For years LuLu’s behaviors have waxed and waned with no rhyme or reason and no predictable pattern. This has been highly perplexing and has driven many a professional to become frustrated when I’ve told them (and shown them the logs) that I can’t find a reason “why” While there is still much more to figure out, through the biomed interventions we’ve done over the last couple of years, we have learned that she is greatly impacted by changes in her environment of all types (diets, supplements, routines, sensory input, our emotions and the anxiety level of the house)…and now by the dreaded hormones!

Her hormones are wreaking havoc in ways that are new and different from her former behaviors. What happens now is that we see days of incredible control and clarity, followed by days where we’re sure she’s been replaced with Godzilla.

Coupled with that, if any of the other things in her environment change, the waters get really murky. For example, this week (after 16 months of a casein-free and egg-free diet) she wanted to test eating eggs. We tested the casein several weeks ago and determined that now, instead of behavioral manifestations; casein upsets LuLu’s stomach enough that she agrees to avoid it.

So we gave her the eggs. And the next day, at her request, we gave them to her again. It wasn’t until the third day when she requested them in a nearly addict type demand that it occurred to me that we had a problem. Her oppositional and perseverative behaviors were on the rise. As I write this, I’m watching her whooping and hollering in the pool and doing this funny head jerk thing that no one can definitively identify as either a tic or a self-stim behavior. The other clue (and this is gross to all but biomed moms) is that she’s had a very smelly BM. Duh!

What to do? First, we stopped the eggs. Then I’ve taken extra time to apply magnesium cream to her after she’s been swimming (because the chlorine can be overwhelming to their systems) and to help her calm in general. We’ve also pointed out to her the increase in these behaviors (she agrees) and the potential reasons why. But because she’s oppositional, that really hasn’t lessened her request for eggs…yet. I also double check to make sure we’re giving her all the same supplements at all the same times of day (which we are this time). And I’ve added the probiotic back to her regime.

Throughout the day tics have persisted. So I’m not sure what avenue of detective work to pursue on this one. It could still be the food infraction, or it could be the sign of a virus or what those who work with Tourette’s kids call a “storm”. Either way, just so happens that magnesium cream helps with that as well.

While I don’t have “THE” answer for LuLu, I do know lots of little answers that make things better…and what may be making things worse. This is the gift the biomed interventions have given me. It has enabled me to see both the severity of her biochemical imbalances and the magnitude of impact (both positive and negative) that things like diet and supplements can have.

Magnesium Cream

Check out other posts on biomedical interventions.