There is an alarming increase of neurological diseases. Everywhere we turn, we hear about someone we love being diagnosed with everything from ADHD to Parkinson’s to Alzheimer’s to Autism. Like adults with Alzheimer’s or other neurological impairments, children with autism exhibit very similar characteristics. These children often have trouble with executive function. They have a poor memory and have difficulty focusing. They often struggle with reading, speaking and/or writing. They have behavioral and mood issues. They can get paranoid, depressed, anxious and often suffer with sleep disturbances. So I began to ask the question, “could all of these disease states have the same causalities; and if so, can we reverse the damage in a young developing brain?” The answer is YES!
As a mother of a child on the spectrum who knows the struggles and the heartache of having a child on the spectrum, I would not stop until I found answers. I started by investigating all potential root causes of these disorders; and began to realize that they were all autoimmune disorders causing neuro-inflammation. Research demonstrates that there is an elevated immune response in autistic patients and that localized brain inflammation and autoimmune disorder may be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD. Once discovering this, we were well on our way to understanding how to treat it. With the help of the right physicians we began taking measures to reduce intestinal inflammation, which in turn reduced brain inflammation. These treatments had a profound impact on my child’s physical and emotional health.
What did I discover?
Artificial Sweeteners like Aspartame, food preservatives like MSG, artificial food coloring, pesticides, heavy metal like aluminum, genetically modified foods, and vaccine ingredients are neurotoxic; and can induce developmental, emotional and neurological disorders. They are poisoning us and causing numerous genetic mutations. Our environment in which we live and breathe has a direct affect on the expression of our genetic code. We can only imagine what this is doing to all of our biological systems responsible for specific functions necessary for healthy living. In the study of disease, researchers in the field of epigenetics are discovering that we are turning on/off our genes. Mutations prevent us from detoxing effectively. It also inhibits the bodies ability to digest foods, transport substances between cells and utilize nutrients appropriately.
The Jan. 4, 2012 ScienceDaily press release headline- Autism May Be Linked to Abnormal Immune System Characteristics and Novel Protein Fragment. There seems to be high levels of Alzheimer Beta-Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) in children with severely autistic behavior and aggression. This protein is heavily studied in Alzheimer’s disease has also been showing up in Autism. In the Journal of Child Neurology, “Children with severe autism and aggression expressed secreted beta-amyloid precursor protein at two or more times the levels of children without autism and up to four times more than children with mild autism.” The evidence suggests that poor gut health/microbiomes and mercury may be either causal or contributory in the brain pathology in both Alzheimer’s and ASD, possibly working synergistically with other toxic compounds or pathogens to produce the brain pathology observed in those diagnosed with ASD.
So what changes did we begin to see after addressing underlying pathologies?
Within a few short months of treating my son Evan, we began to see a tremendous improvement in all areas of his life. He is able to stay on task and presents less careless. He has less difficulty listening to and following directions and is less distracted by background noise. He listens to his teachers and responds appropriately when asked questions. He is able to retain information and speaks more clearly to convey his ideas. He talks to strangers in waiting rooms and has whole conversations. He is less anxious and no longer grunts and screams, throws toys, hits others, has mood swings. He copes better with changes in routine and frustrating situations. Loud noises and uncomfortable clothing no longer bother him. His fine motor skills significantly improved. He was also able to communicate clearly and express his thoughts and ideas in a sequential way. He is a confident little boy who is eager to join in group activities. His motor planning ability has jumped from extremely disordered to barely noticeable. After biomedical treatments began there was a significant increase in his imaginative play, and although not perfect, he shows greater independence in daily activities of living. He is making eye contact more often and now greets his friends at the playground. He is on the basketball team. He no longer enters into a trance-like state. He no longer detaches himself from the world.
If you or a member of your family has ADHD, autism or other neurological disorder, I encourage you to dig deeper to find the answers you are seeking. There is more than hope, there is healing.