Archive for April, 2010

Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy - What You Need and Should Know

Monday, April 26th, 2010

hbot image

If someone would have recommended you to try HBOT 10 years ago, chances are that you would have thought it was some new-age robot that helped you with something like housework. How helpful it would be to have a machine that would do the impossible. Today, though it’s not as universally known, more and more people realize that HBOT isn’t a robot - it’s a highly successful treatment of many brain traumas.

The Basics - What is HBOT?

HBOT is an acronym for Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy. “Hyper” means ‘increased’, and “Baric” relates to pressure. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the intermittent treatment of the body with 100 precent oxygen at pressures greater than the atmosphere.

When 100% oxygen is delivered to the body at an increased pressure, much of the oxygen is absorbed by the blood stream and carried to necessary organs and tissues. This delivery of pure oxygen helps antibiotics and other medications work better, and activates white blood cells in order to ward off infection.

How Does Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy help Autism?

Oxygen Free Radicals are a developing brain’s worst enemy as they attack and destroy developing brain cells.  There are naturally ocurring antioxidants in the body whose job in the body is to attach these Oxygen Free Radicals and balance them out. Studies have found that the levels of this antioxidant are very low in a large amount of autistic children.

Delivering 100-precent oxygen to the Autistic body as is done in HBOT,  stimulates an increase of SOD (superoxide dismutase), one of the body’s most important antioxidant. SOD seeks out Free Radicals in the body and works to balance them out.

What Can I Expect With HBOT?

There are many pictures of Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers available on the internet. They can be a bit overwhelming and downright scary for a parent considering the treatment for their child.  The process itself is simple, and the patient is made to be as comfortable as possible. Many children enjoy the time in the space-ship like chamber.

An HBOT treatment is usually an hour long. The patient is placed on a cot-like bed and rolled into the chamber. For the hour, 100% Oxygen is released into the chamber, and the patient breathes it in. The pressure is increased slowly throughout the treatment and at the end, the patient is slowly decompressed and then exits the chamber.

During the treatment, the patient is free to watch TV, listen to music, talk with friends/family in the room, nap, read, or generally anything. The chamber has 360 degree vision as to avoid any claustrophobia or crypt-like feelings.

Does HBOT Really Work?

As with every treatment for every disease and disorder, there are those for the treatment and against the treatment. Worldwide, many conditions are being treated using Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment and there are many success stories.  Some of the other conditions that are being treated using HBOT include: sickle cell anemia, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke, and Multiple Sclerosis. Though, there are over 100 conditions in which the HBOT chamber is being used to treat.

The question was: “Does HBOT Really Work?” - and we don’t have an answer for each person individually. We’d love nothing more than to declare, “YES! It works for us and it will work for your child!” But, we can’t. The effectiveness of any treatment is going to solely depend on your child’s specific condition and body chemistry. There have been success stories; children who show less destructiveness and aggression; but it’s not for everyone.  Scientifically, however, the treatment just makes sense. A primary cause of brain cell destruction is the abundance of Free Radicals. Delivering 100 percent oxygen to the blood stream enables the production of an antioxidant proven to seek out these Free Radicals. It just makes sense!

So, I want to try HBOT for my child. Now What?

Contact Us! We have an Autism Consultant - Yvette - who is here to help you with any questions or concerns that you might have. We have leads on HBOT Chambers and treatment centers available.

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Seizures and PDD - the What, How and Why?

Monday, April 19th, 2010
Neurons Firing During Seizure

Neurons Firing During Seizure

Seizures are something we associate with Epilepsy. — a brian disorder in which multiple, unexpected seizures are triggered. Seizures are also a very common symptom of Pervasive Development Disorders (PDD) including Autism.

The Basics - What Is a Seizure?

Seizures themselves are highly studied. Seizures occur when there is abnormal electrical activity in the brain. There are times in which the brain’s neurons all fire simultaneously, and this is what causes a seizure to occur. The majority of people think of a seizure as the violent convulsing,  unconscious episode that people have. This is true - some seizures, known as tonic clonic seizures are characterized by uncontrollable and violent shaking. This is because both sides of the brain are affected. However, a partial seizure - only affecting part of the brain - can be as mild as losing awareness for a brief amount of time. The recurrence of seizures is known as Epilepsy, however, seizures can occur in people who do not have epilepsy as well.

Because seizures have so many symptoms, and can sometimes affect different parts of the body, they are classified into motor, sensory, autonomic, emotional, or cognitive.

Why Seizures Occur in PDD and Autism Cases

It has been found that one in four children with a PDD will develop seizures. Most recent studies conclude that 1/3 of Autistic children will also develop epilepsy. Though it was heavily documented in the 1960’s when the connection between Autism and Seizures was studied, researches even today are working hard to establish links between seizures and Autism.

Another interesting study is that the chances of developing seizures range based upon which subcategory of PDD that the person has. The present studies suggest that people with classical Autism have a 30% risk of having seizures, while those with Asperger Syndrome have less than a 10% risk. Those with Disintegrative Disorder or Rett Syndrome have over 75% chance of developing seizures. What this shows us is that there are risk factors - specifically in Autism - that determine the risk of a person who has PDD developing seizures.

The major risk factors for a child with Autism developing seizures is the level of cognitive impairment and motor deficits. The more common symptoms of Autism - clumsiness, fine motor coordination, aren’t as severe as paralysis on one side or forms of cerebral palsy. The more severe the cognitive impairment, in some cases, the greater the risk for developing seizures. In a child with Autism, who has normal intelligence and no other apparent mental condition or family history of seizures, the chance of them developing seizures is less than 10%. However, if the Autistic child has mental retardation or severe motor deficit, the risk rises to 50%

Treating Seizures

Sometimes, seizures give a signal of their onset. Some sufferers report a strange taste in their mouths, sudden body temperature change, etc. Sometimes, they are unexpected. Typically, seizures can be controlled with medication. It’s very important that the type of seizure, whether or not its epilepsy, and the underlying cause of the seizures is studied as to provide the appropriate medication.

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Using EASe to Treat Sensory Perception Disorder in Autism

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Autism Headphones Image

In cases of Autism and other neurological disorders, one of the common symptoms is difficulty with sensory perception. Electronic Auditory Stimulation Effect (more commonly known as EASe), is a therapeutic audio strategy that targets auditory sensory difficulties and strives to better enable children to deal with this painful and life-altering symptom of Autism.

What Is Sensory Perception Disorder?

We often think of sensory perception disorder as something that can make its sufferers unable to see, hear, taste, etc. to the same capacity as those with normal sensory perception. This is true in some cases as we all have seen blind and deaf people in person and portrayed often on televishttp://www.newautismcure.com/wp-admin/post-new.phpion.

However, there are other cases in which sensory perception is abnormally heightened. An alarm clock ring can be excruciating to hear, the smell of egg salad can be pungent, the feel of a warm washcloth on the skin can be intolerable. The shining of the summer sun through the curtains can be blinding and painful.

Specifically in Autism, auditory hypersensitivity is very common and can be extremely painful. Another similar condition, Hyperacusis is common in Autism. In Hyeracusis cases, the sufferer is over-sensitive to certain frequency ranges of sound and is often unable to tolerate everyday sounds such as birds chirping, planes flying overhead, or even people chewing.

How Do People Develop Sensory Perception Disorder?

As the brain grows, it develops connections that enable us to react in a “typical” way to sensory stimuli. We pickup the natural reaction to cover our ears when a loud sound occurs, pinch our nose when we smell something foul, or cover our eyes when the light is too bright. If these connections aren’t made, it is believed that the child will not be able to develop the ability to execute habitual practices for sensory occurrences. If the child has been dealing with Sensory Perception long enough, it’s possible that they develop unnatural responses as coping mechanisms.

As parents to an Autistic child, what are you to do? This is where EASe comes into play.

The Basics and History Of EASe

EASe is a compilation of music that has been processed through Berard AIT (Auditory Integration Training) standards. Dr. Guy Berard created this system in the 1950’s to treat certain kinds of hearing impairments. After further studies, he found that other brain functions such as listening, concentration, and memory were also improved by using his program.Additionally, many clients reported no longer experiencing the anxiety often associated with unexpected and irritating noises.

A typical EASe therapy consists of strategically processed music on several CDs. It is recommended that they are played in random order.  It ideally teaches children how to habituate sudden noises and develop better processing of unexpected frequencies. This leads to better mental, physical and emotional adjustments. The amount of time that you’ll see the benefits can range as each child is different. Some people report changes after as few as 2 sessions, others take a few weeks or months.

Where Can I Obtain EASe CD’s?

There are several websites that offer this treatment. You can either type EASe into your search engine, or contact our admin team here at New Autism Cure for leads on products.

Keep in mind that the EASe approach is not a cure to Autism so much as a means to control some of the most life altering and uncomfortable symptoms.

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Vitamin B3 Showing Promise of Being a Helpful, Natural Autism Treatment

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Niacin B3 Image

As the number of people affected by Autism grows, so do the groundbreaking advancements. Autism isn’t a sentence for you or your loved one to lead an unfulfilled life. Researchers are constantly looking at different medications - specifically natural medicinal options - that may be able to alleviate some of the often uncomfortable symptoms of the puzzling disorder. Many Vitamins have proven benefits in Autism and other neurological disorders. More recently, Vitamin B3 has been a focal point for many studies concerning it’s affect on Autism.

As time passes, it is being found that Autism is not just a neurological disorder, but one that affects the entire body in various ways. Clearly, the brain is one of the most affected parts of the body, however, other symptoms of Autism are more focused on other areas. For example, an overly acidic stomach is one of the largely reported side-effects of Autism due to the imbalance of chemicals in the Autistic body.

Traditionally, vitamin B3 is taken to regulate circulation as well as keep skin looking it’s best.  It has also been found that Vitamin B3 aids in the proper functioning of the nervous system, as well as brain function. Digestion and stomach acid issues are often reported in Autism cases. Vitamin B3 assists in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and aids in the production of hydrolic acid for the digestive system.

Vitamin B3 has also been prescribed to treat these other common conditions when given in the proper dosage:

High Cholesterol
Anxiety
Alcohol Withdrawal
Type 2 Diabetes
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperglycemia

In some recent studies, done by the Henry Ford Hospital,  it was found that when given Vitamin B3 (also called niacin), rats who had a stroke showed new brain cell creation and this greatly improved neurological function. Essentially, it is believed that niacin in some sense re-wires the brain. With this advancement, Vitamin B3 could be a monumental help in those with stroke, Autism, or other devastating neurological disorders.

With all of the different techniques, medicines, and therapy choices, it’s often hard  to make decisions on what treatment approach to take. While there is  no official statement saying “B3 Treats Autism 100% Of the Time”, it’s important to note the logistics of it all. Undoubtedly, Vitamin B3 has a connection to the brain. There is a disorder, Pellagra, which is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin B3 in the body. It is characterized by skin rash, loss of appetite and neurological effects. Though rare, it does exist and target the Western part of the world.

Where can one get Vitamin B3? There’s always taking a multivitamin or getting a supplement. Vitamin B3 is also found in Roasted Chicken Breast, yellowfin tuna, lean beef tenderloin, venison and roasted turkey breast.

Bottom line - it’s important that someone with Autism take supplements. The Autistic body is often deficient in several areas, and in order to maintain the best health possible, it’s important that you supplement these deficiencies. Take special note of which supplements are available for which symptoms, and be on the look out and ear out for new advancements. With more studies, Vitamin B3 could be a very big step in the direction of solving the mystery of Autism.

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