Testimonials About Reliv by Grace Ling

Glen & Reliv
(dated 3 Mar 06)

My second child of three children,
Glen, is 6 years old. He was diagnosed
as having PDDNOS* in Nov 05.


Before Reliv
Glen used to throw tantrums when he could not get his way. He would howl very loudly and struggle with my husband, Frank, and I. This was whether we were at home or in public places. We later learnt that this was because he was unable to verbalize his needs and wants. We had a lot of difficulty handling him, especially when he refused to do the things that we asked him to do, like changing his clothes, taking his bath, brushing his teeth, etc. It was a daily struggle for us and I often got depressed, not knowing how to go from there. He also had a compulsion to run non-stop for 15-20 minutes as if he had energies which he needed to use up or he would burst. I therefore had to use a wrist-strap sometimes when I bring him out.

Nightmares, hysterical cries, screams and shouts in the middle of the night from Glen were also common occurrences in our household. This often happened 2 or 3 times in a week. On other nights, Glen would wake up to look for his toys, or he would walk to the shoe rack to look for his shoes, or to arrange his books neatly in a row. It was almost like he was in a trance or sleepwalking!

Glen’s behavioral and sleep patterns were nothing like his older sibling’s or his many cousins’ or friends’ of around the same age. We were therefore puzzled and naturally troubled but not even his paediatrician could provide an explanation to this.

Another observation we made about Glen was that he was particular about foods and sensitive to certain types of food texture. He did not eat bread since he was a baby, like most babies would. He would simply shun and refuse to eat them. Bread had always to be toasted first before they could get into his mouth. He also did not like chairs or seats with fabric coverings and would rather stand, however long a time, and this was even on public transport.

In the same way that Glen hated his baths and washing his hair or the spray of the shower on him, he also hated water and swimming pools. Nothing could make him get even his toes wet! When the family went swimming, Glen would just run around the pool, which always drove my husband and I crazy!


With Reliv

Glen started taking Reliv in late Apr 05, when he was 5 years old. As he had an issue with his sense of taste, I started by giving him half scoop each of NOW and Innergize and once per day mixed with his milk. After some weeks, this was increased to one scoop each of NOW and Innergize once per day. Less than two months later, he actually asked to eat bread when he saw his baby brother eating! Now Glen is on one scoop each of NOW and Innergize, taking them twice a day. These days, Glen is more willing to try new types of food and soft ones too

Some time before Oct 05 (around 4 months after drinking Reliv), I noticed more changes in Glen. His tantrums reduced greatly. We could get him into his daily routine (brush teeth, change clothes) without having to physically struggle with him. Although we made visual cards for him as an aid to help him get into his daily routine, we ended up not having to use them much in the end. Of course Glen still has his moments where he fusses, but not to the same extent as the next child of the same age. He is calmer and listens and obeys more and does what we require him to do. He also does not run non-stop for long periods of time like he used to. In fact, when previously I almost lost him when he ran towards the MRT train track and there was an oncoming train, these days, I can safely let him walk around on his own on the train platform without having to hold his hand.

Glen has been having very good sleep ever since he started taking Reliv. His screams and cries in the nights are totally unheard of now.

Glen is still quiet in unfamiliar surroundings and among people he is not familiar with. But he speaks more now. He also sings songs he is familiar with and those he likes (for e.g songs from some of the children’s programmes on the TV channel, “Kids Central”) and he sings the Singapore National Anthem (and says the Singapore Pledge) or any songs he had learnt or heard in church. He also tells me what happens in school and sometimes even places his own orders of ice cream and french fries at Swensens outlets and approaches staff of fast-food outlets for balloons and serviettes…all by himself and occasionally without prompting from us.

I have heard him greet his friends and teachers when he sees them out of school hours. This was again something he never used to do. He also verbalizes his needs more often now by telling me what he would like to eat, and when he needs a drink. He says, “I love you, Mummy” so much more often these days, sometimes many times a day! My heart just melts when he says that.

I have received positive feedback from Glen’s swimming coach too. Glen started his swimming lessons in Feb06 and within a month, Jason commented that his progress in the pool was faster than the other children with special needs that he has coached! These days, I watch Glen put his head into the water to blow bubbles and to swim! Recently, he has even started to bathe himself. When I quietly watch him from outside the bathroom, I could tell he enjoys his bath.

These are such great milestones that Glen has made through the use of Reliv when previously I was resigned to and prepared to accept him for what he was, but Reliv had changed all that. I really wonder how life would be like if I had not been introduced to Reliv. Reliv has indeed given that flicker of hope and I now look forward to more positive changes in Glen.

I am so thankful to God for Reliv but more importantly, I thank God for Glen. Glen has made me a special Mum just by being special himself. I am proud of my son.


Grace Ling
Reliv Independent Distributor
Singapore
Mobile: +65-98735473


* Note: five disorders are identified under the category of Pervasive Developmental Disorders – autistic disorder and PDDNOS being two of them. All of the disorders that fall under the category of PDD share, to some extent, similar characteristics.


Yale Child Center – Developmental Disabilities Clinic http://info.med.yale.edu/chldstdy/autism/index.html
*What is the difference between autism and PDD or PDD-NOS?
Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is a category designated by the American Psychiatric Association to indicate children with delay or deviance in their social/language/motor and/or cognitive development. A child may have delays in social development and delays in one or more of the other categories. The profiles of children with a PDD can vary tremendously. PDD is not one disorder but a category that encompasses a wide range of delays of different magnitude in different domains. Autism is the most severe of the pervasive developmental disorders. Autism indicates a primary disturbance in the individual's ability to relate to others. Language delay and cognitive delays are also common.
PDD-NOS represents Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. This is a diagnosis given to a child who exhibits impairment in the development of reciprocal social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, or when stereotyped behavior or activities are present. However, the child does not meet the criteria for any specific pervasive developmental disorder.