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Future Visions FoundationAutism--What Is It? |
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We have worked with autistic children at Harrison Optimal Health since 1999, and during that time I have become personally convinced that autism in an end-stage of a multitude of possible toxic exposures. I am also convinced that autistic children have a genetic or congenital lack of resistance to toxins, and a reduced ability to detoxify themselves. We do live in a toxic world! Anyone who says that one factor and only one factor causes autism is over simplifying the issue. There is no one cause, and therefore no one treatment that provides a simple cure. Getting rid of toxic levels of mercury, or supplementing with vitamin B-6, or going on a gluten-free, casein-free diet have all been touted by “experts” in the past as the only answer, the only treatment needed. It is just not that simple. In fact, I often feel like I am peering into a huge “black box” of the child's metabolism, trying to find the glitches, with only a small opening and a tiny flashlight to illuminate the complexity of the issue, so complex is this entire topic. New findings in metabolic biochemistry have helped me feel like I have a bright flashlight, and a larger opening through which to peer, but much of this is still a mystery. For a balanced view on the topic, I would suggest getting in touch with the Autism research Institute, begun by the late Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. Think of all the possible places we can contact toxins in this world, toxins that may be affecting your child. Thimerosol in vaccinations (mercury) used to be a huge concern, and because of other sources of mercury still present in our environment, we still look at mercury issues. Toxins can also arise from the gut, produced by unfriendly bacteria or yeast that can be growing there. Toxins can easily be obtained from household cleaners, toys from China that still too often contain lead, aluminum in municipal drinking water supplies, as well as garden and lawn chemicals. The human body also manufactures certain toxic elements as the result of its own metabolism daily, and what you and I can eliminate from our system, an autistic child may not be able to handle. Brain function and nervous system function rely on proper levels of vitamin B-6 and folic acid and methylated B-12. Some autistic children are lacking enzymes to properly activate and/or methylate these nutrient substances. They are also fussy eaters with sensory issues about foods that oftentimes leads to dietary insufficiencies. Certain dipeptidase enzymes required to handle a normal diet may be deficient in autism. There is a group of four enzymes called the metallothioneins which help with the handling of toxic heavy metals, and the tolerance of gluten and casein in the diet. Some children even turn gluten and gliadin (from grains), and casein (from dairy) into morphine-like compounds in their body, which utterly disturbs and great deal of function and metabolism. Because of the frequent huge disturbances in the digestion and absorption and elimination processes in these children, it is very frequent that their body will have decided that certain foods are actually germs. When the child eats those foods, the body will create circulating immune complexes to these foods, which wreaks havoc throughout the body. It is as if the body is constantly running a low grade infection. This involves a concept known as “leaky gut syndrome,” which is too complex to cover completely in this letter. I would suggest you look up some information on leaky gut before our visit with the child, so you better understand the issue. Because of the frequency of this, we will be checking your child for Immune Globulin G complexes from certain foods. This is different from the normal “allergy testing” to foods, which involves Immune Globulin E. There are a number of routine, specialty lab tests we will perform on your child initially. Some of these will involve a trip to your local laboratory for a blood draw, and some will involve test kits which you will send in from home. Instructions will be included, and thorough. We will probably need to repeat some of these tests in 3-4 months to make sure the dietary and supplement changes we are making have had the proper effect. Then, we will proceed with testing for possible mercury and other heavy metal toxicity, a profile (tested from urine) of the neurotransmitters, and other tests. This is a prolonged process, one step at a time. Stirring up toxins and heavy metals in order to diagnose their presence is something that should wait until the child is as metabolically stable as possible.
We are in for a long journey together as partners in helping your child reach the fullest potential possible with present-day science. The journey will require a lot from all of us. We here at Future Visions Foundation look forward to our part in it. To find out more, please call our clinic (Harrison Optimal Health) at 870-714-9596. Office hours are Monday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM central time.
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