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PERSISTANCE does pay off! Top 10 supports for Autism (THRiiive) creates incredable change for Jezeriah!
In October 2005 we were blessed with our youngest bundle of JOY Jezeriah! At just 4 weeks old Jezeriah arrived at our home. The sweetest fair haired infant I had ever layed eye on! What a truly incredable gift from GOD! Jezeriah has down syndrome and his family felt they could not give him all that was necessary to thrive and develop. So our family dedicated to advancing and believing in all differences, received him with an open and believing heart! In the first few weeks Jezeriah lifted his head and soon began to bear weight on his arms to push himself up. He seemd to do so well developmentally! Despite having a shot of HEP B at one day old I believed Jezeriah was doing miraculously well! At the age of 4 months Jezeriah got his second shot of HEP B! That is where it all changed! Jezeriah suddenly could no longer focus on objects. His muscle tone in his eyes and body seemd to turn to mush! He no longer lifted his head and his arms no longer supported him! Jezeriah in fact could not even lift his arms for 12 months after this! Although by 9 months old Jezeriah could sit he never reached for anything or used his arms to keep himself propped up when falling from a sitting position. Jezeriah never grasped any toys. In fact his arms seemed to be paralysed! At around 9 months old, I took Jezeriah to Ontario to begin physio and OT support in Hawkesbury Ontario. It was after their reports that my doctor reccomended a minumum of 15 hours of 1-1 support because of Jezeriah's serious delays! unfortunately no support ever came until Jezeriah was 3.5 years old!
For 3 long years we struggled to find answers the best way we could! Fortunately, I had another son Jonathan who was 15 and he also had down syndrome. Jonathan also has autism. And I was in search of better diets/supports to help Jonathan's inability to digest foods! It was at that time I switched from the GFCF diet to use the SCD diet and soon after included the LOW osolate diet as well. While doing this I decided to add Jezeriah to any diets I found helpful too. THIS was the new beginning Jezeriah needed! Together with Goji berries, Q10, omega 3, Quinary, and probiotics I just knew I was going to make changes in Jezeriah's development! In May 2008 Jezeriah began assessments for autism. In June 2008 Jezeriah was diagnosed with Autism. THIS was not a suprise really! I had suspected this since he was about one year old! BUT I truly believed our diets and other food support would kick in and change this reality FAST! THIS was not the case, and I knew that Jezeriah needed more if he was to improve and develop to his fullest potencial! I made sure our local support centre for autism added him on the list for 1-1 ABA therapy.
BUT there was actually talk about Jezeriah having Down syndrome and maybe he would not get the support because he has a dual diagnosis! I let others know that I would go to human rights if they discriminated against him! In May 2008 Jezeriah had a surgery for his toncils, adnoids and tubes put in his ears. In the meantime, we had a busy summer and did lots of walking and swimming with Jezeriah. It was about that time, that I began to see changes in Jezeriah! In October 2008 Jezeriah was operated on for the second time for eye muscle tightening. Between these two surgeries and a good and busy summer, Jezeriah became stronger and had better tone! He would make eye contact occasionally now, and overall was more reactive. Finally in Late October 2008 I received a letter informing me that Jezeriah was next in line to receive ABA therapy from our local autism support service centre! In November 2008 we were awarded a grant from a foundation to support a 1-1 ABA program for Jezeriah at home. THIS took such a heavy burden off our shoulders! YOU see since NOVEMBER 2005 Jonathan my eldest son was diagnosed with a neurogenic bladder and underwent surgery for a thickened filum! Since then we realized his real problems were excessive urination! So for the last 2 years we have had to take Jonathan to the washroom hourly and scan him to see that he has no exccessive residual left in his bladder! We had extra staffing support for this very demanding routine for 1 year and this was so supportive!!! THIS past year it was all cut and we were left on our own to deal with this very heavy burden of supporting Jonathan's kidneys and attend hospital appointments/clinics 3x a week for the children as well! ! BUT without this toiletting regime, Jonathan could well damage his kidneys and end up on dialysis! So he became the priority with this life thretening problem because it was not possible to do it all without all the hours that were cut! And we prayed support would happen soon enough so we could have time to do other things besides working on Jonathan's needs! One year later we are still awaiting support for Jonathan!
In January 2009, I was told Jezeriah was not a priority by our local special needs agency! TWO weeks later with my doctor and local government services officials asked for an emergency meeting to discuss supports for my BOYS with their agency. BY the end of the meeting, Jezeriah would begin 1-1 ABA services in April 2009! Respite services taken away from us the year before were reinstated too! ONCE our local DAN doctor, support people for special needs rights, and we all told of our family's situation, changes happened immediately!!! And I never heard about my SON not being a priority anymore!
Today Jezeriah has had intensive ABA morning and afternoons since mid April. As well he has had half day support since November 2008! Together with the diet and correct supppliments, rehydration drink and all top 10 thriiive supports Jezeriah has progressed in leaps and bounds! He makes incredable eye contact! He imatates sound and words! He has begun using phrases like I want to get off when finished pooping on the toilet. SAYS "All done" when he has finished something. Loves to PLAY AND RUN WITH HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. HIS presence stays in the NOW always and he no longer fades away from us! Jezeriah has been reborn to us and what a JOY he is! Jezeriah giggles when we tickle him, he signs I love you, and uses about 12 others signs besides a host of other new words and phrases! NOTHING seems to impede his development now! It took almost 3.5 years of work, BUT I do believe Jezeriah has lifted from his FOG of autism! He still needs ABA and lots of 1-1 work but the work supports and sustains so much learning now! We will keep with the diets and the thriiive top 10 support! We will keep up the ABA, but life looks ever so hopeful for Jezeriah now! He even has begun to babble!!! Something I never heard from most kids who have either autism or down syndrome! Jezeriah is breaking all records and is going to show our world so very much about what is possible when you keep pressing on, and believe anything is possible! So I say to all parents keep pressing on and believing BECAUSE in the end, you and your child will reap the rewards of incredable success and LOVE from a child that had been freed from his seemingly endless world of autism!
One of the most important findings for me was the realization that the TOP 10 support for autism (THRiiiVE) was something that I discovered even before this information came out! At least 6 out of 10 supports suggested I had stumbled upon already! I believe staying connected to the universe and listening to our children's symtoms and improvements leads us to success and answers! Believing Jezeriah could heal and never giving up, leads to very powerful energy finding solutions! WE simply need to focus our energies in the right PLACE! NOW with LIKE minds, like in this group JOINING minds....so much more becomes possible too! Thanks for bring so many together...bring so many HOME! THIS support is the BEST EVER! Thanks so much to all!