In light of many findings that indicate the strong influence of environmental factors (pollution) on development, both of children and the unborn fetus, it does not seem too far fetched to think that many of the components in vaccines could cause some developmental damage.  This damage could manifest itself in some of the neurological and physiological symptoms associated with autism.  I am not saying that vaccines cause ASD, but it does not seem out of the realm of possibility just based on statistics alone that they could be the cause of some ASD’s.  I can’t see how anyone could argue against that possibility, though I’m sure there are those that would try.

If you doubt the basic premise of this post- that the environment can have a profound influence on fetal development check these out:

The disappearing male

Interesting story

In addition, Dr. Morris was able to gather laboratory analyses in 26 of the children, which revealed low carnitine levels, abnormal celiac panels, gluten sensitivity, and vitamin D deficiency among others. All children genetically screened carried an HLA gene associated with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. “The sample size is still small and should be interpreted with caution,” says Dr. Morris. “However this is of particular interest given the recent publication by Eaton and colleagues in the July 6 online edition of Pediatrics demonstrating a greater than 3-fold risk of autism in children born to mothers diagnosed with celiac disease. This brings some credibility to the anecdotal reports of gastrointestinal and behavioral improvements in children with autism spectrum disorders and/or verbal apraxia when eliminating gluten from their diets.

The full story can be read here to ensure context.  Perhaps our thoughts on K’s results on the GFCF diet are legitimate after all and not just a figment of our “hopeful” imagination.

case_history_and_successful_therapy_of_toe_walking_231

therapy_toe_walking1

I’m not quite sure how it arrived but a new study on the use of HBOT to ameliorate some of the symptoms of autism arrived in our email inbox. I have read some previous papers on the use of HBOT in treatment for asd, however this uses a more robust experimental design

In reading it I found some things of interest as they relate to K:

• K’s C-reactive protein levels have been high in past lab work that we have had done.  If this is an indicator of inflammation this is supposed to be alleviated by HBOT.
• This protocol does not appear to increase oxidative stess which past lab results have also indicated in K.
• Does his seizure disorder (absence seizures) prevent him from having this sort of treatment if we were interested?

I have attached a copy of the study and it, along with other studies on HBOT (and other topics), can be found in our documents repository.  You have 2 options;  the fancy interface or something a little less flashy.

HBOT_Trial_for_ASD.pdf

What are other’s experiences with HBOT?  I know we have facilities in our area, but am not sure if others have used them and what their impressions/results were.  Comments?

Did anything really surprise or shock you in your research?

“Two things were shocking. We exposed ourselves to all kinds of daily products and measured our blood before, during and after that exposure. After doing those experiments, we found elevated levels of the chemicals in our blood. So, for example, I’ve been doing mercury research for about ten years but I’d never actually consciously sat down, eaten a bunch of tuna and measured my levels. I found that my mercury levels almost tripled in a few days, just by consuming several tuna meals consecutively.”

As anyone involved with autism in some capacity is painfully aware the discussion of mercury as an underlying causal agent in some ASD’s is heated and everpresent.  It is usually in regard to vaccinations, but the recent change in position of many of the most vocal autism groups (Green our vaccines campaign) has moved, to some extent, away from that line of causality.  Never the less, I find it incredibly interesting what the author found regarding his mercury exposure from eating tuna.  I also remember reading a review of a scientific paper that showedd a correlation (yes, I know what that means and does not mean) between autism rates and environmental mercury levels in Texas.

For me this just confirms that anyone that dismisses the idea that some ASD’s can be manifestations of environmental exposure to toxins is naive or has their “head in the sand”.  This book, which I might consider trying to read, sounds like it may provide some rudimentary, anecdotal data on how exposure to everyday items can have a profound impact on our internal environment. Now consider the impact for pregnant mothers and unborn babies as they develop.

Perhaps there is something to the “detox” aspect of alternative autism treatments.  At best it is helping and at worst it is unlikely to be doing any harm and is just making your bank account lighter.  I don’t think I would go so far as to support full chemical chelation as a good option for all ASD’s, but it is undoubtedly appropriate in some cases and should be considered as option for some.  Would we do this with K?  Not likely, not without some good compelling evidence from medical tests that it was warranted.

Anyone have any thoughts on the subject?  Please let us know what you think.