Speech delays are one of the most common characteristics of autism. Early intervention, in the form of speech therapy, is one of the most effective ways to address this concern. However, the road to language acquisition can be long and tiresome.
One way to accelerate your child’s progress in speech therapy is to complement it with supplements.
Two Supplements to Accelerate Your Child’s Progress in Speech TherapyI have found B12 injections and mitochondrial nurishment to be the best ways to complement and progress speech therapy in autistic children.
- B12 Injections: B12 injections, specifically methyl B12 injections have the ability to improve our children’s language abilities. These injections can boost progress in their receptive and expressive language as well as improve their environmental awareness, peer interaction, and appropriate play.
Injections can sound scary, especially when we’re talking about our kids. But the reality is that B12 injections are simple and relatively painless to administer. I recommend using a tiny 30 or 31 gauge needle and giving the injection while your child is sleeping. Usually, the tiny prick won’t even wake them up.
These injections involve just a small amount of liquid and should be given in the upper/outer buttock.
Dosing: The recommended dosage for B12 injections is 65-75 microgram per kilogram per day, 2-3 times per week (or every 72 hours).
Here’s how to calculate your child’s dosage.- Find their weight in kilograms: Divide their weight in pounds by 2.2.
- Multiply their weight in kilograms by 65 or 75 (you can do both and take the middle range).
- Round that result up to the next increment of 250.
Example for a 70 pound child:
70 / 2.2 = 31.8 kilograms
31.8 x 65 = 2,067 or 31.8 x 75 = 2,385
Middle range of that = 2,226 rounded up to 2,250 micrograms
Do not start any other treatments or interventions when you begin B12 injections. You want to be able to accurately monitor the results and identify any potential side effects.
- Find their weight in kilograms: Divide their weight in pounds by 2.2.
- Mitochondrial Supplements: Many autistic kids have mitochondrial dysfunction. When these energy producers aren’t working like they should because of genetics or a nutrient deficiency it’s important to supplement with nutrients like L-Carnitine, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins.
My favorite mitochondrial combinations are MitoCore by Ortho Molecular and MitoVive by Metagenics. Both of these supplements come in pleasant tasting powders that can be mixed into your child’s favorite juice.
While it may be tempting to start mitochondrial supplements at the same time as B12 injections to boost the results, it’s important that you try one intervention at a time and track your results.
My new course has tons of materials to help you track and record your interventions and your child’s results. I know how overwhelming this process can be which is why I created this course to show you exactly where to start and what to do next.
Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing a great job.
I hope this information has been helpful to you as part of creating Your Autism Game Plan.
Do you have a topic you’d like to learn more about? Email me at joya@yourautismgameplan.com
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