I'm Back

OK, I'm back. I am done with the pity party and have rejoined the real world again. Judging from the butt imprints on the sofa, I would say I have done enough sitting and wallowing in all the unknowns of life.

First off, the results from the clinic. After a lengthy and thorough testing period, the doctors and therapists at the clinic believe that Cooper has autism. I know. It is that "A" word that I didn't want to hear or face. But as we all know at this point, it is not a huge surprise. Just disheartening and yes, it hurts. But I am putting all that aside for the time being because the label doesn't matter. What matters is that we now have lots of options to consider that could help Cooper. And that is what this is all about. Figuring out how best to help Cooper.

I mentioned in the last post that we have a lot of work to do. And although overwhelming at first, we are slowly digesting all the information and sifting through it all to determine what we think is best for Cooper. Here are the main points to come out of this:

1. Even Integrative Kindergarten (with 10 normal kids, 5 kids who need more help, 2 teachers and an assistant) may be too much for Cooper. He could function in a setting with this many kids, but it is questionable if he would be able to filter and focus enough to actually learn. There is another school about 30 minutes away from us with smaller groups, more trained therapists on hand, and specialized therapy opportunities (such as music therapy, swimming, working with animals, etc.) where Cooper could have a better chance at learning all the things he is supposed to learn in Kindergarten and have more therapy integrated. However, this school is even harder to get into and we don't know yet if there are normal kids there as well, which is really important to Peter and I.

2. Cooper could benefit from a type of therapy called ABA Therapy (Applied Behavioral Analysis). This is not very widely offered and we only know of 2 places, both between 45 minutes and an hour away. From what we have seen on the internet, this therapy usually isn't covered by insurance and in the US it can cost upwards of around $20,000 per year, however we don't have any idea what the costs would be in Germany. All we know is that it can be an incredibly beneficial therapy and it is specifically for autism.

3. Since there are no guarantees that Cooper will get a spot in the school mentioned above, we still have to continue in the direction of finding him a spot in an Integrative Kindergarten. There is still much work to be done on this front.

4. We need to seek out a pediatrician that has more experience with kids with autism. This wasn't discussed at the clinic as a necessity, however we do feel that it is important that the physician who treats Cooper be familiar with autism. We spent a lot of time trying to convince our current pediatrician that things weren't right with Cooper, so we would prefer to have a pediatrician that is familiar with different ways of treating Autism.

5. Perhaps the most daunting is this last step. From much research on the internet and also through a discussion that I have recently had with a friend and pediatrician back in the US, it is becoming more and more apparent that Cooper should try a special diet can have a big impact on kids with autism. This consists of three parts. The first being a treatment to rid the body of excess yeast. The second and third parts are to eliminate glutens and dairy from the diet. This is commonly referred to as a gluten free and casein (dairy) free diet or GFCF diet. This pretty much would eliminate EVERYTHING that we currently eat. Glutens are found in wheat, flour, rye, oats, bread, pasta, cereals, cookies, crackers, soups, sauces, seasonings, artificial colors, and candies. Dairy of course consists of any milk from animals (soy milk would be allowed), butter, margarine, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream among many others. From what I have read, people who are on a GFCF diet usually need to take vitamin supplements to ensure that they are getting the calcium and nutrients they need, however many vitamins contain either gluten or dairy so we would need to seek out the right vitamins as well. Cooper would be allowed to have most fruits, vegetables, potatoes, rice, and I am not really sure yet what else. Obviously this will take a lot more research before we are ready to take this on, but all the information leads us to believe that it wouldn't be fair to Cooper not to try. It's just hilarious to think about Peter and I having anything to do with a strict, regimented diet. (STRICT?REGIMENTED? I'm not sure I have ever used those words in my entire life. Certainly not pertaining to food!)

So, you can see how all this has had me wallowing in self-pity on the couch with nothing but glutens, dairy products, and google keeping me company. I just needed a moment. But I am back. I truly believe we can do this, and if nothing else Cooper deserves our best efforts. It feels good to have a game plan and to be moving forward. Sure I have some scary thoughts, and I will share those over time. For now though, I am armed with a mother's love for this wonderful little boy and we will do whatever it takes to give him every opportunity possible.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to go have a bunch of bread and some ice cream. We have to get rid of this stuff . . . for Cooper, of course! :)