Gut Health and Autism

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I shared a video on Facebook today about our first visit to a Naturopath. There was quit the response and 99% of it was positive. That’s a pretty great feeling. I am bringing my son to a Naturopath solely to work on his stomach complications. We have reach a dead end with traditional GI doctors. My son has not had an in-medicated poop in over 4 years. My kid is 6. That is messed up.

I am hoping this Naturopath can work with us on diet modifications. I am hoping he can help with Cooper’s pain. And I am hoping this all leads to him being potty trained. I am not giving up on traditional medicine. I have not gone off the deep end like one commenter mentioned. I’m just trying to help my son. And testing his poop, pee and blood is a great first step.

My son doesn’t digest food normally. I’ve known that for years and no traditional doctor believed me because my son looks healthy. Today, for the first time, I was heard and validated. And we made a plan to help him.

I am hopeful. I am almost giddy about it.

The fact of the matter is in the last year my son’s autism level has increased from moderate to severe. It happened almost overnight. Less than a year ago he didn’t line items up. He didn’t hoard. He didn’t rock and moan. And he rarely flapped. Part of me thought this was just the natural progression of Autism. I found out today from an Autism expert that the level of severity should not increase with time unless there is an accompanying medical condition.

I am very intrigued by all of this. Here is the start of our journey.

Also, here is the Naturopath we visited: http://minnesotanaturalmedicine.com/

 

 

Naturopath Treatment for Gut Health

Today we took Cooper to a Naturopath Doctor to discuss his tummy issues. I was skeptical. Or I guess more apprehensive. As a mom I just want to help my son be pain free. I want him to be happy and healthy. I want him to have an in-medicated bowel movement. Seems pretty simple…right? Well, it hasn’t been for us. We pretty much reached the end of the road with GI doctors.
Now, post appointment, dare I say I have hope bubbling up! Watch my video to see what we learned and what we are going to try. I’m super excited. #autism This is the doctor we are going too: http://minnesotanaturalmedicine.com/

Posted by Finding Cooper’s Voice on Wednesday, March 22, 2017

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Kate Swenson

Kate Swenson lives in Minnesota with her husband Jamie, and four children, Cooper, Sawyer, Harbor and Wynnie. Kate launched Finding Cooper's Voice from her couch while her now 11-year-old son Cooper was being diagnosed with autism. Back then it was a place to write. Today it is a living, thriving community of people who want to not only advocate for autism, but also make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her first book, Forever Boy, will be released, April 5, 2022.

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8 Comments

  1. Colleen on March 23, 2017 at 11:56 am

    Wow! I’m not on FB so I didn’t see your video but I’m excited for you. I have been pondering doing this for my son as well, after reading this I’m going for it!



    • Dave on April 2, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      Go for it Colleen. I can tell you from experience your kiddo will get healthier and that typically translates into an improvement in their autism as well.



  2. Jessica on March 23, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Do you know the testing company? Is it Genova Diagnostics? Thanks!



    • Avatar photo findingcoopersvoice on March 24, 2017 at 1:04 pm

      Hey. It’s Courtagen Life Sciences. Thanks!



  3. Shelby on March 25, 2017 at 9:38 am

    Wow this Natropath sounds like a godsend!! I’m new-ish to your blog, and I can’t wait to see how it turns out for you guys!!



    • Cee cee on June 18, 2017 at 8:18 am

      Sooo glad to see this. I recently started following you on Facebook and wondered if y’all had done any biomedical with Cooper. It’s the best thing we’ve done with my son. Getting an OAT and hair analysis, 23andme genetic info and then having a knowledgeable practitioner sort through it with us. After healing the gut and working on methylation (B vitamins with the right forms – especially B2, B6, methylfolate/B9, and adeno/methylcobalamin/b12) along with a good multi (for basic support and important minerals – selenium, iodine, molybdenum, along with zinc, magnesium) and some other supports, such as fish oil, herbs that support adrenals and mood (passionflower, holy basil, lemonbalm, cbd oil, etc); and herbs that support liver (milk thistle, dandelion, etc) have been amazing here. The best thing we’ve done is use b12oils from Australia – they turned on something in my child that oral b12 didn’t. A practitioner told me she had a lot of patients use these successfully instead of shots. The owner is very knowledgeable about kids with ASD and gave us such great advice and info. I feel my kid is finally healing and there is hope for the future. Blessings to you and your family on your journey – while I pray no one has to go through the excruciating toll and pain of this, it’s nice to know we aren’t alone. Love to you.



  4. Dave on April 2, 2017 at 3:20 pm

    You know I couldn’t be happier that you are headed down this path! It is a path that’s going to open your eyes and make Cooper feel so much better. I have no doubts! You know my site is full of tips in this area. Please use me to make the path less bumpy. That is my mission and it’s why I started my blog. My road was very rough, and I want to make it easier for people who are at the beginning to catch up to me on this path! If you haven’t gotten your blood draw yet, visit my site here for tips on how to make it easier. It can be a quite traumatic event. Just know you are doing what’s best for Coop and reward him when it’s all over! http://imsimplyadad.com/tips-for-a-successful-blood-draw/



  5. Charmaine on April 12, 2017 at 2:15 pm

    Bravo for seeking out holistic medicine for your son! My son has benefited immensely from diet changes, most especially from the Body Ecology Diet. Coconut kefir and cultured veggies have transformed my son’s inner ecology and, as a result, he is more social, has stopped hitting and kicking others, is able to play with toys instead of just bounce on a ball and is much happier (though not cured, of course). Gut health is so critical to improving your child’s quality of life as well as your own.