Fifth Grade Science

I can't help getting excited when Noah brings home things like this to study because I love science and all things related to it. I marvel at the absolute improbability that any of us walk and talk given the trillions of chances for it not to be so.

His test is today, so last night was quiz night. What is usually the end of the studying turned into an in depth discussion of cellular health...with my 5th grader. What was even more amazing was Noah's insights given just a rudimentary knowledge base were far more logical than most "traditional views" of Trisomy 21.

Here's the logic. The genes are encoded in the chromosomes. The chromosomes are housed in the nucleus. The nucleus give the "directions" or the "working orders" to the rest of the cell. Based on these directions, the mitochondria take in nutrients and convert it to energy - the powerhouse of the cell, literally giving life energy to all the structures. The vacuoles perform cellular "digestion" and waste removal. The cell membrane decides what to let in and what to let out as well as give structure to the cell. Every cell, every nanosecond, every tissue, of every organ, of every system (nerve, skin, brain, muscle etc.), of every day.

What happens to the "working orders" when there are extra genes encoded on that extra chromosome, on that 21st level of the double helix in that nucleus, in every cell of the body? We know what happens. "Down Syndrome." And if these incorrect "working orders" are given since the day of conception, without intervention, what will happen at age 5, 15, 25, 35? We know that too. All the "inevitabilities" of traditional views of Down Syndrome. 

The contention has always been, there is nothing you can do about the extra gene mutations encoded on the extra chromosome and the combinations / permutations are endless that's why some babies have heart problems and some don't, some have very "typical" physical features and some don't, etc. But what if there was a way to override the working orders moving forward? If the mitochondria for example, are not directed to convert things like folic acid and ubiquinon, why not do the work for it and give the mitochondria folinic acid and ubiquinol? There are thousands of these interrupted working orders to be discovered and corrected. 

And if we do, and if brain cells have healthier branches to synapse and make connections might there be better cognition? And if skin cells are stronger, might there be less eczema? And if muscle cells are healthier, might muscle tone and overall activity level be affected? And if white blood cells are healthier, might there be less infection? And all of this despite the extra chromosome? Most importantly, as asked by my 5th grader...Why don't doctors tell everyone with Down Syndrome to do this?

This approach seems infinitely more logical to me (and apparently Noah) than allowing a baby to grow and develop according to incorrect working orders until things like cognition, personality, health, early onset Alzheimer's, are seen in the first, second and third decade of life where traditional medicine thinks there is an opportunity to "fix" it by researching a new pill. I have said it many times, that pill very well may ultimately enhance cognition and health for example moving forward, but it can not ever undo the past 3 decades of incorrect development. Not to mention, the pill will be a laboratory concoction of chemicals designed to go into the brain's cells and do some chemical "rearranging." Does this sound like there may be risks?

Yet vitamins, nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants that occur in nature will not be supported by the AMA, APA, and NDSS, because of risk? An endocrinologist has no problem giving a child synthroid (a laboratory chemical to simulate thyroid hormone) for life to balance out thyroid function, but a trial of increased iodine, selenium and a few other nutrients is "risky?"

No one following this path has ever suggested that any and all consequences of the extra chromosome can be accounted for and alleviated. But there are enough of us around the world coincidentally doing the same things and getting the same results. Isn't that worth looking at? Science thinks because it gives a group of kids who are 10 years old vitamins for two months and at the end there is no significant difference that vitamin therapy does nothing. I agree, when used in that manner, it doesn't do anything - it never will. 

Until doctors are open to the possibility that every child following this path and getting good results are not just "lucky," "atypical," "high functioning," (or my favorite) "would have developed this way regardless," there will be no change. There are thousands of us around the globe - please look at us.