TSO Therapy - Autism Is For The Worms
Monday, May 10th, 2010
It has been evidenced that some of the common symptoms of Autism may result from an abnormal immune response. It has also been evidenced that removing helminths from the body could influence the occurrence of autoimmune disorders. Could it be that having a few worms living in your stomach could be life altering…in a good way?
What’s a Helminth? And how it it used in Autism Treatment?
Simply stated, a helminth is a parasite. More exactly, an internal parasite. You may be more familiar with external parasites such as fleas and lice. Unlike these more common itchy friends, helminths or “Parasitic Worms” live inside of their host. That host is typically the animal or human digestive tract. Though they can live almost anywhere in the body, they prefer the intestinal wall. An abundance of parasites are often found in people with HIV.
Helminthic therapy, also called TSO (Trichuris Suis Ova) Therapy is a type of immunotherapy. It’s used to treat autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by deliberately infesting the body with a helminth. Why the heck would we do that?
Think about the flu shot. We purposely inject the body with a form of the flu, so that the body fights it off and (hopefully) we avoid getting the horrible flu for one more season. Though not exactly the same instance with TSO Therapy, it’s a similar idea.
It’s been evidenced that there are some parasites that the body needs. This day in age, there’s a vaccine for almost everything. While we’ve decreased the number of instances of immediate death sentences with a severe disease or disorder diagnosis by eliminating parasites like helminths, it seems that it’s a double edged sword. Colitis and Crohn’s Disease numbers are on the rise. So is the number of Autism cases. Maybe, just maybe the body needs helminths. Maybe not in abundance, but at least enough to have a properly functioning immune system.
So, we’re treating Autism with that same parasites that are found in bodies with HIV?
Incorrect.
It’s more of another type of parasite, protozoans that are most common in HIV cases. It’s strictly hookworms or helminths that are used for this kind of immunotherapy. Also, it’s not so much treating Autism as it is a treatment of some of the symptoms of Autism.
For example, it has been shown that some Autism symptoms are the result of malfunctioning immune system. Studies are also suggesting that removing helminths from the body is the start to obtaining a malfunctioning immune system. There have also been cases reported in which Autism symptoms decrease significantly when the child is sick or with a fever.
In TSO therapy, there are two types of approaches that treatment centers use. They either dose the skin with one large dose of infectious necator americanus larvae, or they are given a more spread out treatment of smaller doses over about 10 weeks. The one dose treatment is typically much cheaper, however the 10 week treatment decreases possible side effects that can occur. Although each individual is different as far as which side-effects may be experienced, the most common were mild cases of nausea, vomiting and topical rash.
As with every single treatment for every single condition your child may have, you’ll want to consult your doctor. As time goes on, we can only hope that we make greater advancements to improve the lives of our loved ones who have Autism.
