Then I immediately wrote each one again and asked him where they were. He got them all right. I called my husband and stepdaughter into the room and although he was distracted and "talking" to them, he got them all right again. He's taking a nap now, but I'll try again when he wakes up to see if he remembers.

He did remember when he woke up and remembered all but one (bean bag) the next night.

I'm excited to see the results because he's not on Prozac, LC or EGCG-- my "go to" list for cognitive support. Just ginkgo and vitamins (and Piracetam). Hopefully we can afford LC and EGCG again soon. He's not been hyper at all and he actually crawled around the house and played a lot on his own (w/out being irritable--being happily independent). I did read a lot of books to him and did some Little Reader and magnadoodle, as I mentioned. When I do a lot of that, he seems to feel happier and more independent. If I don't spend a lot of time with "lessons" he gets really irritable and whines for me to read to him.

Obviously, it's caused no sleep issues so far because he's taking a nap now.

Day two/20 months

I noticed by day two on Piracetam that it doesn't support the eyes as well as: LC, Prozac & EGCG since his eyes are crossing very badly. (Shows that the communication between the brain and eyes are not doing well, but it's only been a day...) We've ordered LC (yeah!!!) and should expect it in 3-5 days. But, his language is coming along nicely. Usually, off LC, he either stops talking or really regresses language wise, but yesterday he said a bunch of words, actually repeated after me. (Unfortunately one was "shut up"...I did say PLEASE, first...) which of course he repeated like twenty times with enthusiasm. And then it was the first thing he said this morning. I said, "Good morning, Jett." and he smiled and said, "Shut up!" Hopefully people will think it's cute... like Ann Hathaway in Princess Diaries...

I did also added one capsule of Neuroprotek which he took before w/no side effects.

I showed Jett colors, but he didn't get them all right. I'll try again another day. Maybe the concept is more difficult than just learning words?

Day three/20 months

I'm upping the dose of P to 1/2 in morning and 1/3 in the afternoon. Ooops... Jett was fed the last dose of Piracetam at 7pm! So, he didn't sleep very well at all. He didn't fall asleep until 2 am. Once he fell asleep, he was fine though. So, it looks like it takes about 7 hours to get out of his system... We won't make that mistake again!

Day four and five/21 months

He turned 21 months old on Nov. 25, 2011. These past two days he has been playing independently for very long periods of time! And instead of sitting and going "ehhhhhh" when he wants me to read a book, he takes the book, crawls over to me and hands it to me to read. He also has been more interested in his bath time and has been taking an hour long bath and not wanting to get out, for the first time. (He's always enjoyed bath time, he's just more engaged now and for a longer period of time.) So, it appears to me that he's more focused with a longer attention span on the Piracetam and NeuroProtek.

Day six/21 months

Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011 I had to work (I do, 2-4 times a month) and there was a "miscommunication" so Jett got 1/2 a capsule of Piracetam at 10am and then another 1/2 at 1pm. (I fixed the small bowls of supps, but my husband got the times wrong--I didn't write it down for him this time.) He seemed fine though and Kenny said that he didn't "give him any trouble" which means that Jett did a lot of independent play, was in a good mood, ate well and took almost a 2-hour nap. :D

Day seven/21 months

Sunday, Nov. 27, 2011 My mother came over and had Jett outside for his 30 minutes of sun. While outside, Jett stood up and walked behind a rolling toy car! She said that he took three steps! I took him outside an hour later and he took five steps! So I got my husband and stepson to see and take a video. I'm excited!! I would love for him to walk soon! (As part of the ND program, I haven't initiated much walking because crawling is so important for brain development. I don't know if my mother "put him up to this" or if he thought of trying to walk behind the toy on his own... I do wonder how long he's been able to do this. I don't really think I'm supposed to encourage him to walk like this...) He has taken a couple of steps forward on his own initiative (but supported) just in this week, so maybe it was his idea? The average age of a child w/DS who can walk 10 feet with a push toy is 22 months and 11 months for a typical child. Jett did walk about 5 feet today. I'm not sure how much Kenny recorded. I don't think it would hurt for me to try this again tomorrow.

Day eight/21 months

I played Little Math for the first time and he LOVED it. He shouted with protest when it was over. They counted to five really fast and he shouted out "six"! So funny because no one taught him any of that! (There is a Readeez song that counts to 12 very fast so he probably learned it that way.) He did it twice more when my husband played it later on in the day, so it wasn't my imagination.

Day 11/ Dec. 1/ 21 months

Jett's finally back on curcumin. Yeah! He said five recognizable words in front of the speech therapist today. I figure that's pretty good for an hour, right? (Horse was one.) His walking is progressing as well. And he learned to read the names of some of his instruments: drum, tambourine, morocco and xylophone as well as "shake" and "beat". He was very excited to learn these and would play each one when I wrote the name. He also loves to dance, bounce and shake. He wouldn't vocalize for "sing" but he did sway his arms from side to side and looked toward the computer where I play pandora.com (music).

When I wrote "together" he laced his hands together. I only showed him that word once a couple of days ago. But it's one of his favorite words, so it makes sense that he learned it immediately. When I wrote "chair" he pointed to the chair closest to him then he also pointed to the chair that was on the other side of him. These chairs look very different so he does understand what a chair is and not just the chair I showed him first (showing transference). He remembered all the old words except bean bag--again! It's not a word we use a lot so maybe that's why. We worked on shapes yesterday and colors the day before, but he didn't seem to either get them or be too interested so I didn't check today to see if he magically got them. I know that he knows star, though because he's said it a couple of times and will point to one.

Some meaningful words he said today were: Jett, yes, eyes, "S", "Ah" (for A-apple), "kuh" for book (upon request), "zzz" for buzz, shapes... that's all I can think of off the top of my head. He jibber jabbers constantly so I forget to remember all the stuff he says. His favorite book today is Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? He was having fun tonight pretending to read it out loud. He made a lot of noises but they didn't exactly match the word. I'll have to teach him those words tomorrow--he'll love that!

Oh, we did Little Reader in Chinese and he freaked out. He hated it! He rolled off my lap onto the floor he was so disturbed by it. I think it's because it was all too foreign to him and he LOVES reading English so much that it was not a pleasant experience. I'll have to try again later--once he's got a good grasp of the English language. (Learning another language is really good for the brain.)

I gave him the Piracetam a little after 5 so he fell asleep about an hour late (midnight). I have to remember that he won't fall asleep until 7 hours after the last dose -- so no later than 4pm.

Day 14/Dec. 4/21 months

Discovered for sure that he knows and will verbally say ten letters of the alphabet. He says the sound, not the letter name. When I read the alphabet to him, I say "wuh" instead of "double-u", etc. He knows A, C, E, O, P, S, T, W, X and Z. (I found out the next day that he knew M as well.)

Yesterday, he spontaneously gave me a hug for the first time and my mother said he hugged her too. This afternoon, when he was supposed to be napping, he spontaneously gave me like 5 kisses on my nose. He never initiated kisses and hugs before. But he recently started to give me kisses from afar by making the smack sound.

Yesterday I also noticed that he put a lid on a container which I don't think he's done before.

Day 19/Dec. 11/21 months

Okay, so now Jett can put in a puzzle piece for the first time. (It was the Melissa & Doug farm sound puzzle of the sheep.) And he wanted to put the shapes into the shape sorter, but was having difficulty so he had me come over. I set it up so he could succeed better (less choice of shapes, at the right side where the correct shape hole is, etc.) and he was able to do it better and better! He put them in himself! (He's not great at it yet, but he understood the concept and was interested and tried and did it!)

Yesterday, he spontaneously said, "A B C" while playing in the bathtub and my husband parroted him and then Jett said, "D!" He's started singing (ba, ba, ba) and has been singing with the Readeez version of the alphabet song. (I mean that he tries to, he can't actually sing the alphabet song.) I can tell that his brain is more organized... He went around and gathered all the parts of his floatable xylophone where each musical bar is on its own colored puzzle piece. So, he's picking through his toys and brings me a pile of his xylophone and says "together" (his version of the word) so that I will put it together for him! (Then he immediately ripped them apart so I'd do it again.)

He did something similar last night, he sorted out the red puzzle pieces from only one puzzle and just brought those to me.

I was unhanging socks that were dry and I dropped each one on his head as if it were raining socks and then I rolled the matching ones together into "sock balls." So he gathered the sock balls and we played catch for a while and then he gathered them and carried them all through his crawl tube and went back and got the ones he dropped, etc. And played with them for a good while, very creatively!

All this type of play is NEW NEW NEW! I don't know if it's the Piracetam or the NAET or what, but I'm loving this burst of amazing cognitive progress!

And his mood... he is smiling much more and seems to be an all around happier kid! His eyes are doing great as well. Very little crossing. Yes, we are still doing the neurodevelopmental exercises for his eyes. I'll have to ask around and see what other moms have seen in their child on Piracetam.

He also has been reading--out loud--words that I haven't specifically taught him, from his books. Like in the Hide and Squeak book, he read: Pup and the Mr. Brown book, he read: Hoo, Buzz, Pop, Klopp, Boom, and Grum... In a pig book, he read splash and like three other words. And in other books, I see him react to the words before I say them. Like a Barney book says "pat your head" and he's already doing it before I read it out loud.

Day 25/Dec. 17/21 months

We have contact! Eye contact, that is! I didn't realize what little eye contact Jett had before, but today, he really held my gaze. Because of this, he parrots more--both verbally and "gesticulaterly." I'm rather animated with my hand movements when I talk and I see him copying me. Too funny. I always thought he was engaged, but the change has been amazing.
Also new--I had noticed that when I pointed, Jett looked at my finger or the end of my finger and not at the object to which I was pointing. This is significant because studies show that children who can follow where you point learn better. Jett just started looking at the object! I try this everyday so I can tell you that this is the first time he's done it!

Day 26/Dec. 18/21 months

I've readded TriEnza enzymes to help w/Jett's bowel movements. Because of the uncomfortable nature of getting his stomach in order, he was very clingy and irritable all day and night. He had 2 BMs in one day--1 BM a week is "normal" for him, so this will take some time for him to adjust.
As I learn more about Neuroprotek, I'm thinking that I need to attribute all the elimination of Jett's borderline Autistic tendencies on it rather than the Piracetam. I don't know how much of the P to attribute the speech and cognitive advances, but I am quite pleased so far!

May 11, 2012/24 months

Repeats everything we say, even double words and multiple syllables. Also repeats words in songs, on TV and radio and people in other rooms. Yesterday he repeated perfectly: "I love you sooo much!" That's the most he's repeated at one time.
Collaborates: He sings parts of songs with me. All of itsy bitsy w/ hand motions but he only does the whole song once a day. He sings the last parts usually and holds the note and shows inflection. Like he sings the word "i-dol-lize" w/the "do-re-me" melody. He knows many, many songs.
Initiates: He talks to himself/toys a lot. He sings to himself. He sings with the piano. He initiates "itsy-bitsy" a lot. The word he uses most often is "up." He uses it for us to pick him up when hungry, have to potty, just to be held, etc. It does frustrate him some because we pick him up but don't know what he wants after that.
He now uses the phrase "smookey, smookey" as a term of endearment (which I use). He uses it with me all the time and used it when my friend, Nina was cuddling & breastfeeding her Hunter and used it when he was approaching Hunter on his own. (As if to say, "hey there, little baby").
Before, when he wanted something, he'd smack his knees/bounce his head and go "eh, eh!"
He still does this BUT I've been saying "What do you want, Jett?" and looking at him. He will say something instead of "eh, eh" but I usually can't figure out what it is. At night, he's highly frustrated and says something that sounds like "eat" or "deeth" or "teeth" and repeats it emphatically over and over. We put him on the potty but that's not what he wants. He may be saying "drink" because when I give him water he drinks it like crazy and goes back to sleep. For the past 3 days, he has been actually asking for "drink" or "sip" or pointing to our drink instead of smacking himself and saying "eh, eh." When he's hungry, he still doesn't say "eat" or "hungry" or "bite." Instead, he will go to his high chair and stand up holding it and go "eh, eh!" and bounce his head. If we are eating, he will come up to us and say "bite." When he wants milk he just comes to me and makes it obvious w/out using words.
Just yesterday, we were on the couch and he was wearing a diaper and he said "Pee pee" to let me know that he had just peed in his diaper! On the potty, he will say "pee pee, poopy and potty" but doesn't usually initiate it.
Reads words aloud much more and more loudly. So in public, he points to a sign and reads it loud enough and clearly enough that strangers immediately notice that he is reading out loud. He does draw attention, which makes our shopping trips much longer (small price to pay!).

March 24, 2012/24 months

Jett's been off P and only on NP for months and he's still doing great! I'm going to reintroduce P along with BodyBio PC soon and see if I observe a difference. (Update: I never have reintroduced it.) He's 24 months and has been putting together the Melissa and Doug stacking puzzle, the M & D wooden puzzles with the little red knobs, reading words out loud like "helicopter, enterprise, happiness" and has been repeating two-three words at a time instead of just one. He's also been playing appropriately with cars and has been showing me things (new behavior). He recently starting following my point to far away objects instead of just looking at the end of my finger. And now he points himself. Last week he pointed excitedly to a flock of birds flying overhead and said, "Birds! Birds!" He didn't point to anything except for things up close until about 3 weeks ago. (This is another autistic tendency that is going away.) And just today, he called out to a boy on a bicycle as he rode by. So, he's wanting to be more social. And the past two weeks he's been memorizing songs including "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and the ABC song. He hasn't gotten it perfect yet, but he's having fun with it. And he's been playing with stuffed animals and dolls--brand new behavior as well!

April 10, 2012/25 months

Jett read a whole book out loud, by himself for the first time on Saturday! It was 27 pages long-- The Eye Book by Dr. Seuss. It's late kindergarten level. (I need to record it but he says a lot of it very quietly... will try!)

He's also enjoying activities that involve more fine motor skills, is using his words to ask for things rather than just naming things and is following more commands. (He washed himself last night--rubbed each body part as I requested!) He can sing most of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with the hand motions (not perfect) as well.

July 5, 2012/28 months old

Over the months, NP has moved into one of the "must have" slots on Jett's Supplement List. I continue to see social gains. He's still not initiating hugs or kisses but six weeks ago, I increased his dose of l-carnosine, which has helped to increase his expressive language. He now asks for "drink, sip, cup, milk or coconut(water)" when thirsty as well as "piece, bit, food, eat, pizza, soup, etc." when hungry. He wakes up and immediately asks for "Mary Poppins" or "Pooh" or "Readeez." Usually, about 25 times a day, it's "Mary Poppins." Check out my post on L-carnosine for more details. He uses at least 50 words from his own head, not counting when we ask "What's this?" or when he's reading.

July 8, 2012/28 months old

Jett's been sick so hasn't taken his NP or most of his other supplements. I've been able to get only his thyroid, probiotics and l-carnosine in him consistently. (He had a little bit of magnesium and a little bit of zinc.) His amount of speech has dropped off considerably although he does find his words when he's thirsty, hungry or wanting to watch Mary Poppins.

August 7, 2012/29 months

We hear two word sentences much more often now although most of what he says we can't understand. He talks a lot-- it's usually when he wants something that he looks at us and clearly states his needs. "Mommy milk", "Where's the pillow?", "Pizza food eat PLEASE!", "I see it!" and "I lub you so much!"

September 22/ 30 months

He reads really, really fast. Faster than he can talk. The speech therapist was shocked when she tried to get him to read a word out loud on the page. He wouldn't do it. Then he read the entire paragraph as fast as he possibly could out loud. (And I do mean as fast as you can read it out loud.)

He's experimenting with language even more. "Just a little bit" and "I like it!" are his newest phrases. Today he said my shirt was "pretty" which he had just learned what that meant yesterday from a conversation my husband and I were having. And he pointed out that something was "shiny" on my shirt which he had just learned from watching Project Runway. So he is building his vocabulary on his own, without me having to sit and teach him what words mean.

He is also showing more interest in people other than just himself. Two days ago he sat on the couch between me and my husband. He touched my husband and me and said: "Mommy and Daddy. Mommy face." (and looked at me) "Daddy face." (and looked at my husband.) Then yesterday, in the same situation, he said, "Daddy's eyes. Mommy's eyes. Daddy's glasses." And took my husband's glasses off. "Mommy's glasses." And took mine off as well. Then he looked at us both and smiled. Then he tried to put our glasses back on us. (He probably hadn't really noticed our faces before this.)In the last couple of weeks he also started feeding me-- crackers and grapes.

At 32 months, about a year on NP, he still isn't affectionate on the level of a typical child w/T21, but he does initiate gentle "head bumps" as he calls it. And will say, "Kisses!" so that everyone will kiss HIM. His idea of kissing is to lean toward you, forehead first. He has actually kissed me a couple of times with his mouth, and, although it wasn't his idea, he actively participated.

Update: 4.5 years old. He's been off NP for quite a while, over a year, at least. We just haven't been able to afford it. But I recently readded it. Wow! Love it! He had stopped playing with stuffed animals and just started up again. He also just started feeding my husband again. He has a baby brother now (who is 14 months old) and he spent the most time today that he ever has socializing with him. Granted, I said to Jett, "I wonder what Oliver's pajamas say today." And that's just too irresistible, so he had to go over and read his pajamas. And then I told Jett to ask Oliver what he wanted and he did, twice! Before, the only way I knew that Jett knew that Oliver existed was that Jett would carefully walk over him when he was on the floor. (And would mention Oliver's name in any word games we did.) Other new things I've seen so far:

He said goodbye to the principal at school and goodbye to every other adult on the way out--- normally he wouldn't even NOTICE anyone, let alone look at them, wave and say good bye!

And this morning he sang 5 songs--- full songs, from beginning to end, full melody. Of songs he hasn't heard in months.

And he's saying more specific things like: I have a hair in my mouth. Which is significant because he could feel it, figure out what it was, and was telling us to get it out. (He does speak very well, like 10 word sentences, etc.)

Also, we were at Whole Foods yesterday and there was this striking young black girl with an Afro and purple shirt and Jett said "Oh, she's cute!" Which was surprising, because, again, he normally doesn't notice people at all.

At 5 years old, we continue to see social progress on NP. I understand that he will gently rest his hand the back of another child in school that he likes. (That actually was the first sign of affection he gave to me when he started NP.) I know that he knows all the names of the kids in his class, but he still doesn't talk about any of them. At home, I feel that he's appropriately affectionate now. He even walked quickly toward me and smiled at me when I picked him up from school. We're almost done with the school year and this is the first time he did this. ALL the other kids run to their parents and hug them and smile. So we are getting there!

Research

Rutin and Quercitin are also known as Vitamin A and Carotenoids which act as an antioxidant, aids detoxification, aids the immune system, supports the microvilli in the digestive system, aids in the health of the thyroid gland.

Querecetin and T21

The potential use of diet for rational gene targeting in treating genetically-defined pathologies Shazaan Hushmendy1, Lalithapriya Jayakumar1, Amy Hahn1, Devang Bhoiwala1, Dipti Bhoiwala1 and Dana Crawford11 Albany Medical College, Albany, NY

ABSTRACT We have considered the novel possibility of treating pathologies whose genetic bases are defined with diet and nutrition. We reason that some healthy dietary nutrients can modulate the expression of disease-causing genes back toward the normal, attenuating the disease process while lowering treatment cost, toxicity, long-term risks, and improving compliance. Here, we chose clinical immunosuppression and Down Syndrome, genetically-defined pathologies caused by excessive IL-2 production and an extra chromosome 21, respectively. For immunosuppression, berry extract, curcumin, quercetin, sulforaphane, EGCG, Echinacea and others were tested on anti-CD3 activated primary human T-lymphocytes and mouse splenocytes in culture. Curcumin, sulforaphane, quercetin (in vitro and in vivo) and EGCG all significantly inhibited T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production, suggesting their potential in treating auto-immunity and transplant patients. The expression of two major Down syndrome candidate genes (RCAN1 and DYRK1A) was also evaluated following mouse dietary supplementation for 10 days. Quercetin and Echinacea both suppressed RCAN1 and DYRK1A protein levels. These results support our strategy of using healthy dietary supplements to treat genetically-defined pathologies; an approach that we believe is simple, healthy, and cost-effective. This research was supported by the Community Foundation. Teratog Carcinog Mutagen. 2001;21(5):369-82. Aneuploidy induced in lymphocytes of parents of trisomic 21 children. Caria H, Chaveca T, Rueff J. Source Department of Genetics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, New University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. Abstract A possible predisposition to aneuploidy in trisomic 21 individuals, their parents, and a control group was evaluated. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from those three groups were used to study the induction of micronuclei (MN) by mitomycin C, cyclophosphamide, and quercetin. Induced MN were further analysed by C-banding and CREST antibody. Trisomic 21 individuals have spontaneous frequencies of MN significantly higher than their parents and the control group. Quercetin without metabolic activation induces MN in trisomic 21 and their parents at a significantly higher level than in control group. The group of the parents of trisomic 21 individuals exhibits higher frequencies of induced MN by mitomycin C and cyclophosphamide than controls. Mitomycin C significantly induced CREST-positive-MN in ten of the sixteen parents evaluated. The results obtained seem to suggest a unique behaviour for the parents of trisomic 21 patients consisting in an increased susceptibility to chromosome loss in the presence of clastogenic genotoxicants, suggesting a higher predisposition to aneuploidy. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. PMID: 11746251 The following article discusses quercetin in some detail as it relates to dopamine. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12711835 Quercetin benefits Excerpts: Quercetin is a naturally occurring substance known as bioflavonoid that is found in high concentrations in the skin of apples, red onions, citrus fruits and red grapes. Quercetin benefits are numerous. It is a potent antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory properties and it is known to decrease allergy symptoms. It does this by blocking histamine action in the body... ...People who take 500 milligrams of quercetin three times a day find that their allergy symptoms are greatly relieved. Quercetin’s antihistamine action may also help some people relieve asthma symptoms as well. Other quercetin benefits include the anti-inflammatory properties of this substance that may help to reduce pain from disorders such as arthritis.... Some more quercetin benefits include the reduction of anxiety, depression and even fatigue. Collagen is needed for organ health and skin. Quercetin benefits the maintenance and health of collagen in the body and helps slow down the breakdown of collagen. This means that wrinkles and the aging and sagging of the skin can be slowed down as one grows older if they are getting enough quercetin in their daily diet. Internal organs stay stronger and healthier longer too. One of the well known quercetin benefits is that of its ability to act as a natural blood pressure reducer. It has been shown through clinical studies that people who supplement daily with 730 milligrams of quercetin can significantly drop both their diastolic and systolic blood pressure. However, these were people who are in the initial stages of hypertension and are just beginning to have problems with their blood pressure. People who are established as being hypertensive and are having problems controlling their blood pressure with prescription medications may not be able to control their blood pressure by supplementing with Quercetin alone. You should always consult your doctor if you want to try another way to control your blood pressure. Quercetin also benefits the entire cardiovascular system. People who have a high intake of Quercetin tend to have a lower risk for heart disease and stroke. Quercetin benefits the capillaries and connective tissues of the body which can help alleviate varicose veins, bruising and edema. Research into quercetin benefits also show that it can neutralize free radicals and prevent cell damage. It improves lung functioning so it is extremely beneficial to help in cases of bronchitis, asthma and emphysema. ...Some doctors caution that taking Quercetin as a daily supplement may interfere with medications they are taking because it can interfere with the liver’s ability to break them down. If you are taking prescription medications of any kind you should consult with your doctor before taking Quercetin supplements. Luteolin and T21 Plant flavonoid found to reduce inflammatory response in the brain May 19, 2008 Source: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ...Inflammation plays a key role in many neurodegenerative diseases and also is implicated in the cognitive and behavioral impairments seen in aging. The new study looked at luteolin (LOO-tee-OH-lin), a plant flavonoid known to impede the inflammatory response in several types of cells outside the central nervous system. The purpose of the study was to determine if luteolin could also reduce inflammation the brain, said animal sciences professor and principal investigator Rodney Johnson. “One of the questions we were interested in is whether something like luteolin, or other bioactive food components, can be used to mitigate age-associated inflammation and therefore improve cognitive function and avoid some of the cognitive deficits that occur in aging,” Johnson said. The researchers first studied the effect of luteolin on microglia. These brain cells are a key component of the immune defense. When infection occurs anywhere in the body, microglia respond by producing inflammatory cytokines, chemical messengers that act in the brain to orchestrate a whole-body response that helps fight the invading microorganism. This response is associated with many of the most obvious symptoms of illness: sleepiness, loss of appetite, fever and lethargy, and sometimes a temporary diminishment of learning and memory. Neuroinflammation can also lead some neurons to self-destruct, with potentially disastrous consequences if it goes too far. Graduate research assistant Saebyeol Jang studied the inflammatory response in microglial cells. She spurred inflammation by exposing the cells to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the cell wall of many common bacteria. Those cells that were also exposed to luteolin showed a significantly diminished inflammatory response. Jang showed that luteolin was shutting down production of a key cytokine in the inflammatory pathway, interleukin-6 (IL-6). The effects of luteolin exposure were dramatic, resulting in as much as a 90 percent drop in IL-6 production in the LPS-treated cells. “This was just about as potent an inhibition as anything we had seen previously,” Johnson said. But how was luteolin inhibiting production of IL-6" Jang began by looking at a class of proteins involved in intracellular signaling, called transcription factors, which bind to specific “promoter” regions on DNA and increase their transcription into RNA and translation into proteins. Using electromobility shift assays, which measure the binding of transcription factors to DNA promoters, Jang eventually determined that luteolin inhibited IL-6 production by preventing activator protein-1 (AP-1) from binding the IL-6 promoter. AP-1 is in turn activated by JNK, an upstream protein kinase. Jang found that luteolin inhibited JNK phosphorylation in microglial cell culture. The failure of the JNK to activate the AP-1 transcription factor prevented it from binding to the promoter region on the IL-6 gene and transcription came to a halt.... The findings indicate a possible role for luteolin or other bioactive compounds in treating neuroinflammation, Johnson said. “It might be possible to use flavonoids to inhibit JNK and mitigate inflammatory reactions in the brain,” he said. “Inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 are very well known to inhibit certain types of learning and memory that are under the control of the hippocampus, and the hippocampus is also very vulnerable to the insults of aging,” he said. “If you had the potential to decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines in the brain you could potentially limit the cognitive deficits that result.” --- Luteolin flavonoid health benefit by Ray Sahelian, M.D. Luteolin is a flavonoid, and more precisely one of the citrus bioflavonoids. Just like most flavonoids, it has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties. It is found in high amounts in parsley, thyme, peppermint, basil herb, celery and artichoke. How it works Luteolin exerts a variety of pharmacological activities and anti-oxidant properties associated with its capacity to scavenge oxygen and nitrogen species. It also shows potent anti-inflammatory activities by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa B (NFkB) signaling in immune cells. Luteolin and brain inflammation University of Illinois researchers report lutelin, found in celery and green peppers, can disrupt a component of the inflammatory response in the brain. Rodney Johnson of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduate student Saebyeol Jang found that luteolin inhibits a key pathway in the inflammatory response of microglia -- brain cells key to the body's immune defense. Microglial cells exposed to luteolin show a significantly diminished inflammatory response and there was reduced production of interleukin-6 -- used in cellular communication -- in the inflammatory pathway. Luteolin Research Decreased pro-inflammatory cytokine production by LPS-stimulated PBMC upon in vitro incubation with the flavonoids apigenin, luteolin or chrysin, due to selective elimination of monocytes/macrophages. Biochem Pharmacol. 2005. Apigenin and its structural analogues chrysin and luteolin were used to evaluate their capacity to inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Furthermore, flowcytometric analysis was performed to compare the effects of apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, quercetin and naringenin on the different cell types present in PBMC. LPS-stimulated PBMC were cultured in the presence of the flavonoids and TNFalpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 were measured in the supernatants. In parallel, metabolic activity of the PBMC was determined by measuring succinate dehydrogenase activity. Apigenin, chrysin and luteolin dose-dependently inhibited both pro-inflammatory cytokine production and metabolic activity of LPS-stimulated PBMC. With increasing concentration of apigenin, chrysin or luteolin the monocytes/macrophages disappeared as measured by flowcytometry. This also appeared to occur in the non-LPS-stimulated PBMC. At the same time there was an increase in dead cells. T- and B-lymphocytes were not affected. Quercetin and naringenin had virtually no effects on cytokines, metabolic activity or on the number of cells in the studied cell populations. In conclusion, monocytes were specifically eliminated in PBMC by apigenin, chrysin or luteolin treatment in vitro at low concentrations (around 8 microM), in which apigenin appeared to be the most potent. The flavones luteolin and apigenin inhibit in vitro antigen-specific proliferation and interferon-gamma production by murine and human autoimmune T cells. Biochem Pharmacol. 2004. Plant-derived flavonoids are inhibitors of various intracellular processes, notably phosphorylation pathways, and potential inhibitors of cellular autoimmunity. In this study, the inhibiting effects of various flavonoids on antigen-specific proliferation and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by human and murine autoreactive T cells were evaluated in vitro. T-cell responses were evaluated for the human autoantigen alpha B-crystallin, a candidate autoantigen in multiple sclerosis, and for the murine encephalitogen proteolipid protein peptide PLP (139-151). The flavones apigenin and luteolin were found to be strong inhibitors of both murine and human T-cell responses while fisitin, quercitin, morin and hesperitin, members of the subclasses of flavonoles and flavanones, were ineffective. Antigen-specific IFN-gamma production was reduced more effectively by flavones than T-cell proliferation, suggesting that the intracellular pathway for IFN-gamma production in T cells is particularly sensitive to flavone inhibition. These results indicate that flavones but not flavanoles or flavanones are effective inhibitors of the potentially pathogenic function of autoreactive T cells. The effects of flavones were the same for human and murine autoreactive T cells, stressing the usefulness of animal models of autoimmunity for further studies on the effects of flavonones on autoimmune diseases. Determination of free radical scavenging activity of quercetin, rutin, luteolin and apigenin in H2O2-treated human ML cells K562. Neoplasma. 2004. We investigated protective effects of four flavonoids against H2O2- induced DNA damage in human myelogenous leukemia cells (K562) using the comet assay. The structural difference of studied flavonoids -- quercetin, rutin, luteolin and apigenin -- are characterized by the number of hydroxyl groups on the B ring. The presence of an o-dihydroxy structure on the B-ring confers a higher degree of stability to the flavonoid phenoxyl radicals by participating in electron delocalization and is, therefore, an important determinant for antioxidative potential. The results correlate with earlier published data obtained in murine leukemia cell line L1210. Hydrogen peroxide induced in human K562 cells a concentration-dependent increase of single cell DNA strand breaks. The strongest inhibition against H2O2-induced DNA damage (44%, 42%) was found in a range of luteolin and quercetin concentrations of 20-100 micromol/l. Protective effect of rutin was only marginal (8-10%). Apigenin had no protective effect on DNA single strand breaks induced by H2O2. Luteolin and quercetin are therefore effective in the protection of human single cell DNA from oxidative attack. Flavonoids such as luteolin, fisetin and apigenin are inhibitors of interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 production by activated human basophils. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2004. We have previously shown that fisetin, a flavonol, inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 synthesis by allergen- or anti-IgE-antibody-stimulated basophils. This time, we investigated the inhibition of IL-4 and IL-13 production by basophils by other flavonoids. We additionally investigated whether flavonoids suppress leukotriene C4 synthesis by basophils and IL-4 synthesis by T cells in response to anti-CD3 antibody. Highly purified peripheral basophils were stimulated for 12 h with anti-IgE antibody alone or anti-IgE antibody plus IL-3 in the presence of various concentrations of 18 different kinds of flavones and flavonols. IL-4 and IL-13 concentrations in the supernatants were then measured. Leukotriene C4 synthesis was also measured after basophils were stimulated for 1 h in the presence of flavonoids. Regarding the inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 synthesis by T cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with flavonoids in anti-CD3-antibody-bound plates for 2 days. Luteolin, fisetin and apigenin were found to be the strongest inhibitors of both IL-4 and IL-13 production by basophils but did not affect leukotriene C4 synthesis. At higher concentrations, these flavonoids suppressed IL-4 production by T cells. Based on a hierarchy of inhibitory activity, the basic structure for IL-4 inhibition by basophils was determined. Due to the inhibitory activity of flavonoids on IL-4 and IL-13 synthesis, it can be expected that the intake of flavonoids, depending on the quantity and quality, may ameliorate allergic symptoms or prevent the onset of allergic diseases. Characteristic rat tissue accumulation of nobiletin, a chemopreventive polymethoxyflavonoid, in comparison with luteolin. Biofactors. 2002. Nobiletin, a polymethoxyflavonoid, is an effective anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive phytochemical found in citrus fruits. We compared the absorption and metabolism characteristics of nobiletin with those of luteolin in male SD rats. Our results suggest that the metabolic properties of polymethoxyflavonoids are distinct from those of other general flavonoids, because of their wide distribution and accumulation in tissue. --- Can celery boost the memory? The researchers suggested that aged mice may have more brain inflammation and therefore worse memories, so should normally perform worse in the test. Here they wanted to test how luteolin might affect this. They used 26 adult mice and 26 aged mice. Half of each group was given a standard diet while the other half was also given a supplement of 20mg of luteolin a day for four weeks. After the experiment, the researchers assessed how much luteolin had been absorbed into the mouse blood. They also looked at which genes had been switched on in the hippocampus, a region of the brain that is associated with spatial memory. They determined the activity of the genes by looking at how much RNA was produced by each gene. What were the basic results? When exposed to LPS alone, the inflammatory response in the BV-2 cells was characterised by a greater release of a peptide called interleukin -1 (IL-1 ) and an increased activity in the gene that produces IL-1 and three other genes involved in inflammation that were measured. BV-2 cells that had been treated with 50 mol/L of luteolin released 70% less IL-1 when exposed to LPS. Luteolin also reduced the activity of the gene that produced IL-1 and partially prevented the activity of the three other genes from being increased. When the liquid (in which the BV-2 cells had been grown and treated with LPS) was mixed with neurone-like cells, some of the neurone-like cells died. However, BV-2 cells that had also been treated with luteolin caused a reduced amount of death of the neurone-like cells. The researchers found that aged mice performed poorer on the water maze task, swimming further before they found the target. However, aged mice that had been given luteolin performed as well as the younger adult mice on this task. There was no difference in the performance of younger adult mice that had the luteolin-supplemented diet or normal diet. The aged mice had higher levels of IL-1 mRNA in their hippocampus than adult mice, indicating that the IL-1 gene is more active in aged mice. The IL-I gene was less active in the aged mice that had been fed luteolin. How did the researchers interpret the results? The researchers suggest that luteolin improves spatial working memory in aged mice by affecting the microglial-associated inflammation in the brain's hippocampus. They suggest that luteolin consumption may be beneficial in preventing or treating conditions that involve increased microglial cell activity and inflammation. Conclusion This small animal study demonstrated that luteolin can interfere with microglial-mediated inflammation and improve spatial memory in aged mice, suggesting that microglial inflammation may play a role in spatial memory loss in mice. Rutin and T21

Rutin is a bioflavonoid found in rose hips, black currants, the rind of green citrus fruits, in tea, in buckwheat seeds and in berries like mulberry. While it has many potential benefits, more scientific research is needed to confirm them. Always consult your doctor before trying a new supplement and be aware that no regulated manufacturing standards for herbal compounds are in place, making it important to use products from reputable manufacturers.

Sources

http://www.allnaturaladvantage.com.au/Phenol%20Sensitivity.htm

http://www.vaccinationnews.com/scandals/feb_15_02/comparison_symptoms.htm

How Much Vitamin D3?

Why supplement and monitor zinc?

Alzheimer's Disease & DS: Connection and Treatment

Why Rhodiola Rosea?

Ashwagandha: Good for Brain

Roobios Tea Protects Brain Against CNS Damage

Coconut Oil Info and Recipes

Fats & Oils

EGCG Green Tea Extract For Memory

Longvida Curcumin

Gingko: The Hows and Whys for Down Syndrome

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Little Reader Chinese Review

I'd always planned on teaching my children at least one other language. From what I've read, the benefits are great. It enhances academic progress in other subjects; benefits higher order, abstract and creative thinking; enriches and enhances cognitive development (especially if taught early on); enhances their sense of achievement; promotes cultural awareness and competency; improves chances of college acceptance, achievement and attainment; enhances career opportunities, etc. I always think of how supposedly, the Inuits have many different words for snow while I only have one. If you did know those words, imagine all the new shades of meaning it opens up for you.

With Jett having Down syndrome, I think it would be super cool if he could learn a new language which would open up more career opportunities down the road. If he could speak Chinese, for instance, wouldn't that be awesome? It seems to be the language to learn these days what with all the work that is funneled through the People's Republic of China. In fact, China is currently the fastest growing economy in the world and is widely regarded as potentially the biggest global market in the near future. I know many people who travel back and forth from the US to China on various business trips. Anyway, Chinese is the most widely-spoken language in the world. Plus, it's so different from English. It would really be a good work out for the brain to master it. And studies show that learning new things promotes neurogenesis!

Learning a second language early is the best way to go. The ability to hear different phonetic pronunciations is more proficient before the age of three and we lose the capacity to hear and produce certain sounds if we aren't exposed to them early on, according to François Thibaut, director of the Language Workshop for Children, in New York City. The earlier you introduce a second language, the easier it will be to pick up its unique sounds.

So when I was given the opportunity to try and review Little Reader Chinese -- I jumped on the chance!

Little Reader Chinese has all the same great qualities of the English version including complete support of the Doman method of teaching reading to young children; multi-sensory teaching with words, pictures, videos and audio. Like the original, you can also easily add your own videos, photos and words in your own voice (if you can speak Chinese!). The year's worth of lessons progress from single characters all the way up to complete stories.

It's really cool because since I don't know Chinese, as I watch it, I get an idea of what is like for Jett to learn English. You really do have to infer and make connections in your brain in order to learn it. The screen shot at left is from a video clip showing a little baby scooting back and laying down.

As you may know, Jett is obsessed with words and reading and now letters and writing--English, that is...

I also need to add that Jett may be on the edge of the Autism spectrum... He does have some sensory issues that cause some minor aversions to sounds and occasional (gratefully waning) stimming... (As well as some borderline missing social skills, but that's for another post.)

So, when I played Little Reader Chinese for Jett, he didn't share my enthusiasm. As soon as he realized that it wasn't his beloved alphabet nor the language he was used to hearing, he cried out and made a nose dive for the floor off my lap!

Meanwhile, my 13 year old stepdaughter, Kathy was completely spell bound. She is super excited to learn Chinese and was happy to take over the abandoned session.

I will continue LRC with Jett, but I'm going to have to ease him into it. We had a similar problem with his favorite DVD, Readeez. He loves Readeez, but there is one song in the "extras" section of the DVD where the singers shout the lyrics. Jett is so freaked out by this that if we hit "extras" on any of the DVD's he screams and jumps to the floor. I obviously handled that incorrectly, so I'm going to be very careful introducing LRC. I may have to write the characters on little cards first or show him little Chinese toddlers speaking on youtube in order to prepare him for this new learning experience.

So, I do recommend the program, but Jett is not quite ready for it! (Although I do plan on acclimating him sooner than later!)

It costs $119 for twelve months of lessons, as an add on to the original Little Reader. If you do sign up to participate in the early learning discussions on their forum as well as download free flashcards and free trial lessons, you can use my affiliate code BKAFF46047. You can also join on Facebook.

Disclaimer: I was provided this product in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I was not paid for this review, nor required to write a positive review.

BrillKids is offering discounts for Special Needs
Teaching Your Baby to Read
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Readeez: Songs Supporting Reading Free Download
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My TV/Video Strategy
Teach Your Baby Math

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

DS Track at AutismOne Conference in 2012

Register Today!

The DS community has been granted our very own track at the prestigious AutismOne Conference!

Our sessions are scheduled for Thursday, May 24, 2012. The conference will be held in Lombard, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The five-day conference is free, with a nominal $25 material/ handling fee.

You can register online at

http://www.autismone.org/content/down-syndrome-autismone-conference-2012

Down Syndrome Track Session Overview

All T21 sessions are located at room Grand CD and will be presented one after the other with comedian and father to child w/T21, Bob Orvis as MC.

Dawn of a New Decade
8:00 am - 8:55 am

Jane Winans, parent of a thriving child with Down syndrome, shares her journey and discusses biomedical options she used for her daughter. Hear from 10-year old, Lydia, in this moving opening session designed to enlighten and empower parents. Click to see video 1 and video 2 of Lydia.
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Why talk about Down syndrome at an Autism Conference?
9:00 am - 9:55 am

Parent-researcher, Laurette Janak, relates similarities in health histories between DS and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) families and how we can best learn from them. Woven into the discussion will be valid, scientific reasons for trying biomedical options.

Biomedical Basics: Where to Begin

10:00 am - 10:55 am

Dr. Norman Schwartz explains how optimizing nutrition, exploring supplementation, monitoring the thyroid, utilizing lab results and avoiding environmental toxins are the building blocks needed to form a solid foundation upon which your child may flourish.

Trisomy 21: Understanding the Problem
11:00 am - 11:55 am

Dick Deth, PhD shares an easy-to-understand overview of some of the major issues facing our children including the methylation cycle, the Alzheimer's connection, oxidative stress and the effects of GABA overexpression.

--Lunch Break--

What's Next? Exploring Options

1:00 pm - 1:55 pm
Dr. Anju Usman will explain the next level of biomedical information including optimizing a healthy gut-brain connection, and nutrients for brain repair and neurogenesis, which is the brain's ability to create new brain cells and new connections.

Supporting Speech
Important Nutritional, Oral Motor, Feeding and Language Ideas to Ensure Optimal Development of Your Child with Down Syndrome

2:00 pm - 2:55 pm

Learn from Jill Rabin, MS, CCC-SLP, how proper nutrition, medical intervention, supplementation and oral motor and communication exercises must all be on track to pave the way to excellent speech.

The Neurodevelopment Aspect
Sequential Processing and Alternative Treatment Methods
3:00 pm - 3:55 pm

Alison Wimmer will explain the fundamentals of neurodevelopment and why it works beautifully with the holistic approach to DS therapy giving our children the opportunity to succeed beyond our expectations.

The Future: Choose Your Own Adventure

4:00 pm - 4:55 pm

Download Free Handout

Sessions end with each parent's exciting new journey before them. Cheryl Greene will share her time-saving strategies to help parents fit everything in their busy schedules. Andi Durkin (parent to Jett) and Dr. Russ Jaffe will discuss the undertreatment of the thyroid as well as myths about Down syndrome. They will also unveil great new resources to support parents as they explore and implement OPTIONS for healthier children including a new Foundation and website with a parent database. The floor will open for questions and answers.

Jett; my husband, Kenny and I can't wait to see you there!

Special thanks to Teri and Ed Arranga for graciously allowing us to have a DS track.

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