A 90 Day Trial & Children Developmental Disorders – Case Study

Case Study: Fusion Pharmacy, Santa Clara, Utah
Author: Koby Taylor, PharmD

Amino acids are essential nutrients found in food, and they are also made in the body. They are not drugs and do not require a prescription.

In August of 2018, I had an Amino Acid Therapy Consultation with a mother who was managing her son’s ADHD and Autism spectrum disorders. Her research led her to explore the benefits of amino acids for children like her son.

Ultimately, she found her way to me.

Managing children with disorders like her son has requires a scheduled and predictable daily routine in and out of the home. It’s also important to try to maintain and better structure in their diets and their social and educational interactions.
For those of you who do not have experience with ADHD, or Autism, this probably sounds a lot like what most parents already do, except…

…for children with these disorders, life’s unexpected twists and turns and changes in their routines and schedules can feel catastrophic. Their very mental health and well-being rely upon predictability and structure.

As you will read in a moment, a simple 90-day trial with amino acids improved both of their lives!

MEET MY PATIENT

My patient is an 8-year-old boy with ADHD, and Autism spectrum disorder. He is in the third grade, and in a lot of ways, he is a regular little boy on the outside; however, on the inside, he struggles greatly with everyday life.

The description below was given to me by his mother at the time of her consultation.

Behavior at Home: Every day he plummets into an emotional (non-violent) outburst, lasting up to 45 minutes, he is unable to handle emotional stimuli or even the smallest change to his routine. Afterward, it takes him hours to recover physically and emotionally.

At School: He struggled with concentration and comprehending his lessons. The mother detailed that, at the time of this consultation, the school support staff and counselors were recommending that he repeat the second grade until his reading and comprehension came up to grade-level.

DAILY MEAL AND ACTIVITY ROUTINE

Activities surrounding each day, such as preparing for school, playtime, outings with the family, mealtimes, and bedtime, were all scheduled and structured.

MEAL RESTRICTIONS INCLUDED

• No processed foods
• No red dye
• Low sugar
• No sugar substitutes

(Note: In recent studies, it has been shown that children with learning and developmental disorders should not consume or should have very limited access to processed foods that contain chemical preservatives, processed sugars, and that are high in salt and saturated fat.)

INTERACTION WITH TECHNOLOGY
He was not allowed any screen time (TV, computer, smart devices). His mother reported that he could not cope with the over-stimulation. Engaging with or getting engrossed in content from these devices caused him to react adversely.

THE CONSULTATION UNCOVERS MORE
During my consultation, it became very clear to me that this little boy’s mother had done her homework. She was extremely knowledgeable with managing his disorders and care. She was also very educated on the topics of alternative medications, supplements, and therapies. All of her diligent research led her to contact Fusion Specialty Pharmacy for an Amino Acid Consultation.

THE AMINO ACID THERAPY RECOMMENDATION

Every person is different and should be treated as such with careful and thoughtful recommendation. Because of this, the exact amino acid regimen will vary. For those of you who are struggling or have a child who is struggling with learning and developmental disorders deserve individualized treatment plans.
At the time of this consultation for this particular case, the following 5 amino acids were recommended:

• Two essential amino acids…
• Two non-essential amino acids…
• One conditionally-essential amino acid…

…all to be taken daily.

This was in addition to an established routine supplementing with fish oil and a chewable multivitamin.

THE FOLLOW-UP 90 DAYS LATER:

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO THIS KID!?” In just three short months, our patient’s mother detailed the dramatic changes in his behavior.

She reported that even the support staff and counselors at his school were wondering what changes she made to see such a difference in him!

•  His concentration became better.
•  He is reading at grade level.
• His social awareness improved, as did his behavior during social interactions.
• His emotional outbursts, while still daily, were less severe in duration, and most of all…
• …it takes him a shorter amount of time to recover physically and emotionally.

REGIMEN CHANGES: BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER…

At the time of our November, 2018 follow-up, our patient’s mother reported that he initially had trouble with accepting the new supplement routine. With time, however, they were able to come up with a regimen that was agreeable. Adding the capsules’ contents into apple sauce seemed to help a lot.

His mother also reported that, after a period of time, she began to decrease one amino acid at a time, so she could figure out a perfect supplementation schedule. During this process, she said that her son even noticed differences in how he felt and asked if one amino acid in particular could be part of his daily routine.

FREE ADVICE: Amino Acid Therapy can be adjusted. Patients who are on an Amino Acid Therapy frequently comment on their self-adjustments. The reason for this is because when a deficient amino acid is introduced to the body, it does not take long for the body to process and utilize its many benefits. This may result in a decrease in need from daily to every other day, or as needed.

MY CHILD NEEDS HELP, WHAT CAN I DO?

Please call or come in and see me! The assessment is quick and easy, and the amino acids I carry are professional grade and pure. My strongest advice is to be very cautious about buying amino acids from the internet and from vendors you don’t know!

This is why my team and I have done the work and the research for you; it is our mission to provide the best for every patient!