Autism Awareness Month is right around the corner and I'm feeling the pressure. My work, volunteer duties, and mommy responsibilities all focus on autism and it seems like I'm getting hit from all sides. April may be the month of awareness, but March is the month of preparation!
To complicate matters, my son has recently suffered a severe regression. I have a few theories as to why this has happened and none of them are easy to fix. One of the biggest culprits has been his diet. We slowly strayed away from GFCF and somehow wound up in junk food land. So, now I'm back in the kitchen...whipping up everything from scratch again. It is obvious that I am seriously out of practice. Just this morning I managed to ruin a loaf of gluten-free bread and a dozen mini doughnuts. Guess it will take a while to get my culinary groove back.
I've done a major overhaul on his supplements and started him on a few new ones this weekend. It's too early to say if anything is working yet. But with cautious optimism, I will tell you that today sucked slightly less than most days.
In my 5 years in autism land, I never expected to see a regression of this magnitude again. Honestly, it is as bad (if not worse) than the initial regression. It is truly heartbreaking. My little boy has disappeared again, sucked into that mysterious autism abyss.
I have as much determination as I did the first time, but I have to admit I'm more tired and frustrated now than I was then. The long hours of cooking and research seem to wear me down faster than I remember. Of course, trying not to lose my shit every time he has a meltdown also takes significant effort.
Dr. Mom is reporting for duty once again. In between consultations with Dr. Google, you can find me doing my mad scientist impersonation in the kitchen. One way or another, I'm going to get my son back.
If your child suffered a secondary regression years after his or her initial diagnosis, please let me know. I'd appreciate learning about the cause(s) and any interventions that you found helpful.
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