Beware of Strep

Well, after all the drama with Maxwell, it turns out he has an atypical presentation of strep. Low grade fever and lots of strange behavior. Lambert gets strep like that too but Maxwell never has. So, now we know when our kids develop into bizarre creatures with big behaviors, we take them for a throat culture. I've read about a possible syndrome called PANDAS, which is basically an autoimmune syndrome caused by strep attacking the brain. I asked out doctor about it and he was unsure about it's validity..but at least he knew what I was talking about! Have I mentioned how much I love Dr. Gonzalez? Anyway, Maxwell has a prescription for antibiotics - doctor made sure to recommend probiotics as well - yay, and we're hoping he'll be back to our distractible, charming, messy - not melty - little man. And, Lambert was flapping his hands and turning around in circles this morning so apparently he needs a throat swab too..ah, the joys of parenthood :)

On the upside, the school was receptive to changing Maxwell's disciplinary action to an "at home recovery" day rather than a suspension. So, he won't look like demon child on his permanent file...ahhh...a productive day, I'd say!

The Wrong Wall

So, my youngest son, Maxwell was suspended from school yesterday. He's 5, adorable, hilarious, messy, aggravating, and charming. No, he didn't bring a weapon to school, he didn't make a terroristic threat, he didn't physically harm anyone...he wrote on the desk...a line. When he was confronted, he lied and said he didn't do it. Somehow, things escalated from there and he had to be carried by two people out of his classroom and physically restrained for 7 minutes, with an additional 40 minutes needed until he was calm. Seriously?? Since he's started school (MDO at age 15 months), we've heard the words "brilliant", "dramatic", "handful", "stubborn", "willful", "adorable" used to describe him. He loves music, he loves to dance, his brain goes a mile a minute and he forgets what he's supposed to do in the middle of a one step directive. Because he's not the one with Autism, we always assumed was fine. And, though he's perfect, it's becoming increasingly clear to us that he is not, in fact, fine. He's been having troubles all through preschool, he's been the lovable nuisance, the brilliant pain in the butt kid but, I never thought he was the "oh no, please don't put that kid in my class" kid. All this time, I was focused on Lambert's educational needs, always assuming Maxwell would be fine anywhere we put him. The handwriting was on the wall...I was just looking at the wrong wall. So, now it's time to shift my focus, have Maxwell evaluated, provide the nutritional supports, behavior supports, etc. that we have been giving to Lambert. I don't know what is causing his problems but we'll work it out together. I just hope it's an easier road because my husband and I are tired...We'll never give up but a nap sure would be nice!

Vanilla Almond Muffins (or Cupcakes)

Vanilla Almond Muffins

4 Eggs

½ cup sugar

1 cup Almond Meal

1 Cup Tapioca Flour (aka Tapioca Starch)

1 Tbsp Vanilla

¼ tsp salt

½ Tbsp Baking Powder

½ Cup non-dairy milk

Mix it all together on medium and bake in lined muffin pans at 350 for 15-17 minutes. You can frost these and pass them off as cupcakes or leave them plain and make them muffins. I sprinkled chocolate chips on top of ½ of these to please my chocolate lover and kept the other ½ plain for my vanilla lover. All were happy and I have won yet another battle in the war of getting more protein in my children without their knowledge. Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

More from Lambert

My younger son, Maxwell, is having some difficulty at school. He's always been a very stubborn, silly, forgetful, and easily distracted kid. So, add Kindergarten to the mix and he's really struggling. He had to go to the office today, discipline referral, the whole deal. Last year, when Lambert was in Kindergarten, he had a very hard time. He went to a very large public school and was in general ed all day and it just didn't work. It was a very negative experience for him and he really struggled with behavior. This year, however, is a very different story. He is kicking butt and taking names in first grade at his new school and at home. Basically, with all of his diet and medicine, he is almost always without symptoms. And, he's successful in general ed in a small charter school - they both go to West Houston Charter. Anyway, after today's Maxwell escapades, Lambert and I got to talking about things. I had to tell him that Maxwell will be losing a lot of privileges until he gets his behavior together and that it might upset him to hear him cry. Lambert can't stand to hear his brother cry - it's loud, grating, and upsetting for all of us, especially big brother, who takes his role as guide and protector seriously. Needless to say, Lambert had some interesting insights and questions. The first thing he said was "Do you think that because I have Autism, Maxwell got it?" Really? Poor guy, I had to explain that it's definitely NOT contagious...hereditary, maybe but NOT contagious :) The second thing he had to say is "Well, maybe he has Autism and now I don't!" Mmmmm...maybe, maybe not... So, we got to talking about how Maxwell might have to start taking vitamins like he does and Lambert said "I think my diet and vitamins are like the army that is destroying my Autism. I think the Autism has about three cannons left, though." Seriously, I'm just floored by this child...who thinks those things? Is he actually using abstract imagery? Wow! Anyway, he was talking about how Kindergarten was hard for him and he said that last year, "everyone called him names and told him he was a bad boy". This year, he said "nobody tells me anything bad, they want to be my friends". What a change. I was so torn up last year, knowing how miserable he was and praying for an answer and I know God was able to make some things move into place. Well, Maxwell doesn't have the excuse of a big school and too much stimulation and all that. But, I took Max to the doctor yesterday and we got a ton of tests run so if there's anything medical causing his issues, we'll get it figured out. And, we know that diet and supplements work so we have a plan. Thank God we have such an articulate expert in our Lambert to guide little Max...maybe he'll even stay out of the office for a week...well, one can dream ;)

The Voice of Autism?

Three years ago, my oldest son would babble quotes from Thomas the Tank Engine movies, repeat anything anyone said, and only sometimes answer yes and no questions. His eyes were glassy, he was difficult to soothe, he had to touch everything, break most of what he touched, and was constantly frustrated...and, honestly frustrating. My husband and I heard the word Autism associated with our son February 13, 2007. There are not adequate words for those days and the months, frankly years, that followed. And there are not adequate words for the gratitude I feel today. Today, my son told me that he wanted to save his money to buy his little brother the $100 castle he wants. Today, my son asked me how my day was. Today, my son accompanied me on my run and regaled me with stories about his day at school, including conversations with friends. Today, my son looked me straight in the eye and told me he loved me. Today, I know he is better than fine, he is perfect. He will have a fullness of life that I didn't know he could have almost four years ago. I don't know why God chose to bless my family with this gift, this gift of possibility. I can only fall to my knees and say Thank You. Thank you so much for blessing my son, for making him whole, for guiding us to the right treatment - and for the knowledge that it is treatment, not cure. Thank you for all the angels in our lives that have made this success possible. There are not words, my heart is full.

Sandwich "Cakies"

So, you know the things sold by a certain brand name that mutated their famous cookie into a cake type treat? Here's how to make them at home, gf/cf. My kids call them MommyO's :)

Cakies
1 box gluten free cake mix (I used vanilla Betty Crocker - they were on sale...you can use chocolate or whatever kind floats your kids boat)
1/2 cup almond meal
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp melted Earth's Balance (or your favorite dairy free margarine or shortening, or coconut oil, whatever you like to use)
Enough rice flour to make the dough the consistency of moist play-doh

Preheat oven to 350. Mix it all together (add rice flour as necessary) and drop in teaspoon size balls onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Cover the balls with a layer of plastic wrap. Press them down into flat circles with the bottom of a juice glass. Remove plastic wrap. Bake for 11-12 minutes, until the edges get a little golden. Let them cool.

Filling:
1/2 cup melted Earth's Balance margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups of powdered sugar (I buy the corn free version at Whole Foods - 365 brand - you can get a case discount on this if you have a place to store it...)
1 tsp vanilla
Enough non-dairy milk to get desired consistency

Mix the filling ingredients together, adding milk as necessary to get it to the proper frosting consistency. Use to spread on the bottom of 1 cakie, make a sandwich out of it with another one and there you go - happy, happy yummy stuff!

Chocolate Sauce

This recipe comes from one of my favorite sources, Amy Dacyczyn’s The Complete Tightwad Gazette. I make mine with organic evaporated cane juice that I buy at Costco. You choose what type of sugar you like to use.

1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix the water, sugar, and cocoa and whisk over heat until everything is blended - boil 3 minutes to make sure the sugar dissolves. Let it cool and pour into a clean glass bottle. Store in the fridge.

I use this to make chocolate milk with rice or almond milk and, of course, as ice cream topping :) Use as you would those expensive, artificial ingredient containing store bought syrups!

Birthday Parties

Let it be said, I HATE kids birthday parties. I never thought I would say this but with a child on the Autism Spectrum, they are a painful thing. There's a lot of noise, lots of kids, lots of things sitting out that can't be touched, lots of presents that aren't his, lots of food he can't eat, lots of candy he can't have, you name it. When I get an invitation to a birthday party, I always cringe and dread the day. I'm not one to take these types of challenges lying down so, here's what I do: I make cupcakes in large batches and freeze them - thaw, frost, and decorate the day of and bring them along. I bring along candy from naturalcandystore.com and make sure both kids have been fed beforehand. If I know there will be pizza served, I will make them some and bring that along as well. No, Maxwell is not on a gluten free diet but with the two being only 16 months apart, everything has to be "the same". With all that said, parties are still not fun. I always feel like the overprotective scroogy mom that wants to wrap her kids in bubble wrap. No, Lambert, you can't have that candy, No Lambert, you can't have the Power Ranger Cake - it has artificial colors and wheat, No Lambert, that pizza has wheat...blah, blah, blah. Truly, I'm not trying to offend anyone but my child can't drink that Kool-Aid pouch or he will probably beat up every kid in the room and steal the presents. And, no matter what precautions I take, there is still that opportunity for a meltdown. Take today, for example, I brought juice boxes and cupcakes, fed the kids ahead of time, had candy at home to replace whatever was in their goody bag, but no matter how I prepared, there was no way for me to know about "The Water Balloons". Never mind the fact that they are water balloons and, therefore, instantly the most desirable thing in the place, but they were also for some unspecified time known as "later". So, my poor child spent 2 hours hovering around, asking about, picking up and putting down, and eyeing those water balloons from every angle - only to be told "it's not time yet". After two hours, it still "wasn't time" for the stupid freaking water balloons and Lambert's balloon sword popped -and the clown refused to make him another one (really, what kind of clown is THAT?). So, let the meltdown commence. Ugh, will this ever end?? He truly was a champ when the 2 year old cut in front of him in the face painting line and the two thousand times he was told it was "not time for the water balloons" but by 4 pm and the 2001th time, it was over. I am so sick of trying to help my baby and play nice with stupid people who don't know enough to not tempt kid with ASD for 2 hours with water balloons. I mean, seriously?? So, here's how I resolved things - I filled up a bunch of water balloons at home and let the kids destroy each other and while they were wreaking havoc outside, I made a new balloon sword. Yes, I learned how to make balloon animals this summer following another clown/balloon animal catastrophe. You'd be amazed at what you can learn on YouTube while a 6 year old is freaking out....Anyway, this is truly nothing but a rant for the day. Maybe someone can learn something from it? If nothing else, never, ever set temptations out at a party that do not have a concrete time table! Good luck all :)

Follow Up: So, after thinking about this overnight and getting over my frustration, I realized I missed a teachable moment. Instead of getting angry, I could have spoken to the parents responsible for the party and explained what was frustrating Lambert. I spend so much time in my own head that I just assume other people should just know how to deal with a child with ASD. And, well, Lambert is tricky. He is not detectable until he is...if that makes any sense. Anyway, I could have suggested the following: Put the balloons away until the appropriate time, set a time for the game and stick to it, volunteer to manage the game myself, at the very least, explained what was going on. I got frustrated and embarrassed and that only made things worse. When my world is about my children, it's hard for me to function at events that are about other people's children, especially when they are so contrary to the world in which my son can thrive. So, live and learn, and keep on growing...like a vicious and fierce weed ;)

Cranberry Pumpkin Pie Upside Down Cake

I adapted this recipe by modifying and combining two recipes from Elana's Pantry (www.elanaspantry.com). My kids love this stuff and I'm pretty sure it's the perfect breakfast with a nice cup of coffee....cause...you know, there's protein and vitamins and....stuff...

Cake Part

1 ½ cups almond meal
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup agave nectar or honey
2 large eggs
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin - canned or fresh, up to you

Crust Part
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp canola oil

Run the crust ingredients through your food processor until mixed and nicely chopped. Line the bottom of an 11x7" parchment lined baking pan. Press the crust on top of the parchment paper until evenly distributed. Mix the cake ingredients thoroughly and pour on top. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until sides pull away and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes away clean. Let cake cool in the pan. Once cool, run a knife along the sides to loosen it and turn your pan over onto a storage container or serving plate. This cake may not look exactly beautiful but it tastes like autumn in Heaven. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can't live without these..unless you're some sort of person who doesn't like chocolate...in which case I don't think I want to know you...;)

1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
3/4 cups almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 cup c/f margarine (I use Earth's Balance)
2 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
1 package of dairy free chocolate chips (Ghirardelli or Guittard semi sweet chips are, at time of posting, dairy free)

I know there is maybe meant to be an order to mixing this stuff but, frankly, I just throw it all in the bowl of the stand mixer and set it to go. Preheat your oven to 375, bake cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes. Hide some from the kids and/or your spouse or they will be mostly gone by the time you finish baking these!

Happy baking!

Why GF/CF?

A lot of people wonder why the GF/CF diet is recommended for children with Autism. I have read some excellent books on the topic and came away with a reasonable explanation that everyone can understand. It goes like this. Gluten and casein are long chain proteins. Some people lack the elements necessary in their digestive tract to fully digest these proteins. When they are incompletely broken down, they form a peptide that crosses the blood brain barrier. This peptide is similar to heroin and, as such, has an opioid effect on the brain. In short, when a child with Autism that will positively respond to a gf/cf diet ingests gluten and/or casein, they are high. No wonder they love that stuff!! Good gravy, who wouldn't? Now, you may be asking - can't I have my child tested to see if they react to gluten and/or casein before I undertake this diet? The answer is not really. Your doctor may say he/she can do a blood draw allergy test or scratch tests. These types of tests are commonly testing an IgE reaction - IgE reactions only account for 5% of all food allergies. So, you may say, well, what about the ELISA test? This test may or may not help you and your insurance may or may not cover it. I will tell you this, I did those tests on both of my kids and, according to tests, neither one of them has any allergy to anything. However, when my kid eats gluten, he's stoned. Absolutely giggly, crazy, running around the house, blank look in his eyes, won't respond to his name, stoned. My advice? Try it for 6 weeks and then make a judgment. Some children just don't respond to the diet and for some it's like night and day. It's a guessing game as to whether or not your child will be what they call a "positive responder" but it's certainly worth a shot. Good luck!

Educate yourself!

Let it be said that if you have a child with special needs, you NEED to get educated. You NEED to familiarize yourself with the laws. You NEED to become unpopular if necessary to get what your child needs. Don't be a shrinking violet, be a tiger. You don't have to be mean or rude, but you do have to know your stuff and you do have to be firm and persistent. Family to Family has a lovely bunch of advocates to give you advice, don't be afraid to call. Please do yourself and your child a favor and check out these sites.

http://www.thearcoftexas.org/resources/families/inclusionresources.asp

Print, highlight, and refer to the publication "It's A New IDEA" frequently. This is a must have if you are an educator or parent of a special needs child. Since it's not published by the TEA, the school district will not allow teachers to distribute it. It is a wonderful publication and you NEED to have it.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/guidance/special_dietary_needs.pdf#xml=http://65.216.150.153/texis/search/pdfhi.txt?query=guidance+for+special+needs+children&pr=FNS&prox=page&rorder=500&rprox=500&rdfreq=500&rwfreq=500&rlead=500&rdepth=0&sufs=0&order=r&cq=&id=4bc7808f7

This publication is the USDA law requiring public schools to provide appropriate substitutes in the school lunch program, if your child is on a special diet for his/her special need. You must have a letter of medical necessity from your child's pediatrician. This publication outlines how that must read. The school district can NOT turn you down for this service if you have the appropriate documentation - it is a federal law.

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/ED/pdf/ED.25.pdf

This is the law that requires the school district to excuse absences for recognized therapy for autism. This is a good one if you're doing a lot of private therapy and run into attendance issues.

http://wrightslaw.com/

You just MUST subscribe to this site - it has everything you need to know. Check it out but make sure you have some time to browse.

OK, I may be done with my rant for the day. I just cannot stress enough how important it is that you become educated. This is one of the most important things you will do for your child through this whole journey of special needs.

Good luck and be brave!

Almond Bread

Here's another recipe that I adapted from Elana's Pantry - check out her blog if you have a moment, she has some very inspiring recipes: www.elanaspantry.com . I substituted some things in this recipe to fit what I had on hand and my kids loved it. I served it with dinner tonight and will make french toast for breakfast this week. This is yet another chapter in the epic saga: "How to Get My Kids to Eat More Protein" This is both sneaky and delicious :)

1 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour (if using meal, you may want to run it through the food processor for a few seconds to grind it a little finer)
3/4 cup tapioca flour/starch (you can also use arrowroot or potato if that's what you have on hand)
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tbsp. honey or agave nectar
4 eggs
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Beat the eggs in your mixer until frothy. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except the vinegar, and mix thoroughly, then add the vinegar and finish mixing. Grease a standard size loaf pan, pour your mix in and pop into an oven preheated to 350. Bake about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.

Ice Cream!

I absolutely love mint chocolate chip ice cream - always have, always will. I can't have dairy and my kids can't have artificial colors and flavors so store bought mint chocolate chip is out of the picture. And, let's face it, if you're allergic to coconut, getting a good non-dairy mint chocolate chip store bought is not going to happen. So, I make my own. No, this does not make me super-woman, it's actually pretty easy and involves absolutely no grinding.

Here you go:

Amy's Awesome Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

4 cups of Rice Dream (this is a whole aseptic box)
1 cup of Vance's DariFree (this is great stuff and worth getting)
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract (natural)
1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 package non-dairy chocolate chips (ghirardelli or guittard semi sweet are currently dairy free)

Mix everything but the chocolate chips in a blender until well blended and smooth. Pour into your designated ice cream container and stick it in the freezer. Stir it every hour to two hours to blend the frozen parts with the non-frozen parts. When it gets to be about the consistency of pudding, add the chocolate chips and stir to disperse. Let it freeze the rest of the way and then chow down. This is pretty much an all day process so do it on a day when you're hanging around the house.

Now, you may not be as enamored with mint chocolate chip as I am. If so, you can play with this recipe. For chocolate ice cream, omit the peppermint and add 4 tbsp cocoa powder. For vanilla, omit the peppermint and play with adding more vanilla. Add peaches or strawberries or blueberries, replace some of the dari free with instant coffee...you get the point, make it your own! Have fun and enjoy!

Sneaky Nutritious Energy Bars

Aha! I have been on a quest to get protein snacks in my children and they have been...shall we say...less than cooperative. Until today! Meet the Energy Bar masquerading as a brownie - this recipe was adapted from one at Elana's Pantry.

Energy Bars

1 cup raw walnuts

1.5 cups almond meal
½ cup flax meal
½ cup unsalted creamy almond butter
½ teaspoon salt (I like sea salt)

½ cup oil (I used canola but you could use your favorite)
4 drops liquid
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (try Ghirardelli semi sweet or Guittard semi sweet)

1. Place walnuts, almond meal, flax meal, almond butter and salt in a food processor
2. Pulse until it nuts are chopped
   
3. Mix stevia, agave/honey, and vanilla in your oil
4. Add oil mixture to food processor and pulse until ingredients form a coarse paste
5. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish
6. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour, until mixture hardens
7. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate over very low heat, stirring continuously
8. Spread melted chocolate over bars; return to refrigerator for 30 minutes, until chocolate hardens
9. Remove from refrigerator, cut into bars and serve

Local resources if you're buying on the cheap

OK, lots of people ask me - doesn't it cost a fortune to eat gf/cf? Well, if you're a person who needs a mix for everything you do, then yes. If you're like me (a good dutch girl from West Michigan), you'll look for ways to reduce your grocery budget. Below are some ways I've greatly reduced mine:

Flour: Katy Grocers on Mason Rd is an excellent place to buy flour. I use a lot of sorghum (called jowar there), brown, and white rice flours. Do NOT buy Bob's at a bazillion dollars a pound, try your local Indo/Pak grocery and get a deal! Also check out Country Life Natural Foods - they are located in Pullman, MI. Even with shipping, prices on things like Almond Meal cannot be beat.

Noodles: You can get excellent gf noodles in the asian section of your local grocery. I like Fiesta the best in Katy. I get all kinds of noodles for a fraction of the cost and my kids think they're eating fettucini or angel hair pasta. Try the rice noodles and the mung bean vermicelli - they are excellent!

Cheese: So, while I can't handle cow milk stuff, I find the sheep or goat milk cheeses are no issue for my body. While, yes, they do contain casein, they are a shorter chain protein and, therefore, do not have the opioid effect on kids with ASD like cow casein does. And, they don't start any digestive and/or asthma problems in my body. Try Phoenicia on Westheimer for all your goat and sheep cheeses - rice and olive oil are good buys there as well. Their prices are sooooo much lower than any other store in this area. I like Haloumi and Pecorino Romano cheeses for my pizzas - and so does everyone else!

Non-Dairy Milk and other organic type stuff: Get thee to a Costco! The cases of Rice Dream are about $18.00 - a much better deal than anywhere else. Also, I buy organic evaporated cane juice, agave nectar, organic juice boxes, organic frozen vegetables, honey, pistachios, raw nuts, organic vanilla, organic peanut butter, uncured hot dogs,Lara Bars, all natural fruit snacks, almond butter, and all kinds of other goodies there. It's worth the drive and more than worth the $50/year for a membership.

Bread: I buy Udi's bread and bagels by the case at a 10% discount at Whole Foods. I buy them once a month and store them in a freezer in the garage. It's a hike to WF so the discount and the bulk buy are worth it.

Amazon.com: Yep, they have a subscription service that not only saves you money, but saves you time ordering. I get cases of Annie's G/F Mac and Cheese, cases of g/f pretzels, cases of Pizza Crust Mix (OK, so that's Bob's but it's saving me time and money so what the heck) and other g/f items that strike my fancy. If you sign up for the subscription service, you not only get more of a discount and free shipping on orders over $25, but also don't have to think about getting more when you're getting low. It just shows up on your doorstep like the fairy grocery godmother was there. I like that.

Ranch Creek Natural Foods (Memorial near Wilcrest): This place deserves an honorable mention. Their items can be pricey (they don't offer case discounts because they're small and can't afford to). However, Ron will work with you to order what you want if you can't find it anywhere else. He also said he can order bulk amounts of Vance's DariFree, which I haven't taken him up on yet but plan to. The man knows his stuff and is passionate about what he does!

Supplements: I get these from Catherine Masha in Katy - she is extremely knowledgeable, kind, and helpful. She only carries the good stuff and even offers consultations. Here's her web site: http://www.catherinescauses.com/