Deqlan Ross Higgins

World Autism Awareness day is 2 April - i will be using the month of April to post as much information and wonderful links as i can to spread the awarness and understanding! This year instead of asking you to just wear blue, it will be a rainbow day of celebrations, all the colours of the rainbow, reflecting that no child on the spectrum is the same, but that each one is as bright and beautiful as the next!

Deqlans evaluation from Little Leaps even mentions that he is exceeding neuro typical 3 year old development - how amazing is that?

Some more lovely comments, i love how many songs Deqlan knows and how much he enjoys singing them!

Ash made a beautiful folder for us, with lots of Deqlans art work as well as photos of him doing activities - this was the day the made a life size paper version of themselves, Deqlan sure looks fascinated with himself!

Deqlan continues to enjoy and love the Little Leaps logo

awww, probably his favorite animal to!

aawww again, Deqlan sometimes says I AM 5 YEARS OLD - which he learnt from the love and learning DVDS - but there are times where he does get it correct and will say I AM THREE YEARS OLD!

Deqlans report card - the theme of this term and next is strongly focussed on the Soccer World Cup!

Deqlans Easter works of art - he can say CROSS when he looks at the picture! Deqlan is also know bringing me the bible saying JESUS!!!

Bunny ears! Not to fond of having them on though!

We took the boys to the little animal farm at Rooihuiskraal terrein on Saturday , and they loved the turtles and chickens! Keaton was feeding them carrots and calling them DAD, MOMMY AND BABY TURTLE, to cute for words

Deqlan making the sound of the rooster

Admiring the TURTLES, although they actually tortoises....

Deqlan looking at at the duck pond, he can now say DUCK and the sound of QUACK QUACK

The gluten free casein free sugar free yeast and soya free biscuit cross Deqlan made for Easter - to beautiful!

As the title might suggest we have candida issues with our little guy AGAIN

As mentioned Deqlan wasnt well last week and we eventually had to get him onto an antibiotic for a sinus infection - he was so frusrated, crying all the time for everything and reasons we couldnt understand, he couldnt make choice between dvds or milk or juice - lining everything up and inconsolable, when the cars dont touch each other exactly as they should - no appetite- no sleeping during the day, waking up at night, headache - pulling our hand to his head all the time saying WASH - Nanna had used a wet clothe on his forehead last week when he had a fever - now he takes us to get toilet paper or a cloth and says WASH - which we think means he has a headache - not nice for us to see Deqlan like this at all.

Saturday afternoon was at all time high - Deqlan had a meltdown for over an hour and a half, nothing would calm him,it also didnt help that Dada was away for the weekend. Meggie and Keaton were here when it happened and tried to help me stay calm , but i must say my nerves were frazzled and patience was not the gift i could offer Deqlan at that stage of the game. Eventually , he fell asleep in the car and slept till 1 am ,then woke up again another 6 times either coughing or wanting milk.

Sunday even Nanna and Grandpa could see that things were not right and the smallest of things wer upsetting Deqlan so much that nothing could calm him down. Deqlan was ALOT happier when Dada got home Sunday afternoon and seem to be more himself - but then Deqlan started doing little things that made the Candida alarm bells ring even more - standing facing the wall, making tiny little steps, wen placing his cars in line, now tapping each one a certain amount of times. Meggie even saw Deqlan calling for me, when i was right in front of him - scary stuff.

After not hearing back from our DAN doctor, we took it into our own hands to start Deqlan on diflucan to try and kick candida's butt - it seems to have improved things alot and Deqlan is not so tearful and frustrated. He isnt throwing his bottle as much, just to see the juice or milk come out of it . HE HAS STARTED EATING!!!!!!! Today he had 4 bites of eag, 4 biscuits, packet of lays chips, 10 macdonalds fries (thanks Megs) and drum roll please, tonight we had chicken nuggets and a few potatoes, Thank You Lord , Deqlan is feeling better.

Even through this awful candida spell, Deqlan continues to amaze and delight us. Deqlan is loving songs and singing them, some excerpts from his favourites are:

'HOLY, HOLY HOLY, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY'

'JESUS, LAMB OF GOD, WORTH IS YOUR NAME' I cant explain to you how are hearts leapt for Joy when Deqlan just started singing these songs, the most beautiful music i have ever heard!

'MY JESUS, MY SAVIOR'

'HELLO SPOT, SPOT HELLO'

'TINKY WINKY, DIPSY, LALA, PO'

'FIMBLES, FIMBLES, FIMBLES'

The thing with Candida is, that some doctors dont actually think that it can be such a problem - its not something you can see with a light or throat stick - the only real way of confirming is sending a stool sample away , which came back right at the begining of Deqlans bio medical treatments, saying he had candida 10 to the power of 8 - a massive amount. We know when is starts to over grow because of his nappies, eating habits or certain flags that flare up. We know that its there because giving the diflucan makes it better and takes it away. We of course dont want to have to give diflucan every so often as your liver can take a beating - so we need to start looking into more natural ways of controling it - Deqlan is already on such a restricted diet, so thats a good thing, increasing probiotics is a must and you can give natural things like olive leaf extract - we have already tried this option and its disgusting , no chance Deqlan will even try it ..so we need to try and teach Deqlan to swallow the tablet...mmmm... will have to work on this one

So , for your lesson for the day , here is a bit of information on Candida:

Candida Albicans - do you suffer from the Candida infection? Read on to discover the symptoms and treatment of Candida
Is life one big pain? Could be Candida
Tired, Headaches, Irritable, Aches And Pains? It Could Be Candida!by: Willie Jones
Many people suffer from a host of symptoms but are told by Drs. that they can’t find anything wrong with them or are misdiagnosed and put on treatments that are not working for them. The difficulty is that the medical profession denies the existence of candida and therefore cannot treat it. You may find the odd healthcare professional that knows about it and will prescribe something for it.For those of you that are not familiar with Candida, this is what it is and it may be what’s bothering you.Candida albicans is a natural inhabitant, yeast that lives in your colon. It is a small group of parasites that that co-exists with other microbes and friendly bacteria. It thrives in that toxic putrid, damp waste land. For a normally functioning colon candida is not a problem but if you are chronically constipated and backed up or if your immune system is compromised due to bad diet or over use of antibiotics, then Candida can become over abundant and change into its fungal form that can then escape through the intestinal wall and wreak absolute havoc in other parts of your body and you can experience a whole host of symptoms. It is especially insidious because it can change its form to survive much like certain bacteria can change form and become resistant to antibiotics, Candida can be resistant to antifungal. When Candida begins to proliferate it grows like a weed and sprouts long tendrils that burrow deep into the intestinal walls. This is the beginning of infection and disease. If for some reason Candida gets into your blood stream then the spores get carried along and deposited in another warm moist organ where it takes on a fungal shape and resumes its attack on the host. It can be a formidable enemy that can make your life miserable and it makes it all the more miserable when your doctor has taken a whole battery of tests and tells you there is nothing wrong with you. But you know better! You know how you feel and it is not normal!If you have candida, you may experience some or all of these symptoms depending on the severity of this parasitic invasion:
constant fatigue
sinus problems and lots of mucus
interrupted sleep
flu like symptoms
aches and pains in the joints
especially tight neck and shoulder and increased headaches
dental problems
dark circles under the eyes
low grade fever
constipation and or diarrhea
gas and abdominal bloating
mouth and your eyes feel dry
unexplained rashes
dry brittle hair and nails
feeling foggy
restless leg syndrome
irregular heart beat
numbness or tingling in the extremities
feeling faint or light headed
lack of concentration and short term memory loss
shortness of breath
sexual dysfunction
sugar cravings
white coating on the tongue
intolerance to smells such as perfume, chemicals and insecticides
digestive disorders
depression
irritable or easily angered
intolerance to alcohol or gluten
asthma
hay fever
ear infections
These are the most common symptoms reported but there may be others. These symptoms can be moderate to severe. To find out if you have candida you can do a simple home test that has been fairly reliable to determine if candida is a problem for you.In the morning when you wake up, before you do anything else, work up some saliva in your mouth and then spit it into a glass of clean water. Wait for about 30 minutes then check the water. One of four things may happen. If there are strings coming down from the spit floating in the water or if the water is cloudy or speckled then you may have Candida. If you don’t have candida the saliva should just float on top and the water should stay clear.There are several reasons why candida can become such a problem. One is over use of antibiotics. This kills the friendly flora and allows the rapid growth of candida as does Steroid abuse.Another major factor is our environment and the changes in the food industry. Exposure to a toxic environment weakens our immune system. Living on the golf course is all nice and pretty but the reality is that you get exposed to the constant spraying of chemicals that you cannot escape from. The industry smoke stacks are built high up but you would be a fool to think it does not affect you. Cars and trucks have been a huge source of pollution for the last 60 to 70 years and we have been lulled to a non thinkingness about it. We just don’t have a thought about it when we walk down the street and get bombarded with toxic petro.It is the same with the food industry. We used to eat wholesome meat, fruit, vegetables and grains that were not tampered with. Now, the major players are finding ways to make food last longer with preservatives, dyes and chemical sprays. Processed food should be a no no for anyone who wants to stay healthy let alone someone who has candida or other related health problems.What should you do to treat candida?
Stop eating processed foods. Other than non perishables, just go to the meat and produce department for all your food. Unless you are stocking up for a hurricane or some emergency, I don’t suggest you eat anything that is not in its natural form. Organic, raw fruits and vegetables are best but, be careful not to eat too many fruits; they contain a lot of sugar. The fruits that are very high in fiber are blueberries, plums, raspberries and strawberries. ½ cup of theses fruits have more fiber than several bran muffins.
Stay away from meat that has been fed hormones. If you are going to partake of dairy foods, also get it hormone free.
SUGAR! Yeast thrives on sugar. It loves sugar and will grow more prolific with sugar products. You will not get rid of candida unless you stop eating those cookies, desserts and chocolates. We rarely ate sugar 80 to 100 years ago, we don’t need them now.
Drink a lot of water. This ensures that toxic material can get removed from the body. Just like a toilet will not be able to remove fecal matter without water, so is it also with the human body. Drink lots of pure water.
Exercise on a regular basis. This also helps to keep the intestines working correctly, not to mention all the other benefits you get by working out.
You can jump start your treatments by doing a coffee enema daily for a week possibly two and then once a month for maintenance. Full caffeine organic coffee works best and you should only use filtered water. Coffee enemas help remove impacted fecal matter fairly quickly and may remove the yeast and parasites. There are two herbs that you can add to the coffee solution that make it more effective. Aloe Vera and slippery elm. You can purchase these herbs in capsule form. Take two of each, break open the capsules and pour them into the coffee. They are soothing and help with inflammation.
Psyllium seed and Bentonite are also good natural sources for cleaning out the colon. Psyllium seed is used as a laxative but make sure that you drink a full glass of water or it can have the opposite effect and constipate you. Bentonite is a volcanic ash that draws toxins to it. The bentonite does not get absorbed into the system so it will be disposed of along with what ever toxins it has attached to it. The problem with these herbs is that although they do work, it can take a long time before it is effective with Candida. It can take up to a year before it is completely handled.
There is a new product that works much faster and is very effective for a lot of people. This is the Threelac system. Threelac products are very effective based on testimonials and has shown relief in as little as 2 to 3 weeks. There is also Threelac for children. If your child has thrush or diaper rash that does not go away, it is a yeast problem. Results vary from person to person and the degree of severity will also make a difference in how long it takes for recovery. Your body needs the friendly flora to maintain its normal ph balance. Threelacs advanced formulas work to restore your ph balance to help your body recover naturally and quickly.
Remember, Candida feeds off sugar! Americans eat enormous amounts of sugar and is the biggest single factor in Candida over growth. Candida’s appetite for sugar is insatiable. You can reduce (but not completely handle) Candida by cutting out sugar in your diet. Natural fruit and vegetable sugars should be all your body needs.
I hope this helps!

Candidiasis - Candida Alibicans
Candida Alibicans is one of many fungi that are present in most people’s intestinal tracts, and other places, where it is kept in check and causes no harm. If the intestinal balance is disrupted and healthy bacteria killed, Candida albicans will flourish and release toxic chemicals into the bloodstream. Continual antibiotic use is not the only cause of candidiasis, or yeast overgrowth, in children. An infant born vaginally to a mother who has a vaginal yeast infection can become similarly infected. Severe diaper rash and thrush, which looks like a whitish coating on the tongue and mouth, are signs of candidiasis in babies.
It has been found that children along the autistic spectrum are at greater risk of developing candidiasis. There are several reasons why yeast overgrowth is found among these children. Antibiotic use is one factor. Antibiotics kill bad bacteria as well as good bacteria i.e. lactobacillus and bifidus, that are necessary to keep candida from overpopulating the gut. The affected children may lack something in their digestive secretions that is needed to keep yeast from proliferating.
Anything that weakens the immune system can contribute to yeast overgrowth including, environmental toxins and chemicals, such as pesticides, and exposure to lead and heavy metals all of which also burdens detoxification of the system.
Note: and neurologically toxic mercury via thimerosol (50% mercury by weight, a pereservative in virtually all vaccines given to most children from about 1990 to 2001 in the United States
It may be that children along the autistic spectrum are more sensitive to candida itself than are other children, and that their behaviors are the result of an allergic response. Everyone has organisms in and on their bodies. The problem arises when yeast, fungi, or candida overpopulates the intestinal tract. Candida pushes their way into the intestinal lining, destroying cells and brush borders. This damage allows macromolecules of partially digested food to pass through the lining. The macromolecules are the perfect size for antibodies to respond to. Your immune system then goes on alert for these specific foods so the next time you eat them, your antibodies will be waiting to attack. The result is increased sensitivity to foods and other food substances and the environment. Also the yeast by products - metabolites that are toxic are also passing through the intestinal wall.
One of the major toxins produced by yeast is acetic aldehyde, through conversion by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. Its multiple effects can be devastating. It is converted by the liver into alcohol, depleting the body of magnesium and potassium, reducing cell energy, and causing symptoms of intoxication, disorientation, dizziness, or mental confusion.
The ‘spaciness’ or ‘mental fog’, often described by , is one of the most frequent symptoms of candidiasis. Children along the autistic spectrum have behaviours that strongly resemble these symptoms. They may also have physical signs of yeast overgrowth that include a distinct ‘yeasty’ smell, and cravings for foods that yeast thrives on, such as sugars and carbohydrates, as well as a whitish coating of the tongue, diaper rash, and/or itching around the anus.

So there you go , now you can imagine what this must feel like for a 3 year old, that cant pin point and explain to us what he is feeling - please pray we can get rid of this for good!

Before we go:

happy birthday Dalene for today, hope you had a beautiful day with your wonderful husband and gorgeous girl! I pray the year ahead is fantastic for you in every way! May God Bless, guide, protect you and strengthen you! Stay the lovely person you are!

Dear Suzanne

Wishing you a lovely Birthday for today, sure you are celebrating tonight! Have fun and may the year ahead make all your dreams come true

PLEASE PRAY FOR MICHAEL WHO IS AWAITING SCAN RESULTS - HE IS A RETINOBLASTOMA WARRIOR - PLEASE PRAY THEY ARE CLEAR CLEAR

PLEASE PRAY FOR JED A BRAIN CANCER WARRIOR - HE HAS SCANS TOMMOROW , PLEASE PRAY THEY ARE IMPROVED AND EVEN SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF THE TUMOR

AS ALWAYS, PLEASE KEEP ALL THE WARRIORS, SURVIVORS AND ANGELS IN YOUR PRAYERS

Good night everyone,God Bless and love

Mark Samm Deqlan Logan

" FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU', DECLARES THE LORD.'PLANS TO PROSPER YOU AND NOT TO HARM YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU HOPE AND A FUTURE'

JEREMIAH 29;11

Well, thats it, Deqlans first term of school done! We recieved the most gorgeous works of art, a book created all about Deqlan and his adventures at school, as well as his Individual Education Programme.

At the beginning of the year Ash gave us Deqlans intended IEP for the term , on what she wanted to achieve with him. I am thrilled to report that most of the items were accomplished ! Ash goes on to say that she has hope for a great future for Deqlan and that he has exceeded expectations for ' neuro typical ' 3 year olds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We couldnt be more delighted, more proud, more grateful, more elated with his wonderful report - i look very forward to sharing it with those of you who would like to see it! Will try and see what i can get on the blog for you to enjoy!

They even had the Easter bunny visit today and a Birthday party for Ash and Florie!!! Happy birthday to two very special ladies, thank you for all you do for Deqlan and for all the love and care and dedication and patience and potential you see in our Deqlan and all the other boys you love and look after!

So , here starts Easter Holidays, its going to be awesome to have Deqlan with us all day every day , but i think he is definitely going to miss his beloved Little Leaps these 3 weeks, Ash, Candice, Florie, Caroline and all his buddies, especially Tebogo, his new BFF.

Tebogo is 6 and has Aspergers - he is a delightful boy, such beautiful manners , so friendly. He loves WWE - like as in the wrestlers - so guess what Deqlans new words are ' WWE - SUPERSTARS"

Guess what Tebogo has started doing ? ' 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLAST OFF!!!' I wonder who he couldve gotten that from ha ha ha ha ha

So lovely to see this relationship developing!

If you recall Deqlan wasnt 100% well last week - well, the last two nights, esp last night he has been so so frustrated - he has been taking our hand to his head as if to show us its sore - he doesnt want to eat, just drink and drink...the doctor visit we had at ten last night didnt satisfy as with an answer us to why Deqlan was continuously crying- so off we went to our trusted regular doctor this morning who confirmed our suspicsions of a sinus infection. So we have Deqlan on antibiotics and cortisone and and and , and hopefully he will start eating and feeling much better soon!

Dada and Uncle Conrad and Uncle Ivan are away for the weekend so i am sure alot of ours will be spent with Grandpa and Nanna and Meggie and Keaton, which we are looking very forward to. I do think Deqlan is going to start asking for Dada any moment and i hope he is happy with just Mama and him this weekend! Hope you all enjoy the break away, have an awesome time boys and be good!!!

Oh yes, great news for my Grandad, it seems that the prostate cancer hasnt spread anywhere else, Praise Our Lord, which is a great surprise to the doctors and an anwer to our prayers , thank You Lord - we will hear in the next few weeks about the game plan, but a definite hip replacement is in the cards to...

Have a great weekend everyone, please continue the prayers for Deqlan and for him to feel better and get over this infection and for all the cancer warriors, angels and survivors around the world

God Bless, lots of love
Mark Samm Deqlan Logan
SACRED HEART OF JESUS, WE PLACE OUR TRUST IN THEE ALL FOR THEE OH LORD, OH MY JESUS ALL FOR THEE