Today is an awesome day, and this week was an awesome week. My sweet little four-year-old is finally emerging and I am incredulous watching it all.
Harry was initially evaluated at 11 months. Being a twin and all, it’s hard not to notice a difference when at six months a typically developing child crashes and burns while his other half finds wings and soars. We found ourselves in the evaluation room at Babies Can’t Wait with our almost one-year-old who, we were told, was at a 0-1 month level with speech. Right, so into speech therapy we went. Once a week, then a few times a week with oral motor worked in, then the super-intensive-every-day-bring-on-the-PROMPT-Therapy-combine-it-with-PT-and-OT-and-pull-it-out style as Apraxia was suspected at 19 months when he received his Autism diagnosis. It was confirmed around three, but treated as such the whole time. Could not blow bubbles, sip from a straw, pucker for a kiss, blow a cotton ball across a table…so, we knew. We also knew he had the capacity for language because he would randomly say words, spontaneously, in context. He would smile sweetly in his crib, I would kiss him and he would look at me and say “kiss”. And say not another word for months.
After 2 ½ years of intensive and cutting edge biomed treatments with some of the finest doctors in the country coupled with every therapy we deemed useful, classical homeopathy and the beginning of CEASE we still had no progress in speech…although our mito markers- initially 4 of 5- were essentially in the normal range, oxidative stress was gone, chronic constipation, gone as well.
Not complaining about any of that but I obsess about speech. I dream about speech. I perseverate on speech. I stim on speech. I mean, I NEED to hear what this sweet child has to say…even if it’s “Get that f*cking nasty a** supplement-filled syringe away from me already woman, and squirt it in your own stupid mouth! And stick a b-12 shot in your OWN damn butt for a change!” OMG would I LOVE IT if he said that. I really, really would.
At our September DAN! visit our doc said he still considered Harry pretty severe because of the lack of speech and the number of interventions that had not worked. I started to argue that I KNEW he had the capacity for speech and that I just needed to find the right thing to open it up, when he reassured me he was by no means giving up, but was thinking we might need to try something even further outside the box then we’d gone before. Oh yeah, that’s why I love our doc. He suggested running a test to see if Harry’s nagalese was elevated. Um, what? Short and simple: Nagalese levels are elevated when the body is not effective in recognizing or fighting viruses. Cancer and AIDS patients have elevated nagalese, and, as it turned out three weeks and a blood test later, so did Harry. Short and simple again: GcMAF is the chemical your body naturally produces to fight viruses. GcMAF is used in Europe to treat Cancer, but I was a little nervous. It’s a human product (though virtually a homeopathic dose) which carries, at least, theoretical risk. So I sat on the results and continued CEASE clears for a few months until I couldn’t sit on the results any longer. I hopped online and read Dr. Bradstreet’s blog about it and decided it was time to act.
We scheduled some time with Dr. Bradstreet (who will be talking at AutismOne in May) He took a look at Harry’s recent labs and noted high neopterin on his last urinary porphyrins test, which is a secondary indicator that GcMAF might be helpful, and noted his chronically low Vitamin D levels…another indicator. We decided to give it a shot, literally, of course, because you give shots of GcMAF weekly. His office made up a series of four homeopathic injections for us to give once a week and shipped them overnight.
We gave the first one in his thigh and within ten minutes we had a rash (if you read my blog post about CEASE two weeks ago, you will notice a trend). For ten days we had spectacular rashes, but we saw gains from the get-go. Day 2 he stood in front of the mirror, smiled and said “Hi, Harry!” Um, what??
He started to spell three letter words on his Ipad. His receptive language began to explode. He understood so much more than he had in the past, and he began to follow simple directions like “put your shoes on” from across the room. The auditory processing delay that had decreased with CEASE disappeared completely and he responded just like any other child. School took notice and the reports home were reports you dream of receiving. So we kept going, meeting with Dr Bradstreet every month, reporting progress, and receiving four more injections. And the gains kept coming. The child who could in September do two signs…”more” and “milk” had now mastered thirty and was using them in combination. He was parallel playing with peers. He was sharing toys, and objecting—not walking away—when something was taken from him. He learned how to swim and COULD BLOW BUBBLES! He started puckering to give kisses…the first one to his twin who has never once treated him differently because he has Autism (although she has, at times, treated him like her life-size doll…but I digress).
We were told in the beginning of the treatment that if you see speech from this it usually comes between 12-16 weeks. After 12 shots, Dr Bradstreet suggested adding in Prevagen which is, um, jellyfish goo and its sold OTC at Walgreens so at around 13 weeks, we did. Prevagen binds to excess calcium and Harry’s calcium has always been extremely high. I was interested.
So back to our amazing week. On Monday, he started nodding yes. It was a waist-up effort and stiffer than you can imagine, but it was Yes. And he has been able to repeat that over and over this whole week. Consistency—what we strive for but very rarely get. He started shaking his head No…finally…and I think he kind of likes it. I got a few head shakes when he eyeballed the syringe with the Prevagen in it…I have a feeling jellyfish goo tastes pretty nasty.
Last Wednesday I picked Harry up from school and he ran full speed, smiling and hugged me, as now has become our long-awaited norm. We turned and I said ‘say bye bye to your teachers’ and expected his usual cheerful wave. He paused and grimaced, then with tremendous effort said “BYE BYE” and of course I screamed so loudly that he is probably still trying to recover his hearing BECAUSE HE SAID IT ON DEMAND!!!!! Not a random, spontaneous word, but he listened and was able to repeat something back to me for the very first time. Thursday, he did it again. And he did it again on Friday too…twice actually because I got the courage to ask him to try it again at home.
We had our follow up with Dr. Bradstreet on Thursday and I basically professed my undying love for him (but I promise, Dr. Bradstreet, I am a fan, not a stalker). He professionally confirmed he was seeing the same thing with other patients using the combination of GcMAF and Prevagen (and probably looked into restraining orders, lol). He also confirmed Harry’s second nagalese test was in and it was no longer elevated, but that he would like to see it even lower. He made some other supplement suggestions that he thought might push speech along too.
Today is Saturday and we gave shot number 17. I know you will not read this till it posts on Tuesday but man, was it a good day. He said bye bye a few more times. Mama Mac suggested having him say it to everyone we encounter and um, yeah, sorry everyone at the mall who even looked in our direction today and thanks for being such good sports. Harry and I were in the car when his sister dozed off and I slipped him a treat in the form of a Teletubbies DVD. He loves those four…aliens? (What are they anyway?) but his sister and brother have moved on. I asked him “What is Dipsy wearing?” and he looked at me and said “HAT!” and then looked so proud of himself for answering the question out loud. YES! A HAT! YOU ARE RIGHT!!! My gosh I have waited so long for this brief conversation—yes, I’m calling it that—and man, do I appreciate it. The Teletubbies then said “Big Hug!” and started hugging each other. Harry looked at me and grinned with arms outstretched saying “HUG!” YES! You got it. One smothering, completely-over-zealous-and-maybe-bone-crushing hug from Mommy coming right up pal.
This is working for us. I think back to everything we tried over the last 3 years that didn’t work and I am thankful I never once doubted that we would find something that would. I think doubt is probably the most toxic thing for an Autism Mom, like a gateway drug to despair and depression. Don’t allow it in there people, no matter how hard it is; it’s like GMO for the soul and it will slowly kill your resolve to fight to get your child back. Know that the Thinking Moms are here with you and don’t doubt for one minute that you can make your child’s life better in some way. You can, and we are here to help.
Love,
Goddess
And, incidentally again, TMR does not endorse any type of treatment, nor can we predict if this will help you & yours. Just sharing my experience with this :).
Hello. I’m happy for your progress. I know it is a long time old post but we are innthat same boat now. I just want to know if you can link me to the person who posted the article. How is your son doing now after 6 years?
Hi! I would like to know how your son is doing now? Have you stopped treatments or still continuing? Any kind of update on his progress.
Thank you
Goddess, i am just reading this. So a very late congratulations on Harry’s progress. We’ve tried so many things so this Truly sounds like a miracle. l am curious if it will work for my daughter however I can’t find it anywhere.
Any suggestions?
Hi goddess,
We are also living in Atlanta,GA.i feel like my kid have vaccine injury… Because UpTo 6 months she had maintained eye contact..After something went wrong…I would like to try CEASE THERAPY…Please suggest the doctor you tried for your kid…
Jerry Kantor at Vital Force in MA is fantastic – just seeing this, sorry!
Hi where did you do CEASE Therapy for your kid…We have bean doing biomedical but it did helped a little only
Goddess,
Just came across your post. Have been considering GcMaf for my 6 yo. As its been 2 years since you posted this, can you tell me if the progress has been consistent? Are you still giving the injections and if you have stopped then is there are any regression?
Thanks
Meg
I was looking for some honest response and glad I found it here.
I have a question. How much does this treatment cost? None of our therapists take insurance and we pay everything out of pocket. I would love to see the same for my son (now 5) at the same time, I need to know how much it costs so that I can prioritize my expenses.
Thanks in advance.
We saw Bradstreet and it was about $500/month including a 15 minute call with him to check in.
Other families order gcmaf directly from europe (www.gcmaf.eu) and it can be less expensive that way if you have a protocol to follow.
Thank you.
I am curious how many shots are included in this $500. If I remember correctly gcmaf.eu sells 8 shots for Euro 660.
4 shots and a 15 min consult. The actual price varied based on how much gcmaf we used…so ranged from $395 to $525.
People do get together and buy it in bulk to get the price down if you go the gcmaf.eu way. Its $800-$900 a vial but I have seen people get it for $450 or so with a 50% discount due to bulk orders.
So pleased to hear about your son’s progress, even though I realize this post is a bit dated! I have been following TMR for a while wanted to see if you would be willing to offer some advice – I am in Atlanta (East Cobb) with two special need kiddos – a daughter with ADHD and SPD and a 2-yr old son with a current diagnosis of apraxia, SPD and dyspraxia. I believe my son may have many of the gut and immune issues that are discussed so often with autism and, as I learn more, my PCP is just no longer cutting it for us. I am looking for a DAN-type doctor that will work with us on biomed interventions, etc. We would be out of pocket as our insurance is Kaiser HMO. Can you make a recommendation?? I was going to try Dr Hank Sloan in Cummings, but am wondering if Bradstreet may be a better choice to start? Any recommendations or advise would be appreciated! Thanks very much! Angela
I really like Bradstreet. For us, he was a great choice.
Congratulations!
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I just love your story!
Would love to know if other DAN’s in the US are doing this.
Any idea?
I’m so happy to have found an unedited account of this treatment. We have recently found out about it and are actively reading everything we can! As Autism parents (my Little Buddy will be 4 next month, current label “Language Delay w/autistic features”), we are constantly on the hunt for the thing that really clicks for us. I will continue to follow Harry’s progress, thank you for sharing!!!
P.S. Any negatives you have experienced?
i love stories like this. gcmaf is resolving inflammation in all kinds of diseases. how incredibly wonderful. it’s almost too good to be true!
I could read this post over and over and over. I love you and love Harry and love every word written. <3
I am very hopefull about this new aproach with the McMAF. If it worked for your son why it cann’t worked for mine? Please tell me if this is long term treatment? How many shots do they need. if is a short term treatment what happens afterwards? Do the children keep improving with side therapies or do they only improve while they are taking this shots?
Please let me know. Since I live here in GA and Dr. Bradstreet has a clinic here. And he does not take insurance so he charge by the hour and it is really expensive for me. So I will get the nagalase test done with my pediatrician and if it cames back with hight levels. I will pay anything to hear my son say something, anything. But I need to know if is going to last or is it temporary thing while they are taking this shots? PLEASE help me I need to hear my baby boy say something to me. Thank you for your time and for letting us know about this discovery 🙂
Hi
New to this site. Autism is an imbalance in the immune system. Gcmaf is a protien that is a key to unlocking some of the blocked pathways. Cancer and viruses can lock the door to a healthy immune system. Gcmaf administered acts as a replacement therapy and may enable immune system re programming to restore the immune system and produce developmental gains when required. Nagalase levels are an important indicator to response to a condition which cannot rely on pet/mri scans/ tumour markers.
I truely admire the parents for their love and determinaton
I have just now discovered your blog…..I am the grandmother of a 3 yr old who is non-verbal. The ‘experts’ are wavering between Autism and PSD. Labels don’t matter to me, results do. Sounds like you’ve been through heck and back to get where you are now. My question is, for someone just beginning on this journey, do you recommend first going thru all the things that didn’t work for your son……or try to find a doctor in the Central Florida area who is ‘up’ on what you are reporting with the GcMAF?
Friend Goddes Tmr (only one ‘s’ per facebook rules) on facebook Babs…we can talk more.
Love this! I am so happy to read of this amazing progress!
Thank you!!
Wow! Never give up. Our boy had very little functional language until about 3rd grade. I kept telling people that he was in there, and he was. Keep writing! The world needs to know that there is hope for all of our children.
Thanks-we intend to!!
I LOVEEE YOUUU FOR SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH THE WORLD. I AM GOING TO GIVE IT A TRY. I KNOW IT IN MY HEART THAT MY SON WILL OVERCOME THIS HORRIBLE AUTISTIC THING.
THANK YOUUUU
good luck!! Keep TMR posted Elena!
It isn’t homeopathic GcMAF. Dr Bradstreet uses our GcMAF, but in smaller doses for children. Its the same GcMAF that we always supply.
Other doctors have followed Dr Bradstreets lead and we are getting similar results from other countries. One doctor in Italy has treated 50 autistic children with our GcMAF and has had success with 80% of them.
David Noakes.
0044 752 844 1672
Thats what I meant by virtually–Dr Bradstreet explained it as a nano dose of what we actually have inside us. Not true homeopathic as (I’m guessing) we wouldn’t need a shot. Thanks for clarifying!!
Exhilarating! And thanks so much for sharing the details (the problems, Docs and drugs/supplements etc.) what worked for you. I hope to hear and learn more about exactly what works for other people here too.
Thanks so much for a good story and know we are all cheering with you!
🙂 Thanks!
THIS MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE BLOG EVER!!! I’ve been waiting patiently, while you’ve been working your butt off, to hear that he’s FINALLY on his way! Can’t wait to see him and my little guy chatting away someday. <3
Oh, and how frustrating were those random words that never appeared again??!! I heard “doggie” and “peek-a-boo” probably two years before he could say them deliberately. Way to mess with Mom’s mind!
I KNOW! Once while he was on zithro he sat there and said “mama i want baba” Over two years ago….have not heard that since. Thankfully Doug heard it too or I would have convinced myself I was crazy. THANKS professor!!
That is just so awesome! I know how happy you must be feeling right now to watch your child developing speech. Praising God for you. Doing a happy jig!
Me too!!!! xo
PRAISE GOD!!!!! Speech, I was told back when we started our journey, is the hardest thing to recover or get for the first time. I agree…it’s a hard job….thankfully you never gave up…and kept working to find what worked for your son. Thrilled…I could not be happier for you!
Thank you so much Cheryl. I feel like I stepped foot on the moon–now we have a whole galaxy to conquer!
I’m so, so, so happy for you and Harry!!!
Thanks!!
Goddess – you just made my day! Go Harry! I can just feel your pure happiness and excitement emanating through my computer 🙂 Yay for healing and NEVER giving up on our kids!
Shiri
Never. We need to get ALL our kids healed. I just can’t wait to see what Harry will be when he grows up!! And Thank You!!
So happy for you, i too am going to ask our DAN about this treatment as we are also hitting walls with some of the trmnts. TMR is so inspiring and gives us all so much hope. Glad i found you ladies 🙂
You can always ask to do the elevated nagalese test—then weigh all options from there.
WOOOHOOO!!! Omg speech. I think I would fall over. I dream aobut it at night.
i dream about it too…and so does my sister. And my whole family. Next step–another consistent word…or a whole sentence. I’ll take either 😉
Great news! But just what is homeopathic GcMAF? Does anyone know? How it’s made, where to get it???
read the gcmaf.eu link, and drbradstreet.org…bet source of info. Also better health guy has info on it as well.
Wow!!!!! I am so happy for you and little H!!!!!! Can’t wait to hear more great things!!!!
Thanks!!!! xoxxo
I too am crying as I remember my son’s first speech…because that day like you I was crying happy tears and tears for those who have not yet heard words. We are all in this together and keep open to the universe for all our kids. I am happy for your breakthrough and I love the line…doubt — an Autism mom’s Gateway drug to despair and depression. We have to work with our own emotions even more than our kids sometimes.
So true….and sometimes it can make or break this.
Oh, Goddess, kids just get better no matter what you do or don’t do, doncha know? *inserteyerollhere*. But seriously, I’m so excited for the next report of Harry’s healing. I couldn’t be more proud for you and your fam. And incidentally, we also credit Dr. Bradstreet for much of P’s healing. We wouldn’t be fully included in 5th grade if we hadn’t met him. Go Harry GO!!!!
Oh um yeah….he totally would be doing this if I left him rocking and drooling in the corner 3 years ago. Totally. *Insertmyfilthymouthhere* Can’t wait till he is like P. CAN’T WAIT.
I’m a relatively new TMR “lurker”, with two kids on the spectrum. My youngest will be 3 next week and he has no language. None. We’re doing biomedical, but like you did, we’re just running into brick walls. In addition to the array of supplements, we tried SPEAK, and it gave us a babble and then it disappeared. We tried MB12 shots, and it did nothing for him (whereas it did well with my oldest). I hadn’t heard of this before, but I’ve printed this out and I’m giving it to my DAN doctor next week. I’ve never been to AutismOne, but I’m going to try my best to get there. I’ll be a blubbering mess of tears, I know, but I’m going to get my youngest to talk if it kills me.
I’m so happy for you and for Harry. You are an inspiration…bravo! I pray with all my heart that I have this same breakthrough with my little guy.
Jill–PLEASE come to AO–It is game changing in the best possible way. Come find me at the TMR table. Friend Goddes Tmr if you want to compare notes 🙂
I definitely will. I’m grabbing my speech therapist friend (does everyone become good friends with good therapists? I seem to!), and we’re looking for flights now from DC. I just friended you on FB. I’d love to compare notes! Thanks so much!
I remember exactly what you’re feeling! I remember feeling ecstatic for my son too because you feel and see their satisfaction in their own accomplishment. What a wonderful time for you and Harry! Praise God! (and uh, save a little praise for you too) 😉
Thanks!! xo
This is wonderful news! I am very happy for Harry and for all of your family. I am grateful to Dr. Bradstreet. This is good news for the parents of every child on the autism spectrum.
Patricia
I wish there were more docs like him!
Incredible, Goddess!!! You are so right about doubt, but we can never give up. GO HARRY!!!
Thanks for your support, as always xoxoxoxo
Congradulations! That is great. Xx
Thanks!
OMG ! I am so so happy and proud for you and Harry. Boy, I know this sounds a bit wrong or off, but damn, its orgasmic to read about the speech breakthrough finally from your son !!! I can’t wait to embark on the same journey.
LOL @ orgasmic. I’ll take it!!!
Tears! So happy for Harry and your whole family!
Thank you!!! And it was awesome talking with you yeterday–can’t wait to meet you at AO!
Congratulations…hopefully my son will be there in 10 more shots. Very inspiring. One more recovery is another point for the good guys. Thanks for sharing. We all need motivation. Keep us posted please.
Kerri would love to compare notes. Friend Goddes Tmr when you have a sec.
Happy tears for you and your family.. May it just get better and better for Harry!!
P.S. I despise teletbbies too!! xoxoxox
<3 you Buzz.
I cant stop crying over here….happy tears of course….I am so proud of Harry & so happy for you! I also long for those words to come and you always give me hope that it will!! xoxo
Dana–you are doing an amazing job–you jumped right in and started fighting…If we can do this, you can too. xo
Wow this is fantastic! You are rebalancing his biochemistry that was disrupted by the toxic insults. I love Dr’s that think outside the box! This should be a requirement for medical school. Lol!
Hopefully some day it will be. We need to learn something from this. xo