My 12-year-old son has severe apraxia (mostly resolved) and some attention issues (although doctors have told me he is NOT ADD/ADHD). He is diagnosed dyslexic with a short term memory at the 2nd percentile, but he manages to read at grade level. He's always had trouble getting over colds, but last Feb. was the worst. He was horribly exhausted (slept 15 hours a day), headache 24/7, so dizzy he was sometimes crawling across a room, couldn't pay attention to anything, and worst of all, he would pass out several times a day. (Some people told me he didn't really pass out, that he was falling asleep. I'm not sure what the difference is, but he would crumple to the floor as he walked across a room.) He was off school for three weeks straight and I really think he was dying.
I took him to doctor after doctor, who ran all sorts of tests and told me he was fine. Finally in desperation I took him to a naturopath, who "prescribed" mega-doses of B-12 drops (the kind you put under your tongue). Within 24 hours the passing out, the dizziness, and the headaches were history. Then the real miracle began. He told me, "I feel stronger, and sharper, and smarter" (his words). He started remembering to turn in his assignments. He checked out chapter books-- and read them. He smiled and laughed. He ran up the stairs. He lost his sallow complexion and I swear his head grew 2 inches in circumference.
So obviously he had some kind of serious B-12 deficiency, even though the pediatrician's B12 blood test said his B12 was on the high side. I ordered the 23 and me test on him and ran through the results on genetic genie. (Our naturopath is going to look at the results too, but she cautions me that she is no expert. And since this is my kid's life we are taking about, I want to know as much as possible!)
BAD HOMOZYGOUS:
MTHFR A1298C
COMT V158M
COMT H62H
VDR Taq
MAO-A R297R
MTRR A66G
BHMT-02
BHMT-08
SEMI-BAD HETEROZYGOUS
VDR Bsm
MTHFR 03 P39P
MTR A2756G
CBS A360A
There were also several "no calls," but I don't know which ones at the moment.
I read somewhere that if you have both the MTRR A66G and the MTR A2756G mutations, you can need up to 5000 mcg/day of B12. That's about what my son has been taking, and he weighs 85 lbs. Also I have read that the CBS A360A depletes B12 stores and that BHMT mutations uses B12 to get their job done. . Am I interpreting this correctly-- my son is absorbing less than 10% of the B12 that goes in him, and then he has four other gene mutations that use up his stored B12 faster than normal?
Also could anyone tell me what else he should be taking? Obviously if the B12 is such an issue he probably has other absorption issues-- but then again, he's a 12-year-old boy and I just can't ask him to take a whole bunch of different supplements every day. (The B-12 is bad enough.)
OH, and the naturopath did a food sensitivity test. The food sensitivities scale ranged from 1-5, and he came out with 3s on dairy, eggs, and gluten. We have been trying an eggs- gluten- and dairy-free diet, but he's a 12-year-old boy and I know he cheats when he's away from home. I'm not convinced the diet has made much difference, but then again I don't know how closely it's been followed.
Any advice any of you can give me would be greatly appreciated...
I took him to doctor after doctor, who ran all sorts of tests and told me he was fine. Finally in desperation I took him to a naturopath, who "prescribed" mega-doses of B-12 drops (the kind you put under your tongue). Within 24 hours the passing out, the dizziness, and the headaches were history. Then the real miracle began. He told me, "I feel stronger, and sharper, and smarter" (his words). He started remembering to turn in his assignments. He checked out chapter books-- and read them. He smiled and laughed. He ran up the stairs. He lost his sallow complexion and I swear his head grew 2 inches in circumference.
So obviously he had some kind of serious B-12 deficiency, even though the pediatrician's B12 blood test said his B12 was on the high side. I ordered the 23 and me test on him and ran through the results on genetic genie. (Our naturopath is going to look at the results too, but she cautions me that she is no expert. And since this is my kid's life we are taking about, I want to know as much as possible!)
BAD HOMOZYGOUS:
MTHFR A1298C
COMT V158M
COMT H62H
VDR Taq
MAO-A R297R
MTRR A66G
BHMT-02
BHMT-08
SEMI-BAD HETEROZYGOUS
VDR Bsm
MTHFR 03 P39P
MTR A2756G
CBS A360A
There were also several "no calls," but I don't know which ones at the moment.
I read somewhere that if you have both the MTRR A66G and the MTR A2756G mutations, you can need up to 5000 mcg/day of B12. That's about what my son has been taking, and he weighs 85 lbs. Also I have read that the CBS A360A depletes B12 stores and that BHMT mutations uses B12 to get their job done. . Am I interpreting this correctly-- my son is absorbing less than 10% of the B12 that goes in him, and then he has four other gene mutations that use up his stored B12 faster than normal?
Also could anyone tell me what else he should be taking? Obviously if the B12 is such an issue he probably has other absorption issues-- but then again, he's a 12-year-old boy and I just can't ask him to take a whole bunch of different supplements every day. (The B-12 is bad enough.)
OH, and the naturopath did a food sensitivity test. The food sensitivities scale ranged from 1-5, and he came out with 3s on dairy, eggs, and gluten. We have been trying an eggs- gluten- and dairy-free diet, but he's a 12-year-old boy and I know he cheats when he's away from home. I'm not convinced the diet has made much difference, but then again I don't know how closely it's been followed.
Any advice any of you can give me would be greatly appreciated...