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Re: Namenda/memantine for Autism?

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OMG -look what I just found in the news about Namenda which is

memantine for autism -not apraxia -and from someone we all love here -

Dr. Chez (pediatric neurologist -you know -the one behine carn-

aware.com carnosine? (not carnotine with a T) So my apologies to

the DANs -but I'm still creeped out about this for kids with apraxia

as our success rate here has been very high without the risks of

putting kids onto serious adult medications -still creepy. And this

article goes in to DAN against medications -very timely here...but

again what if neither is needed (if we're talking apraxia) I mean

they don't even mention fish oil or vitamin E....no less therapy!

Oh and here's a link to info about carnosine/Dr. Chez from CHERAB

http://www.cherab.org/information/dietaryeffects/carnosine.html

Namenda/memantine still creepy to me no matter who's using it.

Sacramento doctor takes unconventional approach to autism

By Dorsey Griffith - dgriffith@...

Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, March 29, 2008

In the controversial world of autism treatment, mainstream medical

doctors are increasingly pitted against alternative providers in the

quest to figure out causes and develop treatments.

Dr. Chez, a neurologist specializing in child autism, likens

talking about the neurodevelopmental disorder to discussing politics

or religion.

" Many times, I have wanted to give it up, because it's hard to keep

your ego from being beaten up all the time, " said Chez, who practices

at Sutter Health and holds a teaching position at UC . " You're

portrayed as part of the Evil Empire of the Darth Vader Medical

Society. "

Chez has weighed in with a book which explores traditional and

alternative theories and approaches to autism, including his own,

unconventional drug therapies. " Autism and its Medical Management " is

an effort to educate parents of autistic children and the

professionals who take care of them.

Coinciding with the release of Chez's book in early April are

National Autism Awareness Month and the 10-year anniversary of the UC

MIND Institute in Sacramento, also known for innovative

research into autism.

The milestones reflect a dynamic time in autism diagnosis, research

and treatment. While the causes of the disorder are not yet

understood, autism cases continue to mount, as do efforts to unravel

its many mysteries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 7

in 1,000 children 8 years old are diagnosed with the illness. The

number of diagnosed cases served by the California Department of

Developmental Services has grown from 6,527 in 1995 to 36,952 last

year.

Chez wrote his book as a user-friendly overview of what is known and

what is not yet understood. The book details therapies that show

promise, and others, such as detoxification treatments, that he says

remain unproven.

Chez believes that once an autism diagnosis is made, parents often

mistakenly delay medical intervention.

" Most people don't understand the complexities of the medical aspects

of autism, " Chez said. " I wanted a program that allows people to get

help from a medical point of view that is scientifically based and

available in the community. "

Chez said autism is multifaceted with numerous subtypes and symptoms,

many of which overlap with those of other ailments, including

epilepsy.

Up to 30 percent of autistic children may have seizures, he said, and

in one study as many as 70 percent showed abnormal patterns on an

electroencephalograph test, used to measure electrical brain activity.

Treatment of those children with valproic acid, an anti-convulsant

drug, he reported, has demonstrated vast improvement in language

function.

Chez is working with Hendren, psychiatrist and MIND Institute

executive director, on a larger-scale study on use of the drug in

autistic children.

McCain brought her 3-year-old daughter to Chez a year ago

because she was way behind in language development and seemed unable

to process information she was hearing.

" We were concerned it was autism, but she didn't fit all the autistic

criteria, " said McCain, of Elk Grove. Chez found the girl had

irregular brain activity and prescribed an epilepsy drug.

" We started to notice a change within a week, " McCain said. " She all

of a sudden started acquiring language and trying to more frequently

interact with us verbally. " McCain said her daughter continues to

improve and has not been diagnosed with autism.

Similarly, Chez has been using the drug, memantine, an Alzheimer's

disease drug, for some of his young autistic patients.

Preliminary research suggests the drug, which protects nerve cells

against chemicals that cause brain damage, also is effective in

improving language, social interaction and self-stimulatory behaviors

in autistic children.

One of Chez's current memantine patients is the son of Dr. Louis

Vismara, a cardiologist and another parent founder of MIND.

Vismara said the medication has helped his 15-year-old, in terms of

his behavior and cognitive skills. He said he appreciates Chez's

scientific, yet novel approach to autism treatment.

" One of the most frustrating things we parents face is a multiplicity

of anecdotal information, " Vismara said. " You could spend your whole

life hopscotching from one hope for a cure to another without any

real sense of what is going to help. "

Chez acknowledged he uses some drugs not yet approved by the Food and

Drug Administration for children, or for autism symptoms. But he

points out that he would – and has – done the same for his own

children.

Chez is the father of a 14-year-old who had stopped talking at age 3

and was diagnosed with Landau-Kleffner syndrome, a rare neurological

disorder that can sometimes mimic autism.

He is also stepfather to a 15-year-old who is autistic, has a seizure

disorder and is developmentally delayed. She takes drugs for seizures

and the Alzheimer's medication, Chez said.

Although Chez's treatment approaches could be called " unorthodox, " he

distinguishes himself from the so-called DAN doctors, a group

endorsed by the Defeat Autism Now organization. DAN doctors believe

the disorder results when genetically vulnerable people are exposed

to certain environmental toxins.

Pleasanton physician Lynne Mielke is a psychiatrist with an autistic

son and now a DAN doctor. While she agrees with Chez that autism

demands medical treatment, her methods are different and only

occasionally include prescription drugs.

She said autistic children are systemically ill, with neurological,

gut and immune system problems. She argues that inflammation and free

radicals from exposure to toxins damage the brain.

Mielke takes blood, urine, stool, and hair samples from her patients

and looks for abnormalities – high levels of yeast in the bowel or

mercury in the blood, for example, that might benefit from

detoxification therapies.

Her treatments may include chelation – a drug that helps rid the body

of metals. DAN doctors also typically want their patients to adopt

diets free of wheat and dairy products, and consume vitamins and

other dietary supplements. Some practitioners promote use of

hyperbaric oxygen therapy to increase oxygen flow to the brain.

Bruce Kaminski of Elk Grove takes his severely autistic boys, ages 9

and 11, to a DAN doctor. He said the boys have benefited from

antifungal treatment for their bowel problems, chelation for mercury

in their blood, and strict diets. And while he doesn't oppose

prescription drugs for certain symptoms, he said, he likes the DAN

approach for its emphasis on removing anything that might be harming

the child.

" Within a couple of days of taking my younger boy off milk, he went

from not looking anyone in the eye, to giving eye contact, " he

said. " That told us something. "

Chez understands why parents like Kaminski choose alternative medical

treatments, but remains skeptical.

" People don't have faith in medicine and want a quick fix and a

miracle cure, " Chez said. " I would do all these things if they

actually worked. "

Regardless of the professional differences, Hendren said Chez's book

may help bridge some of the chasms between the various philosophies

and medical approaches to the disorder.

" By taking a thoughtful look at a wide variety of treatments, " he

said, " parents will have a better opportunity to make informed

decisions about what they want to try. "

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/820384.html

=====

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I'm not surprised by this.....I knew there was a big movement here in Sacramento

for Namenda and other meds like them for apraxia and autism. This is why I've

seen it all over my local list serv. When I mentioned fish oil to help apraxia,

not one person was interested.

@...: kiddietalk@...: Wed, 2

Apr 2008 12:22:58 +0000Subject: [ ] Re: Namenda/memantine for

Autism?

OMG -look what I just found in the news about Namenda which is memantine for

autism -not apraxia -and from someone we all love here -Dr. Chez (pediatric

neurologist -you know -the one behine carn-aware.com carnosine? (not carnotine

with a T) So my apologies to the DANs -but I'm still creeped out about this for

kids with apraxia as our success rate here has been very high without the risks

of putting kids onto serious adult medications -still creepy.

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So sad -fish oils are so easy, inexpensive, benign -and good for you

on top of all that. While nobody knows the success or even worse

risks of putting children onto this serious drug -we do know the

proven success and even with dramatic results in a day to three weeks

with fish oils. Just doesn't have the funds to back up research

behind it -mother nature doesn't grow money on trees. And now we know

about vitamin E too through Dr. who isn't only a

respected researcher/pediatrician -but mom to an apraxic 3 year old.

It's kind of like being a fan of Archuleta on Idle which I am -

anything that appears innocent and good isn't cool in today's sick

world. Pardon the pun on the word sick.

Look Who's Talking Now: Fish oil capsules help children with speech

disorders find their voices

EngleMed

http://www.cherab.org/information/dietaryeffects/Englemed.html

=====

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Anyone read his book?

>

> So sad -fish oils are so easy, inexpensive, benign -and good for you

> on top of all that. While nobody knows the success or even worse

> risks of putting children onto this serious drug -we do know the

> proven success and even with dramatic results in a day to three

weeks

> with fish oils. Just doesn't have the funds to back up research

> behind it -mother nature doesn't grow money on trees. And now we

know

> about vitamin E too through Dr. who isn't only a

> respected researcher/pediatrician -but mom to an apraxic 3 year old.

>

> It's kind of like being a fan of Archuleta on Idle which I

am -

> anything that appears innocent and good isn't cool in today's sick

> world. Pardon the pun on the word sick.

>

> Look Who's Talking Now: Fish oil capsules help children with speech

> disorders find their voices

>

> EngleMed

> http://www.cherab.org/information/dietaryeffects/Englemed.html

>

> =====

>

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