Apparently Agape means love.

I was not familiar with the word until I bought a bottle of this amazing vitamin for Kyle. I had been told by a couple of sources, including one of Kyle's doctors, that it could be helpful for Kyle. It also meant we could eliminate part of the handful of supplements he takes with each meal.

I have written about Kyle's debilitating cycles. Beginning in July of 2010, he began having cycles of agitation/anxiety so severe they completely shut him down for 10 days, sometimes more. He was housebound and quality of life was severely impacted. Out of respect, I don't go into the details. These cycles made an appearance every 14 days give or take a day or two. They came regularly by the calendar, often by the moon cycle.

We have battled these on and off since he was 11. We have never been able to find a medication which has a significant impact. It has been the "alternative" stuff that has seemed to make a difference. Up until July of 2010, he had not had one for five years. We were surprised, when for no apparent reason, they reappeared.

During the past two years we have played medication roulette and have experienced partial results (but not enough), lack of results or lack of results plus adverse affects. We've even had/have some of the best doctors including a thorough work up at Mayo Clinic.

About three months ago, we were at a fork in the road. Which intervention should we try next? Having just finished weaning off a drug which produced adverse affects, I was not quite ready for another one.

Welcome Agape.

The results were not immediate. I think Kyle had one more cycle before the change took place. In his history of success with "alternative" interventions, there was always one more cycle.

This time, we were just getting ready to add another alternative treatment because we didn't think the Agape was having an effect. Waiting for the other supplement to arrive, we realized he had already gone a few days past his "due" date. We decided to hold off on adding the other supplement.

"Each extra day is a gift." This quickly became our mantra. Five extra days was a plus 5 and on it went. As we got up into the 20's I began having trouble keeping track. We were celebrating each day and loving the fact that Kyle was truly living.

The days rolled by. Kyle continued to feel well. In fact, Kyle was not just feeling well, we were seeing "Kyle PLUS". He was doing new things, noticing new things, breaking out of familiar patterns on his own, and wanting to be engaged more than ever before. Most importantly he was/is very very happy. Hmmm, was all this an added bonus effect of Agape? Or just the upside of life and learning without regular interruption?  Perhaps some of both.

Monday marked two months that Kyle has been cycle free. We still see each extra day as a gift. We don't know what the next day will bring. After such a rough two years, I almost have to pinch myself to realize this is not a dream. This may sound dramatic but the intensity of the cycles compared to the peace within Kyle now, is truly amazing.

What's so special about Agape? Isn't it just a vitamin? I'm going to get a little scientific here. Thank goodness for copy and paste. If you want the full scoop go to: http://www.center4autism.org/agape/faq.html

Agape was developed by Cindy Schneider, MD here in Phoenix. Two of her children have autism.

Agape is a pleasant tasting liquid multivitamin designed for even the most sensitive individuals. Agape is free of gluten, dairy, corn, soy, food dyes, and artificial sweeteners. Agape is sold only in glass bottles, sweetened with Stevia and preserved with EDTA. This allows high level nutritional and mitochondrial support while avoiding reactions to plastic contaminants, food allergens, and harmful preservatives. Agape offers:

~~ Pure Ingredients in their most Biologically Active Forms

~~ Methylation Support To Enhance B12, Folic Acid And Glutathione Metabolism

~~ Mitochondrial Support For Optimal Neurological Support

~~No Sucralose, Fructose, Artificial Sweeteners, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Antimony, Or Food Dyes

~~Highly Absorbable, High Potency Formula That Addresses Common Nutritional Deficiencies

~~Support for Methylation Defects in Autism Spectrum Disorders - The Gene/Environment Interface

Apparently, methylation is very important. I have been trying to find a simple way to explain and understand it. The full scientific article is found here: http://www.center4autism.org/therapyMETH.asp

I've copied below a few key points from the article.

"It has become increasingly evident that individuals with autism have impairments in their capacity to methylate. Methylation reactions are those reactions in our metabolism that involve the transfer of a methyl group (a carbon with three hydrogens attached) from one compound to another. These reactions are required for many of the most vital pathways in our metabolism. The building or repair of every cell in our bodies requires methylation. The silencing of viral genes involves methylation. We must be able to methylate the dopamine receptor in order for it to bind with dopamine, transform lipid membranes, change the frequency of brain waves, and increase our attention. The coffee addict craves caffeine, a methyl donor, because it causes a burst in focus and attention. An alarmingly large percentage of our pediatric population has been placed on Ritalin (methylphenidate), a methyl donor, for the same reason. Messages are not transmitted along neurons accurately and efficiently unless the nerve is insulated with a substance called myelin, which cannot be produced without methylation. The most commonly known defect in myelination (the protection of nerves with myelin) is multiple sclerosis, a condition in which anti-myelin antibodies are made. Anti-myelin antibodies are frequently found in children with autism as well.

A person who is less able to methylate may present with inflammatory conditions such as eczema, colitis, asthma, or arthritis, as methylation is also required to produce glutathione, our body's primary antioxidant. Anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies are also common, as the production of serotonin, our anti-anxiety neurotransmitter, requires properly functioning methylation pathways. Serotonin then goes through a series of reactions including methylation and is converted to melatonin, the compound that allows us to fall asleep."

Some of my medical friends may be skeptical. But there are only two explanations. Kyle's cycles suddenly stopped on their own for no apparent reason. I suppose that's possible but seems unlikely as the pattern was so solid for so long. OR the Agape is having a positive impact.

Kyle takes his Agape twice a day and I'm not about to change a thing. He also takes a supplement of extra methylated folate in capsule form each morning as a booster since he's such a big guy. Agape is loaded with other  nutrition besides the folate.

The people who work with and love Kyle are amazed and delighted at the changes we've seen in him. Each extra day is still a gift. What a great stance toward life.