Autism Symptoms

Autism is a puzzling and not well understood illness in the medical community. It is a biochemical and/or genetic condition that begins soon after birth, but always before age two and a half, occurring in approximately 1 in 500 births. It is characterized by withdrawal, and an inability to communicate or form relationships with others. Often, autistic individuals will form attachments to objects rather than people, and display compulsive behavior, such as arm flapping or rocking, often avoiding eye contact. Almost three times as many boys are affected than girls, and autism seems more prevalent in the higher social classes. A large majority of autistic children are institutionalized. Despite a severely limited learning capacity, some autistic children excel in certain areas such as mathematics, memory, or music.

Signs and Symptoms

Possible Causes or Contributing Factors

The precise causes of autism are unknown, however most of the evidence points to a physical basis. One quarter of autistic children have signs of a neurological disorder, and epileptic seizures are present in nearly a third by adolescence, indicating that a subtle form of brain damage may be prevalent in at least a percentage of these children. An earlier theory of lack of parental warmth has since been rejected.

1. Genetics
2. Lead poisoning - High blood lead levels are correlated to autism (Am J of Diseases of Children. 1976;130(1):47-48). In a Canadian newspaper there was a case report of 2 children whose autistic symptoms and hyperactivity disappeared when they were treated for lead poisoning. Chelation therapy was given to the boys after finding their lead levels were 3 times normal (Lead/Autism Link, Autism Research Review International, 1994;8(1):5/North Shore News, September 12, 1993).
3. Brain damage -Brain stem defects are correlated to autism (Brain and Development. 1992;14(2):94-97).
4. Metabolic disorders -Defects can exist in the breakdown of proteins, such as neurotransmitters, insulin, endorphins, etc., during digestion.
5. Fetal alcohol syndrome - A Canadian study found a correlation of fetal alcohol syndrome to autism (Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research. 1992:16(3):558-565).
6. Defects in the myelination process (myelin sheaths cover and protect the nerve cells) - This could account for the development of epilepsy (British Journal of Psychiatry. 1992;160:659-653).
7. Altered blood flow patterns - A correlation between decreased total blood flow and autism has been discovered (Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 1992;180(7):413-417).
8. Viral infections - Either in the mother’s pregnancy, or early infancy, viral infections such as German measles or cytomegalovirus could possibly be associated with autism (J of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 1983;13(3):249-243).
9. Food allergens, especially wheat, sugar, and cow’s milk, may contribute to behavioral symptoms, and many autistic children have food allergies which need to be eliminated from the diet (Werbach, MR, MD Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness. Tarzana, Ca.: Third Line Press, 1991, p. 75). A French report notes that some cases of autism may be caused or exacerbated by food sensitivities or other allergens. The Human Basophil Degranulation test compared 10 autistic subjects to 10 healthy controls for mite, grass pollen, milk, egg and wheat flour allergens. Among the autistic patients tested, 7 showed at least 1 positive test toward mites or pollen, and 5 toward at least 1 food allergen (Autism/Allergy Link Supported by French Study, Autism Research Review International, 1993;7(3):4; Allergic Sensitization in Infantile Autism, Bidet, B., et al, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, June 1993;23(2):419-420).
   
   In an anecdotal letter to the editor, an 8-year-old autistic child was put on a gluten-, dairy-, and sugar-free diet. Four months later, the child had gained 3 pounds and began to show behavioral improvements (Diet, Mega Vitamin Therapies, Barnett, Harriet, Autism Research Review International, 1993;7(4):6).
10. Infant vaccinations - About the time that the incidence of autism was rising in the US (1950’s), vaccinations were becoming popular. Dr. Harris Coulter, a medical historian from Washington, D.C. believes that autism and other brain disorders can be caused by vaccinations, especially pertussis (whooping cough) (Coulter, H.L. Vaccination, Social Violence, and Criminality: The Medical Assault on the American Brain. Berkeley, CA. North Atlantic Books, 1990).
11. Yeast infections -The chronic use of antibiotics destroys the normal intestinal bacteria, leading to candidiasis and leaky gut syndrome, in which undigested food can trigger autoimmune reactions and food allergies, both common in autistic children.
12. Parasites.
13. Digestive enzyme deficiency.

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