Sept 2014
How are you?   Thought that as it was the school holidays it made for a good time to drop you  a quick line to let you know how well B is getting on.  He started school end of Feb and is doing so so so well.  He is at standards for everything and has lots of lil friends, goes for play dates, participates appropriately in the classroom and is like a very normal child – other than his behaviour- due to all the ABA he would probably be the best behaved child in the classroom.  He tries to write stories, independently tells me about his day and independently asks questions about mine. He is a caring loving boy, who is also a great supportive friend.  Great eye contact, answers  when spoken to, is extremely “connected” and is just so freakin happy!!!!!!!  We can not be more proud of him!!  The food on the other hand is always going to be a freakin challenge – which it is here that his autism shines thru lol.  He eats a wide variety of veggies and some fruit but the meat will always be a challenge – he does eat ravioli spag bol, sausages, chicken in several forms, homemade veggie packed sausage rolls, homemade hamburgers, hotdogs and savoury veggie packed mince!!!  So as I type it seems like a lot but believe me its not and makes for dinner time a challenge.  Mum picks him up on a Weds so he has to try something new every week – which he hates but due to all the ABA he can be bribed leading to a reward. But we feel that after the crappy start we had and the mammoth journey if the food is the only thing we have to worry about we think we are winners.  Anyways if it wasn’t for you and Leila i don’t know where we be.  The broth was still the best thing we could have done (mum and I still talk about the bone days), gluten/dairy free and you both heavily steering me to ABA – words could never tell you how thankful we are as a family – and as I know it takes a”village” your support was paramount.  Now i know that I doubt you would ever need someone in your corner- but if you ever do please let me know!!  And don’t ever forget us!!!!Lots of love A

Hi Gina Lina,

Been a long time so I thought that I should touch base to let you know how we are getting on…… which is great!!!!!
Sleeping like a gem!!!!! and has been now for some months which has been brilliant – woke for the first time on Friday night and was quite hard to settle but who knows what that was about – but I can deal with once and a while!!!! Eating is brilliant!! As we speak B is downstairs feeding him his 5th spoonful of quinoa which is his first time. He is now eating ham (loves it) peas, rice, pumpkin pears, apples, chicken, and mince with a very plain pasta sauce (still a little bit trying this one).
But through all this he is trying different things all on his own which is so nice to see – like raisins – he loves raisins but don’t stress he doesn’t get them often and just one of those little boxes. We are still going with the broth and I am still convinced that this is still what is keeping him so healthy!!!
Speech is just so funny!!!!! Talking so much better and is really trying to string sentences together, which we generally cant understand but at least hes trying.
However, he says hundreds of words now, so guessing that he is picking it up from daycare ( he is now in the big kids room) , ABA and everyday life. This will make you laugh, he can tell you every letter on a keyboard!!! Taught himself, he has some toy that does letters, and use it as my party trick.
He is riding his bike now, which I never thought was going to happen and plays so well with the other kids at daycare. He still has his funny little quirks but he is such a cool dude and is becoming more and more like an average three year old. CARD told me in the last clinic meeting that he is now about on par with where he should be except for speech but I am not worried as I can see that coming every day.
Anyways, I will keep you in the loop – hope that all is well with you

September 2011
Just wanted to drop you both a quick note just to let you know how we are getting on……..Firstly, the sleep is a million times better.  We have had nights that he has slept through but still is waking once, but at about 4-5 am so I give him a bottle and he sleeps through to about 7.30 (which I am totally not complaining about). So I am guessing that the secret herbal mixture with the lacto whatever Gina that you gave him must be working.He is now using words and in some cases trying to string 2 together.  He is just such a different boy… and happy!!!……..
A

March 2011
Our son was diagnosed with ASD when he was 18mnths old.  He was constantly sick with ear and chest infections, had terrible eye contact, struggled with socialisation, no words and still hadnt clapped, waved or pointed.  My husband and I started down the long and often confusing path of information and help that is all readily available but not sure on where to start. Through Ohomairangi Trust we found Gina.  First things first, B was immediately removed off gluten and dairy – scary really when you think that he was still having milk bottles.  But with Gina’s reassurance, we changed him quickly and successfully over to rice milk.  In some respects the changes in the diet were not overly hard as B really only ate 4 things- chicken nuggets, fries toast and crackers.  The first week of changing B diet we started to see changes.  The first thing that we noticed that the tantrums stopped – so my husband and I were so encouraged.  So, from there we went to homemade beef broth.  Now when Gina first discussed the broth with me the very first thing I thought was “no way Jose!! There is no way that this boy was going to give up his yummy sweet rice milk”.  But she kept telling me that he will love  it – and that just about every kid does.  So, I delayed it!!  Stupid really but had to get my head around it as I knew that I was going to have a battle ahead of me. So, I got the pressure cooker out (with the help of my mum), put the organic bones in with carrots and courgettes and onions and off we went.  It only took a couple of days for B to accept the change and we havent looked back.  He drinks about 1 litre a day of broth- which can be time consuming with having to make it (but easier with a pressure cooker) but the difference in him is remarkable and makes turning my kitchen into a soup kitchen so worthwhile. He has now been on the diet for nearly 4 months.  He is an outgoing, happy wee boy that chats to everybody and does so with beautiful eye contact.  He now points and claps, starting to say some words, has only been sick once and now come to me for cuddles.  We just can’t believe the change. We don’t know where to start to thank Gina.  I have leaned on her heavily and she has always been there for me – making all of this so much easier – particularly when times have been tough.  But it has all been so worth it and I am so looking forward to continuing our journey together
A