And now for the update....

Got a few new things going on. Two weeks ago we added in the ALA cream for the first time. I didn't see any reactions, didn't see anything that was great either. Being that there was no reaction we will continue to use it. Its a bit of a crazy schedule now that the ALA has been added in. For two days we do the 8 hour DMPS, then for three days we do the two mixed every 3 hours, including through the night. Sort of like having a baby again, getting up every 3 hours, except its to a blaring alarm clock and not a crying baby. Then we go back to two days of DMPS to finish our bi-weekly schedule.

Derek also started in the Early Intervention program. Its 12 hours a week, and he's doing pretty well. Its a small classroom, with a 1:1 ratio but I swear I see more teachers than kids in there sometimes, which is fine with me. They use a combination of therapy, some discreet trials, some floortime, some verbal behavior. Its a nice little mix. There is also peer time, when they have the kids eat snack together and do some circle time activities as well. I like the mix of therapies, and I think its a good amount for him right now, he's exhausted when he gets home and can sleep for 3-4 hours each afternoon if I were to let him.

Lots of new words, phrases and sentences happening as well, just a very gradual and continuous progression, and for now thats all I can hope for, as long as its constant all is good in my eyes. He's doing really well in public settings too, its really great to see, hardly any ear covering anymore, and tolerant of noisy and busy places to a degree. He walks around singing his ABC's all the time, along with his versions of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and Old MacDonald. Both are quite humorous to listen too. Jay, Jay and Sesame Street and the newest video obsessions along with Ice Age, which he refers to as wanting to watch "elephant".

Food habits are still the same, very few things he'll eat, and not much in to trying new things. He is very interested in what we are eating now, and that's encouraged me to start looking into enzymes with the possibility of him eating or beginning to eat more normal foods.

Everything continues to be positive and moving forward, I'm very grateful for that.

Switching Gears

Going to be switching gears here from now on. Not only will there be updates on Derek, but I think its time for me to start speaking my voice. I've wanted to for a while now, but didn't want my opinion to get in the way of documenting a recovered child, but in a way, even the way I choose to recover Derek is in itself, an opinion.

With April being National Autism Awareness month, and after the paultry and pathetic show CBS put forth on awareness last month, and with the book Evidence of Harm by David Kirby there is just a lot I want to say.