Five-year-old Elena first met Brainstorm Health
practitioner Coriander five months ago. Elena’s parents were struggling
to cope with a severe behavioural regression that had coincided with
Elena starting to use an inhaler to manage asthma symptoms.
Under Coriander’s expert guidance, Elena’s family have
implemented some dietary changes and worked on Elena’s gut health and
adrenal resilience. These simple first steps in her protocol have
already yielded some remarkable improvements in her emotional regulation
and sleep quality that have positively impacted the whole family.
Hi Coriander, tell me a bit about your patient and the symptoms they first came to you with
Elena is almost five years old. Her parents first came to
me with behavioural concerns - aggression and tantrums. Elena was also
experiencing sensory overwhelm and night terrors. Her behaviour had
changed dramatically after being prescribed an inhaler for suspected
asthma.
How were Elena's symptoms impacting the family’s lives?
Elana’s sensory sensitivities were extreme and she found it
very hard to get dressed in the morning. The family had resorted to
dressing her for school the evening before and having her sleep in her
school clothes. She was prone to episodes of extreme tantrums and
explosive anger towards her parents, which made daily life very
challenging and stressful.
What were your initial steps in helping them?
We started with some simple dietary and lifestyle
interventions. I advised reducing Elena’s consumption of dairy and
refined sugar as much as possible, as her parents suspected that these
were significant triggers for her behaviours. We also incorporated Epsom
salt baths and castor oil packs into her daily routine to calm her
nervous system and support detoxification. We added in a fulvic acid
supplement to replenish key minerals to support metabolic processes.
What lab tests did you do? What did the tests reveal and how did that shape your therapeutic approach?
I recommended a stool test, hair mineral analysis, food
sensitivity test and a urinary organic acids test. The results revealed
significant gut issues, including parasitic infection, gastrointestinal
inflammation, imbalance in the gut microbiome and compromised digestion,
meaning that she was not absorbing nutrients well. Other key findings
were adrenal insufficiency and a high toxic load.
Based on the findings
of the organic acid test, I recommended a further test to rule out KPU.
At this point we also added in natural anti-inflammatories, as well as
supplements to support repair of the gut lining, a probiotic and
ashwagandha (see Supplement of the Week below) to support adrenal
function.
How long did it take before seeing positive changes to symptoms?
At the first follow-up consultation, Elena was doing much
better. The night terrors had stopped completely. Behaviour overall was
greatly improved, and tantrums had reduced to the point where her Mum
could not remember a recent aggressive outburst. Sensory overwhelm had
reduced significantly, and Elena’s energy levels were better too. The
family had not yet managed to incorporate all of my initial suggestions,
so it was wonderful to see such good progress with just a few changes.
How long have you been working together now?
For five months.
What has been the biggest ‘breakthrough’ moment on Elena’s journey?
Resolving the night terrors was a game changer. This meant that the whole family were better rested and more able to cope.
How is Elena doing now? What will you focus on next if you continue working together?
Elena is doing really well and is thriving at school. We
will now focus on getting her bowels opening regularly. This is a
fundamental step which will then allow us to move on to a comprehensive
gut-healing protocol, address parasitic load and support heavy metal
detoxification. We have lots of work still to do, but I am really
encouraged by how well Elena has responded to the early interventions, and excited to discover what further progress she can make.
Always consult a qualified practitioner before introducing new supplements. Book your free discovery call today to discuss how we can help your child achieve optimal health.
Please note that we do not diagnose or treat illnesses
at Brainstorm Health, but we can help you advocate for the right medical
diagnosis from qualified doctors if necessary.
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