Gut Trauma and Regression

[Lisa Shelton]

I have a child who is diagnosed with a moderate level 2 ASD, also dyslexia and auditory processing disorder. In looking back I believe his ASD was regressive. We did not do much in the way of vaccinations he had a titanous only at one year and doubtful I gave any acetaminophen. However, he did have an inguinal hernia that never closed on its own accord. At age two he had surgery. The surgery itself was quite traumatic and took twice as long as was expected the surgeon said the opening he found was quite large and the intestines kept spilling out as he was trying to close things he continuously had to put the intestines back.

From here my child became severely constipated and stool witholding. We eliminated IgG food intolerances, and did a lot of potty sit time to get him going daily which took a couple years, lol. He became an extremely picky eater post surgery and wasn’t always as picky, developed obvious GI issues…

He is 9 years old now and in a much better place due to dietary intervention, supplementation, methylation support, and other therapies (ie SLP, OT, Social skills…). He is diversifying his diet little by little one step at a time (though still picky and sensitive to textures). I cook his quinoa etc. in bone and veggie broth…. and add broths and green powders to his coconut cacao popsicles, so he is getting more nutrient dense foods. He has had an OAT test more recently last spring (post all the changes in diet and supplementation) and the only things that really popped up was mildly high arabanose/candida 56 which we addressed and gonna do another round of anti-candida now post Halloween. I wish I woulda done the OAT prior to introducing supplements etc but did not, so I can only assume his supplement protocol (methyl folate, methyl B12, P-5-P, Magnesium chelete buffered, calcium, suforafane, L-Carnatine, Taurine, VC, VM Green, Probiotics, Enzymes, Omegas) and based off his improved behaviors is all helping. This school year is a big success thus far his teachers and friends and other parents are all noticing a remarkable difference in his growth and skills.

All this said it seems to me that while some minor indications and susceptibilities to ASD may have been present (MTHFR, transition and bedtime difficulties…) from an early age, I think he really regressed following hernia surgery or gut trauma. Does this make sense to you Dr. Woeller, that the gut surgery may have caused a regression.

[DrWoeller]

Lisa,
Do you know if you son was placed on antibiotics before or after the surgery? It’s possible the surgery or perhaps the intestine protrusion through the hernia causes some issues in function.

Was the hernia on the right or left side of his abdomen? If on the right, this is in the area of the ilecocecal valve (ICV) which separates the small intestine from the large intestine. Dysfunction of the ICV valve can lead to small bowel disease and the build-up of toxins in the small bowel.

Sincerely,
Dr. Woeller

[Lisa Shelton]

I can’t remember clearly regarding antibiotics, however, it would seem logical that antibiotics were given considering surgery and exposure. That said he did get powder probiotics from a very young age. Yes the surgery was on the right side. His gut would balloon into his right testis, poor little boy he would be a rage irritable and angry and screaming when this happened. I’m sure the intestine profusion through the hernia caused some problems for him and then following surgery while the hurnia itself was repaired his GI seemed to go downhill following surgery, boating, constipation…

Now I’m also recalling the bigger picture, the fact that I’m certain he got a dose of candida from me at birth. As a newborn he had a wicked blistery diaper rash his midwife hadn’t seen anything quite like it, and I adjusted my diet quite a bit to alleviate diaper rash and colic.

By the time he was 9 months I learned I had systemic candida issues and dove full force on the Body Ecology Diet and experienced die off and detox symptoms for a very long time (my upbringing was exposure to a lot of toxic products in the home, lawn chemicals, vaccinations, lots of tylenol, ear infections, antibiotics, non organic foods, fast foods, then GMO foods, and eventually I resorted to vegitarian b/c I wasn’t digesting animal products well but I was uneducated so really I was on a junkatarian diet…). I had obvious improvements at 10 days on the body ecology diet while simultaneously experiencing die of symptoms which ebbed and flowed for two years before I summited the hill. I fixed myself and eliminated 30 years of asthma and reflux and tinnitus, and cleared my dyslexia, restored my immune system, thus intrigued I pursed health coaching.

On top of all of that during my younger child’s pregnancy I suffered illness, allergy induced asthmatic cough and sinus stuff, due to mold allergies and exposure.

As though not enough, at 9 months, he became very ill with a wooping-like cough (we may never know he wasn’t tested but his NP was suspicious), his PCP put him on penicillin, and liquid albuterol. I was concerned about the penicillin because I am allergic myself, but this is what his PCP recommended as treatment. When he didn’t get better and corked up I rushed to the hospital and again shared my concern of the penicillin, but the hospital said it was the correct course of treatment and to follow through with it. Well then he broke out in a rash and his PCP finally agreed he too was allergic to the penicillin and to never ever put him on it again. Lol. With all the sleepless night enduring his scary cough my immune system was all but lost and I fell with sinusitis, an ear infection, and mastitis all at once and thus discovered my systemic candida.

I know my kiddo got a dose of my pathogenic flora from me at birth prior to my nutritional and gut awakening coupled with his hurnia and surgery. If only I’d know what I know know prior to conception and cleaned up my gut then, but at least I figured it out sooner than later, and thus my kids have been raised on an organic and allergy free lifestyle. My kids neuropsychologist said imagine where he’d be if I hadn’t made all the dietary changes when I did.

Okay so really the life story is much more than just the hurnia, its the pregnancy asthmatic/illness and mold exposure, the inherited microbiome, the wooping-like cough at 9 months, the penicillin and allergic response, the hurnia and the surgery, and the subsequent GI problems constipation, IgG food allergies… Considering all he’s been through and where he’s been functionally he is doing so well and it is so reassuring when other people in our lives here this.

I almost pursued diagnosis for him when he was 3, but we lived rurally at the time and the commute was nearly 2 hours one way, so I pursed all the dietary and allergy adjustments. However he was finally privately diagnosed level 2 at age 8 in July 2017 (his school wouldn’t evaluate him because they just believed he had behavior problems) and finally his school district evaluated him and came to the similar conclusions level 3 in January 2018. Age 9, now that he is getting district services and supports, I’m pursing private therapies, and supplementations in addition to ongoing nutrition focus he is doing so much better.

My older child may have experienced some candida from me but it was not as bad then, though he too had colic. However, my older child did not have a mama who was sick or exposed to mold during pregnancy, nor did he have a hernia or surgery. He escaped all the suffering functions.

Upon discovering my youngest was in fact on the spectrum, I steered my thesis project to examine preconception and prenatal prevention of ASD and nutrition for parenting the child with ASD, so I could better support him and help other families with special needs children. This was a very independently driven thesis project and thus I am so grateful to be taking this program with you as I am still learning so much more and solidifying my thesis studies. Really the topic is endless, one great journal study leads to another. I appreciate the great study examples and peer reviewed articles you are sharing. Wish I would have taken this course while simultaneously working on my thesis, however I graduated first. Its all good I’m really enjoying this program. Thank you.

[Valerie Ozsu]

Lisa, I have similarities to you with my history prior to pregnancy. Daughter with ADD/ADHD. If you would ever like to do a study I would be interested in writing a paper with you. I am an NP/CNM and over 40 years have seen gut health significantly decline in patients. This course really helped me to pin point the cause for my daughter, myself and my clients. Hang in there you’re doing a great job with your children and now as parents we are “awake” to do our best to reverse issues that came before our “awakening”. I’ve taken the Toxicity, Autism and the SIBO courses and I can’t say enough about the amazing amount of information I have learned (and have had to unlearn in my medical training). Drs Woeller and Trankatella and GPL labs has increased my knowledge tremendously.

[Lisa Shelton]

Hi Valerie, thank you for you kind words and support. We are the lucky awakened ones and therefore our kids are lucky too. Yes I would very much like to stay in touch and consider a study and paper with you. Sincerely, Lisa

[DrWoeller]

Lisa,
Thank you. I agree, your sons situation is a culmination of things and perhaps the hernia surgery and problems going on prior with his intestines where the catalyst for his regression. I think its a rare situation where it is one specific thing that causes autism regression for a child.

Sincerely,
Dr. Woeller

[Author]

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