Fish Oil

Almost immediately after diagnosis (Gooli was just shy of two years old), we started him on fish oil supplements. After exhaustive research, we landed on this brand and formula. The formula was the closest to formulations used in research showing positive impact on language development and cognition, and they have a third party quality standards process. Warning- They are GIANT pills. He obviously could not swallow them (I don’t think I could). We snip the top of the capsule and squeeze the oil into his mouth. The first time, it felt like we were torturing him. The second time, he pouted and opened his mouth (I guess anything is better than having someone forcing this stuff into your mouth). By the third time, he happily sits and opens his mouth. Just a few days into the process, he began grabbing the supplement bottle himself and sitting himself down on the bathroom sink before every bath. We’ve never looked back. This was actually a point of inflection for us– to learn that if we thought something could help him, we could get past his initial refusal pretty quickly. It has proven to be true time and time again.

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Multivitamin

Following Gooli’s acceptance of the Fish Oil supplement (see above), we almost immediately decided to look for a high quality multivitamin for him. Like many kids on the spectrum, his food intake was limited to a handful of items he preferred (none with a great nutritional profile). We ultimately landed on a liquid multivitamin that has since been discontinued. After that option was discontinued, we decided on the specific formula below for a handful of reasons- We wanted a liquid vitamin for both absorption and acceptance (Gooli had already accepted the now discontinued liquid multivitamin), its focus on whole foods (most importantly for us that it offered Folate vs Folic Acid- naturally occurring in food vs. man-made) and it was GFCFSF (a diet we flirted with at one point and wanted the option to re-try). The taste takes some getting used to, but is tolerable.

In terms of Gooli’s acceptance of adding a multivitamin to his Fish Oil routine- he met the new addition with initial light rejection (pouting and then opening his mouth). He incorporated it into his bath time routine within 3 days. He very quickly linked the two supplements as one experience and built them into his schedule (a way rigidity has worked in our favor). We initially gave him the liquid vitamin with a child medicine syringe (like the ones that come with baby pain relief medicine). Once he was drinking form a cup, he began drinking a little shot glass of the multivitamin with no problems.

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“Restore”

The final supplement we are currently giving Gooli is a little more difficult to describe. It also is a little more difficult to explain/justify. “Restore” claims to help seal the gut lining to prevent leaky gut. Follow the link to read their claims- from their description “Allow your NATURAL Good Bacteria to thrive! RESTORE has been shown in lab studies to fortify your gut lining, creating a beneficial shift in your gut bacteria. – Many RESTORE advocates report feeling Relief from Bloating, Gas, Constipation & Heartburn as well as reduced sensitivity to foods such as gluten and milk!”

While it’s a little embarrassing to admit how this supplement made it onto our routine- I promised myself I’d be transparent on this blog- so here goes. The short and honest story behind our adding this supplement to our routine… Dad and I went to an Autism conference approximately one year after Gooli’s diagnosis (he was almost 3, and this was about 3 years ago— wow). At the conference, the MD that patented and sells the Restore supplement gave a moving presentation on the dangers of pesticides, GMOs, and correlations (I know I know… not causation) between use of these and increases in all types of conditions, including the rise of food sensitivities and Autism. At the end of his moving presentation, he offered studies suggesting that the Restore supplement helps to seal the gut lining (positively impacting gut health, cognition, and GI symptoms). Despite Gooli never really suffering from GI symptoms (as far as we could tell), the MD ended his presentation with a statement about how the supplement could lead to language development and how it could improve the diet of kids who self restricted food options. My little ears perked up. Despite Dad and I PROMISING we would not purchase ANYTHING at this conference…. we left with a two month supply. There. I said it.

I’ll be perfectly honest- I have no idea whether this supplement is doing anything for us. BUT. When we got the supplement home (and after I did all of the research I could to be sure this wouldn’t harm him), and tried it, … Gooli started to be curious about foods that were not previously on his accepted list. Most notably, two days into the supplement, he walked up to me while I was eating and ate a tiny piece of salmon from my plate! I almost fell over backwards in my chair. While that curiosity for a few new foods could be a coincidence, we’ve continued to give him the supplement ever since. Mostly, we fear that taking the supplement away could lead to (or coincide with) a negative change in his eating (an area that continues to be a work in progress). To make us more fearful of removing it, the supplement claims to boost immunity. With the current COVID19 crisis, it doesn’t seem like the best time to remove anything that could potentially be helping him stay healthy. … We DO plan to do an experiment and remove this supplement in the future (stay tuned, as I’ll post about it here). For the time being it remains on the list.

*From time to time, I’ll include a direct Amazon link on this site. I am in no way affiliated with the companies or products. I simply include the link of products I’m referring to when I write. Of course, if you choose to purchase the item, and do so by clicking the links I provide, the blog gets a small commission. This small commission I hope will collectively help to pay for some of the expenses of keeping up the blog- domain fees, hosting fees, etc. Please feel ZERO obligation to purchase through this method though!