Going Gluten Free

So today is Day 4 of Porter's gluten free diet, it's going well if you don't count the fact that he had gluten free cookies for breakfast today! The diet is something we have wanted to try for awhile. When our pediatrician told us that Porter was most likely autistic , one of the first things I did was hit up Google.  I often joke how I have my PhD in googleology so I am pretty much a doctor now. ( Just to be clear, I don't really think that). But seriously, I have always believed that knowledge is power and in those first few weeks when I felt so utterly, deeply hopeless, I found some comfort spending hours on the internet reading all the possible interventions available. Some of them were really out there, but one that kept coming up was diet.

According to research 80% of parents notice an improvement in their children after starting the GF diet. So that led to more research on the topic and after weeks of compiling a list of "Porter's Gluten free likes " we are finally doing it. I was hesitant at first because I am already at my wit's end trying to feed this child as his list of dislikes become longer and longer everyday.  I think what finally convinced me was an episode of The Nature of Things that I watched recently which really explored the connection between the gut and autism. After that show and a discussion with our pediatrician I started Porter on probiotics, within two days he said the words that I secretly wondered if I'd ever hear..."I wub you". (We have to start him off with the "I" but he'll finish it). And since then he has pretty much doubled his vocabulary. I should note that in the week following the probiotics, he also began a "sensory diet". So I guess I can't say for 100% certainty that it is the probiotics, but my instincts are saying they are helping. I really think they are both working together...but let me get back to my point. I was so pleased with the changes that I decided we have to try the GF diet too.

So to keep track of any improvements or new language  I am going to make a list of all the words he has right now...let's hope this list grows in the coming weeks!

Momma
Dadda (sometimes Daddy)
Nana
Pepe
up
I
wub /love
you
numbers 1-10 ( you have to listen close, but he has them)
Most of the characters on Thomas and Friends ( you have to listen really hard but he knows them and will will say them when we sing the theme song or point to their pictures in books)
Thomas
Percy
James
Gordon
Henry
Emily
Cranky
Harold
Toby
Hero
Charlie
Victor
Kevin
Hat ( Sir Topham Hatt)

Some foods like:
freezie
chip
banana ( nana )
candy
cookie ( on a really good day)

And some animal sounds if we prompt "what does a ____ say?"
moo
baa
hee haw
meow
woof

The sad part is I know there are lots more, there are "words" he says all the time that we can't understand...yet. Even this list is very generous, many of these words would not be recognized by the average Joe, but because we recognize them that makes them count!

Wow, I just scrolled through this list and it made me happy. So much growth already:)


Chat soon,
Rae