Children

[HeatherLst]

We found out today my daughter is APOE 4/4, like I am. She’s 14.

I’m curious, what lifestyle program would you set up for a child? I want to lightly tread that road between giving her the tools she needs to live a healthy life yet not scare the crap out of her about her future. She’s aware of my status, and has witnessed the changes I’ve made. We’ve talked a good bit about longevity and healthy living. But I haven’t told her her status yet, because I want to do this mindfully.

She is somewhat of a picky eater, but on the healthy side. She loves raw broccoli and carrots; devours fruits; doesn’t really like many meats. She does eat a lot of bread, mainly with jelly; and her standard breakfast is pancakes without syrup.

I’d think directing her toward the Mediterranean diet would be good. But I’m open to suggestions and thoughts. What would you have wanted to know at 14? If you could go back and erase the damage done, prevent it?




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[Stavia]

Hi Heather
I wouldnt do anything different to what all kids should do. Lots of love, building resilience. Excercise. Stress management. Fun activities. Building an ethical framework. Lifelong learning. Avoiding junk food and limiting processed food. Building a repertoire of interesting foods.
Her 4/4 status is only a tiny tiny part of what she is.

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[PBW]

I agree with Stavia 100%. My daughter (who is 35) considered herself a "carboterian"before college! Then slowly she began to eat more salads and fewer fast food carbo loaded meals and snacks. Because i couldn't resist eating some, I didn't have any of the normal snacks in my american home(sodas, chips, candy, cookies, processed foods) so both my children found those items elsewhere! Diet Coke was the most difficult item for her to give up. The role model of trying to shop and eat healthy was more important than the details. They are now young adults in there thirties and extremely mindful of exercise, nutrition and balance, the latter being the most difficult as they both run themselves ragged between work, work travel, fun travel and gatherings with friends. You know your daughter best and just like any other delicate issue in life you will offer her wise information when she asks and encourage her to engage in life with exuberance...

[HeatherLst]

I probably should clarify that we homeschool. She begins high school courses this fall, which includes health. We typically walk a mile or two every day to start school, but over the next two years we will be including courses on nutrition and overall health and fitness. I don’t want to scare her, but I do want to empower her to be in control of her health. So I thought I’d include good APOE 4/4 specific items in her overall health and wellness courses.


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[NF52]

Hi Heather,
I would just add to the wisdom of Stavia and the experience of PBW. I spent decades working with families whose children had "disabilities" (some invisible, some not), my advice always was "this is a child first, who happens to have some learning/physical/ emotional/differences. We are all far more than our "atypical" parts. Enjoy her as much as any child."
Having had a son who had 6 operations in his first five years (starting at one day old for an esophagus that ended before his stomach and ending with surgery on his aorta before kindergarten), we tried very hard to look at him as a healthy guy who happened to get pneumonia a lot, didn't sleep well, and had a smart brain. He's also a 3/4, but so what? He's healthy, lives an exciting life traveling the world and running his own business, and is less of a hypochondriac than I am.
Your daughter is decades away from what are presumed to be the earliest stages of changes in the brain (other than structural changes she may have been blessed with, which make her who she is). The science around the best lifestyle interventions for 4/4s is likely to undergo some fine-tuning--or major adjustments in medical circles-- before she's an adult.
You may want to think about waiting until she's 18 or older, and then let her make the decision about whether she wants to test for her genetic risk of AD, or any other condition. (My youngest son is thrilled to know I didn't inherit a likelihood for the bald head my dad got at age 27. At age 29, I think he's more relieved about keeping his hair, than any concern he had about the risk of AD he saw in grandmothers in their 80's!)

[KellyS]

Hi, Heather, I'm a homeschooling mom as well, my son has autism. He has recovered quite well in the past few years, but I know that even to this day he would not comprehend something this deep. It sounds to me as if you are handling it the best way possible, my friend. I love what Stavia said - this was so beautiful: "her 4/4 status is just a tiny part of whom she is.". That reminds me so much of a time when my son was small, and his autism was so much more profound, and a friend said to me, "his autism does not reflect nor define him, he is not *autistic*; he is a child with autism.". I don't know if any of this makes sense, or even helps, but there it is!

Much love to you and your daughter.

[HeatherLst]

Hi, Heather, I'm a homeschooling mom as well, my son has autism. He has recovered quite well in the past few years, but I know that even to this day he would not comprehend something this deep. It sounds to me as if you are handling it the best way possible, my friend. I love what Stavia said - this was so beautiful: "her 4/4 status is just a tiny part of whom she is.". That reminds me so much of a time when my son was small, and his autism was so much more profound, and a friend said to me, "his autism does not reflect nor define him, he is not *autistic*; he is a child with autism.". I don't know if any of this makes sense, or even helps, but there it is!

Much love to you and your daughter.

I love that! My oldest is on the spectrum; my daughter has dyslexia. We’ve never let these things define us! Everyone has SOMETHING—anxiety, adhd, autism, dyslexia, bad at math, etc. Our brains all function differently, and it’s important to find how your brain learns best and to give it what it needs to shine! We aren’t afraid of labels around here, because they’re not who we are. We decide who we are through our choices and our actions every single day, and live out our strengths.

I love how positive everyone is around here!


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[KellyS]

Always gives me such a warm feeling to find a kindred spirit! =).

[NF52]

I often think our children are the greatest sources of our learning. We are all on one spectrum or another. That’s why the rainbow is such a great emblem of those on the autism spectrum!
Hugs to two terrific moms.

[WhatNext]

Hi Heather
I wouldnt do anything different to what all kids should do. Lots of love, building resilience. Excercise. Stress management. Fun activities. Building an ethical framework. Lifelong learning. Avoiding junk food and limiting processed food. Building a repertoire of interesting foods.
Her 4/4 status is only a tiny tiny part of what she is.

Bravo Stavia! It's hard enough to be 14. By the time she reaches the age at which onset might occur there will be a cure.
What Next