Questions: What is safe?

May 2010: Encouraged by Stephen's progress we felt like things were finally looking up for our family...until May 9th when Ruth woke up vomiting and screaming in pain and was diagnosed on Mother's Day with severe acute pancreatitis. Up until this point I had believed all natural products were safe but my first reaction to the diagnosis was fear that I had given her something to trigger this rare attack. The pediatricians at the hospital were puzzled why a two year old would have stomach damage similar to an alcoholic or someone with acute trauma which did nothing to ease my concern! I started to go back and study everything that went in her mouth/body—natural or not!

I began to realize that whether consulting a chiropractor or a surgeon—we are still responsible for our children's health. There is plenty of research and support to give information on both topics. While I totally trust Dr Gault and feel that Ruth does have good medical doctors also, only if I know and believe for myself what is right for Ruth will I have the motivation and confidence to consistently choose the right products/medicine for her and defend that choice to others, even medical doctors.

That is one thing I always appreciated about Dr Gault especially, he would present the information, the products he thought would help and then let me make the decision for what we wanted to use. It is harder sometimes with modern medicine to have that confidence because doctors are so gun-shy with all the liability suits that they prescribe medicine at the drop of the hat to cover their license when often it does not treat the root of the problem. For example most ear infections are viral and do not need treated with antibiotics. However, invariably if you take your child to the doctor they will prescribe meds. Sometimes I feel it is more for the parents sanity than the child's well-being. Overuse of antibiotics has weakened the bodies resistance so much that now hospitals are having a hard time fighting severe infections with the routine antibiotics which means meds need to keep getting stronger and harsher.

An example of this occurred last winter when Stephen had a severe ear infection three times in a row. The doctor was concerned and told me if he didn't get better the third time we might have to consider tubes. I came home that day so discouraged because I knew the meds were killing his good bacteria and he was in a vicious cycle that wouldn't end. So I did the unthinkable...I stopped the antibiotics, had him adjusted and got ear drops at the health store that I used on his ears 3x a day. I took him back a week later and the infection was almost gone! I told the doctor what I did and he brushed it off as a pain relief support and nothing that actually killed the infection. My question is—than why did Stephen get better without the meds?

As you can tell I like to rock the boat a little :-) Anyway, sorry for that little rabbit trail. I really do have an excellent working relationship with all of Ruth's doctors and for the most part we have a mutually respecting relationship that I appreciate. I value the medical information and experience they have to offer while appreciating some of that natural alternatives that are available.

While Ruth lay in the hospital bed suffering I went back and read all labels on the supplements etc that she was taking. I even read some off to the doctors at the hospital and they recognized the ingredients as providing liver support or bacterial balance—none of which they assured me could cause an attack like Ruth was experiencing. I was encouraged by the connection between natural and modern medicine but still went back and studied a lot of the ingredients for myself. It was interesting to read for myself what I was giving Ruth and I realized that it did not make sense to connect the supplements to her stomach distress.

My next avenue was researching the connection with vaccines and illnesses. There is a national website for medical doctors and families to report adverse reactions to vaccines. I found over 100 cases linking vaccines and pancreatitis! I know that doesn't seem like a high percentage but it was enough to make us wonder if it was connected. The doctors had questioned me if Ruth ever had the measles or mump virus which can affect the pancreas. My first response was no but then I realized that the viruses from vaccines are introduced into the bodies system with no way for the children to expel them. Because Ruth's last shot was the MMR vaccine we began to wonder if the dormant virus had flared up causing the attack.

We will never be able to prove it either way but considering the research we had found in Stephen's case it did make us feel more uneasy about future shots.

The third thing I researched was the safety of raw milk. Modern research often touts raw milk as risky, contaminated and overall a bad decision. Ruth's doctors concluded that her attack was caused by a bacterial infection. My response was caused by what??? I didn't want the other two children to suffer the same reaction. They could not pinpoint a cause so I began to fear that it was the raw milk we were drinking. We chose raw milk because of all the beneficial vitamins, amino acids, healthy bacteria and protein in it. Pasteurized milk has been heated so much that most of the nutritional value is gone leaving only the milk sugars which are hard for the body to digest without the necessary healthy bacteria and amino acids. When I researched the safety of raw milk I found it is actually safer than pasteurized milk...the health standards on farms that produce raw milk are very strict and the cows are kept in a clean and sanitary environment. Whereas on regular dairy farms they assume that the pasteurization will take care of most of the bacteria. This is the info I found in a nutshell but it was enough to reassure me that milk was not the contributing factor. Our children have had only raw milk for a year now and most of their diarrhea and stomach issues have resolved. If they do get any processed milk they react immediately.

There is not much money in natural supplements; not compared to the billion dollar drug and vaccine industry. Our country has twisted its focus into providing more sick care than preventative 'healthcare'. The media does its part in supporting the industry and doctors use what they were trained to use. Sometimes it feels safer to do what the majority are doing yet I can't help but wonder: which is safer?

My point with this article is not to tear down modern medicine or supplements: the bottom line is that we as parents need to be informed and educated about what our children are exposed to through medicine, food and vaccines.

A nutritionist who cared....a doctor who believed....a little boy changed

It was March 2010. At this point we had tried hundreds of dollars worth of supplements, dietary changes and research; desperate to find a way to help Stephen with the multiple challenges he faced. He had made progress with learning how to talk but his social interactions were limited and he often could not express how he felt.

That spring I heard of Gault Wellness Center and was intrigued by their medicial and nutritional testing options. I begged Dave to let me try 'one more thing.' He had been so patient through all the experiments--both of us holding on to the hope that maybe this would be the one thing that would open the door to Stephen's world. He was becoming very skeptical of trying something else new only to be disappointed again. However he agreed to give it a try.

We took Stephen and Ruth to see Jen Gault for a nutritional consult and a live blood cell analysis. Stepehn was terrified of the needle and we could not get a sample of his blood--however,Jen took one drop of Ruth's blood and put it under a microscope... the results were unbelievable! For the first time in my search for a 'natural' solution I had scientific evidence! Evidence that was chilling to see but matched her physical symptoms.

Ruth's blood cells were damaged...one drop of blood showed multiple injured cells, platlet clots(too much sugar), fungi forms(yeast) and several 'allergen cells'--indicating she was reacting to something. Obviously the red blood cell inflammation and damage explained her multiple breathing problems and pointed to a weak digestive system. I asked myself, How does a 2yr old get blood cells that look like an old person???? Dave and I believe that one or all of the following were the culprits: vaccinations, sugary diet, environmental toxins and/or too many antibiotics.

We met with Dr Gault and developed a plan to treat the children for yeast and leaky gut. Dr Gault asked Stephen to get up on the examining table and Stephen did not...not out of defiance but because even as a 3yr old he did not understand the question. When we went back to Dr Gault a week later he looked at me and said. Stephen was not being defiant! He does not understand! Dr Gault saw instinctively the neurological processing difficulties Stephen had.

I could have cried...in all the months of searching, of defending Stephen and looking for answers....I have never felt so validated! Dr Gault immediately developed a protocol to detox Stephen's liver, fight the yeast, promote healthy brain cell development and strengthen his digestive system. Jen worked with us to create a balanced diet--not only full of 'safe' foods but balanced with the correct amount of protein, raw milk, vegetables and fiber.

It takes 90 days for our bodies cells to completely replenish. Within 45 days we were seeing dramatic improvement in Stephen's behavior, communication, eye contact and language! How do I explain the joy in hearing Stephen say his first sentence,give eye contact while talking, tell me he is hungry or ask me a question?

When we went back to Dr Gault for a follow-up Stephen was able to look at him, smile and jump right up on that table!

Stephen continued to make steady progress that summer and fall. We noticed that when his diet slipped, even for one meal...the yeast would flare up again immediately causing skin issues, tantrums, loud crying and irrational behavior.

This was not the end of our journey....but for the first time in his life I felt like I had the key to open his door and as it slowly opened we learned to know our son like we never had before.

Natural supplements can be expensive, tricky to dose correctly and hard to stick with. Americans in general want a 'quick fix'...a miracle drug that will work in 10 days or less. I praise God for introducing me to the Gaults who taught us the big picture....not curing the symptoms but addressing the root physical issues.

I admit it's not always easy and sometimes I feel like having a pity party that our kids can't have a lot of the 'fun foods' available. But then I wonder what would Stephen, Ruth and Hannah be like in twenty years if we didn't know how harmful the foods were to their systems...what diseases have we prevented by avoiding all the dyes and sugar?

I don't blame anyone for questioning natural options--in the next chapter I will explain how I did exactly that! I will present the info I found and conclusions we came to. As always I hope that part of Stephen's story is meant for one of you to read--that through our journey maybe someone else can find hope or answers.

The Bohner Research Study :-)

Part 2 of Vaccine Controversy!

Today I went to Stephen's last IEP meeting and signed off on his release from speech therapy. His therapist sat there with tears in her eyes and told me she felt he was now on the upper end of cognitive abilities for his age! Hearing this just reminded me of how much progress he has made and I had to continue his story.....

I know I probably threw a lot of you for a loop when I dared to mention vaccinations in the last chapter. It is a controversial subject and one I frequently avoid in conversation because I don't want to appear crazy or 'different'. But you know what? It is ok to be different! Different when it means that a child who previously couldn't name his colors, or communicate with friends, or tell me he was hungry....when that child is now blowing everybody away with his progress....It is ok to be different!

In the last chapter I listed four options for parents to consider with the vaccination schedule but here is another one.....avoid them all together! Ok, now you are probably really gasping :-) Dave and I decided to do our own family research. Obviously not every child is autistic or reacts to vaccines as harshly as our kids do. I learned that some children have genetic tendencies that make them more susceptible to a compromised immune system....vaccines are one of the triggers that push them over the edge. Obviously our children had that problem. Anyway, when Hannah was an infant she had one shot and then we refused any more. I was curious if we would see a different in her growth, development and health compared to Stephen and Ruth. Here are the results!

Stephen: 3-4 severe breathing/asthma attacks with multiple nebulizer treatments, constant skin irritation, frequent ear infections, Severe speech and developmental delays, multiple food intolerances and severe behavior problems

Ruth: Multiple asthmatic attacks with breathing problems including two hospital stays, ear infections, 6-12month speech and developmental delay, stomach issues(including a month-long hospital stay) and major sensory issues including likely auditory processing difficulties.

Hannah: NO asthma or breathing problems ever. Limited illness as a baby, No delay—6months ahead of her age. No sensory issues.

Ruth only completed two-thirds of the vaccination schedule but we believe it contributed to her pancreatitis. I found multiple reports on the Vaccine Adverse Reaction website connecting pancreatitis and the MMR vaccine or other vaccines. Because doctors don't report a reaction if it is over 24hrs from the time of injection I think many other side effects often are missed.

Again I am not opposed to modern medicine; pediatricians and surgeons have helped our family many times. I feel it is just important to make informed decisions and be aware of the risks to vaccinate as well as the risks of declining them.

Now onto the good stuff! In the next chapter I am going to discuss Stephen's breakthrough and detail some positive things you can do to make a difference in your child!

The Rest of the Story:

This chapter could be slightly controversial or disturbing to some parents. My goal is only to present what we learned and we believe to be true for our family. Because of the dramatic challenges and changes we have seen in our three children it is a subject I am very passionate about. But it is not my intention to make any parent feel uncomfortable or defensive. Every child's needs are different and the info I share is only meant to help, not criticize or change the way you raise your children.

I think the first question that comes to every mom's mind after receiving a diagnosis for a child is “why”...what did I do wrong? Was it something I ate? Something in our house? Or the dreaded question: was it the vaccines?

I followed the same path of questions with Stephen. I questioned the safety of vaccines early on when he was young but the Nurse Practitioner was so adamant that he needed everything to protect his health that I left feeling like I would be looked at as a 'bad parent' if I didn't do exactly what the doctor said. I was concerned when Stephen had multiple ear infections his first 18months but I had no idea it could be connected to the vaccines he had received.

Here is the information I found that spring of 09 after Stephen's diagnosis: information by parents, by medical doctors and professionals: information I believe to be true—for at least some of the cases. I am not going to document my sources because this is not meant to persuade you—if you want information on where to find valid resources please contact me privately and I will share it with you.

Autism is perhaps the most feared diagnosis for young parents today. The frequency of diagnosis has increased in recent years. While it used to be 1 in a 1000 boys diagnosed now it is 1 in a 100 boys who will be diagnosed somewhere on the spectrum! That means you most likely know someone or even have a child yourself with emotional or behavioral difficulties.

Doctors will tell you that there is research proving there is no link between autism and vaccines. However, the majority of these articles are funded by the drug/vaccine industry. Here is the rest of the story:

Vaccines are made of animal cells, preservatives and obviously strains of bacteria. While doctors may tell you your 2month old is getting one shot many of the doses have multiple vaccines in one injection. The harm in vaccines is not the 'mercury'. It is because the multiple vaccines overwhelm a young immune system with foreign material and multiple strains of disease. The result is usually an overload of metal from all the preservatives and a leaky gut unable to process all the disease it is flooded with. Leaky gut means the intestinal wall develops holes in it which leak harmful cells into the blood stream. Because of the imbalance of healthy bacteria it is very common for ear infections to occur which lead to more antibiotics and more healthy bacteria being wiped out.

Because of the bacterial imbalance it is very easy for these children to develop severe yeast problems internally. Yeast can cause mood changes, food allergies, body aches, sleeping disorders, skin rashes and break-outs and so much more. These problems, especially mood changes can be so severe the child may actually mimic autism or develop severe behavioral problems that are not genetic as believed. It is well known that almost all autistic children have digestive problems, skin problems and/or food allergies.

I was shocked to learn in my research that a very small percentage of children are born with autism...most develop it after 9 months of age which is concurrent with the injection of one of the riskiest vaccines: MMR.

This information is probably overwhelming and somewhat unbelievable but we have seen such huge results with Stephen and Ruth that I have no choice but to believe it. We have literally 'pulled' Stephen out of the fog of autism with diet and supplements and just as quickly seen him slip back when his digestive system is off.

I don't believe the answer is eliminating vaccines totally. Modern medicine has made great strides in protecting us from disease and helping the sick. There are several options for parents to consider as they make a decision for their child's health.

1.Ask for a limited vaccination schedule per the 1980s list.
2.Give high doses of Vit C and other specific vitamins the day before and after each shot
3.Ask the dr's to separate the vaccines into individual doses, not the multiple strains
4.Delay shots until the immune system is fully developed and the child is able to handle it better.

Whatever you decide is best for your family is the right course to take. It takes faith to vaccinate and faith to not vaccinate—either way we are trusting God for the right outcome. I encourage you to get information, do your own research and give the doctor your decision instead of waiting for his.