tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post2245677173710631907..comments2024-03-29T10:24:53.156+01:00Comments on Epiphany: “It’s Prohibited … He’s in Critical Condition”. Can Reading Fiction Help Genuine Autism Disorders? Perhaps so.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-82200196968322748972020-06-16T04:20:01.547+02:002020-06-16T04:20:01.547+02:00Thank you for the info Peter, I will do it. Have ...Thank you for the info Peter, I will do it. Have a nice day.Lisa https://www.blogger.com/profile/00797983091361495962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-65111528141745109682020-06-15T09:17:36.836+02:002020-06-15T09:17:36.836+02:00Lisa, you could contact the child psychiatry depar...Lisa, you could contact the child psychiatry department of a large university hospital in Mexico City and offer to participate in research that would include a Cars2 assessment. That way you would get a free test and maybe meet some useful people. Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-41068038011929394142020-06-15T06:04:06.488+02:002020-06-15T06:04:06.488+02:00Thank you for your response Peter, I searched and ...Thank you for your response Peter, I searched and the manual is in Scribd for the Cars2, I would have to buy the test. I only found doctors that use it in Mexico City. I have the feeling that he is Autistic and not Asperger's, since he was about 1 year old I started to see symptoms and they were progressing. I admit I preferred to say that his diagnosis was Asperger's even though it didn't feel right because I was afraid of the reaction of people, he always started to yell when we were going to the store and a neighbour stopped me to ask me something or say hi, and one time a neighbour got really mad and shushed him, I was really upset. And then a woman in the street tried to correct him when he was having a fit, and before she said a word I said to her, ''he's autistic'' and the lady went away like if she'd seen a ghost, it seemed funny, but made me think of others reactions, and how would neighbours treat him after they knew about his autism or what would they say to him when he is older. I did tell some neighbours, when I bumped into them and I told them he had Asperger's. When he was diagnosed with autism, I changed his diet, and started to motivate him more to talk, and he did learn more words although he couldn't use them, but his stimming increased, his echolalia, and stereotypy, he didn't say mommy or respond to his name at 3 and even so he was diagnosed with Asperger months later, well it was a free consultation, and now that I think of it, maybe I was told what I wanted to hear, that things weren't that bad, that he wasn't going to get worse, the doctor even told me that he would grow out of it and wouldn't need treatment after 18. After some days I bumped into your blog, really desperate and unable to sleep just thinking what can I do, seeing him getting worse.Lisa https://www.blogger.com/profile/00797983091361495962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-43913828817688230452020-06-13T20:03:26.446+02:002020-06-13T20:03:26.446+02:00Thank you, it is an impressing long list of condit...Thank you, it is an impressing long list of conditions where it seems beneficial. Too bad there aren't that many neurological ones on it (yet).<br />Further, it is promising to read that "tranilast use in both children and adults has no serious side effects." (though I would read that part in more detail before heading for a try)<br /><br />I see that the reason they look at tranilast in ALS is because it can activate the nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) pathway.<br /><br />"The NMD pathway is a surveillance system in our cells that degrades selected RNA molecules, to prevent the accumulation of defective proteins."<br /><br />https://alsnewstoday.com/2019/04/11/als-mutation-affects-key-pathway-but-asthma-treatment-seen-to-offer-protection-in-early-study/<br /><br />/LingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-36051479759173478212020-06-13T11:36:29.613+02:002020-06-13T11:36:29.613+02:00Ling, Tranilast is an interesting old drug that ha...Ling, Tranilast is an interesting old drug that has multiple modes of action, not 100% fully understood.<br /><br />Here is a good summary of what is known about its multiple modes of action.<br /><br />https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268690204_Tranilast_A_review_of_its_therapeutic_applications/link/5e79d90392851c30913924f6/download <br /><br />There clearly is an overlap in the dysfunctions found in some autism and the effects of this drug.<br /><br />For some people with autism, it looks like Tranilast should be beneficial.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-28605355880267592282020-06-12T23:17:55.855+02:002020-06-12T23:17:55.855+02:00Peter, I haven't found any note or comment abo...Peter, I haven't found any note or comment about Tranilast on your blog. At a quick glance it looks interesting, I think they are looking at it in ALS.<br /><br />/LingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-64490788116717090842020-06-12T16:04:23.912+02:002020-06-12T16:04:23.912+02:00People in English-speaking countries do not apprec...People in English-speaking countries do not appreciate how lucky they are, there are so many resources just a click away. In some other countries they are 30 years behind and basic things like augmentative communication are either not available or very expensive.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-6413188709076930042020-06-12T09:41:06.835+02:002020-06-12T09:41:06.835+02:00Martin, people taking Bumetanide need to add back ...Martin, people taking Bumetanide need to add back potassium using diet and/or a supplement. In some people one extra banana a day and 200mg of potassium is enough for 1mg of bumetanide. It does not seem to matter what type of potassium is used for the supplement. Some of the supplements cause GI irritation if not taken with a full glass of water. <br /><br />Checking potassium in a blood sample is the only way to know for sure whether you need more/less potassium.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-49676107926158354532020-06-12T09:28:13.666+02:002020-06-12T09:28:13.666+02:00Lisa, the terminology used to describe autism keep...Lisa, the terminology used to describe autism keeps being changed and is not helpful.<br /><br />A good way to approach this is to use a standardized scale like CARS (childhood autism rating scale), like they use in clinical trials, and some good doctors also use it. Total scores can range from a low of 15 to a high of 60; scores below 30 indicate that the individual is in the non-autistic range, scores between 30 and 36.5 indicate mild to moderate autism, and scores from 37 to 60 indicate severe autism autism.<br /><br />Asperger's only appeared in DSM version 4 (in 1980). In the current DSM (version 5) it is not present. Asperger's was diagnosed at a much later age and refers to people with social difficulties, who have no language delay or intellectual disability. <br /><br />The current DSM divides people into just 3 levels, but the spectrum is now far too wide for just 3 levels, and tells you nothing about where the person has difficulties.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-61250340768856666272020-06-12T09:02:40.992+02:002020-06-12T09:02:40.992+02:00For everyone trying to teach addition and substrac...For everyone trying to teach addition and substraction, I would recommend the Hape Monster Math Scale, Mita app and dragonbox algebra. For reading (English language) the Endless reader is absolutely amazing. Also, if at all possible, I would just make english the first language of the child because all the best teaching material is in english and it is easier to learn and operate than most languages. My child is voluntarily bilingual (actually talented for languages underneath the massive expressive/receptive language impairment) and I rue the day I listened to the speech therapists who warned me to not expose her to english. It would have made life a lot easier on many levels. tpeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01788229993969295249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-1131541161733531942020-06-11T20:57:48.337+02:002020-06-11T20:57:48.337+02:00Every day my son surprises us more, he seems to un...Every day my son surprises us more, he seems to understand more things, now he responds questions with a yes or no and he asks more elaborate questions, he still has many issues but I'm really happy with the progress that he has made. Yesterday we were watching <br />the short story of Pinocchio in youtube, it had animated characters and was read by a storyteller and in the part where Geppetto finds Pinocchio inside the whale, his eyes filled with tears, I think he can understand more that he can say, he also seems more interested in what a book says, he grabs my hand and puts my finger in the words and waits for me to read. At first he was interested only in single words. I really do think it's bumetanide that has helped him. He was diagnosed first with Autism type 1-2 and then another doctor told me he had Asperger, but he started to get worse every day, especially his stimming, stereotypy and echolalia. I always thought that Asperger's was diagnosed at a later age and that it was different to Autism, but here in Mexico I was told Autism level 1 is equivalent to Asperger which was confusing, because he also has language impairment.Lisa https://www.blogger.com/profile/00797983091361495962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-2395912927029997992020-06-11T09:42:40.385+02:002020-06-11T09:42:40.385+02:00Basic maths skills are a good indicator of cogniti...Basic maths skills are a good indicator of cognition. In our case, without improving cognition (with bumetanide), no amount of 1:1 tuition could teach even basic addition/subtraction. Now, at 16, he is solving simultaneous equations and has the maths level of a 14 year old.<br /><br />The same is true for reading, the ability to read is not the same as the ability to comprehend. The next problem is how to express what you have understood.Peter Lloyd-Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10173383229834614994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-88384049395273720142020-06-10T18:24:34.736+02:002020-06-10T18:24:34.736+02:00my daughter learnt reading with Aba sessions and l...my daughter learnt reading with Aba sessions and lots of efforts...she has now more trouble with math, can count but not add and subtract for the moment....there are lots of methods for teaching math and i am lookimg for the most effective for her...but , to say the truth, i am more worried about executive dysfunction than about academical skills....i am worried about adulthood, inability to live independently and to hold a job...social skills almost zero....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-70409558862324327022020-06-09T17:54:02.146+02:002020-06-09T17:54:02.146+02:00I've so been trying to read about how to have ...I've so been trying to read about how to have less involuntary eye movements. From what I have read so far I think switching my amantadine to memantine would help. I also still haven't tried bumetanide prescription because I don't know who to ask for it or where to buy it. <br /><br />In theory would klor-con m20, or, potassium cl 20meq, added onto a bumetanide regimen be helpful or hurtful? <br /><br />Thanks, -MartinMartinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639360425631629172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-47514556938207246042020-06-09T17:33:33.359+02:002020-06-09T17:33:33.359+02:00Hi Peter,
I came across this today when I was sear...Hi Peter,<br />I came across this today when I was searching for drug interactions of my current medications/polypill. I thought you might find this interesting. I still have not personally tried NAC but I have been meaning too. I'm very curious if Verapmil And Cimetidine would add more protection in combination with NAC as well. I've been reading some of your posts from years before I started reading trying to understand more. <br /><br />Also, I have been doing much much better on verapmil immediate release instead of extended release.<br /><br /><br />https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijh/2020/9185361/<br /><br />"Paracetamol, chemically known as acetaminophen, if taken in higher doses has hepatotoxic potential. Cimetidine by inhibiting the cytochromal enzymes and reducing the production of the toxic metabolite can reduce the hepatotoxic potential while Verapamil can act as a hepatoprotective by maintaining calcium homeostasis. The present study was conducted to study the hepatoprotective activity of Cimetidine and Verapamil against the toxicity induced by paracetamol. In addition to the group receiving only distilled water or 300 mg/kg paracetamol additional groups were added treated with 150 mg/kg Cimetidine and Verapamil alone or both. The Liver function tests and histopathology revealed hepatotoxicity in the group receiving paracetamol (PCM) while normal parameters were observed in the groups receiving Cimetidine and Verapamil. Our results strongly suggested that Cimetidine and Verapamil possess hepatoprotective potential against paracetamol induced hepatotoxicity."Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639360425631629172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-64269472374066930922020-06-07T22:14:40.724+02:002020-06-07T22:14:40.724+02:00We hit some kind of literacy just before age 5. Gi...We hit some kind of literacy just before age 5. Given my daughter has ID, autistic tendencies and is totally non-verbal it's quite fascinating (or rather shocking). It is impossible to tell how much understanding there is, but she enjoys books and sometimes signs the words.<br /><br />Reading to me is learning language visually instead of auditory. You can always read a sentence over and over again in your own pace until you understand it, which is not the case with sentences being said in a conversation.<br /><br />/Ling<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-655962722302095847.post-59406842568626285992020-06-06T18:09:52.381+02:002020-06-06T18:09:52.381+02:00Dear Peter,
My Daughter reads for pleasure now, a...Dear Peter,<br /><br />My Daughter reads for pleasure now, at eight years old and often uses the phrases, she learns from her books to express herself verbally. She never ceases to amaze me how, she uses her executive function to compensate and adapt her communication. Sentences rather than individual words, make more sense to her because they contain both a verb and a noun. Mo Willem’s books, initially really helped her receptive understanding, they made her giggle and they have taught her about friendship.<br /><br />Now, after changing professions and retraining as a Speech Pathologist, I recognise why sounding out words can be difficult and frustrating for children with ASD. By chance I found my Daughter quickly became proficient, learning 1000 sight words, using a free visual sight word rap on YouTube. <br /><br />My Daughter has a DSM of 3 but because she can read and write, she can keep up in a mainstream class. The more educated My Daughter becomes, the more verbal language she uses and the more she receptively understands. just like her mainstream peers. Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13951433784519538929noreply@blogger.com