My little Blue Canary

"Canary in the coal mine" was a term the minors used back when mining was a popular occupation.  This expression refers to the practice of miners of taking canaries into the mines as living air quality indicators – if the canary keeled over they knew to get out of there because the air quality was deteriorating, and the bird was affected before everyone else. 
Many believe children and adults on the spectrum are like these birds, and are more prone to the toxins in our world.  The things we eat, the chemicals we clean with, the immunizations we inject into them, and our surroundings in general.  These individuals simply can not handle these toxins and their bodies become over run with the toxicity of the elements that enter into them, rendering them almost 'keeled over" under their influence.
I firmly believe that toxins from my body that transferred through my placenta, environmental toxins from food, began to break my little canary's immune system down.  I firmly believe he was predisposed to the damage down by yes you guess it, his MMR.  I can remember after he was born, he was so very bruised, immediately they jabbed him with Vitamin K, and then his Hep B shot.  He spent one week in the nursery under the lights to deal with a very bad case of jaundice.  I remember his regular pediatrician was on vacation, and another was covering for her.  I remember him saying he didn't understand why his bilirubin levels were so high.  It wasn't until about a year ago after much research that I think I stumbled upon the reason for it.  Vitamin K injections given to newborns are at a much much higher dosage then what they really need, the theory is that their tiny bodies will store the excess for later use.  I could give you all the links etc. but that will all come in due time.  Vitamin K while very important to stop hemorrhage in your newborn, whom are usually born deficient, has been found to cause hyperbilirubin in infants that have birth trauma.  Micah had birth trauma.  He was born with the widest part of his skull (ear up, face towards my right leg) instead of his crown presenting first. This caused excessive bruising to his face and neck.  Bruising, causes high bilirubin levels, Vitamin K causes hyperbilirubin after trauma, hmmmmm... I hear puzzle pieces falling together.
He was always a little eccentric, a little charmer, he crawled and walked early.  Was so stinking smart (still is).  After his MMR, it was a matter of weeks, that we began to notice strange behaviors.  Like his need to wear the same shoes and if you made him wear a different pair he would melt down and was inconsolable.  He could not stand condensation on his sippy cup and would scream at the fact his hands would get wet.  I could no longer cut his hair or nails without screaming in fear.  He claimed he was scared.  It was weird.  He started obsessing over  toys and pulling on his ears to the point at 4 years old his cartilage is not firm but like butter. He can shove his whole ear inside the hole. Everything was changing.  In time the meltdowns became more frequent and his obsessions would last weeks on end and only change at his discretion.  He stopped eating anything other than cereal, chocolate milk, mac n' cheese, cheese pizza, peanut butter sandwiches (which the crust HAD TO BE CUT OFF), in other words, sweets, carbs and dairy...ONLY.  He would literally projectile vomit if you tried to give him broccoli or mashed potatoes. 
I began to research and ran into Sensory Processing (Integration) Disorder.  It was so Micah.  For once we had a name, I talked to his pediatrician, she recommended a therapist, I kept reading and investigating.  That is how we got here.  With some sort of diagnosis on the spectrum.  It hasn't been given yet, it isn't in stone...but I know it is there. 
He had his first assessment last week, and they have already began pointing things out that were obviously sensory issues.  We are looking at two more assessments then hopefully he will be starting preschool and receiving therapies while there.  All this gets him immediate help while we wait for  the medical staff at Easter Seals to give us the actual medical "diagnosis".  That will be the next step.  this initial process helps us to also ensure our insurance will at least cover his diagnostic testing at Easter Seals.  The educational assessment, will be a great help with that.  But I was watching him tonight.  my little blue canary; and I feel like the cage door is open for him.  We are slowly integrating the GFCF diet into our family. I pray this helps with the melt downs.  I will have a lot of blogs later, explaining GFCF diet, and this journey.  I pray it helps heal me as well.  But my little canary, he is gonna be set free, every moment that he steps outside himself, and his sensory issues, every challenge met and conquered, opens the door a little bit more, till one day he will fly out.  I am NOT letting him "keel over" inside that cage in the mean time.  I love his sweet song way to much to allow that.  For all you mamma's of canaries , there time is coming to fly free, hang in there!