Credit where it's due : the ketogenic diet

(I'm well overdue in posting this and actually wrote this on 14th march)



Though I hoped that Hope would be one of the 'miracle responders' to the diet, I was reluctant to start singing it's praises too soon. Wouldn't want to look a fool :0) but now there's no denying it (not that I'm a fool) its making a BIG difference!
So much so that I've had to start writing down all her new achievements. There are that many!

After 3 days Hope began reaching for, batting at (a few days later ) grabbing the mobile that had been hanging above her cot for 3 years!!!

Within a week, she seemed to be lifting her arms to be picked up. Now there's no denying it. You can say 'c'mon then' and she'll lift her arms up.

All of a sudden she has hand-eye coordination. You can wave something in front of her, she'll look at it, and if she wants it, reach up and take it.

She has a real increased awareness for cause -effect. She used to hit things, but not as ferociously or as purposefully as now.

Hope has never been a good drinker. We had to remove valves in 'non-spill' cups to make them free flowing (so we'd drip/pour fluid into her mouth, but it needed to be thickened otherwise she'd cough and splutter on it. But when i recently bought her a replacement cup, i thought ...'maybe, just maybe'.. And left the valve in. She did it!
I also bought a 'nuby' cup. If youve ever tried drinking from one of these, you'll know you need a good strong suck. And she can! And what's more, she doesn't even need her drinks thickening when using this cup!( This is probably the biggest one for me).

Many of you will know that Hope used to be able to sit (albeit briefly and she would eventually wobble and topple over)but that when she had pneumonia, then several more poorly spells, she completely lost this skill. Well, it's emerging again. She's only doing about 20 seconds or so, but I believe she will crack it again.

And her most recent development, is Putting things into her mouth.

To the parent of a typically developmental child, (I've been one myself) these are not achievements , but 'givens'. ..things that just will happen. But when you have a child like Hope, you celebrate every achievement. Though usually one doesn't get to celebrate so often as we are at the moment. Usually, new developments, come slowly, and take a lot of work and practice.

What's even more amazing, is that during the past 6 weeks, Hope has been poorly in hospital twice (one for the peg op, and then we had a 3 day stat just last week due to fever and seizure activity). Usually during periods of illness, Hope regresses. Yet she's not regressed at all!

Oh and just one more thing, when she was in hospital last week, we checked her lactate (normally 3ish, can be 5-6 if poorly).. It was 1!!!
The best it's ever been. And within the normal range!!!