Ty is the first FLIGHT™ Study participant. He is a non-speaking child with a diagnosis of autism who enrolled in our study in April of 2022.
The FLIGHT™ Study helped Ty’s family check their home for environmental problems such as mold and/or elevated levels of EMF. Ty also participated in many standard and specialized tests, including genetic testing, and was evaluated by a carefully chosen transdisciplinary set of specialists. After a really close look at Ty’s health and environment, FLIGHT™ helped the family implement a multi-step plan that involved dietary changes, changes to the home environment, supplements, and multiple, non-invasive, therapeutic modalities.
Ty’s parents worked very hard to manage Ty’s FLIGHT™ plan. They worked to prepare healthy, home-made food, manage a demanding supplement schedule and take Ty to multiple office visits even when some of the offices were not convenient to home and when other siblings had to come along for the ride. The FLIGHT™ Team would marvel at how many things Ty’s mom could manage all at once and with a smile on her face. Ty is one of four children, and his youngest sister was born while Ty was in the FLIGHT™ Study!
During the course of Ty’s participation in the FLIGHT™ Study, Ty:
- Visited his functional medicine doctor every three months
- Participated in reflex integration therapy with an occupational therapist trained in MNRI® (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration)
- Participated in many sessions of neurofeedback
- Visited a PX-trained chiropractor for multiple sessions
- Worked with a local brain-body integration specialist that his mom learned about through the study’s parent mentor
- Worked with an S2C (Spelling to Communicate) practitioner towards the end of the study to help facilitate his communication needs
Ty was also eligible for a special oral appliance, but his doctors did not think he was ready to benefit from it yet, so this is something his family may pursue in the future. A developmental optometrist also found that Ty could likely benefit from support for his visual processing, but he was not yet ready to participate in that type of work.
The Study Team consulted many experts on Ty’s behalf including researchers and clinicians in the fields of genomics, mitochondrial function, homotoxicology, and functional medicine testing. The study even sent some of Ty’s blood to a specialized lab in Germany.
How Is Ty Doing?
Ty has made a lot of progress during his time in the FLIGHT™ Study. We are all impressed with how hard he tries and how much he has learned. His parents, extended family, and providers all notice how much more “regulated” and engaged he is now. Ty is still not a reliable speaker, but he is learning new skills and making substantive progress in his developmental goals including the attempt to articulate more words. Everyone who meets him is impressed with his strength and determination.
Ty’s Wins So Far
Here are some of Ty’s recent gains:
- Ty smiled for the camera. He is showing more affection and eye contact with family members in general.
- He enjoyed opening presents on his last birthday (his best birthday ever).
- Mom says he is more “cooperative, understanding and receptive.” He can follow directions and bring items to mom when she asks him to.
- He is becoming more independent; Ty put his own shirt on when mom wasn’t looking, and she hadn’t asked him to do so.
- Ty is saying a few more words. He said the word “happy” for the song “If You’re Happy and You Know It”, and he said “jumping” while he was jumping. He has also been working on his tongue strength, and it’s improving tremendously.
- He can jump up and down independently, and his core strength is impressive (he can hang and swing with an appropriate grip, and he is a great climber in his movement classes).
- His family can go on outings. When Ty’s parents took him and his three siblings to the zoo and to the aquarium, Ty was engaged and well-behaved. When his family goes on nightly walks, he has more energy and seems more interested in his surroundings. He is engaging more with his siblings, and he is also able to play independently.
Some Challenges Remain
While Ty has made incredible gains, some challenges remain, such as:
- He still struggles with expressive language.
- Ty still gets constipated sometimes (though his digestive troubles have improved a lot!!)
- Occasionally Ty has some sleep dysregulation.
- Ty still seeks food between meals.
- Ty is not yet toilet trained (but showing signs of readiness).
The Documenting Hope Team appreciates your interest in the FLIGHT™ research and shares your hope that more parents and professionals will be empowered to help more children heal. We celebrate the gains, large and small, as we explore and document how children, their families and their care givers can and do heal together.
