PRACTITIONER VOICE
Figure 1 . Jayden ’ s first HTMA showing high copper Figure 2 . Jayden ’ s 2nd HTMA showing reduced copper load
It took ten months to bring Jayden ’ s copper down to normal with this clinical result : He was sleeping well , with no waking or nightmares . We always like to see sleep improve , since it is outside conscious behaviour , and therefore reflects a true metabolic change in the patient . In clinic we could see he was more settled , peacefully reading his book without the previously typical interruptions . He was maintaining his concentration well with his studies . His tantrums and aggressive behaviour were much reduced , as were his eczema and blocked nose .
At this stage , his parents had decided to discontinue his Ritalin .
Figure 2 is the HTMA result showing his copper almost down to normal at the conclusion of Jayden ’ s treatment ( 4.4mg /%):
Case Study Ryan , age 12 , insomnia , night terrors , ADHD
Ryan slept poorly as a baby : at the most , only in half hour slots . Although he cried continuously for the first 12 months , no one could identify the reason . There was no evidence of colic , gastric reflux , constipation , ear pain , or ureteric reflux . Courses of antibiotics had had no effect .
His mother had severe morning sickness for the whole pregnancy . ( If the mother had prolonged and profound nausea during pregnancy , this is a clue in my experience that you may have a ‘ copper child ’). She also experienced unexplained anxiety during pregnancy .
Ryan was an anxious child . Until the age of seven he woke most nights with night terrors . With or without these he always woke early and tired . Once he passed the age of seven his night terrors reduced , yet it still took him three hours to fall asleep . He was restless , with twitching limbs . He sometimes had tics or jerking either in sleep or during the daytime .
His mother described his ‘ mood swings ’ in this way : ‘ Ryan is aggressive , abusive , out of control , almost hysterical at times , like he can ’ t control it . But he can control it at school . Only at home does he finally let it all out . He can be like Jekyll and Hyde and fly off the handle for no reason . Although he can concentrate for hours while reading , which he loves , he cannot sit still at the dinner table . His behaviour is starting to get worse now because he is starting to act out in front of his friends too . Earlier he could always keep a lid on it when non-family members were present . It feels like the whole household is held at ransom by Ryan ’ s behaviour .’
Ryan had some respiratory ‘ allergies ’, with hay fever symptoms . He was very sociable at school , yet could be extremely
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