Our son Joshua was born in 2010, a happy and healthy 9 pounds. At the age of 2, he was a loving and sweet little boy who loved books, trains, puzzles and playing with his older siblings and friends. He was highly intelligent, speaking in clear four-word sentences. He was curious about the world and loved to learn.

At the age of four, Joshua began to decline in his social skills, becoming anxious, withdrawn and easily angered. He developed a stutter and had difficulty finding words to express himself. He often would not answer when spoken to and began exhibiting autism-like symptoms.

Within a year, Joshua began having facial twitches and became increasingly clumsy. His behavior became more impulsive and unpredictable, making it difficult for him to remain in school or even attend friends’ birthday parties. Fine motor tasks that were once easy became increasingly difficult. He was frustrated, and simple attempts to comfort him sparked aggressive verbal outbursts.

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