E028 Splash Relieves GI Issues for Jeannie’s Child With Autism

Patient History: From birth, Mariah Nelson suffered from painful gastrointestinal issues. At only a few weeks old, she exhibited severe constipation that led to hospitalization. The gastrointestinal issues quickly escalated to include acute flu symptoms and excessive projectile vomiting.

At the same time, Mariah displayed no interest in eating and feeding her was an enormous challenge for her parents. The unwillingness to eat, in conjunction with the excessive projectile vomiting, led to Mariah’s dehydration. She was severely underweight and not receiving the proper nutrition that is critical for growth at her age.

Within her first two years, Mariah showed multiple signs of developmental delay, including an inability to speak. At age three, her physician diagnosed her with autism.

Nutritional Management and Outcome: Mariah’s physician prescribed several medications for her digestive disturbances, but she showed no improvement. Mariah’s mother, Jeannie, attempted numerous home remedies such as castor oil to help alleviate the constipation. Jeannie also tried feeding clinics and mashing up her daughter’s food in an attempt to make it more palatable, but Mariah continued to suffer. In fact, at one point, Mariah was hospitalized for severe flu symptoms three times within a five-month period.

The pediatrician prescribed reflux medication and recommended the family completely overhaul Mariah’s diet. Jeannie removed all casein and gluten from Mariah’s diet and substituted all dairy products with soy-based products. Mariah showed some improvement after the diet changes, but not enough. She was still vomiting several times per day.

When she was five years old, Mariah’s pediatrician referred the family to another pediatrician at the University of Minnesota. At this point, Mariah weighed less than 40 pounds.

The new pediatrician immediately recommended E028 Splash, an amino acid-based drink box for children with GI issues. Knowing Mariah’s feeding issues as well as the child’s sensitivity to taste and texture, the doctor recommend the Nelson family begin feeding the E028 Splash to Mariah with a syringe.

Within two days of starting the E028 Splash, Mariah was drinking on her own. Shortly after, she showed significant growth, weight gain and improved muscle tone.

Now seven years old, Mariah still does not speak because of her autism. However, because she is better nourished, she is stronger, healthier and has shown a dramatic improvement in her ability to pay attention. She no longer suffers from sever projectile vomiting or acute flu symptoms. Recent biopsies show that her gut has healed.

“Some days E028 Splash is all she will take,” says Jeannie. “She has no desire to eat, but she will go to the fridge and take out her cup with her E028. That is her preference over anything else she could choose.”

Summary: After years of suffering from painful gastrointestinal disorders, E028 Splash has dramatically improved the health of Mariah Nelson, an autistic seven-year-old. With the GI symptoms relieved, Mariah is now happier, healthier and displays a greatly improved ability to pay attention to her surroundings.