I'm In Love with Enhansa!

I never thought I’d be in love with a bright orange capsule – but I am, and it’s the real thing! We have had Michael on Enhansa for well over a month now, and have seen incredible results. But, let me start with a little background information.

Michael has been battling systemic yeast his whole life. We’ve tried Yeast Aid, Diflucan, Ketokenazole, you name it. Each would help for a little while, and then the yeast would come back in force. I had researched the anti-candida diets, but just couldn’t do it. Michael is so skinny to start with; I just couldn’t take away any more carbs.

This calendar year we started off with the Diflucan and then switched to the Ketokenazole. Toward the end of the second prescription, the yeast was under control but I was terrified of what would happen when we stopped taking the medicine. Plus, I was afraid of what damage taking such strong antifungals could cause long term.

I had heard really good things about Enhansa, and was perfectly primed to try it. So, when we started, the yeast was mostly under control, but still there. We started Michael with one 75mg capsule in the morning for a week. We added one capsule a week until we are now at 2 in the morning and 2 at night, for a total dose of 600mg a day.

It’s like we have a whole new child. He was doing great when we started, but his social interaction is really taking off, and his OCD is much better. Right now he and Steve are playing Mario Kart on the wii. They are talking back and forth about the game, strategies for doing better, and unlocking levels. It’s so nice to hear a back and forth conversation that is related to what they are doing together! Add in that he’s sharing and taking turns, and I’m completely over the moon.

Spring is staring and Michael has been asking to go to the park. Last year, he would go on a lot of the equipment, but shied away from a lot of the more challenging tasks. This year, he is doing absolutely everything. He’s still a little intimidated by walking over a mesh bridge that is at least 20 feet off the ground, but he does it. He’s still a little more cautious that most of the other kids, but he’s catching up fast. It’s so wonderful to see.

Even better, he’s starting to interact with some of the younger kids. He generally feels comfortable with children about 2 years younger than him – they tend to be quieter and move a little slower. He’s played on the teeter-totter a few times, and shared some of the equipment that requires sharing. It’s so awesome to watch.

The very best result by far though is that Michael is a much happier child. He smiles more, and laughs a genuine laugh. I was so used to the hyper yeast laugh (other parents of yeasty kids know what I’m talking about) that it was a surprise to hear a genuine, happy laugh. I think he’s feeling better overall, and is less bothered by what’s left of the OCD.

I’m tempted to bump him up one more capsule to 750mg a day, but we haven’t decided yet. For now, we’re holding steady at 600 and seeing a happy, connected child. What more could I ask ?

I do have one footnote to add. Through all of this we’ve been seeing an absolute angel of a CranioSacral therapist. She has worked wonders with Michael both before and during our Enhansa experience. So, I can’t say for sure what is due entirely to the Enhansa, and what to the CranioSacral. I tend the think the two work synergistically, so it’s not a very big footnote.

Great Day!

Today was a really, really good day. Michael tried really hard to amuse himself until 7:30, letting me sleep in a bit. The morning was pretty standard, with very little fussing. Once Steve had done the things he needed to do in the morning, he, Michael and Dan went out to the park to play and throw airplanes. It was cold, but Michael had a lot of fun, and great behavior!

While they were gone, I started cleaning the kitchen. It was a big job! When they got home, Michael played with Uncle Dan while Steve and I finished working in the kitchen. Of course, as soon as we finished, Michael wanted to make Christmas cookies. They turned out really well, and we all had a great time making them. I'll attach the recipe as a separate post.

I really like using the Tom Sawyer Gluten Free flour. It has a nice mix of flours, and doesn't leave an aftertaste. When we got to the cookie eating part of the evening, I tried really hard to tell the difference between these cookies and those made with wheat flour. I couldn't. I'm really sold of this flour!

So, I'm probably jinxing myself, but it really was a wonderful day!

I am so glad it's Friday!! Michael had two days off from school this week, making for a very bored child. It's a gorgeous day here today, so Steve and Dan are going to take Michael to a park after school. Last week, they introduced him to throwing gliders and watching them fly across a field. It's just a guess, but I am sure he will be very excited to do it again this week.

My heart smiles every time I see him enjoy 'typical' kid games. It wasn't that long ago that he didn't have the coordination to throw a plane, or the eye tracking to watch it fly. Now, he laughs and giggles as he runs across the field, chasing them. He still gets tired a lot faster than the other kids, but he has helpers to chase when he needs a break.

Michael also starts another session of swimming lessons tomorrow. He goes to a local program geared toward kids on the spectrum, Sports Plus. The classes are designed to be somewhere between a fully adapted program and a standard swimming lesson. When he first started, Michael was afraid to get in the water without someone he knew. Now, he goes off happily with whoever is teaching. He's not quite swimming yet, but he can use a kick board and put his face in the water. Progress is good!

Other than that, I am looking forward to a calm weekend. I have a mountain of filing to do and the dust is taking over, but I am hoping to squeeze in some quiet cuddle time too!

One last thought. Do you know about the sensory friendly films? It's a project between AMC Entertainment and ASA. There are many locations around the country showing Madagascar 2 tomorrow at 10am. We can't go because of swimming, but it's a wonderful opportunity.

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OK, I should have known better than to plan ahead. I got to school to find a child about to go into tantrum. It was so bad I had to call Steve to come get him into the car. So, now I'm scratched and bruised and just don't feel like being positive. Tomorrow will be a better day, right?

Playground Fun

Is it selfish of me to regret the times I'm not able to see Michael doing wonderful things? Michael didn't have school today, so Steve took him to the adventure park to play. For the first time in ages, he played appropriately with the equipment, and explored all around the park.

The last few times we took him to this particular park, all he wanted to do was to play with the mulch. He was only willing to try a few pieces of equipment, very timidly. Today, he was running around, trying everything, and just being a kid. I'm sorry I wasn't there to see it all, but so happy they had such a good time.

I'm not sure where this new confidence is coming from, but it is wonderful to see. He is even getting braver about trying new games on the wii. When we first gave him the Outdoor Challenge game a week or so ago, he was only willing to try two games. He'd go back and forth between them, but get upset at the mere mention of a new game. Last night he tried at least four new games. He even went back to two of them!