Cambration April 2011 Newsletter

 

April is Autism Awareness Month

Did You Know?

  • In 1970, Autism affected 1 out of 10,000 children
  • Autism now affects 1 out of 110 children
  • Autism affects 1 in 70 boys
  • Every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
  • 4 out of 5 autistic children are boys
  • Autism is more common than juvenile diabetes, childhood cancer and AIDS combined.
  • Autism has an annual cost of $90 billion worldwide
  • The estimated healthcare costs of someone with autism over their lifetime is $3.2 million

Autism Spectrum Disorder Customized Medications and Supplements

Autism is a developmental disability that affects a person’s verbal and non-verbal communication, understanding of language, and socialization with peers. Other characteristics include: engagement in repetitive activities, resistance to environmental change, and unusual responses to sensory experiences. The range of severity can be from extremely mild to severe. Autism is a behavioral disorder, not an illness or disease. It typically appears by age three and is a lifelong condition. Although autism affects the functions of the brain, the specific cause is not known.

The Autism Research Institute asked parents to rate the effectiveness of numerous biomedical treatments. As of 2008, over 26,000 parents had evaluated more than 80 interventions. Detoxification was considered helpful by 74% of parents. Other highly rated therapies and the percentage of children that “got better” included: gluten/casein-free diet, 66%; food allergy treatment, 64%; methylcobalamin, 56% (nasal) and 67% (subcutaneous); and essential fatty acid therapy, 56%.

Detoxification (including chelation)

Some children with autism may suffer from heavy metal toxicity, and may potentially benefit from therapies which support detoxification. Some may also benefit from chelation (removal of heavy metals). Oral DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid) can be used to treat lead poisoning in children as young as one year of age. It has also been demonstrated to be able to bind and remove a wide range of toxic metals, including mercury, arsenic, tin, nickel and antimony.

Gluten-Free and Casein-Free Preparations

Children with autism may benefit from a gluten-free and casein-free diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other grains such as rye, oats and barley. Casein is the main protein found in dairy products. Many commonly used medications-antibiotics, decongestants, and pain relievers including acetaminophen and ibuprofen-may contain gluten. Some probiotics contain casein. Bulk chemicals must be checked to be sure that they are gluten-free. Even flavours can contain gluten. We can compound preparations that are free of gluten and casein to solve problems for sensitive individuals. For example, we can formulate suspensions using an agent that does not contain gluten or casein and does not feed yeast.

Therapy for Gut Dysbiosis

Autistic children frequently have abnormalities in gut permeability, defects or deficiencies in intestinal enzymes, and/or abnormal intestinal flora. Yeast overgrowth can be prevented or treated by oral administration of Lactobacillus or other probiotics. If response is insufficient, oral antifungals may be needed. Nystatin and amphotericin B are examples of prescription medications that can be compounded for oral administration to help reduce yeast in the gut.

Compromised digestive function, often secondary to inflammation of the bowel, may lead to the absorption of toxins (“leaky gut”). Children can benefit from balanced nutrition, treatment of imbalanced gut flora, and the enhancement of immune function.

Interestingly, parents reported that more children “got worse” with conventional drug therapy (including amphetamines, methylphenidate, antipsychotics, and antidepressants) than with biomedical/non-drug treatment, nutritional supplements, or special diets. It is thought that the earlier treatment is started, the better the results.

Please note: These therapies should be used only under direct supervision of an experienced and knowledgeable health care professional after parents or guardians have received adequate information and given consent.

References: http://www.autism.com/treatable/form34qr.htm, J Nutr Env Med 2000; 10:25-32, Children with Starving Brains, 2nd Edition by Jaquelyn McCandless, M.D.

Nutrition for Autism

The importance of eating the right food cannot be overstated. Brain development requires the right chemicals and nutrients to help dendrites branch out to connect with other nerve cells. Research has demonstrated that some of the neuro-pathways of the frontal cortex are under developed in children with autism. Good nutrition is the foundation to help dendrite development and can help in the construction of new neuro-pathways when remediation work is underway.

Good nutrition will help almost anyone to feel and function better. We all could do well with eating a variety of foods and taking supplemental vitamins. This is especially true for autistic children. While some children with autism will eat anything put before them, many are picky eaters. Mothers can often compensate by adding multivitamins to their children’s diets. Children who do not swallow pills or refuses chewable multivitamins can obtain vitamins through concentrated sprays.

In general, the recommendations for autistic children are to increase their consumption of omega 3 fatty acids (e.g., cod liver oil, walnuts), vitamin D and natural (cis) forms of vitamin A. Additional supplements include Choline (use under supervision), DMG(dimethylglycine, is an amino acid), Magnesium plus calcium, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. When considering the addition of vitamin supplements, use wisdom. Educate yourself about supplementation. Be careful not to over supplement a child. Try to understand how the supplement is supposed to work and know the correct amount of supplementation to get the desired response. More information about supplementation and how it can be applied to Pervasive Developmental Disorders can be obtained in the book “Prescription for Nutritional Healing”.

Nutrition can also be useful to help detoxify children from toxic chemicals. Foods that are believed to help with the detoxification process are raw potatoes, asparagus, carrots, garlic, beets, dandelion greens, parsley and watermelon. It is recommended for everyone to drink lots of water to help flush out toxic materials from the body. Steamy baths and saunas are also helpful in helping the body to release toxins. The study of nutrition is also helpful in knowing how to deal with foods that may irritate or aggravate the immune system. Common irritants are foods that contain lactose or gluten. Many children with autism are lactose and gluten intolerant. If you have an autistic child that has intestinal problems, chances are that gluten and/or casein are contributing to these problems.

An Elimination Diet or an Elisa test can be performed by a Naturopathic doctor to help determine food allergies and food intolerances. Some researchers estimated that up to 80% of autistic children can suffer from food intolerances. Some food intolerances are caused by an enzyme deficiency or chemical sensitivity, while others are an immune response caused by food specific IgG antibodies. An ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), can successfully determine food intolerances. There is no known cure for autism, although there are documented cases of symptoms being reduced and even some children losing their diagnosis all together when certain therapies are used. It has been reported that 66% of autistic children “got better” on a gluten/casein-free diet and 66% found improvement in food allergy treatment.

Source: www.yourfamilyclinic.com/autism

April's Recipe

Gluten Free/Casein Free Banana Bread (from www.austismkey.com)

The effects of gluten and casein on autistic children are still being debated and discussed, as with most of the issues surrounding this highly controversial topic. However, many tests and individual testimonials have claimed and proven that the substances produced by these proteins can indeed be hazardous to children with autism. A significant number of studies conclude that there is a connection between gluten, casein and autism. At the very least, elimination of gluten and casein in an autistic children’s diet can produce a number of positive improvements in their motor, social, and cognitive skills.

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup rice milk
  • 6 tablespoon safflower oil
  • 6 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 2 1/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 5 medium bananas
  • 1 1/2 cups rice flour (I used 3/4 cup brown rice flour and 3/4 cup white rice flour– Blending the 2 flours give a nice consistency)
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 2 tablespoon of rice protein
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 cup walnuts (raisins can be used for those with a nut allergy)

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  • Lightly oil a loaf pan or cake pan and dust with flour
  • Put the rice milk, oil, maple syrup, and bananas in a blender and blend until smooth
  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, rice protein, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined
  • Add banana mixture and combine, using few strokes as possible. Do not over mix.
  • Fold in walnuts or raisins

Scrape into pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

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