A look at popular treatments for autism that are outside of mainstream medicine. Can they really cure autism, or are they just giving parents false hope?
There has been speculation in the media recently about whether or not autism is curable. Reports of children losing their symptoms to the point where they are no longer considered autistic offer hope and trepidation – is this too good to be true?
One of the difficulties in “curing” autism is that it is not really based on a specific pathology. A disease such as cancer causes observable changes in cellular structure. A patient is considered “cured” when these cellular changes are no longer apparent. Even other developmental disabilities, such as Down’s Syndrome, are diagnosed with a lab test that show genetic abnormalities. No such lab test exists for autism, because researchers have yet to discover a definitive cause. Many theories abound, from reactions to vaccinations, to leaky guts, to brain under-connectivity, but the scientific community has yet to agree on a specific cause.
An autism diagnosis is based on observation. According to the DSM-IV, a person with autism will show impaired social interaction, repetitive stereotypical behaviors, and restricted interests. This can include a wide variety of characteristics. The full diagnostic criteria can be found at the following website: http://www.asasb.org.
So is autism curable? That depends on who is observing the child. Jenny McCarthy claims to have cured her son, using special diets and vitamins, in her book Louder Than Words. I’ve never met Jenny McCarthy or her son, so I really cannot say if he is cured or not. I can say that supplements have not cured my son, though they have helped to alleviate some of his symptoms.
So what approaches are parents using to cure their children? Are they for real, or do they simply prey on vulnerable parents who will do anything for their child? As of now, none of these approaches are endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t work, at least for some. It takes years to accumulate the research necessary for a new treatment to become mainstream, time most parents don’t feel they have. Here are some of the popular interventions some believe can cure autism:
Check for Seizure Activity
Many children with autism suffer from seizures. Some of these seizures are obvious, but many are not. Focal seizures are deep inside the brain, and may not result in the twitching and spasms that are generally associated with seizures. These seizures disrupt electrical patterns in the brain, which can cause autistic-like behaviors. An EEG will test for seizure activity, but only if your child is having seizures during the actual test.
My son had a seizure about six years ago. He was given an EEG and put on medication. It didn’t cure his autism, but his ability to focus improved. He was taken off his medication after a follow-up EEG showed no signs of seizures, and he regressed. I took him to a specialist who did a Brain SPECT, which determined that he was having focal seizures deep inside his brain that weren’t registering on the EEG. We put him back on medication, and his symptoms improved.
Leaky-Gut Syndrome
The theory behind Leaky-Gut Syndrome is that certain children are unable to digest gluten and casein (found in dairy products). The undigested food is causing an imbalance, which leads to the autistic-like behaviors. By eliminating gluten and casein from your child’s diet (GFCF diet), the behaviors decrease.
In my experience, the GFCF diet can make a huge difference, but it doesn’t work for every child. I tried this diet ten years ago, after my son was diagnosed. This was before gluten-free diets were popular. I had to mail-order most of his food, and many extended family members thought I was crazy. After six months, I gave my son a cookie and took him to a speech therapy session, to see if the therapist would notice a difference. She did not.
The only way to really know if your child will respond to the diet is to try it. The good news is that gluten and casein-free foods are readily available these days. You can find substitutions for many of your child’s favorite foods.
If the diet works for your child, it will be worth the effort, and if it doesn’t, at least you’ll know for sure.
Vitamins
Many studies have found that children with autism tend to be deficient in key nutrients. Common deficiencies include zinc, vitamin C, gluthathione, and Omega-3s, to name a few. A homeopathic doctor can run some simple tests to determine which nutrients your child needs, and can suggest supplements. Supplements have not cured my son, but we have seen improvements in speech and focus when he takes them.
Another supplement that has been truly helpful to many families raising a child with autism is melatonin. Many children on the spectrum have sleep issues that can go on for years. This affects the entire family. Lack of sleep can also cause autistic-like behaviors to worsen. Nobody is at their best when they are sleep-deprived. Sometimes, just getting a good night’s sleep can ease the symptoms of autism, and supplements like melatonin can help.
Candida
Many children with autism also have an overgrowth of yeast , or Candida, in their intestinal tract. This occurs when there is a shortage of good bacteria, leaving space available for the yeast to grow. Yeast growth can cause sugar cravings and exacerbate autistic behaviors. Doctors generally treat it with an antifungal to kill off the yeast and a probiotic to replenish the good bacteria.
My son had a few words before we treated him for yeast. After the treatment, his vocabulary expanded greatly, and he started speaking in sentences for the first time. I still give him a daily pro-biotic
.
Chelation
The theory behind chelation is that our children’s bodies have absorbed toxic amounts of heavy metals, including mercury. Most believe this came from vaccinations. The theory is that the symptoms will disappear after the body is detoxified using medication.
Chelation is one of the most controversial treatments for autism. Some swear by it, others claim it is useless at best and harmful at worst. I have not tried chelation, but I do know many parents who believe it helped their child. Do not attempt chelation on your own. It is important to find a doctor you trust if you are going to attempt this treatment for your child. Many doctors who follow the DAN (Defeat Autism Now) protocol include chelation in their treatment plan.
So, do these treatments cure autism? It’s hard to say. Many scientists feel that children who are cured from autism never had it in the first place. They may have suffered from digestive issues, or mineral deficiencies that caused the autistic-like symptoms. An autism diagnosis also encompasses a large spectrum of symptoms, and no two children with autism are exactly alike. What works for one child may not help another.
I personally have tried several of these approaches for my son. None has “cured” him, but several have helped. The sad truth is that medical science currently knows very little about autism, but the research continues. Perhaps one day, one of these treatments will be the key to recovery for many children with autism in the future.
Useful Resources
National Autism Resources: www.nationalautismresources.com
Autism Speaks: www.autismspeaks.org
Generation Rescue: www.generationrescue.org
Neuroscience Center: www.neuroscience.md
HRI-Pfeiffer Treatment Center: www.hriptc.org
Books On Autism Cures
The Autism & ADHD Diet: A Step-by-Step Guide to Hope and Healing by Living Gluten Free and Casein Free (GFCF) and Other Interventions by Barrie Silberberg
Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders by Kenneth Bock and Cameron Stauth
Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide by Jenny McCarthy and Dr. Jerry Kartzinel
Autism-The Road To Recovery: An Autism Recovery Guide For Parents & Physicians by Dr. Kurt N. Woeller
Dietary Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Why They Work When They Do, Why They Don’t When They Don’t by Kenneth J. Aitken
Healing Autism Naturally by Becky Cash
I had heard that vaccines may trigger a chain of events that could lead to autism, but I didn’t know that leaky gut, vitamin deficiency, or having the wrong bacteria in the child’s system were also suspected.
There’s just so much that is unknown about the disease and what causes it. This post is very interesting and I wish parents the best of luck in finding ways to help their little ones. Maybe one of these “cures” will help someone else kids, even if it didn’t completely cure this author’s child.
I noticed one of the potential “cures” was a probiotic. I read that probiotics can help some babies prevent developing food allergies too. I wish the scientific community would study probiotics and their affect on babies and children more. Seems like there could be a lot of promise in using them for a multitude of things.