DESCRIPTION
Autism is a brain development disorder that first appears in early childhood, usually before the age of three. The first noticeable symptoms of autism are problems with social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communications, unusual repetitive motions and behaviors, and limited activities and obsessive interests. Autistic children are withdrawn, do not respond to their names, avoid contact with other people and are unable to read social cues and develop empathy towards other people. More severe symptoms include antisocial behavior, self abusive behavior, reduced sensitivity to pain, and elevated sensitivities to sensory stimulation. Developmental retardation extends to delayed toilet training and inhibited or non existent language skills. Some parents have described the children's behavior as if they were in an invisible world.
Between 3 and 6 children per thousand are autistic. It is more common in boys than in girls. At birth the child behaves normally and then observably withdraws and becomes indifferent to social interaction. The parents are the first ones to notice autistic behavior.
Autism is caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors. There's strong evidence of a genetic link in Autism. There's a greater likelihood of autism in a newborn in families that have a history of autism. Specific genetic markers have yet to be discovered. There is also an indication that Autism could be the result of a birth defect, which somehow inhibits the proper growth of seratonin receptors in the brain.
There is strong anecdotal evidence about environmental factors and autism. Vaccines, specifically the MMR vaccine and its precipitation of intestinal problems, could be a cause. Another possibility is that mercury based compounds, used as a preservative in some vaccines, could contribute to autism. Research has shown that some newborns have very severe food and environmental allergies that could result in a reaction causing autistic behavior. Food additives, including food coloring, has been thought to be a factor. More likely is a broad spectrum of moderate to severe food and environmental allergies which, together, cause such a severe reaction that the young child becomes severely disabled, or autistic. Dietary testing and observation, lasting days, has isolated allergic reactions to foods such as wheat, oats, and fruit. It has been thought that sugar has a connection. The food allergy-autism connection has been termed disordered carbohydrate metabolism of hyperglycemia.
TREATMENT
The brain has specific nutritional requirements. Mental diseases have been associated with low levels of some vitamins including thiamine (vitamin B1), nicotinic acid (vitamin B3), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), cobalamin (vitamin B12), biotin, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and folic acid. Changes in other biochemical levels, like glutamic acid, an amino acid, for example, can alter the mental state. Supplementation of all of the above is recommended as a first line therapy for autism. Cholesterol is necessary for proper brain development in the fetus and in the newborn. Research has indicated that daily supplementation in cholesterol-deprived autistic patients can help.
Recently it's been discovered that the markers for the yeast infection, candida albicans, are noticeably high in autistic children. Treating specifically for candida, however, has not yet been documented to cause remission of autistic symptoms.
Allergies are exaggerated reactions to living organisms or a foreign substance. Allergies can be highly specific. A person can have a reaction to one substance and not to another closely related substance.
Specifically, food allergies have been thought to play an important role in autism. Types of foods thought to trigger an autistic reaction include gluten, certain proteins, such as casein, (common in almost all cheeses), and sugars. To test for food allergies, we recommend experimentation; eliminating food groups from the diet for days at a time, noting reaction, and then trying another. Testing under medical supervision could be helpful in testing for food allergies as scientific indicators in the blood and urine could be monitored. Testing has shown that some autistic children have extreme reactions to miniscule exposure to some foods. After eating an apple or other fruit it's been observed that the autistic child's blood sugar spike to 400mg; far above the norm of 160 after a whole meal. There is for certain a dietary connection between diet and autism; specific research in this area has lagged.
Pharmaceuticals prescribed for Autism include antidepressants, antipsychotics and stimulants.
Melatonin is another supplement that should be considered in treating Autism. Deficits in melatonin have been documented in Autistic Children. Melatonin supplementation has produced improvement. The reason for the improvement is not known, but may be a combination of better sleep patterns, better control of biological rhythms, and the high antioxidant effects of melatonin.
SOURCES
"NINDS Autism Facts" National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD 2008
Millward C, Ferriter M, Calver S, Connell-Jones G. "Gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic spectrum disorder" Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Apr 16;(2):CD003498. Review. PMID: 18425890
Rogers SJ, Vismara LA. "Evidence-based comprehensive treatments for early autism" J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2008 Jan;37(1):8-38.
PMID: 18444052
Aneja A, Tierney E. Autism: the role of cholesterol in treatment.
Int Rev Psychiatry. 2008 Apr;20(2):165-70. PMID: 18386207
Panskepp, Jaak "Comparative Approaches in Evolutionary Psychology:
Molecular Neuroscience Meets the Mind" Human Ethology & Evolutionary Psychology, Vol. 23, Suppl. 4, Dec. 2002
Philpott, M.D., W.H. & Kalita, Ph.D., D.W. "Brain Allergies"
Keats Publishing, Chicago 2000
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