top of page
Jul 23, 20225 min read

Dietary Supplements for Hypotonia & Healthy Brain Function for your Special Needs Child


I know we tend to try our best to give our kids good nutrition. That task is super hard when our kids have allergies or GI issues, maybe an intolerance or even sensory issues. Hypotonia has definitely give us a run for our money in terms of GI issues for Davie. Constipation has been his biggest battle since he was an infant. We focus on helping him in that area, and we also strive to incorporate good foods/supplements for his brain health. Good fats, bad fats, minerals, vitamins, OTC & Prescription remedies galore; we have certainly tried a good bit of it all. I want to delve into what has worked and, equally important, what has not worked for Davie. Constipation is still a constant struggle for us, though we are definitely at a much better place than we used to be. I honestly can't remember a time when he wasn't constipated. It got worse after we introduced solid foods, but if you understand hypotonia and what it does to the body then you know that every single thing is affected. The muscles, the gut; everything that aids in digestion is slowed down and makes it harder to process. Add in some dietary quirks and that can be a disaster for potty time. So a few years ago I started incorporating some natural minerals and vitamins to help Davie in this area. His doc had prescribed MiraLAX before I knew much about it, and that was our go-to remedy. Soon after giving MiraLAX, I started noticing behavioral changes. The more I gave, the more side effects I began to see. For Davie, it was high-pitched screaming and grabbing his head in a panic. At first I thought this was completely separate, but I started monitoring him and he would only do this directly after MiraLAX. Now I won't go into PEG and the ingredients, but for us it was a hard NO after seeing this repetitive side effect in him. For more information, there is a facebook group called Parents Against MiraLAX that has similar stories to what I just described. So...I set out to find something more natural for Davie. I tried many suggestions from certain groups I follow and they all stemmed around magnesium. One of my favorites is Mag-Go-Kids. I get it off of Amazon. We have also tried many other forms of magnesium with some luck. I honestly think genetics and such make each individual product work or not work for every person. Salt baths are a good help as well. I make sure to give 2-3 salt baths a week. Enzymes have been helpful off and on. I alternate between two different kinds that I get off Amazon. Always watch the ingredients for allergens before you give to your kiddos. Pro-tip for enzymes...if you have to give it in their food, don't mix it in the entire meal. The stuff can turn your child's meal into water, and that's not easy when you're spoon feeding!


L-Carnitine. I actually requested this from Davie's doc after doing some research on it. I found that lots of kids with hypotonia have low Carnitine levels. She was more than willing to prescribe it for him, though you can also get it online from supplement websites. I do believe it has helped him, especially when he was younger and had much less endurance than he has now. He is more mobile now with lots more natural energy so I don't give it as much as I used to.


Minerals. This was huge for Dave! When Davie's teeth erupted they were grey and brittle. We attributed that to his oral steroid use or maybe it was just another side affect of him being a medical mystery. Who knows! But consistent mineral supplementation had his teeth white and stronger in no time. I will add that Davie presses and grinds his teeth and he definitely got to his top two teeth before there was any saving them...but what is left of them are white and they are still remineralizing. I always tell people to try minerals if they feel like their child is missing something in their diet. Get a good liquid brand and start there. Healthy Fats. After Davie's Brain MRI, I did a ridiculous amount of research on white and grey matter in the brain. I highly recommend researching this area if you have a special needs child with hypotonia or autism or anything that can be related to neurological damage or inflammation. So Davie's brain seems to be ok other than an underdeveloped portion of his cerebellum. However, it was noted that his white matter wasn't as pronounced as it could be. Fats are crucial to elements of matter in the brain. I tried numerous types from infant to children's flavored fish oil. I even purchased capsules and split them into his food. My favorite to date is Nordic Naturals Children's DHA. Just read the reviews from parents who religiously supplement with good fish oil. I saw a change in Davie within days. Healthy fats create better pathways for nerves. His reaction time and thinking skills made a big turn. I will always supplement in this area!


Protein. Now I will say I'm not a big fan of protein supplements, but seeing as Davie struggles in this area I have tried a few here and there. I have found that most all protein powders for children are filled with chemicals and sugar. Even the ones that taught being gluten free or sugar free have additives that just aren't safe in my opinion. So I try to get creative with protein intake for him. He can eat peanut butter and some beans/peas in small amounts. He also eats oatmeal. I would love to give him beef or chicken, but that leads us right back to the constipation problem as mentioned above. Milk is also a big struggle bus for Davie. We have tried whole milk, organic milk, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk and pea milk. You'd think out of all that we'd find something, but nothing seemed to work for him. Even the milks with lower protein content were still constipating him. After researching, I realized that the added calcium is a huge problem for lots of kids. Added calcium, especially calcium carbonate can be very constipating. So just beware if you're looking for milk alternatives. If I feel like he needs more protein I will supplement with a cleaner protein powder, but I don't use it regularly and I stay away from the ones aimed for kids. I have found that some dairy free yogurts are ok, but we have to use them sparingly.

Please note that I am NOT a medical doctor. I use what works for my child. If any of these supplements sound worthy of giving a try, here are a few links to my favorites: Children's DHA


Comments

Neal_32.jpg

Hi, thanks for stopping by!

Have a child like Davie?  Or a similar story or event?  Don't hesitate to share with me!  I'm always looking and searching for children and adults similar to Davie that share the same obstacles that he does.  Feeding, therapy, behavioral, parenting...all of it!  

Let the posts
come to you.

Thanks for submitting!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
bottom of page