Autism on the Rise

Autism: On the rise, but not without help!Autism is a
neurodevelopmental disorder that usually affects children before the
age of 3. These children usually have trouble with social interaction,
altered communication skills and usually become isolated due to their
repetitious interests. Forms of autism can vary in severity. A popular
example comes from the Tom Cruise movie, Rainman, where his brother,
Dustin Hoffman played an autistic adult. Since the 1990's, according
to the National Autism Association, Autism is on the rise. The Center
for Disease Control estimates that 1/150 children are diagnosed with a
form of autistic behavior. The causes vary from genetic traits, to
abnormal blood vessel function, to the increasing popular theory that
vaccinations, including the DPT, and more importantly the MMR
vaccination was partly to blame. Studies performed by Dr. Andrew
Wakefield and researcher, Dr. V.K. Singh both have produced results
implicating the MMR vaccine to increased rates of autism. While the
research volume on causation theories is very high, the purpose of
this article will shed light on potential treatments that have been
found to be very effective in improving the lives of autistic
children.The first step according to the national autism association
is to find a doctor, or stable of doctors that have experience with
autism. A team of physicians and experts including allopathic, or
traditional doctors, chiropractic, and naturopathic practitioners are
the most popular forms of treatment for this disorder. The physicians
should run diagnostic tests to see what deficiencies the patient has.
For example, an Organic Acid test can help detect the presence of
yeast or bacterial overgrowth in the patient's stomach. Again,
according to the National Autism Association, an overgrowth or change
in the normal environment of the stomach can increase "confusion,
hyperactivity, short attention span, irritability, and aggression" in
autistic children. Antibiotics are normally not recommended for
infections if this is occurring, because it will destroy the good
bacteria in the stomach. A naturopath, chiropractor or traditional
doctor can recommend probiotics, which is a supplement of good
bacteria to change the stomach environment. Analysis can also occur
with blood or hair analysis. Hair analysis is usually recommended for
children under 6 because of the emotional influence that blood
withdrawal causes. Vitamin Diagnostics is a lab that the National
Autistic Association recommends for testing to assess the needs of a
particular individual. Remember, all patients will have different
results and different needs, and the navigation for treatment is
difficult, because the treatment is not concrete or the same for
everyone.Another important change is gluten free-casein free diet.
Gluten can be found in toothpaste, play dough and hidden in many
foods. A large percentage of autistic children will respond favorably
to this change in diet. Again, back to the diagnostic testing. Your
vitamin and mineral supplementation should be directly related to the
deficiencies found in the lab results. Omega fatty acids, garlic, iron
and Vitamin B-6 are among the most popular vitamins and minerals
prescribed. Finally, testing for heavy metals is an absolute must.
Mercury is a toxic metal that is found in air, water, food, silver
fillings. It can even be transmitted from mother to child. According
to the CDC, "8 percent of women have blood levels of mercury that
exceed safe amounts". We normally excrete mercury through hair, urine
and feces to name a few, autistic children are known to have
difficulties eliminating it. This is where detox agents become
effective. Chelation therapy with medicine is popular, but is
difficult on the child and the agent is known as a "neurotoxin"
according to Dr. Boyd Haley. Ion cleansing has been found to be a very
effective method of eliminating heavy metals from the body.Autism is a
topic that has grown in research, and while the topic remains
controversial and experimental in it's causes and treatment, two
things are generally agreed upon. Pittsburgh School of Medicine has
put it bluntly, when they said the brain is reacting differently to
sensory input and has poor internal communication. The treatments vary
from traditional medicine (chelation), nutritional supplements,
cleansing and detox and chiropractic adjustments to aid in the
neurological communication. And while the evaluations can be
complicated and the treatments need patience from parents of autistic
children, there are safe, natural alternatives with proven results.