 |
| "You want me to do what? You do know about child labor laws, right, Mama?" |
 |
| "Okay, fine, I'll do it." |
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| "Hmm, this is pretty fun." |
 |
| "Whew, and I'm spent." |
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
A Little Helper's Tale
The scene: Martini kitchen on Monday afternoon.
P.S. The pretty skirt Emilia is wearing was knitted for her by our talented friend Katherine.
Monday, February 25, 2013
IAC 242/243/244 Results
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 242 which was held on January 9, 2013:
1) Greek dossier from October 2008 referred a female child aged 4 years and 4 months
2) Cyprus dossier from February 2009 referred a female child aged 8 years
3) Spanish dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 3 months
4) Danish dossier from November 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months
5) Norwegian dossier from November 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years
6) Dutch dossier from December 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years and 5 months
7) US dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 3 years and 9 months
8) French dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months
9) Spanish dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 11 months
10) Italian dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 4 months
11) French/German dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 6 years and 5 months
12) French dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 3 months
13) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 6 years with features in health status
14) Italian dossier from August 2010 referred sisters aged 5 years and 5 months & 7 years and 5 months
15) Irish dossier from September 2010 referred a male child aged 3 years and 5 months with features in health status and a family history
16) Italian dossier from September 2010 referred a male child aged 8 years and 2 months
17) Italian dossier from July 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 2 months
18) Italian dossier from January 2012 referred a male child aged 8 years and 6 months
19) US dossier from December 2012 referred two waiting children (#1604 & #1623) with profiles on the MOJ site
20) US dossier from December 2012 referred a waiting child (#962) with a profile on the MOJ site
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 243 which was held on January 17, 2013:
1) Cyprus dossier from December 2008 referred a female child aged 3 years and 9 months
2) Cyprus dossier from October 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years
3) Dutch dossier from December 2009 referred twin sisters aged 2 years and 11 months
4) US dossier from January 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 1 month
5) German dossier from January 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 5 months
6) German dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years
7) Italian dossier from September 2010 referred a female child aged 9 years and 10 months
8) US dossier from October 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months with features in health status
9) Italian dossier from July 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 6 months
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 244 which was held on January 24, 2013:
1) Greek dossier from August 2008 referred a male child aged 3 years and 6 months
2) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years and 6 months
3) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 8 months
4) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 2 months
5) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 1 months
6) Norwegian dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 3 years and 6 months
7) Dutch dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 8 months
8) Italian dossier from December 2012 referred brothers aged 7 years and 10 months & 9 years and 10 months
9) Italian dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1823) with a profile on the MOJ site
10) Italian dossier from January 2013 referred a male child aged 8 years and 3 months with features in health status
11) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1569) with a profile on the MOJ site
12) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#696) with a profile on the MOJ site
13) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1861) with a profile on the MOJ site
1) Greek dossier from October 2008 referred a female child aged 4 years and 4 months
2) Cyprus dossier from February 2009 referred a female child aged 8 years
3) Spanish dossier from October 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 3 months
4) Danish dossier from November 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months
5) Norwegian dossier from November 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years
6) Dutch dossier from December 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years and 5 months
7) US dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 3 years and 9 months
8) French dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 8 months
9) Spanish dossier from December 2009 referred a female child aged 2 years and 11 months
10) Italian dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 4 months
11) French/German dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 6 years and 5 months
12) French dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 3 months
13) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 6 years with features in health status
14) Italian dossier from August 2010 referred sisters aged 5 years and 5 months & 7 years and 5 months
15) Irish dossier from September 2010 referred a male child aged 3 years and 5 months with features in health status and a family history
16) Italian dossier from September 2010 referred a male child aged 8 years and 2 months
17) Italian dossier from July 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 2 months
18) Italian dossier from January 2012 referred a male child aged 8 years and 6 months
19) US dossier from December 2012 referred two waiting children (#1604 & #1623) with profiles on the MOJ site
20) US dossier from December 2012 referred a waiting child (#962) with a profile on the MOJ site
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 243 which was held on January 17, 2013:
1) Cyprus dossier from December 2008 referred a female child aged 3 years and 9 months
2) Cyprus dossier from October 2009 referred a male child aged 2 years
3) Dutch dossier from December 2009 referred twin sisters aged 2 years and 11 months
4) US dossier from January 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 1 month
5) German dossier from January 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 5 months
6) German dossier from January 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years
7) Italian dossier from September 2010 referred a female child aged 9 years and 10 months
8) US dossier from October 2010 referred a female child aged 2 years and 9 months with features in health status
9) Italian dossier from July 2011 referred a male child aged 8 years and 6 months
The following referrals were issued in IAC Session 244 which was held on January 24, 2013:
1) Greek dossier from August 2008 referred a male child aged 3 years and 6 months
2) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 4 years and 6 months
3) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 8 months
4) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 5 years and 2 months
5) Spanish dossier from February 2010 referred a female child aged 3 years and 1 months
6) Norwegian dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 3 years and 6 months
7) Dutch dossier from February 2010 referred a male child aged 2 years and 8 months
8) Italian dossier from December 2012 referred brothers aged 7 years and 10 months & 9 years and 10 months
9) Italian dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1823) with a profile on the MOJ site
10) Italian dossier from January 2013 referred a male child aged 8 years and 3 months with features in health status
11) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1569) with a profile on the MOJ site
12) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#696) with a profile on the MOJ site
13) US dossier from January 2013 referred a waiting child (#1861) with a profile on the MOJ site
GFDF Lunchbox
What does a GFDF lunchbox contain? Pretty much the same stuff as any other lunch box minus the gluten and dairy. Today Rex has a hummus sandwich, a homemade blueberry muffin, sesame rice crackers, half a banana, some almonds, and a raspberry almond milk yogurt along with a bottle of frozen apple juice and water mix that serves as a cooling element until lunch time.
It really seems that this diet has propelled Rex into a growth spurt. Maybe it's all the protein he now accepts (beans, beef, chicken, soy) or maybe it's just the fact that his body can focus on something other than fighting itself now and properly absorb the nutrients offered. Emilia was catching up to Rex in height, but he's now almost a full head taller than her again. Last week, he outgrew a pair of jeans in every direction that I know he wore comfortably earlier this year. Hurray for growing and being healthy!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Special Olympics Young Athletes
Shortly after Christmas we found out that there's a new program for young kids offered by our local Special Olympics. It takes place at a gym about 15 minutes from our home and is completely free. So, we decided to check it out and have now been taking the kids to it each Saturday morning for the last six weeks.
Some sessions are really great for the wee Martinis. They particularly enjoy the gross motor activities, like the obstacle course, and participate with assistance. Other times, like today, Rex spends the whole time throwing a tantrum to avoid the tasks and Emilia wants to do nothing but walk on the balance beam. It's hit and miss and we're never really sure until we walk into the gym. Fortunately, the staff and volunteers there are very understanding.
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| Fun with the giant parachute |
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| Practicing to roll over |
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| Who just popped out of that tent tube? |
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| Working on somersaults |
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Busy Week
Whew, this has been a busy week. I am glad it's over and we have another day off tomorrow.
On Monday I was running a Valentine's bake sale fundraiser at Rex's school. We had about twelve different treats, anything from homemade bread to puppy chow to chocolate hearts, prepared by parents and therapists. Even though we only ran the sale for a few hours, we made over $140 which will be used to buy classroom supplies and equipment. I made peach cobblers and nutter butter balls.
On Tuesday night we had an all parent meeting at Rex's school. It was important to attend as a lot of information about summer camp was shared. I had been waiting for these details to make plans for Rex. It looks like Rex will go to summer camp for about seven weeks and receive some OT, ABA and hopefully speech therapy there though it will be less than what is offered during the school year. The kids will swim twice a day, go on nature walks, visit the playgrounds on the premises, have a daily circle/story time and a daily craft/sensory activity.
I think Wednesday was a normal day. Emilia had speech therapy in the morning and then I made some Valentine's for Rex's friends and therapists in the afternoon.
On Thursday Emilia had a check-up at cardiology. Her vitals, including the EKG, look very good and she is cleared for another six months with no meds and no restrictions. She topped the scale at 25.3 pounds, up over two pounds from August. She is almost in the 5th percentile. Emilia will have another echo in the fall. Her VSD is so small that the doctors believe she could live with it into old age. However, it is its position within the heart that sometimes causes problems for the surrounding structures, like the aorta, so that's what they want to keep a close eye on. It's possible that Emilia may never need surgery or not for a long time, but no guarantees. I am thankful for another six months reprieve which was great news for my own heart on Valentine's Day.
On Friday Craig had the day off, so we ran a bunch of errands in the morning. We hit Whole Foods, Lowes, Sams Club, the car wash, Hobby Lobby, and Once Upon A Child in about four hours. We were home in time for lunch and while Emilia napped, Craig and I gathered tax documents and organized paperwork that had accumulated over the last year or so. I am so relieved that this job is done. Now, on to filing our taxes.
On Saturday we made our weekly grocery run, took the kids to their Special Olympics gym group (I have a separate post about that coming up), and then worked on some tasks around the house. I don't know how it happens, but the state of the downstairs goes from reasonable to a tornado hit in a matter of hours sometimes.
Today, I spent the morning cleaning, cooking, and baking. I started off with a little experiment: Would the kids eat quinoa flakes cooked in water and topped with a little buttery spread and brown sugar? The answer is yes, so I am happy to have a protein-rich GFDF oatmeal alternative now to serve for breakfast. Since Rex's birthday is coming up, I have been experimenting with GFDF desserts and this morning I made a flourless chocolate cake which is definitely a winner (oh yes, we already tasted it). Paired with some fresh berries, I now know what I will send into school for Rex's birthday party. Then I cooked up some GFDF meatballs (no soy sauce this time) to go with our spaghetti dinner this evening and made some GFDF banana chocolate chip pancakes for brunch. So yummy - fellow moms of Armenian children, wish you could have been here to share this meal. After our naps, we took the kids to a local bounce place for a few hours just to give them a nice work-out. It was a lot of fun for everyone.
And now two of the four of us are ready for bed... I won't disclose which two.
On Monday I was running a Valentine's bake sale fundraiser at Rex's school. We had about twelve different treats, anything from homemade bread to puppy chow to chocolate hearts, prepared by parents and therapists. Even though we only ran the sale for a few hours, we made over $140 which will be used to buy classroom supplies and equipment. I made peach cobblers and nutter butter balls.
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| Nutter Butter Balls cooling |
I think Wednesday was a normal day. Emilia had speech therapy in the morning and then I made some Valentine's for Rex's friends and therapists in the afternoon.
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| Heart-shaped GFDF jelly beans |
On Friday Craig had the day off, so we ran a bunch of errands in the morning. We hit Whole Foods, Lowes, Sams Club, the car wash, Hobby Lobby, and Once Upon A Child in about four hours. We were home in time for lunch and while Emilia napped, Craig and I gathered tax documents and organized paperwork that had accumulated over the last year or so. I am so relieved that this job is done. Now, on to filing our taxes.
On Saturday we made our weekly grocery run, took the kids to their Special Olympics gym group (I have a separate post about that coming up), and then worked on some tasks around the house. I don't know how it happens, but the state of the downstairs goes from reasonable to a tornado hit in a matter of hours sometimes.
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| Our living room on Saturday evening. Can you handle the truth? |
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| Both kids could go up (see them?) ... |
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| ... and down this slide unassisted. |
And now two of the four of us are ready for bed... I won't disclose which two.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
More News from MOJ
The Bulgarian MOJ recently remodeled its website and added some further new information regarding international adoptions. The Ministry has now released a list of confirmed adopters through December 31, 2011, showing 767 active, registered dossiers still waiting for referrals. This number is completely in line with previous estimates I have given on this blog and through private emails.
Eighty-seven of these active dossiers specifically request the referral of a girl or a girl as part of a sibling group. Eleven dossiers request a boy or a boy as a part of a sibling group. Fifty-eight dossiers are asking for a child up to only 24 months of age. There are eight dossiers which request children with a maximum age parameter of less than 24 months. Those dossiers are from Ireland, Greece and Spain.
Meanwhile, we know from the list of 395 children adopted from Bulgaria in 2012 that only two of them were born in 2011 and only 39 in 2010 which shows that the frequency of children coming home at under 36 months of age is just over 10%. In addition, the list highlights that most of these very young referrals have special needs. One of the children born in 2011 was known to have a birth mother with syphilis and was referred to a family who registered in 2008. The other has a heart defect and two close biological relatives diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was referred to a family registered in 2011. Of the children born in 2010, only six were considered healthy by MOJ and three were registered waiting children. The remaining 30 kids had at least one, often multiple health conditions including vision problems, syphilis, reflux, heart defects, anemia, limb differences, prematurity, microcephaly, epilepsy, asthma, cleft lip/palate, Down Syndrome, hypotrophy, Kippel-Feil Syndrome, urinary conditions, motor disorders, facial malformations, borderline intelligence as well as family histories of mental retardation, personality disorders, and birth mothers known to have used alcohol and/or drugs during pregnancy.
Based, on MOJ registration numbers, I venture to guess that there were approximately 1000 additional dossiers registered between January and December 2012, a certain percentage of which will already have received referrals. Nonetheless, if you are about to submit a dossier to MOJ, you can expect to have around 1500 dossiers ahead of you in terms of their chronological registration dates.
Again, I hope this information is helpful for families preparing or updating home studies/dossiers and setting age, gender and health parameters for the child(ren) they wish to adopt. I think it's safe to say that the wait for healthy Bulgarian toddlers is now at least three years from dossier registration.
Eighty-seven of these active dossiers specifically request the referral of a girl or a girl as part of a sibling group. Eleven dossiers request a boy or a boy as a part of a sibling group. Fifty-eight dossiers are asking for a child up to only 24 months of age. There are eight dossiers which request children with a maximum age parameter of less than 24 months. Those dossiers are from Ireland, Greece and Spain.
Meanwhile, we know from the list of 395 children adopted from Bulgaria in 2012 that only two of them were born in 2011 and only 39 in 2010 which shows that the frequency of children coming home at under 36 months of age is just over 10%. In addition, the list highlights that most of these very young referrals have special needs. One of the children born in 2011 was known to have a birth mother with syphilis and was referred to a family who registered in 2008. The other has a heart defect and two close biological relatives diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was referred to a family registered in 2011. Of the children born in 2010, only six were considered healthy by MOJ and three were registered waiting children. The remaining 30 kids had at least one, often multiple health conditions including vision problems, syphilis, reflux, heart defects, anemia, limb differences, prematurity, microcephaly, epilepsy, asthma, cleft lip/palate, Down Syndrome, hypotrophy, Kippel-Feil Syndrome, urinary conditions, motor disorders, facial malformations, borderline intelligence as well as family histories of mental retardation, personality disorders, and birth mothers known to have used alcohol and/or drugs during pregnancy.
Based, on MOJ registration numbers, I venture to guess that there were approximately 1000 additional dossiers registered between January and December 2012, a certain percentage of which will already have received referrals. Nonetheless, if you are about to submit a dossier to MOJ, you can expect to have around 1500 dossiers ahead of you in terms of their chronological registration dates.
Again, I hope this information is helpful for families preparing or updating home studies/dossiers and setting age, gender and health parameters for the child(ren) they wish to adopt. I think it's safe to say that the wait for healthy Bulgarian toddlers is now at least three years from dossier registration.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Happy Valentine's Day...
...to the loves of my life.
How blessed I am to have these three amazing people
to call my own.
to call my own.
And in case you're wondering why Valentine's is special for us: Craig proposed to me on 2/13 and we told everyone of our engagement on Valentine's Day. We mailed our application to our placing agency on 2/14/09 and we got the phone call of a referral from Bulgaria on 2/14/11.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
She Loves Me
Today after lunch, Emilia and I worked on labeling Daddy and Mama for a little while. I used two photos, one of Craig and one of me. First, I held out the picture of Craig and told her, "Daddy, that's Daddy." She got pretty excited and repeated, "Dadeeeee." Then I showed her the photo of me and said, "Mama, Mama." Instead of imitating, she took the photo out of my hand and kissed it twice. What a sweetheart I have for a daughter. What a gift to be her mother.
Monday, February 11, 2013
More On GFDF
Rex has now been on the GFDF diet for over six weeks. We're learning as we go. I have been reading a lot and am just blown away by the information I am finding and how it seems to fit with Rex. I have always known about this diet, but didn't think it was necessary for our little guy. Now I regret not starting it earlier. Let me share a little bit of what I've learned and how things are going.
Allergy & Addiction
The complex thing about gluten and a dairy protein called casein, as I understand it, is that they seem to be connected to a food allergy/intolerance while at the same time being addictive.
As far as the GI tract is concerned, gluten and casein allergies/sensitivities/intolerances are frequently tied to erosion in the lining of the intestines, making them too permeable. Sometimes this is called leaky gut. No one knows for sure why or how the intestines in some people become too permeable, but theories include genetic predisposition, viral infection, excessive yeast/bacteria, and enzyme deficiency. When the openings in a person's gut become too large, it gets increasingly difficult for the body to absorb important nutrients from food. At the same time, toxic substances, incompletely digested food, and polypeptides are released into the bloodstream. Peptides from gluten and casein which have not been completely broken down are among them. Once in the bloodstream, they are absorbed by the body in excess which brings us to the addiction.
As far as the brain and nervous system go, gluten and casein are processed and used by the body like opioids (think heroin and morphine - I have seen the words opioids and opiates used interchangeably). In people with a healthy GI tract, this is not a problem as they can digest these substances properly, but those who have imbalances and deficiencies as well as too much permeability in their gut often end up with an excess of peptides derived from gluten/casein because they cannot break them down. In turn, this leads to excess absorption of these opioid substances through a leaky gut, causing an addiction. A sign of such an addiction is if people self-limit their intake primarily to gluten and casein-rich foods. In the last several months before we started the diet, Rex was only happy to eat when he was offered a sandwich or other wheat carbs (waffles, pancakes, crackers) or whole milk yogurt. He had honed in on the foods that made him feel good (addiction).
Symptoms of Food Allergy/Intolerance and/or Vitamin Deficiency
I didn't know at the time, but these are some symptoms of a gluten allergy/intolerance Rex showed: red ears (for as long as we've known him his ears sometimes turned bright red suddenly - I just thought he was hot), abnormal bowel patterns (super duper constipated kid even with Miralax), bouts of screaming, slow growth (Rex has been able to gain weight, but not much height), irritability and changes in mood (Rex has always been able to go from completely happy to immensely sad or angry at the drop of a hat). There are also symptoms like headaches, cramps, and achy joints that he might have been experiencing, but we don't know because he cannot tell us. Since we adopted him, Rex has never accepted milk. Before his palate surgery, I was advised to get him to drink milk, so he would have a caloric beverage while his mouth healed. I bought a lot of different milk options with various amounts of fat and flavors to try and Rex did drink the strawberry and chocolate milks. The problem was that after he drank them, he would spit up all day and not want to eat anything else. These are symptoms of a dairy sensitivity, but I only half way made that connection in my head because yogurt did not seem to affect him negatively. Needless to say though, I stopped giving him milk after just a few days.
Symptoms of Gluten/Casein Withdrawal
We have definitely seen symptoms of gluten/casein withdrawal with Rex. They say it takes at least three months to clear these substances completely out of our bodies, so we will likely continue to see them for a while longer. Fatigue: there was one week where Rex was incredibly tired and even fell asleep during therapy in school. Since we were all sick with flu, we figured he had the same illness, but in retrospect I think this was a gluten withdrawal response during the second week of the diet. He must have been crashing hard. Runny nose/cough: Rex has had two bouts of this since starting the diet. Anger/Agitation: Rex has been more aggressive in recent weeks than he had been since last spring. He is pinching, scratching, biting, pulling hair, pushing and swiping stuff off surfaces. Just in case this is not a function of withdrawal, we are addressing it behaviorally at school and at home. It's also possible that there's another food sensitivity coming to the surface through these behaviors now, so we may soon be experimenting with removing ingredients like soy or corn. I am also thinking about getting some labs run to uncover potential additional food intolerances and look into some related issues like possible heavy metal poisoning etc.
Vitamins and Supplements
Many people who have a too permeable gut (leaky gut) are not able to absorb enough vitamins and minerals from their diet. Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that Rex is deficient in these nutrients. I have been wanting to add a multi-vitamin for him for a long time, but knew he would not swallow a pill or take a chew. I tried a liquid but he could smell the "Fruity Splash" flavor from a mile away in his juice and would not accept it. Finally I have found a powdered vitamin/mineral supplement that I can stir into cold foods for him. He's taken it now for eight days in a row. Yippeee! I have also added a powdered probiotic which I can stir into his juice and he still drinks it. The probiotic should help grow new, healthy flora in his GI tract and cut down on any excess yeast he may have. Proponents of the diet also strongly suggest that the person going GFDF take digestive enzymes, but I haven't had time to look into that yet.
Lessons Learned
Well, I, for one, didn't know that soy sauce contains gluten. I thought it was just soy beans fermented in brine. So, when I made meatballs for the kids, I used some soy sauce for flavoring which led to the now famous red ear incident. Right after eating these meatballs, Rex's ears went crazy red and when I saw it, I knew for the first time that this is a symptom of a food allergy/intolerance, so I double-checked the ingredients I used and learned about gluten in soy sauce. The red ears were caused by Rex's body's response to the accidental dose of gluten. I definitely felt bad, but in a way this was a confirmation that we are on the right track with this diet.
Dinner Menu
Over the last week or so Rex has eaten probably a more varied dinner menu than I can ever remember. All of these dishes were homemade and GFDF (not counting that darn soy sauce and the Sunshine Burger): Saturday - meatballs, Sunday - chicken with a cheesy sauce, Monday - mashed banana/avocado, Tuesday - corn chowder with corn tortilla strips, Wednesday - shepherd's pie, Thursday - baked sweet potato, Friday - mashed banana/avocado, Saturday - Sunshine Burger (we all really love these), Sunday - German potato cakes.
Improvements in Rex
Rex has been having regular, almost daily BMs without Miralax since January 27. He is enjoying food again and accepting a much greater variety. Rex also seems to have an increased sensitivity to pain which is a very good thing. Many times when he gets hurt, he doesn't even flinch, but lately I have seen him rub his boo-boos a little bit after they happen. His teachers tell us he is more socially aware at school. It also seems like Rex is in a noticeable growth spurt. It takes anywhere from three to eight months for all gluten and casein peptides to disappear from the body and allow the diet's full effect to take place. This means we have a long way to go, but I can't wait to see what this diet brings for Rex. There will likely be more trial and error as we try to tweak Rex's intake until we hopefully get it right.
Allergy & Addiction
The complex thing about gluten and a dairy protein called casein, as I understand it, is that they seem to be connected to a food allergy/intolerance while at the same time being addictive.
As far as the GI tract is concerned, gluten and casein allergies/sensitivities/intolerances are frequently tied to erosion in the lining of the intestines, making them too permeable. Sometimes this is called leaky gut. No one knows for sure why or how the intestines in some people become too permeable, but theories include genetic predisposition, viral infection, excessive yeast/bacteria, and enzyme deficiency. When the openings in a person's gut become too large, it gets increasingly difficult for the body to absorb important nutrients from food. At the same time, toxic substances, incompletely digested food, and polypeptides are released into the bloodstream. Peptides from gluten and casein which have not been completely broken down are among them. Once in the bloodstream, they are absorbed by the body in excess which brings us to the addiction.
As far as the brain and nervous system go, gluten and casein are processed and used by the body like opioids (think heroin and morphine - I have seen the words opioids and opiates used interchangeably). In people with a healthy GI tract, this is not a problem as they can digest these substances properly, but those who have imbalances and deficiencies as well as too much permeability in their gut often end up with an excess of peptides derived from gluten/casein because they cannot break them down. In turn, this leads to excess absorption of these opioid substances through a leaky gut, causing an addiction. A sign of such an addiction is if people self-limit their intake primarily to gluten and casein-rich foods. In the last several months before we started the diet, Rex was only happy to eat when he was offered a sandwich or other wheat carbs (waffles, pancakes, crackers) or whole milk yogurt. He had honed in on the foods that made him feel good (addiction).
Symptoms of Food Allergy/Intolerance and/or Vitamin Deficiency
I didn't know at the time, but these are some symptoms of a gluten allergy/intolerance Rex showed: red ears (for as long as we've known him his ears sometimes turned bright red suddenly - I just thought he was hot), abnormal bowel patterns (super duper constipated kid even with Miralax), bouts of screaming, slow growth (Rex has been able to gain weight, but not much height), irritability and changes in mood (Rex has always been able to go from completely happy to immensely sad or angry at the drop of a hat). There are also symptoms like headaches, cramps, and achy joints that he might have been experiencing, but we don't know because he cannot tell us. Since we adopted him, Rex has never accepted milk. Before his palate surgery, I was advised to get him to drink milk, so he would have a caloric beverage while his mouth healed. I bought a lot of different milk options with various amounts of fat and flavors to try and Rex did drink the strawberry and chocolate milks. The problem was that after he drank them, he would spit up all day and not want to eat anything else. These are symptoms of a dairy sensitivity, but I only half way made that connection in my head because yogurt did not seem to affect him negatively. Needless to say though, I stopped giving him milk after just a few days.
Symptoms of Gluten/Casein Withdrawal
We have definitely seen symptoms of gluten/casein withdrawal with Rex. They say it takes at least three months to clear these substances completely out of our bodies, so we will likely continue to see them for a while longer. Fatigue: there was one week where Rex was incredibly tired and even fell asleep during therapy in school. Since we were all sick with flu, we figured he had the same illness, but in retrospect I think this was a gluten withdrawal response during the second week of the diet. He must have been crashing hard. Runny nose/cough: Rex has had two bouts of this since starting the diet. Anger/Agitation: Rex has been more aggressive in recent weeks than he had been since last spring. He is pinching, scratching, biting, pulling hair, pushing and swiping stuff off surfaces. Just in case this is not a function of withdrawal, we are addressing it behaviorally at school and at home. It's also possible that there's another food sensitivity coming to the surface through these behaviors now, so we may soon be experimenting with removing ingredients like soy or corn. I am also thinking about getting some labs run to uncover potential additional food intolerances and look into some related issues like possible heavy metal poisoning etc.
Vitamins and Supplements
Many people who have a too permeable gut (leaky gut) are not able to absorb enough vitamins and minerals from their diet. Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that Rex is deficient in these nutrients. I have been wanting to add a multi-vitamin for him for a long time, but knew he would not swallow a pill or take a chew. I tried a liquid but he could smell the "Fruity Splash" flavor from a mile away in his juice and would not accept it. Finally I have found a powdered vitamin/mineral supplement that I can stir into cold foods for him. He's taken it now for eight days in a row. Yippeee! I have also added a powdered probiotic which I can stir into his juice and he still drinks it. The probiotic should help grow new, healthy flora in his GI tract and cut down on any excess yeast he may have. Proponents of the diet also strongly suggest that the person going GFDF take digestive enzymes, but I haven't had time to look into that yet.
Lessons Learned
Well, I, for one, didn't know that soy sauce contains gluten. I thought it was just soy beans fermented in brine. So, when I made meatballs for the kids, I used some soy sauce for flavoring which led to the now famous red ear incident. Right after eating these meatballs, Rex's ears went crazy red and when I saw it, I knew for the first time that this is a symptom of a food allergy/intolerance, so I double-checked the ingredients I used and learned about gluten in soy sauce. The red ears were caused by Rex's body's response to the accidental dose of gluten. I definitely felt bad, but in a way this was a confirmation that we are on the right track with this diet.
Dinner Menu
Over the last week or so Rex has eaten probably a more varied dinner menu than I can ever remember. All of these dishes were homemade and GFDF (not counting that darn soy sauce and the Sunshine Burger): Saturday - meatballs, Sunday - chicken with a cheesy sauce, Monday - mashed banana/avocado, Tuesday - corn chowder with corn tortilla strips, Wednesday - shepherd's pie, Thursday - baked sweet potato, Friday - mashed banana/avocado, Saturday - Sunshine Burger (we all really love these), Sunday - German potato cakes.
Improvements in Rex
Rex has been having regular, almost daily BMs without Miralax since January 27. He is enjoying food again and accepting a much greater variety. Rex also seems to have an increased sensitivity to pain which is a very good thing. Many times when he gets hurt, he doesn't even flinch, but lately I have seen him rub his boo-boos a little bit after they happen. His teachers tell us he is more socially aware at school. It also seems like Rex is in a noticeable growth spurt. It takes anywhere from three to eight months for all gluten and casein peptides to disappear from the body and allow the diet's full effect to take place. This means we have a long way to go, but I can't wait to see what this diet brings for Rex. There will likely be more trial and error as we try to tweak Rex's intake until we hopefully get it right.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
To Armenia With Love
Recently our placing agency asked its clients with Armenian children to submit short videos that show how the kids are doing. These videos will travel with agency staff to Yerevan and be shared with government and orphanage officials. Here's what we sent:
Thursday, February 7, 2013
NKOTB
I have a confession to make. In my younger years, I was a huge fan of New Kids on the Block. I went to my first concert to see them play in Berlin. Then they broke up and my life moved on. However, when NKOTB reunited in 2008, I really wanted to see them again, so I went to a concert in Cleveland. It was one of the best times of my life. For a couple of hours I was a teen again and I had so much fun. I will never forget it.
Then in 2009, NKOTB were slated to come to Cincinnati, so Craig surprised me with a VIP pass which included tickets in the third row right in front of the stage and a meet and greet with the band. Here I am in a picture with the guys and a lot of other fans. I had a great time at that concert, too.
This summer NKOTB are touring through Cincinnati again and guess who's going to see the show?
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
News From MOJ
The Bulgarian Ministry of Justice released a great deal of information on its website recently which I would like to try to share here. Please keep in mind that I am not a professional translator and interpret the material with the help of Google Translate as well as the language skills I have retained from studying Russian for ten years.
First, MOJ posted a list of active dossiers registered between March 13, 2007 and June 30, 2011. By my count, according to this list, there are still 534 families waiting for referrals from that period. The list does not include cases from that time frame that have received a referral and are in process of bringing the child home or cases that received a referral and declined. It also does not include dossiers that have not been kept current at this point. Almost 60% of these active dossiers request children 4 years of age or younger.
Secondly, MOJ released the number of international adoptions completed in Bulgaria in 2012. There were 326 total adoption cases for 395 children. 124 of these cases were for 158 identified waiting children. Families from the United States completed the most number of adoptions, bringing home 124 children, 86 of them waiting children. You can see the pie chart of how other countries fared here: Справка по държави за брой преписки с дадено съгласие за международно осиновяване от министъра на правосъдието за 2012 година.
Lastly, MOJ released a list of the children that were adopted in 2012 (I believe these are cases that received the second MOJ approval last year). The list shows the age, gender, and health characteristics of the children along with the date the parents' dossiers were registered. The list profiles 395 children in total. I have taken some statistics from the list to share here:
1) In 2012, there were 70 children up to age 4 with medical and/or developmental needs and/or family histories referred through the main procedure (not waiting children). Needs among these children included problems with vision (including strabismus, nystagmus, hyperopia), congenital syphilis, anemia, allergies, hydrophrenosis, undescended testicles, low birth weight/prematurity, delayed physical development, congenital anomalies of the face, asthma, reflux disease, behavioral problems, heart defects, epilepsy, limb differences, missing limbs, thalassemia, scoliosis, Hepatitis B, Down Syndrome, cleft lip/palate, hearing problems, delays in motor and speech development as well as family histories of mental retardation/deficiencies, schizophrenia, paranoia, and problems reading/spelling.
2) There were 29 healthy children up to age 4 referred through the main procedure. I use the term healthy here to describe what MOJ's standard of that word is. Some of these healthy children still had family histories of mental retardation, schizophrenia, etc. Some of these healthy younger children were referred as a group with their older siblings. Almost all of these referrals went to families registered in 2008 or the first half of 2009, indicating that the wait for a healthy Bulgarian child under 4 is now anywhere from 36 to 48 months.
3) About one quarter of all referrals were for identified children with special needs (waiting children), another quarter for children up to age 4 through the main procedure.
4) By MOJ's standards, there were 74 referrals for completely healthy children ages 5 and up.
I hope this information is helpful to those considering adoption from Bulgaria or in process of setting or updating gender, age, and health parameters for a Bulgarian child.
First, MOJ posted a list of active dossiers registered between March 13, 2007 and June 30, 2011. By my count, according to this list, there are still 534 families waiting for referrals from that period. The list does not include cases from that time frame that have received a referral and are in process of bringing the child home or cases that received a referral and declined. It also does not include dossiers that have not been kept current at this point. Almost 60% of these active dossiers request children 4 years of age or younger.
Secondly, MOJ released the number of international adoptions completed in Bulgaria in 2012. There were 326 total adoption cases for 395 children. 124 of these cases were for 158 identified waiting children. Families from the United States completed the most number of adoptions, bringing home 124 children, 86 of them waiting children. You can see the pie chart of how other countries fared here: Справка по държави за брой преписки с дадено съгласие за международно осиновяване от министъра на правосъдието за 2012 година.
Lastly, MOJ released a list of the children that were adopted in 2012 (I believe these are cases that received the second MOJ approval last year). The list shows the age, gender, and health characteristics of the children along with the date the parents' dossiers were registered. The list profiles 395 children in total. I have taken some statistics from the list to share here:
1) In 2012, there were 70 children up to age 4 with medical and/or developmental needs and/or family histories referred through the main procedure (not waiting children). Needs among these children included problems with vision (including strabismus, nystagmus, hyperopia), congenital syphilis, anemia, allergies, hydrophrenosis, undescended testicles, low birth weight/prematurity, delayed physical development, congenital anomalies of the face, asthma, reflux disease, behavioral problems, heart defects, epilepsy, limb differences, missing limbs, thalassemia, scoliosis, Hepatitis B, Down Syndrome, cleft lip/palate, hearing problems, delays in motor and speech development as well as family histories of mental retardation/deficiencies, schizophrenia, paranoia, and problems reading/spelling.
2) There were 29 healthy children up to age 4 referred through the main procedure. I use the term healthy here to describe what MOJ's standard of that word is. Some of these healthy children still had family histories of mental retardation, schizophrenia, etc. Some of these healthy younger children were referred as a group with their older siblings. Almost all of these referrals went to families registered in 2008 or the first half of 2009, indicating that the wait for a healthy Bulgarian child under 4 is now anywhere from 36 to 48 months.
3) About one quarter of all referrals were for identified children with special needs (waiting children), another quarter for children up to age 4 through the main procedure.
4) By MOJ's standards, there were 74 referrals for completely healthy children ages 5 and up.
I hope this information is helpful to those considering adoption from Bulgaria or in process of setting or updating gender, age, and health parameters for a Bulgarian child.
Friday, February 1, 2013
Pay It Forward January/February
As promised, I am sharing how I am spending the $365 Craig and I have set aside this year to support adoptive families and orphans.
$20.00 - The first fundraiser we decided to participate in is a puzzle piece sale by my friend Lindsey and her husband. Their story has touched me because when they started their adoption journey, they had their hearts set on bringing home a little girl. That is until they saw a picture of a handsome boy with special needs who is also a bit older than the child they thought they would be adopting. And so the winding road of adoption goes. You can support Lindsey, Dustin, and their son-to-be here.
$23.00 - We also most definitely wanted to support the fundraiser of our friends Kim and Jason whose little boy Nikolas is a former orphanage mate of our Emilia. Nikolas is about to get a younger brother, also from Bulgaria. Their Tastefully Simple Fundraiser runs through February 8 and you can help this growing family here.
The remaining $17 will either be spent on this fundraiser or, if I get outbid, be added to the agency grant fund for 8-year-old Maria in Rex's birth country. Maria still waits for her family to find her. She has kidney issues, a working shunt, and spina bifida and is wheelchair-bound. However, she is a bright and inquisitive girl who already speaks fluent English and enjoys her school work. For more information about Maria, please email info@hopscotchadoptions.org.
$20.00 - The first fundraiser we decided to participate in is a puzzle piece sale by my friend Lindsey and her husband. Their story has touched me because when they started their adoption journey, they had their hearts set on bringing home a little girl. That is until they saw a picture of a handsome boy with special needs who is also a bit older than the child they thought they would be adopting. And so the winding road of adoption goes. You can support Lindsey, Dustin, and their son-to-be here.
$23.00 - We also most definitely wanted to support the fundraiser of our friends Kim and Jason whose little boy Nikolas is a former orphanage mate of our Emilia. Nikolas is about to get a younger brother, also from Bulgaria. Their Tastefully Simple Fundraiser runs through February 8 and you can help this growing family here.
The remaining $17 will either be spent on this fundraiser or, if I get outbid, be added to the agency grant fund for 8-year-old Maria in Rex's birth country. Maria still waits for her family to find her. She has kidney issues, a working shunt, and spina bifida and is wheelchair-bound. However, she is a bright and inquisitive girl who already speaks fluent English and enjoys her school work. For more information about Maria, please email info@hopscotchadoptions.org.
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