Oh no! You can bust my lip any time

It’s proving very hard to keep this diary up, I need to make sure I do because your progress is startling sometimes. You woke around 6.30am, which was good because you had a visit to Tal at 8.30 in the morning. We managed to get you dressed and out the door almost, almost on time. You didn’t run, because you are currently very interested in making numbers out of plasticine.

Tal was running a little late with her client, so we had to wander round counting the doors. You didn’t seem in as excellent form as the day before and sure enough it was a little bit of a struggle at the start – initially we needed to visited all the rooms “where is 114 door?”, then you seemed a little bit more resistant to sitting with Tal. You just wanted to make numbers with the theraplast, rather than pizza like yesterday and feed it to the dolls. I think Tal was going to try and expand on that, but it wasn’t exactly a resounding success. You did sit however, and it was a million miles from a disaster.

We went over to the hammock and things went much better after a while, I think I got involved and you were much better after that point, things always work better when I am there. We all swung you back and forward and played cuckoo and you were quite excited by it all. Tal is really very good. I watch her and clearly she knows her stuff, a professional to my amateur. We talked a bit about it and she said that she can see I work well with you. We talked about the little footrest for you when you sit to ground you – it usually helps if your feet aren’t dangling. The lights and the thoughts about starting off slowly with the senses. I told her never to feel that my feelings need protecting about something, and never hold back. Mummy said she needed specifics, I told her I was happy with general things, I can transfer ideas to other scenarios.

Me and you did some tickling on the big beanbag, and somehow you managed to whack your head backwards on my lip. I didn’t scream or anything, though it really hurt. I didn’t want to startle you or change the dynamic. But you turned and said “oh no”, and pointed to my lip, and touched it. I was, well, shocked doesn’t cover it. I looked at Tal and asked her ‘did my little boy just show empathy, did he just worry about hurting his daddy?”. She said she saw it. She said she can see such huge progress and it really was empathy. This is probably of all the things that happened, the most amazing. More amazing than ‘thank you’, maybe more amazing than going up to the girls to play. Empathy is not something I even tried to teach you, not a bridge I even tried to cross. I am a happy daddy.

When we left, you were really in better form than when we arrived. I think for now a couple of sessions a week might work – that would be one a day for Raz and Tal. We’d have hydrotherapy, music therapy and two sessions from Kupat Holim on top – that must be enough. I’m working with you all day every day, and Didi is going to start after Passover too. Possibly you will be going to nursery too so the Sayat will be helping you with joint play every morning. I think that is enough. We’ve changed our way with dealing with you too, so everything is therapy.

We went to Eden to pick you up Natura Rice Milk (a huge success), and we grabbed a couple of other things. You had a bit of the coconut sweet but turned your nose up at the rest. We drove into town and after Mummy paid in the check for the downstairs flat you were in a wonderful mood. Your language is so much better. I just don’t know if it is the enzyme, the low salicylate diet or the glutathione this week but you speech has become better, quite remarkably so.

We had so many errands to run, and it is becoming increasingly difficult with you – not because your behaviour is worse, but probably because I am tired, I am terrified you will steal a bread roll (you’ve done it a dozen times in the past), and you are just so much bigger. We popped you in the trolley at Mr Zol and you had lots of Good For Me! Vanilla Cookies. It seemed to keep you restrained (I know it is bribery) but Mummy had previously already lost you in the park (and left me to get you back) and you like to run into the newsagents and steal sweets. Not ideal if Mummy is just chatting to the woman about how bad the David Asser Nursery is. We went to pay a cheque in at the bank for the flat downstairs and while Mummy was in the bank you sat in the back and `said ‘drive carefully’, sort of echolalia from the GPS, but not exactly. You wanted me to get the GPS (now called Drive Carefully) to say it, you repeat all her instructions (Keep Right...) and started laughing to yourself. I said ‘you were funny’ and you said ‘Ben’s silly’. Honestly, just magic. We established that we were all very silly and headed back.

You do have echolalia, some days you repeat a lot. I need to speak to a language expert about it. Sometimes you will say completely out of context ‘go to number 25’. But I know you actually want to go to number 25, though we might be playing with bricks. It’s not like saying ‘cucumber sandwiches’ which you heard on Eastenders and don’t understand. It is just more inappropriate than ‘build a tower’, though again, it might be entirely appropriate for someone with sequencing problems and whatever they call flitting from one things to another. You also repeat things out of context because if, for example, you say ‘Dov Kooter’, we’ll give you a response of ‘Dubi Glitch’, though we won’t be watching Care Bears. At this stage I am not going to work on it since it is clearly you seeking a reaction and seeking interaction. I have many hurdles to climb with you before I try and stop lines of interaction. When that day comes I’ll be very happy.

When we finally got back (via Tiv Taam, Mummy wanted ice cream and thought we should drive back to a place we’d already been 100m from), Nina called you in to see a tortoise that they had found in the street. You were very excited and said ‘turtle’ over and over. We’ll have the land vs sea discussion one day. You wouldn’t touch it though, Nina tried (really expertly) to coax you but like the hedgehog you saw in the Montessori nursery, you were very happy just watching it. You’re a very gentle kid. It’s strange to see you scared or nervous too.

We came upstairs, I followed you and found you crying because you thought I wasn’t coming back. Mummy was making you breakfast and started stressing out because it was midday and she wanted the second half of Nu Thera inside you asap. It is fairly clear to me that Nu Thera has a hyperactive effect for an hour around 6-8 hours after you have your second half capsule. We need to try and get it in by 12noon. Mummy started stressing out and directing me with your supplements, do it now (I hadn’t had a coffee all day, I was half asleep) and really, directing me on your schedule is not a place anyone needs to go. I’ve got the whole thing in my head and it is something I need no help with.

You spilled the juice with Nu Thera in, I was in the kitchen and Mummy and me had a big fight. She doesn’t understand that – to all intents and purposes – I am running this show, and she can’t wade in on Friday after I have managed perfectly all week and act like the expert is in town. Especially when she really has not exactly done the long list of things she should have done herself. Gas, dishwasher, the whole of yesterday back to Caesaria and Jerusalem a week after I had been in both, forms to be completed, the list goes on. So Mummy, quite indignant at me explaining rather vocally that I did not need help, and I never leave you unsupervised with medicated drinks in case this happens, left. And that was that. She texted to say that she was going for the weekend, she had somewhere to stay. Oh well. Just as I reach breaking point she bails out.

I put you to bed, you wanted to sleep. I sat on the sofa and had a chat to Nanny. I hadn’t spoken to her since she left. I could actually feel my nerves, I was that stressed. I left you asleep and you woke up really late – after 4 hours. Mummy is so neurotic about getting you to sleep less and not how you need that she doesn’t understand that you are in full time therapy and almost every morning exercising and seeing a therapist. It wears you out. The diet has changed when you get your protein (not in your milk in the morning, but from eggs etc later). It changes things, and you are more hyperactive than lazy, so why would you sleep for hours unless you needed to. Your mood is always hit and miss when you wake early or are woken, and it is usually much better when you do it alone when you are refreshed. What makes you different to anyone else in this respect, I know I’m the same.

You woke in quite excellent form. We had a good evening. You sort of ate your eggy bread, slowly (unlike the chocolate balls full of enzyme which was wolfed down). We played and I have to say, I loved having you around. You were missing Mummy, and kept asking to go to the car. I eventually had no choice but to take you there, I just didn’t want you to kick off, and I wouldn’t be able to take it. Mummy didn’t want to come back until I had apologised for something or other, and eventually after you called Mummy (yes, you, not me) and then got an answerphone and you said ‘oh no, Mummy not’ (I kid you not) we went on a hike. We went and climbed and ran a bit (probably the Nu Thera you decided to drink at 5.30pm) and came back to a bath.

I upped the Epsom Salts to 2 cups now – we have supplies, and they are not so awfully priced so I thought now we won’t run out, we’ll give you the maximum. I applied the glutathione which you don’t seem to object to (though I would, sticky smelly stuff on your belly? No ta!) and I put you to bed. You didn’t want want a story (I’ve noticed that lately, maybe it is just the book needs changing, it’s just I like My Dad!) and you eventually fell asleep at what must have been 11.45pm. I was exhausted and fell asleep on the chair. Still, all the zinc went in tonight. You’d been chewing a bit in the last couple of days. Let’s see.

You woke up at 6.45am. Quite lively, though we weren't. We had a rearranged meeting with Tal today at 8am so we all managed to get out the door, although 5 minutes after when we should have, without a fight. We got to the Nadned clinic (go to see Tal Number 20) and she wasn't there. She was running late, and then got stuck in traffic. It gave us time to do Floortime with you. We played with the door, and with keys. You made all sorts of gestures and asked 'where is Tal?', and were very very patient. Very calm. We checked around for door numbers too and you said "where is 111 door?" not just "where is 111?", but when Tal arrived you weren't jumping for joy. It makes me see exactly how much more connected to me and Mummy you are than anyone else. It used to disturb me that you asked for Yael for example but didn't want to be there when our appointment came up.

However, I was massively impressed with Tal, and with you and Tal together. You wandered off into the smaller room as the door was open. She brought you back no worries. She started off by drawing a timetable of the session, she drew a hammock then showed you it, then some theraplast (like plasticine but much harder to squeeze and gives you resistance and pressure). We went to the hammock and oddly managed to get your socks off for the whole session (I wasn't expecting that). You didn't enjoy the swing as much and somehow snuck out and went to the table (again, not exactly what I would have expected). You started to play with the theraplast and Tal was really impressive. She engaged you and got you to sit for a long time. She put the little Ikea plastic thing for little kids to stand on under your feet (I'm not sure why, no doubt for you to regulate your senses through your feet). I was impressed nonetheless with the fact you sat, but she said to me after that 20 minutes in you were making good eye contact. You made a circle and put marbles on it and called it (no prompting) 'pizza'. Tal obviously built on that and got some dolls for you to feed. After about half an hour it was time for Mummy to go to work, and she left without any tears. The therapy wasn't quite as successful after that, but the fact that Mummy left and you said "Mummy to work" was great.

Tal told us to always incorporate things like getting dressed into the Floortime. When we discussed the fact the you give kisses and kif sometimes she said that it was important to steer you to how we want you to ask but don't push you into being upset. There is a window and open it as best you can. I really was impressed with how she worked with you. She has a very calm manner, she didn't put the lights on for example at the start - I just wouldn't think of that (well, I might but I just don't do things second nature yet). Makes complete sense, but it is good just getting the tools to start thinking so productively.

We've got a sensory questionnaire to fill in (one in English and one in Hebrew, we'll submit it in Hebrew, though I am very happy that she is willing to speak English when I am stuck even though she isn't as fluent as Yael who has yet to make any mistakes to me!). A very positive meeting. We go back in the morning.

When we got back to the building I thought I'll try and get the cornflakes in you, and get up to Caesaria to pick up the Epsom Salts. Mummy did a great job - 25kgs for 283NIS. Much better than 5kgs for 150NIS from Morris. It took a lot of calls but it paid off. However, by forgetting we need to revisit and say bye-bye to number 26, 25 etc we ended up going on a hike all over the neighbourhood and spent an hour outside. You were very good though, and when you saw the roundabout had been removed you said 'roundabout broken'. I can't underestimate this, I was terrified of you seeing it and you were completely ok with no roundabout. We went through the tunnel and you weren't too interested in the park but I was able to hoist you up, let you thump my head like a drum and take a short cut home.

You had your breakfast like a good boy and sat calmly next to me. It is a world away from a month ago, pre-diet. I'm still recovering from the absolute exhaustion of January and February.


Little Steps: Fabulous in the park, went up to two bigger girls on roller skates and tried to play with them (ready, steady, go! And you pushed them). Possibly the first time you initiated play. Lots of language and words for the first time.
Poop: None.
Sleep: Woke 6.45. Nap . Sleep at

Today's Food
Breakfast: Chocolate Cake with Cashews (Half at 7.45am, rest at 9am), Cornflakes and Rice Milk with Isogest (10.30am), Shufersal Mango Juice with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (8am/9am), Prigat Mango Nectar 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (8am/9am)
Snack:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner: Spring Mango Nectar with 20mg capsule of Zinc (9pm)

I'm still reeling here. It's about midday. I've just put you down to sleep following an hour and a half in the park where you got caked in mud as we threw sticks into the lake and you ran around like a loony. Your shoes are filthy, you found a turbo fountain and soaked yourself and jumped into the puddle. You played with flowers and were just generally a pleasure. We played chase and I squashed you - it seems you really love that. Ayelet from the Baker Centre said you did, and it is clear that it is an area we need to focus on. Weighted blankets for a start. You climbed and were really really happy. But the bit I am really stunned by, apart from the fact that I saw a parrot in the park (it's Israel, not Brazil), and you started to say things like "want to slide Ben" and "Daddy stick and Ben stick" when we share them, is that you went up to two girls on roller skates and said "ready, steady, go" and pushed one, then he did it to the other. Playing with other kids. Shit. I seriously started to cry.

You got up at 7am or so, and we did the usual morning routine.

Anyway, Baker Centre...they seem to really know everything. She was telling me Ben sleeps like he does (on his side, under the covers, comes out and rotates etc) because of his sensory disorder. We need a weighted blanket according to her. She asked a series of questions like does he like bear hugs (I said yes, we've got a new game where he presses my nose and says "crush" or "squash" and I squeeze him tight). She tied all that up. We just went through his development and his milestones ("wow...he was an early developer" were her words, to which I added "yep, and then he sort of stopped") then we began to look at his sensory profile. "Was he happy the first time he walked on sand?" - I was shocked she asked that - he was sobbing, hysterical. It was like she was expecting me to say it. I don't know her thoughts yet, because she hasn't completed it and made her conclusions but she really looked like she was completely versed in everything she was looking at.

Finally the blocks of your therapy are falling into place. 3 sessions of OT and 4 sessions of CT, Hydrotherapy and Music Therapy every week. With the diet now a month in, and the supplements going in I think we have the basis of the support you need. We met with Didi and she will come and do two lots of 3 hours with you - hopefully a couple of 45 minute Floortime sessions and a trip to the park. It'll give me a chance to recover, breathe, tidy, sleep, read, work whatever. I think you will go to nursery with an assistant too after Passover.

Glutathione - it is better compounded by a pharmacy onsite than bought from a supplement supplier like Kirkman's. There is a general concensus here. My nutritionist said the same. I just woke Ben up rubbing it on his back now - first application. Don't ask how much it costs. Apparently you get what you pay for.

Little Steps: Fabulous in the park, went up to two bigger girls on roller skates and tried to play with them (ready, steady, go! And you pushed them). Possibly the first time you initiated play. Lots of language and words for the first time.
Poop: None.
Sleep: Woke 7.15am. Nap 12.05pm to 2pm (woken up by me as I put cream on you). Sleep at 9.45pm

Today's Food
Breakfast: Banana, Cornflakes and Rice Milk with Isogest (10.50am), Prigat Mango Juice with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 550mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (9am)
Snack: Good For Me! Chocolate Cake with cashews (11am),
Lunch: Almond & Potato Patty (refused) and Small Portion of Rice (initially refused but was spoon fed half) with Isogest (2.30-4.30pm)
Snack: 2 Good For Me! Chocolate Truffles with dessicated coconut coating, Prigat Mango Juice with 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (5pm), Banana, Half a bowl of Almond Milk Banana Ice Cream (other half with half capsule of Isogest refused)
Dinner: Piece of Good For Me! Chocolate Cake with cashews (7pm), 1 slice of GF bread with Strawberry Jam with half capsule of Isogest (a bit plus one other left) Spring Mango Nectar with 20mg capsule of Zinc (9pm)

Enzymes in and Zinc obviously works

You woke at 7.15am today, quite nice, I like this lie in mullarkey. I of course woke at stupid o'clock, but the relaxation before the morning kicks of is something I could get used to. You squealed on your bed. I leave you because I want to see if you call for me, and if not if you just trot into the room - I love that. But you squealed before I got you (Mummy slept through it) and then I got you. We lay in bed and there was something not right. You were kicking, and squealing. Just not right. Not awful, but like you were upset by something.

After breakfast, which you ate all in one sitting you came over and looked like you wanted to bite. You put the towel in your mouth and chewed on it, you opened you mouth but though you looked like you were lining up a bite I got out of the way.

I introduced the enzymes today - Kirkman's Enzym Complete DPP IV II with Isogest - I sprinkled half a capsule on your cornflakes. It just went straight down. I need to increase it to one capsule soon, but we'll ease it in. No problems though. I have no idea what they are supposed to do, I presume they assist with breaking down food. I think.

I found a very interesting article, finally, listing all the rates for salicylates, so now I now what it is in, I can make a judgment on whether something like Water Melon, which is relatively low but you will eat a kilo and therefore ingest lots is better or worse than dates, which is very high but you might only have one or two. Hmmm. Either way, it is good to have a reasonably precise list to make an informed decision on.

After the near biting incident, you got overexcited when you were on the armchair with Mummy. You grabbed hold of her lips, and really clamped them. You wouldn't let go, and when she managed to get you to let go you bit her hand. Not maliciously, just out of overexcitement. Mummy freaked out, and just couldn't cope with what you did and went into the room to cry, more from shock than pain, but it hurt too. I told her she had to address it on the spot, but she couldn't so I told you how cross I was and how bad biting is. So, after the huge argument with Mummy last night about Safta overloading your stomach and me not being able to get a drink inside you with zinc in, and me not being able to get across the importance of me controlling what goes in you so I know what has happened and what room for manoeuvre I have, you end up biting Mummy. I don't think she needs me to state the obvious for her, though after last night I was sorely tempted. She was the one who told me zinc is what straightens out the putting things in your mouth problem. It addresses putting non-food items in your mouth, biting, dummies etc. She's read a few articles on it on the Israeli forums, and here are one or two in English. So, one day you finally get some zinc in your system, then you don't and you bite me. Then you do and you're fine, then you don't get any last night and you are chomping on your Mummy. Hmmm. Looks to me like the zinc. We won't forget that one in a hurry, that's for sure.

We went to the stalactite caves in Bet Shemesh today with Nanny. You went there just before you got what I think was the meningitis that changed your life. It was lovely to take my big three year old boy back, all tall and handsome. And you had a new haircut. Nanny sat in the back as you slept and trimmed as much as she could off. I was terrified, but when you woke up, you were pretty calm as Nanny chopped the last bits off. You sat on my knee and let me open a pack of gummy bears. And you chomped away as Nanny chopped away, and off you went. And we had a fab time in the caves, you behaved really well. You seemed quite amused by it all. I was very proud. And you climbed the 154 steps up and down all on your own (bar a couple). I might just climb the stairs with you to the flat every day.

I need to pick up the glutathione cream from Morris in Netzach Israel tomorrow. It is bloody expensive, too expensive. I've never baulked at any price for you, but a cream that costs £65 a month - 405NIS per month is insane. However, it seems to actually work - improved language and focus according to this thread. Roni wrote something on it too, she says that the pharmacy made one is better than the Kirkman's one, though I did order some extra Kirkman's lotion today - I emailed Dr Berger's office with a request for some and some Phenol Assist and Phenol Assist Companion from Kirkman's too.

I found a very interesting article which talks about how much you should have of each supplement and how they all work - how they need to be taken and what a deficiency results in. I need to check the numbers you are taking, and see if we need to increase things when I talk to Roni in a few weeks.

When we were in the car coming back from the caves, I promised you a Good For Me! Chocolate Truffle, officially now called a Chocolate Surprise. After half an hour of being home you reminded me I made a promise, and then you proceeded to behave in quite the most amazingly happy and connected way I've ever seen I think. Just - well, better than regular. Perfect really, just amazing. You came back after the Chocolate Surprise had surprisingly finished, and asked me for another. The way you were made it impossible for me to say no, and then after you stopped dancing with joy (literally), you asked me for another. I explained that it was going to be the last one, "one more and that is enough". You repeated "one more" with one finger in the air. Just to be clear, I said it 10 different ways in two languages. And you didn't come and ask me for a fourth. You just sat there. And a little later you came back to me, and didn't ask for anything but a cuddle. Really remarkable.


I was trying to do some searching on the net and you came over and asked me to watch Thomas. We had a magical half an hour where you and me watch half a dozen episodes of thomas together, a couple you had never seen, and you had such a happy grin on your face. We played a game of squeeze, and there have been a lot of games going on like that lately where you do an action and I repeat it, and we change it a bit and carry on. But I think you were as happy as I could imagine a three year old being. You just kept hugging me like I was the best Daddy in the world. I know I should be glowing with pride because I think you think it, but it really is more important that you actually can think it. There was a few moments there that I just couldn't believe how lucky I was to have a boy as great as you.

The Epsom Salts are up to one cup in the bath, and you have to stay in there for 15-20 minutes, after having your skin scrubbed to open the pores. You have had a tendency of wanting out after ten minutes so we have, in true Greenspan fashion, gone with your obsessions. There are numbers and letters in the bath. Keeps you in there, and tonight after 15 minutes of me soaking you with the flannel on your head (which, unlike washing your hair where your hair gets wet), and you doing the same (except I was dressed) Nanny them came in and did another 20 minutes of fun. I can't imagine how you will miss her when she leaves tomorrow. To say more than you can ever imagine is an understatement, you have no idea how good it would be for you have her around every day. She has done amazing things with you in the last few days. I'll have to work on a way of making sure you get as much time with her as possible. After 35 minutes, and a soaked Daddy and Nanny, we pulled you out of the bath.

You didn't go down easily, I could hear noise coming from the bedroom at 10pm. I think we have to get the Nu Thera in you as quickly as possible. It can't keep going in after 4pm. Quite an excellent evening though. Possibly the happiest I have seen you be.


Little Steps: New words said: "want a tickle". Told you I was only giving you one more Chocolate Surprise and you actually accepted it. It was weird, you were hyper and as excited as you can imagine, we cut a deal "one more", you repeated it, and you never asked for another.
Poop: None. Empty after yesterday no doubt.
Sleep: Woke 7.15am. Nap 1.35pm to 2.30pm. Hard to get down, and you finally went to sleep at 10.15pm

Today's Food
Breakfast: Cornflakes and Rice Milk with Isogest (9.20am), Prigat Pear & Banana Juice with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 550mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (9am)
Snack: Good For Me! Chocolate Cake with cashews (11am), 4 Good For Me! Vanilla Cookies
Lunch: 20 Gummy Bears (3pm), Eggy GF Bread with Isogest (3.45pm)
Snack: 3 Good For Me! Chocolate Truffles with dessicated coconut coating, Prigat Pear & Banana Juice with 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (5pm), Banana
Dinner: Plate of rice, Spring Mango Nectar with 20mg capsule of Zinc(8pm)

The clocks went forward last night - which sort of threw me. You woke at 5.45, but it was really 6.45 and then you lay around poking me and Mummy in the mouth. It was quite good you woke early because you won't need your schedule changing slowly.

Your language has definitely improved. That is something odd. For me to notice it, well, I'm so close so there must have been a big step. More words, more varied structures. Adjectives used the right way - 'a red brick', 'a big car'. You are combining verbs all the time now - "want to sit", "want to give nee (me)", "want to go up".

We got ready pretty quickly, and went out the door. The new Good For Me! Chocolate Cake is a resounding success, it can't be baked in half a bag portion. I did one and a half bags and it was excellent and moist. I threw cashews in this time, low in salicylates, and it is yummy. You had some for breakfast. I gave you a banana in the car and your supplements in mango juice and off we headed to your new Occupational Therapist, Tal. She works in the Nadned Clinic near Mummy's office and it is ideal because she has a partner who does Communications Therapy. Hopefully we'll be able to combine their services and get you one program from the pair of them.

We sat and watched Tal more than we joined in. She started off with a vibrating frog, she put it on your back and got me to put it on your feet. I'm not sure what she was trying to see, but you didn't hate it. Then she put some weights around your ankles, which I think you liked. For a while you kept them on, and you actually asked to put the other one on when you were only wearing one. I need to do some research on that. Mummy talked to her a lot, but I don't really know what was said. I was more impressed in the way she played with you than I expected initially. However, you didn't make a lot of eye contact with her. I expected you to make more. Now, with Dania you made lots, from the get-go. I am not sure why. Dania is a more enthusiastic person generally, more bubbly. Tal has glasses, and maybe they are too much for you to look at. Mummy is the only other person you see in glasses for long periods of times that I see (as opposed to just for reading). What I am looking for though, if the OT is going to work, is a connection. We are going to come back next week at 10.15am on Friday, plus one other day during the week - Mummy and Tal will fix one up. I was thinking of 3 sessions, she said 2 is enough. 45 minutes is enough too apparently. I will bow to her superior knowledge. She worked in Alutaf, and she also said by the time we get you to Communication Nursery, you'll need less. Her colleague Raz hasn't called yet but will be calling to arrange a couple of sessions of communications therapy. Tal suggested that they follow the OT, because you will be regulated, though I am a little unsure if that will be a good idea. If you prefer the swing and we take you off it to put you in a room where there is a table and chairs you might not actually pay attention at all. It'd be better for me to take you out to the park, then come back.

We had a horrible horrible moment that I didn't expect when we left. I had a sticky valve on the tyre under where you sit so I stopped at the garage. We got out and the guy raised the car. You were ok for a while but then wanted to get down. I hoisted you out and then you saw the wheel come off (and the noise of the job but I think it was the wheel coming off). You got hysterical, and Nanny took you off crying. The guy was telling me to replace the front tyres because they were 3.5 years old, and I just kept

Little Steps: I think you have started to use adjectives. You used to say 'want a red one' now you say 'want a red brick, want a blue car'. There seems to be something clicking.
Poop: 12noon (loose), 5pm (loose), 6.30pm (loose)
Sleep: Woke 5.45am (now 6.45am), no nap, went to sleep 9pm

Today's Food
Breakfast: Cornflakes and Rice Milk (started 11.45am, finished 1.20pm), Mango Juice with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 550mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (started 10am, finished 11.20am)
Snack: Chocolate cake (9.30am), Banana (10am), Chocolate Cake (11.45am)
Lunch: Fried Egg and Chips (4.30pm), Mango Juice
Snack: 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (3pm)
Dinner: None, Spring Mango Nectar with 20mg capsule of Zinc(8pm, refused)

It's 6am and I just heard you make a noise. Maybe you are awake. It's already been quite a busy morning. I got an email from Ifat about the Mifne Centre. I asked her if she could find out if people on the 'inside' though the she was a quack. She said categorically not, quite the opposite. I asked her to come up with some important questions to make sure we get answers to. This is a copy and paste from her email:

In what areas or domains there will be improvements?

1. Communication: language?, more eye contact? more initiations? more sharing ("daddy, Look!" + pointing to thing that he is interested in, and want you to notice this too, and looking at you and the object intermediately.)?

2. Emotional: more positive affect directed to people and not only to objects (like number), less temper tantrum, less obsessions.

3. Social: more interested in his peers (how they can help? the sessions are not with other kids).

I think they are all good questions. There are no guarantees, but they are some of the areas that I would want to see an improvement in.

Hanna Alonim from the Mifne Center has rearranged the meeting for 5 April, which is better for me I think, it might be stressful for Mummy as it is her busy day in her busy week. Ifat and her colleagues have reservations about whether the very young children who go there might not have had PDD could be right, it could be wrong, I simply have no information on it, and I suspect their parents do know though. It does read like a scientist's viewpoint. Parents will be just relieved that they spent lots of money and time on an insurance policy. I'm not so fussed about Mifne's statistics, I'm more fussed that the Center is fussed. Hanna Alonim might actually say no to us, but she is too busy and she wouldn't waste time on us I think if she didn't think Ben had something she could work on. This is the thing that gives me hope. It is purely a logical, empirical, statistical, financial thing. She runs what is essentially a business - it's a private clinic - and her reputation is one of success. She doesn't invite charity or get involved in failure that she can see in advance.

I also thought that maybe - and this bit I don't know - but if you are going to Mifne, you are already doing lots of other things with your kid, it's not the first place you go, they have a long waiting list, so you would have already been working hard with your kid anyway. So it presumably must bring more than 10 hours of Greenspan a week to the table.

I also got an email from Roni, via the COO of Kirkman Labs:

I just received this info from the COO (Larry Newman) at Kirkman Labs and thought it might be of interest to you:

Minerals, probiotics and enzymes can be frozen indefinitely.
Oil soluble vitamins (A, E, D) can be frozen for significant lengths of time
Water soluble vitamins such as the B’s and C etc can be frozen for short lengths of time, not exceeding a few days. Beyond that, they pick up moisture and start degrading.

This may come in handy when ordering supplements to last through the summer months, too, such as probiotics, and if interested in making up some vita-popsicles

So, you'll be eating some home-made lollies from now on!!!

We took Mummy to work, and it was without any problems, which is pretty normal now. I am glad I keep this blog because you need to remember how hard things used to be. You can get used to normal very very quickly. You are counting all the time though, much more than before, and your memory for street numbers is shocking. I can see how people who can remember Pi to a million decimal places pull that off, basically they are high-functioning autistics. You spend lots of time counting backwards, 9,7,5,3,1...77,75,73...I am not sure if this isn't you remembering a street and its numbering. You love our street and Sderot Ben Amy, the numbers are not in sequence because they aren't all built. I sometimes take you on a trip there on the way back. We saw a fire next to number 25 Bnei Binyamin and you ask me to go back and visit it every day. It's gone, fortunately...

You are very good with the fish - you ask to feed them every day at least once. I read in the book A Friend Called Henry that Nuala taught her son responsibility via the dog. He needed

Little Steps: You pedalled a bike! Some very strange conversations towards the end of the day, almost startling. I am not sure, but I think something jumped forward. Let me check your language tomorrow. You said 'yes' a few times, 'ken' as well. You made excellent eye contact in the park and at home. Used words I can't remember you using...
Poop: None...
Sleep: Woke 6.30am. Nap 12.25pm to 2.40pm. In bed 9pm.

Today's Food
Breakfast: Chocolate Cake (double portion), Banana (8.45am) Cornflakes and Rice Milk (10am - fed to you because you wouldn't eat it probably due to the chocolate cake), Spring Mango Juice with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 550mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (8.45am, not much drunk till 2pm)
Snack: Half a Golden Delicious Apple (11am)
Lunch: Cherry Jam Sandwich with homemade GF bread (3pm, refused and let Nanny feed you half at 5pm), Rice & Quinoa Spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce with GF soup mix (3pm, barely touched, let me feed you half at 3.45pm)
Snack: Mango Juice250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (5pm), 3 Good For Me! Chocolate Truffles
Dinner: Sweet Potato Chips (refused again), two bowls of rice (double helping), Spring Mango Nectar with 20mg capsule of Zinc(8pm)

A lie in. You woke at 7 something. Maybe 7.06am, it doesn't matter, seven anything is good. I lolled around in bed as you cuddled Mummy for an hour.

We took Mummy to work and it all went really well. You gave her a kiss, everything pretty normal. A little wave, and a request to go and see number seven. We got back, and you hadn't touched the banana juice - even without Nu Thera and Vit C in. I was confused. You toyed with it after breakfast and had a bit so I put it in a cup for you and of course, you spilled it and made a bigger mess clearing it up.

We had some Floortime with a rolling pin and cooking kit I bought. You were very keen to play 'batsek' and you know, there was real batsek inside. Apparently, a rolling pin set was not gluten-free. Blimey, you should have seen my face. You actually knew it was play-dough too. You gave it to me and asked for it. Bugger. We had some good exchanges and worked on turn-taking. You asked for help, and you asked me to do the spaghetti - 'want Daddy push'. It's really good to see that we are getting somewhere. The eye contact wasn't brilliant, though you understand the kif/what you want exchange. All the way through, I left you with your dummy in your mouth. It was clever since the play dough could end up there in a flash.

We went to the balcony and did some gardening, you were giving us a very sweet commentary "gina, garden" throughout and were very helpful. You put the stones in the pot, and dropped a few: "oh no, two stones", and "oh no, three stones". There were indeed two and three. I think you've done things like it before, but not perhaps as clearly.

After you came in, filthy, I took your smelly socks off. And I thought, since you had been playing with your toenails that I would employ the new gummy bears. I told you I wanted to cut you nails, and you took the clippers off me. You resisted but at least tried to cut your own fingernails. So I clamped your foot, bribed you with gummy bears and then snipped. And it cost me a dozen gummy bears, but I cut your toenails for the first time in a year maybe. They weren't long, but some had started to grow in. Excellent step.

You also got some more numbers that interlock. No number 1. You weren't stressed, and I remember you being hysterical about these things. You said, again, 'where's 4, find 4'. You use find now - perfectly correctly. Your language was excellent this morning and afternoon. A little echolalia, but almost all in context. Very little stimming except arm flapping. You asked where some numbers were, and I said "under you leg", "next to Nanny's feet", "behind you". You understood everything perfectly, showing your receptive language is pretty good. Your expressive language is not of the same standard, but to have the foundation is great. It is how we can build.

Nanny said that this was how you were in England - which is a big compliment because in the last couple of days she has said you are almost a different boy. I feel very relaxed just sitting here typing mid-afternoon.

Mummy left the pear and banana juice at Safta's so I nipped out and got it. Safta made you some excellent rice, which you wolfed down and some pasta which you didn't. I went to Mister Zol and grabbed some mango juice - Spring's doesn't have anything but mango in I think. Your tablets will go in somehow.

I left you with Nanny and you were great. I really wish she could be here with you more, she has a great connection and you only asked for me once in an hour. You are happy playing with her as I type right now, and I think she understands the basis of Floortime too. When we were out you said "happy, happy, happy", which in itself is very special. And Nanny asked "are you happy?" to which you replied "yeah". And she asked again and you answered again. Next week, when we go to Mifne, I want to rewatch the video I took of you at the start of February. I have a feeling it is going to show a whole leap forward. I can't underestimate the steps you have made.

Odd that I don't write too much about GFCFSF now. 3 weeks and a bit in, it is just part of the furniture almost. It's still a bit problematic, but I never thought I would have more problems with you giving up dates than I did with you giving up milk.

I decided to buy some mango juice for your supplements. It only has mango in, no apple top up, so if mangoes are in, I would think juice was too. You slurped it down with the Nu Thera and Vitamin C in. You really had an excellent mood, and oddly this time you preferred the rice to the pasta (last week you left one for the other).

We decided to go out to a park (without sand - it was raining) and we headed into town to the one along the seafront by the Park Hotel. You were absolutely magic. You found the only puddle in Netanya much to the amusement of two guys watching. There was a double slide and after the first time we went down together you insisted on me going on 'Daddy Slide'. We climbed and run around together. I lost you as you went to high up and Nanny had to run round and lift you over the fence. We went off and you tried to run into the Seasons Hotel, but you discovered the door revolved too late and tried to escape. You got stuck and the security guard saved you, and escorted you inside. We had a little tour and then I bribed you with gummy bears to get you back to the car. Very successful!


Little Steps: You let me cut your toenails for the first time in a year. Followed instructions with all sorts of prepositions. Used the verb 'find'. Said and waved 'bye bye' to every street number along the promenade. Poop: None
Sleep: Woke at 7.05am. Flaked out at around
6.45am
Today's Food
Breakfast: Cornflakes and Rice Milk (9am), Banana Juice(refused 8.15am, tiny bit drunk around 11am)
Snack: 12 Gummy Bears (11am), Banana Juice with with 1/4 tsp Calcium, 550mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera (11am, barely touched, and spilt)
Lunch: Lots of Rice, a tiny bit of Spaghetti in tomato sauce (rest left but came back and picked at), Mango Juice with 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera(1pm)
Snack: Golden Delicious Apple (4pm), Banana (4.15pm), 10 Gummy Bears
Dinner: Half slice of GFCF Eggy bread with over 0.25 eggs (5.30pm), Half egg (rest not eaten) and chips (6pm), Mango Juice with 250mg Buffered Vitamin C and 1/2 capsule Nu Thera(6pm)