New Autism Cure - breakthrough treatments and cures for autism

Autism Awareness Ribbon

The universal symbol for autism is a puzzle piece. It’s pretty symbolic if you think about it. There are a lot of pieces to the Autism puzzle - some we’re aware of and others that we aren’t. Another piece of the Autism puzzle has fallen into place after a study done by the University of California, Davis.

The study, published in the February issue of the Autism Research Journal took into account over 4.9 million children born in California in the 90’s.  Researchers found that the mother’s age when giving birth had a direct affect over the child’s risk of developing Autism. This is particularly true for women over the age of 40 as they are 50% more likely to give birth to an Autistic child than women who give birth at ages 25-29.

Additionally, for every 5 years maternal age, the risk of Autism is increased by 18%.  Some studies have indicated that a father’s age also had an effect on the statistics and risk. In this particular study, researches found that the father’s age had no effect on the Autism risk when the woman’s age was over 30. It isn’t until you combine a man over 40 and a woman under the age of thirty. For example, if a man over 40, and a woman under 25 conceive a child, the risk of Autism in that child is double that of a father between ages of 25-29 and a woman of the same age.

In the 90’s, the number of women who gave birth in California went up 300%. Autism cases sky rocketed by about 600%. This study shows the clear correlation of the age of women giving birth and the risk of the child developing Autism, but researchers and experts point out that these cases only account for 5% of the overall cases of Autism that exist.

Despite the seemingly small impact that this study has on the overall spectrum that is Autism, it’s very important to realize that Autism is a very complicated disorder to investigate. There are many “pieces” to the puzzle, and though this is only one small piece, it’s a collective amount of these small pieces that when put together, that make Autism more known, understood, and hopefully someday, cured.

Could nicotine have positive effects?

There are a number of methods available to the public to assist them in quitting smoking. From pills and gum to patches and electronic devices,  consumers definitely have a few choices when it comes to breaking the vicious chain smoking and addiction cycle.  The true demon that we’re fighting is nicotine - the addictive drug found in cigarettes. We often hear about the damaging effects of nicotine - but could it be that it also has it’s good points?

Nicotine has many effects on the body and psyche including inducing a sense of calm, hunger suppression, and raising alertness. In most cases, it has the ability to change one’s mood - for those who are agitated, consuming nicotine decreases the feeling of agitation.

Researchers have been looking into the benefits of nicotine and creating medications for decades. None of these medicines are on the market yet. The biggest reason for this is the reputation of nicotine. Chances are, if you hear that something has nicotine in it, you assume it to be very addictive and cancer-causing. There’s no knowing how the public and doctors would react to a nicotine medication release and how it would be received.

Several studies have been conducted surrounding the nicotine patch. The patch itself resembles a band-aid and it is applied to the body and allows nicotine to be absorbed through the skin and has proven beneficial in aiding people in quitting smoking. However, one study conducted in 2004 found that the nicotine patch improved cognitive function for patients suffering from schizophrenia. In 2003 a study was conducted focusing on the effectiveness of the patch in non-smoking patients diagnosed with depression. There was also a study with promising results that combined the nicotine patch and the the antipsychotic drug haloperidol (Haldol).

Other studies have focused on patients, both adults and adolescents who have been diagnosed with ADHD.  It has been said that 19% of people with ADD are smokers. This number is undoubtedly higher now. The reason? Nicotine has the ability to treat the symptoms of ADHD - especially improving the cognitive function and overall alertness.

Should you hand your child with ADHD, Autism, or other cognitive disabilities a cigarette and encourage them to light up? Of course not. It’s worth noting the investigations and studies occurring, and not to be completely blown away if a nicotine-based medication is released and prescribed to help with general symptoms of cognitive impairment disorders.

Horse Therapy Shown to Be a Beneficial Therapy Treatment (via)

Every form of Autism is unique. There are many cases of Autism that are similar - similar symptoms, similar patterns, similar family background. However, it all boils down to the fact that people are different - so each Autism case will be different. Each and every story is very inspiring. Alexis Diaz’s story is no different.

Alexis is ten years old and has severe autism that prevents her from speaking and doing independent tasks that we often take for granted. She is unable to feed or bathe herself, and in addition she lost one of her eyes due to cancer.

Last year, Alexis was enrolled in the Therapeutic Riding of Texas (TROT) program, and made significant progress. The local news stations banded together and paid $700 for Alexis to attend the sessions.

Horse Therapy has been around for quite some time and there have been benefits noted in children with ADD and Autism. The mere act of being around a horse can change brainwave patterns — people feel more calm, at ease, and focus less on the past or negative events - so it’s a very enjoyable experience for them. Children with ADD/Autism Disorder have benefited as they are often unable to effectively communicate with other people and express themselves. Even those who are more aggressive and have severe behavioral issues have shown positive benefits from horse therapy. Even being around the horse has made these people much calmer, and more willing to communicate and be receptive.

How and Why Does Horse Therapy Work?

Horses behave in a way that is a direct reflection of how they’re being spoken to. They’re an animal of prey so they want to feel safe. If they’re being spoken to an an aggressive, angry or demanding way, the horse will become fearful. If the horse is spoken to calmly, smoothly and by making requests, they’ll be very receptive and obey such requests.

Children are ideal candidates to work with horses because with just a little insight on how to communicate with the horse, the child can learn how to change or control his/her behavior and see the effects from it. The child is more likely to consider this more of “making a relationship” with the horse rather than trying to dominate the situation and be in constant control.

After Alexis’ great outcome from her last TROT visit, she was very excited to head back this March. This year, however, the charity wasn’t sure if they would have the funds available to send Alexis back to the program. Alexis’ family is also on a limited income as her mother, Tammy Stewart, is a single mother who is unable to work due to Alexis’ need for 24 hour care.

Her attending the TROT program was almost definitely out for this year due to funding.

This past week, an anonymous letter was sent to Duncanville Outreach Ministry. Inside the letter was a $700 donation that was to go toward Alexis’ registration to this year’s TROT program. The donation was in the form of a Money Order with no return address. It simply said: “Sincerely, a Duncanville citizen who wishes to remain anonymous.”

Autism’s logo - a puzzle peice — is all too appropriate. Autism itself is a puzzling disorder. It comes in so many different forms, with many different symptoms.  There are many treatments available, and twice as many opinions about these treatments. It boils down to what methods and treatments work for your child.

Over the course of this blog, we’ve taken a look at a lot of different treatment options. Something we pride ourselves in is making you aware of everything that’s out there, so you can have the information necessary to make decisions based on what’s best for you and your situation.

How beneficial is HBOT in treatment of Autism symptoms? (via)

The Hyperbaric Chamber is something that we often hear about athletes and high-profile celebrities using. The chamber has proven benefits by delivering 100% natural oxygen to the body while inside a pressurized chamber.

When 100% natural oxygen is delivered to the body under pressure, a great amount is absorbed by the blood stream and hereby delivering more oxygen to the body organs and tissues. This improves the effect and benefits of many antibiotics, activates white blood cells to fight off infection, and promotes chronic wounds to begin the healing process.

In cases of psychological and behavioral conditions, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), some research and studies have indicated a change in symptoms such as irritability, hyperactivity, speech and repetitive behaviors; all of which are commonly found in Autism cases. Other studies, such as the one discussed in a recent issue of Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, show little benefit of HBOT therapy in Autistic patients.

This recent study, conducted by the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) and led by Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D; Jonathan Tarbox, Dennis R. Dixon, Arthur E. Wilke, Michael S. Allen, and James Jeffrey Bradstreet, found that HBOT therapy had no significant effect on the symptoms of Autism.

There were only 2 factors considered in the randomization of study patients; age and ABA hours of treatment. When children are participating in ABA treatment, it’s to be assumed that a decent amount of them will be exhausted mentally and physically. This exhaustion level can prevent the HBOT therapy from working at full capacity and enabling children to benefit completely from the treatment.

There are some other controversial concerns about this most recent study as well. More than likely there will be another research and study done in which some of the constants are modified. Until the idea of HBOT and its effects on Autism symptoms is further examined, it may be too soon to write this off as an unbeneficial treatment option.

The debate has been going on for years now: Should we or should we not legalize the use of Medical Cannabis (or marijuana)? Everyone has their own opinion on whether or not the legalization should occur. Some argue that legalizing the drug will only make it more easily obtained for recreational use. On the flip side, others say that the benefits outweigh the risks. How many benefits are there to this sometimes considered “miracle herb”? Are there even more diseases and conditions that can be treated by marijuana that haven’t been proven yet?

It has been documented that administering cannabis has been beneficial in eliminating nausea and vomiting, inducing appetite in AIDS and Chemotherapy patients, reducing eye pressure in those with Glaucoma, as well as in general pain reliving. Some individual studies have also shown medical cannabis to be beneficial in Multiple Sclerosis and depression cases.

The legality of this treatment varies by country. The issue often shows up in state elections throughout the United States. One could spend the entire day weighing the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana. What it boils down to is who and how does administering marijuana help. I discussed AIDS, Glaucoma, Cancer and Chronic Pain patients, but how about children? Or more specifically, Autistic children.

There was a letter published (via) from a mother in Florida who shared the story of her very large, autistic child who went from loving and caring son to angry and aggressive. She says in her letter that she often had to lock herself in the bathroom or else her son would attack her. They tried many different medications but nothing seemed to help. A friend of the family suggested something that the mother had never thought of; a brownie laced with marijuana. She weighed her options and decided to give it a try. As a result of giving her son marijuana, his symptoms subsided and the gentle, loving son that once was, was back again. The boy is now being given 1 marijuana brownie as well as several doses of Marinol, which contains the active ingredient in marijuana everyday. The boy’s mother says “He shows no signs of being under the influence of a drug…This has clearly saved my child’s life and my family’s life.”

Typically when such aggressive and assaultive behavior arises, medication is sought to calm the person down. Medications such as Risperdal are administered, but do have high levels of toxic effects including but not limited to rapid heart beat, muscle spasms, and severe anxiety. Granted, marijuana has its own associated side effects, but are seemingly not as severe as those of Risperdal and like medications.

Depending on where you live in the world, this may or may not be a possible route for you to explore. Because of the widely range of illegality, it’s not suggested that you try to obtain marijuana on your own and attempt to treat your child’s (or even your own) condition. It’s absolutely worth speaking to a doctor about - though since the studies and research are not nearly complete, chances are, he/she will not prescribe it. Yet.

Tuesday mornings were always “Fluoride Day” when I was in elementary school. We’d all pile into the cafeteria and wait anxiously to see which flavor of the often used teeth treatment would be distributed. Some days, parents would be invited to come in and take part in the fluoride festivities.  Why shouldn’t they have? Clean teeth are important in both children and adults.

Could it be that this weekly ritual does more harm than good? Could too much of a good thing actually be detrimental and cause neurological disorders in children?

It’s possible - according to researchers  investigating fluoride and its effects.  Too much fluoride consumed by women who are pregnant lowers their thyroid levels and this may affect the brain and neurological development of the unborn child.  Such disturbance in development can cause ADD, Autism and decreased IQ levels.

This raises the question: “How much is too much?” and “If I stop doing fluoride treatments will this put me in the clear?” Not so fast. Fluoride is found not only in toothpaste and other dental products but in drinking water and some foods as well. Exposure to fluoride from these multiple sources could be enough to cause the lower Thyroid levels that can lead to neurological deficiencies.

As much as 2/3 of the nation’s water sources contain fluoride. There are organizations  such as the New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation whose goal is to omit fluoride from public water sources.

Every time I watch the scene from Rain Man when Dustin Hoffmann’s Autistic character, Raymond has a meltdown, I cannot help but to feel sorry for his new-found brother and caretaker, Charlie (played by Tom Cruise).  As Charlie stands by and watches his brother have a meltdown in a crowded airport, he looks helpless, confused and scared.

We often sympathize with the parents and guardians of autistic children and people because its difficult to imagine being in the overwhelming position of caretaker. We put focus on advocates of Autism, giving them thanks for raising awareness and funding for the cause. We praise the doctors and researchers who are studying this neurological disorder in hopes to find new causes, links and treatments that can help us to better understand Autism. We often wonder how all of these life-changing individuals get through each and every stressful day.

Parents. Caregivers. Advocates. Doctors. Researchers.

We’re forgetting someone. Actually, we’re forgetting thousands of people; those who are living with Autism.  Of course, I say this more figuratively than literally as we all know that the people who are suffering from this disorder are never forgotten.  However, they are often overlooked on the list of people who we wonder “how they have the strength to do it.”

In the years that Autism has been under the microscope, we’ve discovered how it affects the brain, what types of medications help to treat it, what types of things are linked to it, etc. It’s generally known what the symptoms are and what they look like as these are things that can be researched and proven. There are some things that you unfortunately cannot put under a microscope, particularly emotions and feelings. So, we’re left with the often unanswered question: What does it feel like to be autistic?

14 year old Carly Fleischmann was once assumed to be mentally retarded because she was unable to speak. She was diagnosed with Autism and 2 years ago began interacting with people via keyboard. The words that had been caught inside her for years were starting to come out and now she communicates very well using moderm technology.

Carly describes in detail how she feels both physically and emotionally, like no one else other than she would be able to do:

“It is hard to be autistic because no one understands me. People look at me and assume I am dumb because I can’t speak…It feels like my legs are on first and a million ants are crawling up my arms……Our brains are wired differently. We take in many sounds and conversations at once. I take over a thousand pictures of a person’s face when I look at them. That’s why we have a hard time looking at people. I have learnt how to filter through some of the mess.”

Carly also “speaks” about the things that any 14 year old girl does, like her fustrations with her siblings and her interest in the  opposite sex.  She has already inquired about when she will be allowed to go out on a date.

Despite its discovery over 100 years ago, the H1N1 virus came alive 5 months ago. Prior to that, talk of the virus, more commonly referred to as “Swine Flu”, was reserved for medical journals and text books until the massive outbreak in April 2009. By the middle of this year, over one-million cases of the Swine Flu had been diagnosed.

When word of a vaccine was heard, there was a nationwide sigh of relief. Millions of doses of the vaccine were produced and sent off to various medical facilities for immediate use. Men and women rushed to get both themselves and their children vaccinated.

When introduced to a medication or vaccine that can treat or prevent illness, it is a rarity that we do much more than quickly glance at the side effects. For example, it is common knowledge that taking over-the-counter pain-killers can cause stomach irritation. However, if a severe toothache needs treatment, it is often the case that one would rather deal with minor stomach pains than the agony of a toothache. What happens though, when a vaccine used to prevent an illness carries the same side effects and potential dangers as the illness itself?

Along with the common flu symptoms of coughing, fatigue, nausea and body aches, Swine Flu can also cause neurological damage. This is especially true in young children and unborn babies. If a pregnant woman develops Swine Flu, the virus is known to attack the genes that control growth, often resulting in the newborn developing Autism. That being said, It seems to be a no-brainer that pregnant women and parents of young children should head directly to their doctor and get the vaccination, right?

Maybe not.

One of the ingredients in the Swine Flu and most all vaccines is Mercury; more specifically Thimerosal which serves as a preservative. It has already been determined that Mercury and many of its forms can cause Autism and other neurological disorders just as the flu itself does.

This poses the difficult question: Do you avoid the vaccination due to its damaging side effects and live on the hope that your child will not get the often deadly flu? Or, do you get the vaccination and inject yourself and/or your child with an element known to cause neurological damage and autism?

The answer to the question simply depends on your personal opinion. Does the risk of the vaccine outweigh the risk of the flu? The benefits and risks are definitely something to bring up with a trusted physician so you can more accurately make the decision based on your individual situation.

With another flu season quickly approaching, the first batches of the Swine Flu vaccine will be hitting doctor’s offices by mid-October. 195 Million doses of the vaccine will be distributed and administered. It is said also that each person will need two doses of the vaccine to be properly protected against the flu.

The Center for Disease Control claims that there will be a Mercury-free vaccine in both injection and nasal spray forms, though it is uncertain when it will be available.

We’ve all heard the saying “breast is best” and it is fantastic that women are being encouraged to breastfeed their babies because it has so many benefits for both mother and baby.

This month has been chosen by the US Department of Health and Human Services as National Breastfeeding Awareness Month and the department has launched a campaign to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding .

Breast fed babies are at a lower risk of:-

• Allergies
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Urinary tract infections
• Childhood leukemia
• Respiratory infections
• Ear infections
• Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus
• Necrotizing enterocolitis
• Obesity
• Infections

Women who have breastfed/are breastfeeding their babies:-

• Have a lower risk of contracting breast cancer, ovarian cancer and Type 2 Diabetes
• Are at a lower risk of Postpartum Depression
• Burn 500 calories a day by breastfeeding alone and so can return to their pre-pregnancy weight quicker
• Can save a significant amount of money when compared to those who buy formula - It is estimated that a breastfeeding mom can save between $1,160 and $3,915 depending on the brand of formula the comparison is made against.

Moms are advised to give their babies breastmilk alone for the first 6 months of life (i.e. no weaning) and to try and breastfeed for the baby’s first year.

Breastfeeding and Autism

But hasn’t breastfeeding been linked to an increased risk of autism?

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Last week, I blogged about a report in Scientific American Magazine linking Vitamin D deficiency with Autism because of the rising number of autism cases in two communities of Somali immigrants who had moved from their equatorial country, with plenty of sunshine, to northern latitude countries.

You can read the Scientific American Magazine report at http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=vitamin-d-and-autism and click here to read my blog post on it. This week, I have decided to dig a little deeper into the vitamin D theory.

Now, many people have pointed out that these Somali communities would also have faced other changes too, not just lack of sunlight. For example, their new environment may be more toxic (pollution and heavy metals), the vaccination program in their new countries may be different, their diet would have changed etc. So I’m not sure how this preliminary study was able to rule out these other factors and make vitamin D deficiency the missing link.

However, whatever we think about this report into vitamin D deficiency and the Somali communities, there are many scientists out there who do think that vitamin D is a factor that should not be dismissed and that needs to be taken seriously.

Vitamin D - Is it a Plausible Theory?

The Vitamin D Council is an organization run by John Jacob Cannell, MD, a doctor with a special interest in clinical nutrition, and it aims to educate and inform people about vitamin D to prevent vitamin D deficiency, and the illnesses and conditions which are caused by a deficiency.

Cannell points out that at the same time that we are experiencing a vitamin D deficiency epidemic, we are also in the midst of an autism epidemic - can the two be linked? Yes, Cannell believes that sun avoidance is the root cause of both epidemics. Although this is just a theory at the moment, and has not been proven, Cannell thinks that it is a plausible theory and would explain:-

• Why more boys suffer with autism than girls - This could be due to the different effects that the hormones, estrogen and testosterone, have on vitamin D metabolism.
• Why more black children have autism - People with darker skins synthesize vitamin D more slowly and so have increased vitamin D requirements.
• Why children with rickets show autism-like symptoms, including flabby muscle tone, developmental motor delays and decreased activity.
• Why children with autism have a higher incidence of infections, just like vitamin D deficient children.
• Why children with autism have a higher incidence of seizures - Vitamin D has been found to reduce the incidence of seizures.
• Why there seems to be a link between vaccines, heavy metals and autism - Vitamin D increases levels of glutathione which acts as a chelating (detoxifying) agent, helping rid the body of heavy metals and decreasing oxidative stress which can lead to tissue damage, including brain damage.
• Why there is evidence of autism rates being lower in equatorial countries - A study into the prevalence of autism in children born before 1985 (before people started to worry about sun exposure) by Dr William Grant of SUNARC (The Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center) did show a strong link between the prevalence of autism and the latitudinal position of the country in which they were born.
• Why Alabama, the southernmost state in a study into autism prevalence, had the lowest prevalence of autism and why New Jersey, the second most northern state studied, had the highest prevalence.
• Why studies have shown that children born in winter months have a higher prevalence of autism - March, when vitamin D levels have shown to be their lowest, is the worst month of birth for autism prevalence.
• Why some parents notice improvements in autism symptoms in summer.
• Why multivitamins have been found to improve brain functioning.

The Vitamin D/Brain Connection

More and more scientists are concluding that vitamin D is needed for brain development. From his research into vitamin D’s role, Professor John McGrath, from Australia’s University of Queensland, concluded that vitamin D is “the neglected neurosteroid” and that it is crucial for proper brain growth and development in an unborn baby.

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