Dietary Changes May Help Some With Autism/ Autism And Mercury FAQ

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" Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

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April 6, 2001 Search www.feat.org/search/news.asp

Also: Autism And Mercury FAQ

Dietary Changes May Help Some With Autism

[by Shaun in Reuters Health.]

www.reutershealth.com/archive/2001/04/05/eline/links/20010405elin029.html

Cutting out dairy, wheat and some other foods may improve the symptoms

of some children and adults with autism but worsen symptoms in others,

according to preliminary results of a small study presented Thursday.

Autism is a neurological disorder that impairs language development

and prevents patients from socializing normally. It typically appears during

the first 3 years of life.

" The theory is that poorly-degraded food proteins leak from the gut

into the blood, " having a drug-like effect that changes brain activity, Dr.

Ted Kniker told Reuters Health in a telephone interview from the 12th

International Conference on Autism, held at Durham University in England.

Kniker, from the San Texas Autistic Treatment Center, reported

findings from the first phase of a two-part study of 28 people with autism.

The study team assessed the diets, and dietary and medical histories of the

participants this January. During the first phase of the 3-month

intervention, milk and dairy products, food colorings, grain and caffeine,

and other foods were eliminated from the diet.

Kniker explained that 10 of the 28 participants had a change in

behavior. " Five of these 10 improved in many of the parameters examined, but

to our surprise, the other five deteriorated. "

He added, " The deterioration experienced by the five individuals may

be explained if the removal of these foods unmasked negative effects of

other foods that they may not ordinarily consume. "

The second phase of the study was initiated April 2. " We have now

removed a different set of foods, including soy products, peanuts, buckwheat

and grape from their diets, and will assess whether those who improved

previously improve further, whether those (in whom) diet had no effects

improve, and whether individuals who deteriorated in the first part of the

trial get better, " Kniker said.

The participants were all residents in the treatment center, so their

" diets were completely controlled, " he pointed out.

In an interview with Reuters Health, co-researcher Dr. Alzono s,

psychologist and director of the Autistic Treatment Center, said, " We also

monitored disruptive behavior, communication skills and other psychological

parameters, and we saw trends in four individuals towards improved behavior,

and a decline in behavior in another four. "

s noted, " In two responders, we noted improved cognition and

sociability. Staff also said these individuals were more alert and

retentive, although there was an associated increase in behavioral problems.

We would conclude, however, that they had improved overall. "

Kniker concluded that while far more research still needs to be

conducted, he hopes that results from the second half of their study, due in

May, will lead to further clues to the causes of and treatment of autism.

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Autism And Mercury FAQ

[Mercury has been in the news again lately. Here is a FAQ to give you the

basics. From Lyn Redwood of the autism-mercury discussion

email list. For more information go to her website listed below.]

http://tlredwood.home.mindspring.com

Q: How is Mercury Poisoning related to Autism?

In their paper " Autism: A Unique Type of Mercury Poisoning " Bernard et. al,

http://www.cureautismnow.org/sciwatch/invest.cfm have revealed a startling

similarity in the symptoms of Autism and Mercury Poisoning. While this may

sound frightening, it actually shines a bright ray of hope into the lives of

families living with an autistic child. Why? Because mercury poisoning can

be cured.

Q: How dangerous is mercury?

Very. Mercury is the second most toxic element on earth, second only to

plutonium. The amount of mercury found in one mercury thermometer is enough

to pollute a small lake. Mercury toxicity has been linked to a large number

of diseases, including arthritis, altzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis,

fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, bipolar disorder,

schizophrenia, learning disabilities and ADHD.

Q: How could my child have become mercury poisoned?

Many parents believe the major culprit to be thimerosal, a preservative used

in vaccines and other medications. Thimerosal is 50% mercury by weight. In

October 1998, the FDA banned the use of thimerosal in over the counter

medications. Since July, 1999, the FDA has " encouraged " manufacturers to

remove thimerosal from vaccines. Some have done it; others have not. Today,

most vaccines that are being manufactured do not contain thimerosal, or they

only contain a " trace. " But we do not know how many of the old thimerosal

products are still on the shelf.

Each vaccine containing thimerosal exceeds the EPA's safety guidelines of

0.1 mcg/kg/day. Since multiple vaccines are often given on the same day, the

amount of mercury injected into a typical infant is many times over the

" safe " limit. Before the FDA ban, mercury had been added to eye drops,

contact lens preparations, nasal sprays, contraceptive creams, hemmhoroid

creams, lubricating gels, allergy injections, and antiseptics such as

Mercurochrome® and merthiolate.

Q: What are some other sources of exposure to mercury?

There are many other common sources for mercury exposure. Here's a short

list:

Dental amalgams

Released into the air by coal burning plants

Fish and shellfish, especially tuna, salmon and swordfish

Some paints

Thermometers and blood pressure gauges (especially if mercury from broken

instruments was spilled on carpet)

Fluorescent light bulbs

It is important to note that mercury present in a mother's body is passed to

her baby through the placenta, and later, through breast milk. See: " Mercury

from maternal " silver " tooth fillings in sheep and human breast milk. A

source of neonatal exposure. " By Vimy, Hooper and King:

http://hera.algonet.se/~leif/yrvim97a.htm

Q: But my dentist told me that dental amalgam is perfectly safe.

The presence of mercury in dental amalgams is a very controversial subject.

Despite the fact that dental amalgam contains 50% mercury, the American

Dental Association's official position is that dental amalgam is safe, and

that mercury does not pose a health risk. However, numerous research studies

show that dental amalgams are a major source of mercury toxicity. Because of

the ADA’s position, your dentist risks losing his license if he tells you

that mercury is dangerous, no matter what he personally believes.

Q: If mercury poisoning is caused by vaccines, they why aren't all

kids mercury toxic?

Sensitivity to mercury varies widely from person to person, as does the

body's natural ability to detoxify. Some children can get rid of the mercury

quickly, while in others, the toxin remains in the body longer, allowing it

time to bind tightly in the brain and other organs.

Q: Has anyone actually " cured " their autistic child by chelating them?

The book " Turning Lead Into Gold " describes several cases of children with

" autistic tendencies " who improved dramatically after chelation for lead.

As of this writing, no one on this list has completely cured their child

from mercury poisoning. But its early yet. Dr. Amy

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Autism-Mercury/message/#Amy is getting some

wonderful results with the children in her practice, and numerous parents

have reported improvements in their autistic children with each chelation

cycle.

Determining Mercury Toxicity & First Steps

Q: My doctor says that my child is not mercury toxic because his/her

blood and urine mercury levels are " within normal limits. " What do you

think?

Most MDs are more familiar with lead poisoning than mercury poisoning. Blood

and urine tests are the standard for measuring lead, but these tests are

inadequate for mercury. This is because once mercury enters the body, it

very quickly leaves the bloodstream and accumulates in the internal organs.

Therefore, urine and blood tests will only show mercury if the person has

been exposed to a large amount of mercury very recently. Chronic long-term

exposure (amalgams) or old exposure (vaccines) will not show up with these

tests. A better way to test for mercury is by using a hair elements test.

Q: How can I find out if my child has mercury poisoning?

Dr. Amy Holmes lists a number of useful medical tests on the website:

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/holmes.htm. A trace minerals analysis,

or hair test, is an inexpensive, non-invasive and reasonably accurate test

for determining the body's burden of mercury and other heavy metals.

Doctor's Data (708/231-3649) is a great source for obtaining this test. Keep

in mind that mercury may be so tightly bound in the body's organs that it

doesn't show up in large amounts in the hair test. Instead of looking at

mercury by itself, it is necessary to look at all of the elements and to

apply the " counting rules " (posted in files) to determine if mercury is

present.

Q: My alternative doctor wants to do a DMPS challenge test. Is this

safe?

No. DMPS challenge tests and IV chelation with DMPS can be very

dangerous—see www.dmpsbackfire.com. A challenge test is when a doctor

administers a large amount of a chelator in a single dose, and then tests

the urine for metals. Challenge tests in general aren't useful for

diagnosing mercury toxicity because everyone has some mercury in them, and

DMPS (or DMSA) will mobilize it. If DMPS is to be used, it should be

administered orally, every 8 hours. And no one should take a chelator of any

kind if they have dental amalgam fillings.

Some doctors suggest doing the same sort of challenge test using a large

oral dose of DMSA, or will suggest treatment with infrequent doses of

chelator (once a day or every other day). This is also dangerous. Chelators

should always be given in frequent, small doses (every 3-4 hours for DMSA,

every 8 hours for DMPS).

Q: I've made an appointment for a hair test and I'm trying to find a

doctor to help me chelate. Is there anything I can do right now?

Yes—you can begin supplementation. There are many dietary supplements that

can help your child to feel better now, and during the chelation process.

Here are some important ones:

Take these 4 times a day: Vitamin B complex, Vitamin C, and Milk Thistle

extract

Take these often (frequency not as critical): Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin E,

mixed carotenes and lypocene, flax seed oil.

Q: OK, I'm convinced my child is mercury toxic. What do I do now?

If your child has dental amalgams, you will need to find a mercury-free

dentist who can replace the silver amalgam fillings with some other

material. Next, you should try to find a doctor who can help with chelation.

Keep in mind that most regular allopathic doctors are not familiar with

mercury toxicity. You don't have to go to a regular MD. " Alternative "

doctors such as osteopaths, naturopaths, homeopaths and chiropractors may be

able to help you obtain chelating agents and monitor your child's health

during the process. You don't have to have a doctor to chelate, but it is a

very good idea.

Q: My child has only one amalgam filling, and I can't seem to find a

dentist who will agree to replace it. Can't I go ahead and chelate?

Absolutely not. You cannot start chelation if there are any silver amalgam

fillings present. The chelator will remove mercury from the filling and

deposit it in your child's body, making him even more toxic.

Q: I've gotten back the hair test results for my child, and it shows

he has high levels of other metals besides mercury. What should I do?

Generally, you remove the other metals first. High levels of lead, copper,

arsenic, antimony or aluminum can cause symptoms similar to mercury

poisoning. If your child has high levels of several metals, he is likely

very sick. Test again in three months.

Recommendations for chelating other metals:

Lead: Use DMSA, but follow the protocol for mercury in case mercury is

present as well. Administer every 3-4 hours for several days, then rest for

the same number of days, etc.

Arsenic: Use DMSA first if your child is mercury toxic. LA works very well

for arsenic. Chelate using mercury protocol (every 3 hours, with on/off

cycles).

Antimony: Use SAMe, 5 mg a day per pound of kid in divided doses. Or you can

use the " poor man's methylating mix " of B-12 (100 mcg per pound), folate (10

mcg per pound) and TMG or choline (10-20 mg per pound). Spread these through

the day. They may be energizing so you might want to give them in the

earlier part of the day.

Copper: Copper absorption can be greatly reduced by giving 25 mg zinc + 250

mcg

molybdenum 4 times a day, and also by excluding high copper foods from the

diet. Nuts, organ meats, shellfish, molasses and sometimes unwashed produce

are high. Glycine, taurine and milk thistle extract might help get rid of

copper faster.

Note: You should not give LA if your child has high copper levels, as LA

will drive copper levels higher.

Aluminum: Restrict dietary intake. Don't cook in aluminum pans, or drink

sodas from aluminum cans. Certain baking powders, antacids and

antiperspirants contain aluminum, so be sure to check labels.

Cadmium: Zinc may help.

Antioxidant supplements help reduce the symptoms of all heavy metal

problems.

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