Testing the Alleged 'Sanity' Supplement

     After several months of journaling Jarod's food choices, and threatening to take up his video games if he doesn't taste at least one new food for me every week, I noticedthat he gravitates toward things that have tryptophan in them, mostly chicken, dairy and carbs.That, in combination with his sensory testing, got me looking into tryptophan supplements.

I've heard good things and bad things about tryptophan supplements. For one thing, they can monkey-up your liver enzymes in some pretty nasty ways if you overdo them. Also, the good otc ones tend to be pretty expensive. After some deep soul-searching and enough research to satisfy me that this might actually be helpful with the low risk factor I demand, I decided to give one of these supplements a try. The one we're using is also loaded with liquid B-complex, which toned Jarod's nasal allergies down a bit and got rid of the bad sniffle he's had for a month. It also increased his appetite, which is super. :) His Summer school teacher and his aid have bragged on him for being unusually reasonable and focussed for Jarod, which was the main thing I was hoping for, and after taking the stuff with him for a month, (something I wouldn't be able to do with prescription meds,) I am feeling sleepy, which is to be expected.  Jarod, however is as lively as ever, but noticeably better tuned-in. It seems like the med soothes that overstimulated nervous system just enough to give him a foothold. 

     We have one more week of Summer school. I plan to continue the supplement until the end of school, then try him for a month without it. It's possible these improvements are only a result of the growth spurt he's just hit. That would certainly be easier on my pocket book, but if it turns out that the stuff really is that comforting for him, well, it's cheaper than ADD meds, and won't overstimulate him into a psychotic seizure.