And another

So late last night I went to give Jordan some of the supplements I can't manage to get in him within a decent time frame. It had to be around 3:30-4:00 in the morning. When I woke him to give him the medicine and put the L-Glutathione on his back I realized he didn't have his brand new, long sleeve pajama shirt on. The one out of all the new outfits he had gotten yesterday, he picked to put on. I had a feeling it ended up just like any of the other thin shirts I had bought him for sleepwear just a couple of months ago. Low and behold the shirt was in his house clothes drawer. For whatever reason he thinks mom will never find his ripped socks or clothes if he puts them in there. Anyway the cuff of the sleeve was ripped and was hanging on by the thread at the seem. I was so distraught because it gave me the realization that there is really something wrong here. I contemplated sewing it back on and making him wear it but I didn't want to go through all that work just to have him re-rip or rip the other side. Because of the way it is made, it's a sleeve sewn onto a t-shirt, I just cut the sleeves off and put the t-shirt on him. I'm very reluctant to allow him to wear any of the new pajamas for fear of the same thing.

After I found the shirt in that condition I looked up what makes an Autistic child rip their clothing. What I came across is pretty much what I already knew, which is there can be a yeast overgrowth or a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Two other contributors are allergies (environmental) and sensory integration issues. I almost headed to a state that I didn't need to be in because again, there were signs I was ignoring. Jordan has been ripping his socks for maybe close to a year if not longer. It wasn't prominent as it is now when it first started so I didn't think it was a reason to be alarmed. But now it has grown from socks to clothes with him biting on the front of his shirt as well. I felt like with the dehydration and him wanting milk, I should have noticed they were the signs of something and paid attention a lot sooner. And now here is something else. However, I didn't let it get me down. I was glad that he did rip the shirt because this is the one time he did it that made me take notice and figure out that the problem is more serious than I realized. I plan on making a call to his doctor's office Monday to see if the doctor can put in an order to the lab to have him tested for any vitamin and mineral deficiencies since I haven't gone to do the blood work for the other tests she requested I do.

Since I found out that bit of information last night, this morning I thought to look up what a deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals look like. I didn't come across anything that specifically said being deficient some can cause ripping of clothes, but I did come across something that struck my attention. I already knew about being low in calcium and magnesium causing spasms, but they exhibit the same symptoms as being deficient in potassium. So I could try to give him bananas for potassium, But the biggest information came when I came across phosphorus. Although the symptoms for not having enough phosphorus doesn't fit what Jordan is doing, it stands out as the problem because when I see phosphorus I think phosphate which is something I have be trying to keep out of Jordan's diet. I thought that it might be hindering the lead removal process. I don't know how related to phosphate the phosphorus is, I just know they aren't the same. I can remember when I found some of the foods Jordan ate contained phosphate, I avoided everything that said phosphate AND phosphorus. He did not have the problem of destroying his socks or clothes then. Over time the problem grew and is getting worse. Adding the fiber probably didn't help either. So until I can get the order for the tests and actually go get it done, I will get Jordan a milk that contains a percentage of phosphorus. The one I had been buying didn't list a percentage so I don't know if it had any in it or if it just wasn't enough to list. Here's to phosphorus being the key.

When I give Jordan certain restrictions within his diet, I never think of what problems may come from it. I always think of the harm that I am removing, but it doesn't click in my mind to think about what good I am keeping from him as well. So with that knowledge from now on when adding or taking away something, I will weigh the pros and cons. But it also makes me think about the fact that I give God restrictions in my life. When I don't allow Him to fully work to His capability because I think I can do it better on my own or I don't want to deal with the negative that may come along with it, I am blocking myself from His goodness. As a Christian I've learned that trials and tribulations will come. Just because I submit to God doesn't mean everything will go as planned from here on out. There are many different reasons we have struggles. Whether it be the enemy sees the path we are on and tries to deter us, or because we have not followed the way we were intended and God is reprimanding us as His child. Whatever the reason we can't just always take the good and none of the bad. For one we would never learn anything and two we can't have our character shaped if all we had was the positive. We stand in our own way trying to find quick fixes or other ways around our problems that differ from what God wants. Instead of doing our own thing we must turn to the scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17, one of my scripture memory verse from DDS class, states "All scripture is given by inspiration from God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that every man may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." We have to go through struggles so we can learn, and teach, to be rightfully skilled. I am thankful for the downfalls because is teaches me what is wrong so I can make it right. Without it things would always be wrong, and nothing good can come from that.