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Daber
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27 Feb 2015, 12:48 pm

My son has terrible brain fog. He states that it is so bad that even his vision seems foggy. His vision tests fine. We recently started neurofeeback and twice after sessions, he said that he was clear headed and even his vision was crisp. Unfortunately, that clarity lasted only a short time and has not returned after more sessions.

His concentration is so bad that he cannot seem to focus on a chapter in a text, writing takes hours. School work is hard.

We have tried many stimulant medications without much success. They seem to make him more "in his head" and overfocused on internal distractions.

I am not sure that internal distractions are the same as obsessions, but I recently read that Prozac can help with obsessive thinking. Any thoughts if this would help lift brain fog?

Also, it has been suggested that we try risperidahl for more flexible thinking. I have been avoiding that. It seems like a serious medicine for concentration issues. It kind of scares me.



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27 Feb 2015, 1:34 pm

I seriously doubt that Prozac or risperdal would help with brain fog. It is much more likely that it would contribute to it. (And I take serious medication myself, including an antipsychotic, so I'm not against them altogether. I just think they don't help with brain fog.)

I have brain fog frequently also. I don't attribute it to ASD though, but lifestyle. Besides continuing the biofeedback that seems to be helping (and I'd assume it will only continue to get better as he gets stronger at controlling his own brain), try aerobic exercise, low glycemic clean diet, and friendly shocks to the system. By shocks I mean things like warm water alternating with very cold water in the shower...things like that.

Vigorous exercise is what helps me the most.


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So you know who just said that:
I am female, I am married
I have two children (one AS and one NT)
I have been diagnosed with Aspergers and MERLD
I have significant chronic medical conditions as well


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27 Feb 2015, 1:43 pm

Oh, and for the shocks, it should be something he chooses and is okay with. You want to stimulate adrenaline, but not do an activity that's so upsetting that it's distracting.

I do the shower hung, but first I decide what I want to be working on when I get out. I focus on that, get the "shocks" done and get it and I'm ready to work with more of brain engaged.

If you doubt the friendly shock idea, don't do it. But, I have found it very useful and it's one of the only things that works in a really short time span.


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So you know who just said that:
I am female, I am married
I have two children (one AS and one NT)
I have been diagnosed with Aspergers and MERLD
I have significant chronic medical conditions as well


Daber
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27 Feb 2015, 3:15 pm

Thanks,

I thought brain fog and lack of concentration was a part of aspergers. My mistake, when I looked through the old posts for brain fog, it looks like many do not have brain fog. Do any medications help you with the brain fog?

I am not sure the neurofeedback is doing anything at all. Those moments of clarity were after the first and the third session. He has now had 18 sessions and I really do not see any changes at all.



Logston
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27 Feb 2015, 4:14 pm

Any way it's related to food sensitivities?



btbnnyr
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27 Feb 2015, 9:37 pm

Does he have a special interest that he is able to focus on?


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Daber
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01 Mar 2015, 8:56 am

I don't know about food sensitivities. I am not sure he would cooperate with an elimination diet.

I am not sure that he has any special interests other than certain TV shows. He does maladaptive daydreaming and paces and creates stories in his head. This internal distraction seems to be what hinders him the most. That and executive function issues.

We took him for diagnosis when he was 13, the doctor was on the fence, and decided not to give him that evaluation. A psychologist recently disagreed and said he thinks so.



btbnnyr
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01 Mar 2015, 2:01 pm

What about ADHD?
Did he get assessed for it?
With lack of focus, daydreaming, and EF being his biggest problems, it seems like he should get assessed for ADHD.


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Daber
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01 Mar 2015, 8:44 pm

Well, adhd was always the only real diagnosis. But NO medication has ever helped with the brain fog. There is more going on than adhd.

Sensory sensitivities, processing problems, a tad a perfectionism. Cannot answer vague questions. The distractions are more internal like aspergers than external like adhd. Can be CAPD. Qwho knoes. But what to do about the brain fog.