When Language Still Isn’t Improving: The Missing Link Most Parents Never Hear About

Abnormal Electrical Activity in Autism and When to Get a 24-Hour EEG.

If you read Part 1 of this series Supporting Language During Detox, you know which supplements and diets are most effective at improving language. You even know what to expect in the first 10 rounds of chelation.

But what if you did all of that…
and language still isn’t coming?
Or worse… what if your child said a few new words and then lost them?

If that’s happening, you are not alone — and you are not imagining it.
This Part 2 guide explains the biggest, most overlooked reason language doesn’t improve with detox alone:

Abnormal electrical activity in the brain (EA = Electrical Abnormalities).

And if you’ve never heard of it — don’t worry most parents haven’t.
Many pediatricians don’t mention it and therapists rarely talk about it.

But once you understand EAs, everything suddenly makes sense.

Let’s walk through the signs, the science, the real-life examples, and what to do next.

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The Truth No One Tells Parents: Language Should NOT Take Years to Improve

After helping hundreds of parents complete thousands of rounds of chelation, here’s the pattern:

If language is going to improve because of detox, you see early sparks within 10 rounds.

Not full sentences or overnight miracles.

But something for example:

• new sounds
• attempts to imitate
• more babbling
• increased engagement
• more vocal play
• better receptive language

These “green shoots” show that detox is lowering the interference enough for the brain to try language.

So what does it mean when:

• nothing changes after 10 rounds, or
• you see a few new words… and then lose them, or
• every good week is followed by a crash to baseline?

It means chelation is working —
but something else is overriding the progress.

And that “something else” is most often abnormal electrical activity.

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What Are Electrical Abnormalities (EA)?

Here’s the simplest explanation:

EA is seizure-like misfiring in the brain that never turns into full seizures but still disrupts language, learning, behavior, sleep, and processing.

It does not look like the seizures you see on TV.
There is no shaking or collapsing. In fact there are no obvious external signs at all.

In fact, many kids with EA have zero visible seizures, yet their EEG shows electrical patterns that interfere with communication and development.

This matches the medical literature too:

✔ A major study found that 91 percent of children with abnormal EEG discharges had speech and language disorders.
✔ Only a small percentage had visible seizures.

Parents miss it.
Doctors miss it.
Schools miss it.
And kids struggle unnecessarily.

But once you know what to look for, the signs become unmistakable.

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The Signs of Abnormal Electrical Activity (EA)

These patterns are so reliable I can often spot EA without ever meeting the child.

Here are the major signs — explained in parent-friendly language.

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1. No Language Improvement After 10–12 Rounds of Chelation

This is the biggest red flag.

If detox were the only barrier, some language movement would have shown up by now.

When nothing changes, it usually means:

• the brain is trying
• but EA patterns are blocking the signals

Chelation is still helpful—but EA needs to be addressed for language to fully unlock.

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2. Peekaboo Language

Words or progress appear… then disappear completely.

This is one of the defining signs of EA.

• Your child says “ball” for the first time.
• The next day they say it again.
• You celebrate.
• And then…
  It’s gone.

It differs from the normal peek-a-boo gains we see in chelation. In chelation, a new skill comes and goes before it finally stays forever. In EA the words don’t come back again.

Days go by. Weeks.
The progress disappears—not reduced, not inconsistent—gone.

This appear-vanish pattern is not normal for detox kids.
It is classic EA.

Why?

Because EA interferes with memory consolidation—the brain cannot “hold” new skills.

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3. The “Spark and Crash” Response to New Interventions

This one fools almost everyone.

Your child tries something new:

• a diet
• a supplement
• a therapy
• a detox protocol

And for the first 2–3 days, you see WILD progress.

You think:
“Finally! This is it!”

And then…
everything goes back to baseline.

Not slowly or subtly, but sharply. There one day and gone the next. the pattern is the same with every new intervention you try.

This is another hallmark of EA:

• the brain fires correctly for a short burst
• then misfires again
• and the skill is lost

Parents often spend YEARS chasing these “good first days” over and over without realizing the underlying cause.

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4. Overnight Regression

If new skills are gained during the day but lost after sleep, that strongly suggests nighttime electrical activity.

This is why a standard 20-minute EEG is usually useless—it misses nighttime patterns.

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5. Subtle Absence Episodes or Staring Spells

Even if they’re brief or inconsistent, these are meaningful.

Research shows 64 percent of children with discharges had subtle staring episodes once parents were asked structured questions. In Absence episode a child stares off and you can’t get their attention or pull them out of it. Once over it’s like it never happened, your child just lost time.

These can be difficult to see because they can last for as little a seconds. They can even be happening during sleep.

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Why EA Blocks Language (The Simplest Explanation Possible)

Language requires:

• stable neural firing
• consistent memory consolidation
• uninterrupted communication between brain regions

EA disrupts these.

Think of it like static on a radio:

• the words are there
• the brain is trying
• but the message gets “scrambled”
• nothing sticks

So the child:

• can’t hold onto new vocabulary
• struggles to retrieve words
• loses progress at night
• can’t build on skills
• hits plateaus that last months or years

Chelation helps by lowering the toxic load. However, if EA is present, the brain still can’t stabilize enough to form language.

This is why EA must be addressed for a subset of kids.

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Real Story: The Mom Who Lost and Found Language

A mom in my program told me:

“Rounds 1–3 were amazing. He tried new sounds. He started babbling again. He even said ‘up.’

By round 5… nothing. Everything disappeared. I thought I ruined him.”

She didn’t ruin anything. After we talked about exactly what she saw it became clear that his brain was misfiring at night.

The first weekend of chelation pushed the brain enough to fire correctly, so she saw language.

Then the EA pattern “pulled” him back.

After a 24-hour EEG and a low-dose EA medication, his language stabilized. From there, each round of detox built on the previous one.

This is what happens when you address the real barrier.

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You Need the RIGHT EEG: A 24-Hour EEG (Not a 20-Minute One)

This is one of the most important things in the entire guide.

A 20-minute EEG misses 80–90 percent of abnormal patterns.

Why?

• Many discharges happen during sleep
• Some only appear during transitions
• Some appear only intermittently
• Kids may not misfire during the appointment window

This is why so many parents hear:
“Everything looks normal,”
and walk away with no answers.

Only a 24-hour EEG reliably catches the patterns associated with:

• language regression
• developmental plateaus
• attention issues
• sleep disturbances
• behavioral swings

If possible, ask for:

• a 24-hour ambulatory EEG
• with sleep included
• and a full written interpretation

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What the EEG Report May Say (Even If the Doctor Says It’s “Normal”)

Doctors often report EEGs as “normal” unless there are obvious spikes or full seizure activity. What they mean is ‘normal for a child with developmental delays’.

Every child with developmental issues DOES NOT have EA. So even though they say it’s “normal” you can read the signs yourself in the interpretive report.

It may include phrases like:

• “Diffuse slowing”
• “Abnormal background activity”
• “Multifocal discharges”
• “Abnormal alpha rhythm”
• “Beta asymmetry”
• “Requires clinical correlation”

These are meaningful, they matter.
And these absolutely can affect language.

If you see ANYTHING in the report that is not “completely normal background,” you should follow up with a neurologist. You can discuss doing a trial of AEDs for language.

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How Anti-Epileptic Drugs (AEDs) Can Help Children With Language Delays

Not every child needs medication.
But when EA is significant and blocking development of language, medication can be transformative.

This is not about giving your child a drug “just in case.”
This is about responding to clear, measurable neurological misfiring.

The research I linked earlier found:

70 percent of children improved within ONE CLINIC VISIT after starting EA medication.

Improvements included:

• expressive language
• receptive language
• attention
• behavior
• sleep
• memory
• processing

That is a massive response rate. Not only that but they are measurable responses. You aren’t relying on feelings, but clear observation of new sounds and meeting language milestones.

Which medications have this potential?

Here are the most commonly used ones in practice:

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1. Valproic Acid (Depakote)

Strongest evidence base for language-impacting discharges.

Pros:

• broad-spectrum
• effective for nighttime discharges
• used in many EA-responsive kids

Cons:

• requires liver monitoring
• can affect folate pathways

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2. Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Very effective for generalized discharges and subtle EEG abnormalities.

Pros:

• high language response
• well tolerated
• supports mood

Cons:

• must be increased slowly
• watch for rashes

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3. Levetiracetam (Keppra)

Some kids do extremely well.
Some do terribly.

Pros:

• effective for many seizure types
• widely available

Cons:

• can cause irritability or aggression in a subset
• Consider adding B6

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4. Gabapentin

Gentle and safe but not effective for most seizure types.
Sometimes used when parents are nervous about stronger meds.

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How to Work With a Neurologist (Scripts + Tips)

Many parents feel intimidated at EEG appointments or unsure how to advocate.

Here is a simple, confident script you can use:

When requesting the EEG:

“My child has language delays and developmental regression patterns consistent with abnormal electrical activity. We are specifically requesting a 24-hour EEG with sleep included because short EEGs miss nighttime discharges.”

If the neurologist dismisses your concerns:

“There’s emerging evidence that subclinical discharges can significantly impact language even without visible seizures. We would like to rule this out with the appropriate testing.”

If the doctor says the EEG is normal but the report says otherwise:

“I see the report mentions abnormal background activity. Can you please explain how that relates to cognition and language pathways?”

You are not being difficult.
You are advocating effectively.

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Can You Continue Chelation if Your Child Has EA?

Yes—once your child has started AEDs you can restart ACC.

Chelation does NOT cause seizures — but it can lower the threshold in a child who already has electrical instability.

So the rule is:

1. Identify EA
2. Stabilize with medication if needed
3. Resume chelation at a comfortable pace
4. Monitor with your neurologist

Many kids make more language progress on chelation once EA is under control.

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Practical Tips for Parents Navigating EA

1. Track behavior morning vs evening

EA kids often lose progress after sleep.

2. Film short episodes of staring or zoning out

Neurologists often take these seriously.

3. Keep a regression log

Note when and how skills disappear.

4. Bring the study with you

Physicians respond well to published data. [download it here]

5. Trust your gut

Parents are usually right when something feels “off.”

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When to Move to EA Evaluation: Simple Rule

If your child:

• is 10+ rounds into chelation
  AND
• has no language progress
  OR
• shows peekaboo language
  OR
• loses skills overnight
  OR
• improves for 1–3 days and then crashes

…it is time for a 24-hour EEG.

No waiting.
No “let’s see.”
No “maybe after six more months.”

Your child’s brain is developing NOW.
Language circuits are wiring NOW.
Do not lose time.

You’re not being dramatic.
You’re being thorough.

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Get Clear — EA-Aware Supplement Strategy

If you’re reading this and thinking:

“This might be my child… but I don’t know where to start.”

I can help.

In a Get Clear: Supplement Strategy Session, we will:

• Review your child’s language plateau
• Identify EA red flags
• Build a supplement plan that considers electrical stability
• Determine what to try before or after EEG
• Clarify your next 30–60 days of action
• Remove the guesswork and overwhelm
• Discuss ways to approach your child’s doctor about getting a trial of AEDs

Language progress is possible.
You just need the right map.

You do not have to navigate this alone.