The other shoe drops?

For sometime we've been working with therapists, doctor's etc. to figure out why Anthony is delayed in his speech. Looking back all was well in Anthony's first year, noises and mimic sounds were all around then sometime around 2 years he just stopped. Everyone told us it was normal and he'd start up again but he didn't. Kim started him up with a speech therapist but all she ever did was talk loudly to him and never came when she was supposed to. Really how are you supposed to help someone when you can't keep a schedule and because of it he wouldn't be getting therapy on a regular basis.

Next Kim switched him to a different therapist one where we'd have to go in to their office. The sessions started occurring on a regular basis but still not any improvement. Somewhere along the line the possibility of Anthony being tongue tied was brought up. Sure enough we take him to the doctor and she breaks his tongue tie on accident just trying to get him to stick his tongue out.

Therapy continued  but still not much change. Next the therapist suggested we get his ears checked. Weird we thought, they were checked regularly while he was in the NICU and he's never had ear aches but sure enough we go into the doctors office and he has fluid filling them. One ear had no hearing and the other 75% was gone. Great how did this happen? Anthony gets a appointment made to get tubes put in.

With the tubes put in we were told he'd catch up fairly fast and while there was some improvement it still was not enough. Anthony was still very spastic and getting him to pay attention most days was just to much for anyone to handle. This is where the first mention of Anthony possibly having Verbal Apraxia.

I love my wife where others give up she digs in and turns to Google and her internet moms to do more research. Now since she has a disorder she goes to work researching everything about it and by the end she knows more the most doctors she speaks to.

The Verbal Apraxia diagnosis gets changed to Verbal Dyspraxia due to some of Anthony's motor skill issues that go along with it. The good news is he doesn't seem to have it as bad as it could be but it will be a long road to treat it. We also learn that Verbal Dyspraxia is usually a sign of something else being wrong. Then we find it, its his diet! We take him to a Bio doctor that specializes in the disorder and others on the Autism spectrum.

The consultation lasts 3 hours, the doctor notices a distended belly button, Anthony's pale grayish skin and his yeasty walk. Due to my recent starting of B-12 methylcobalamin (not cyanocobalamin) and how much better it makes me feel it is decided the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and Anthony is prescribed B-12 shots, a low to no yeast/diary diet and a whole panel of tests. The doctor explains that they like to work these cases backwards and start with the parents but since I just recently discovered I was not absorbing B-12 cyanocobalamin correctly and started the methylcobalamin and was feeling much better (depression gone, clearer thinking) that this was a great place to start.

With the diet in place and the B-12 shots twice a week we immediately see a big change. Anthony goes from a handful of words to 60+. Anthony's attention is much improved he now plays pretend in his room or on the patio for hours on end. Oh and he now has rosy cheeks! More news as of yesterday we got some of the test results back it seems Anthony's thyroid is not working correctly so we can add Hyperthyroidism to the list. This makes sense it runs in my family and this is also good news. If this diagnosis holds up through the next set of tests this could be the source of Anthony's speech development issues!!