Autism, ASD
CausesThe field of neuroevelopmental disorders such as Autism and Autistic Spectrum Disorders is a fast-moving one these days, so it is encouraging for me to see what I wrote 7 years ago; We appear to be in the middle of an epidemic of autism in most Western countries. The causes are not certain, but several factors look as though they play a part: ▪ mercury-based preservatives used in vaccinations ▪ multiple simultaneous vaccinations ▪ poor nutrition ▪ exposure to pesticides and other environmental toxins ▪ parental exposure to toxins ▪ allergies (and a family history of allergies) ▪ chronic infections ▪ hormonal influences in pregnancy …..The list goes on and on. — and to note that not much needs adding to that. The two things that do are; GenomicsAs far as autism is concerned, it is clear that there are specific genes that can cause a child to be less efficient at removing toxins from the body, and particularly from the nervous system. It is almost certain that these are important risk factors for devloping autism etc. Knowing about this can help in deciding what treatments are best for him/her. |
I’ve been dealing with genomics for almost two years, and one thing that’s clear is that there is so much we don’t know. But we are learning all the time. We have negotiated good prices for genomic testing now, and it is certainly one thing to consider in the work-up of your child. A big component is sulphur-based detox; the molecules such as glutathione have a pair of sulphur atoms, which combine strongly with metals like mercury, and so are excreted still combined with them. There is a protein called Apolipoprotein E, which is a major “housekeeping molecule” within the brain; in its “normal’ configuration it has the same pair of sulphur atoms, but some people have a different configuration. In adults this predisposes strongly to disorders like Alzheimer’s; in children it may well predispose to autism. There are several other sulphur-based molecules which can vary, and which may predispose to autism, or simply to metal toxicity. MitochondriaIn the landmark Hannah Poling case in the USA in 2007 the US government admitted that Hannah’s autism was vaccine-induced, but suggested that this happened because she had rare abnormalities of her mitochondria (Hannah received 9 vaccines in one day, and regressed rapidly into autism). But Hannah’s father, Dr Jon Poling, and colleagues, retrospectively surveyed 159 other children with autism, and found suggestive abnormalities in at least 50%. |