Everything Autism

Does behavior therapy help autistic kids?

2012-01-14T06:34:00.001-08:00

There are some people who say it does. I am not an expert on the field and so cant comment much on it. My observations about most therapies for autism are that they all SUCK. These children are extremely withdrawn and it is difficult to get them involved in any type of therapy. Children are too young to comprehend or sit through a session of psychotherapeutic counseling.

You can try and see if it works but I would not enroll for a whole series. Just try out a few sessions first and see if your child responds. Psychotherapy sessions are exorbitantly expensive and do not work all children with autism. Like obesity, autism is one medical disorder, where there are many charlatans who offer false promises- and only bring you great disappointment.

Can you tell me where I can find more information on autism and vaccines?

2012-01-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

For the parent who is interested in knowing more about autism and vaccines. The two best sites for updated unbiased information are medscape (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/722174) and the Canadian health webpage (http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/q_a_thimerosal-eng.php). Both these sites are very easy to navigate; the material is comprehensive and easy to understand. A summary is provided at the end. The other great thing is that both these sites are non-profit and the information provided is completely unbiased. Medscape also offers comprehensive advice on all medical topics, most of which are more suitable for doctors. However, the nursing section offers easy to read factual articles for consumers. Medscape information is updated on a weekly basis and all the clinical trials are updated the moment they are completed. Unfortunately, it is difficult to compare data from different WebPages primarily because most of cyberspace is unregulated and the majority of literature is written by non-health care professionals (many who do not know the mouth from the a..e). In fact, many businesses who sell health products continue to speculate on the causes in order to market their nutrients. Therefore, for the consumer, it is important to seek advice on health sites that are non-profit and written by professionals who have no vested interest in pharmaceuticals.

Is mercury the cause of autism? Part 2

2012-01-12T11:08:00.002-08:00

What needs to be understood is that mercury was once used as a preservative in some vaccines in the past but this is not true today. Yet autism numbers continue to increase. A large federal study revealed that there was no correlation between vaccines and autism. A recent study looked at dietary habits of families, use of dental, amalgam, personal care products, consumption of seafood and levels of mercury at different times during the life of a child. After adjusting for variables, the study revealed that there was no difference in mercury levels in autistic versus normal children. However, the study needs to be looked at with a few considerations. Mercury only remains in the body for several months and is rapidly excreted. There is always the possibility that the metal could have damaged the brain and no longer be present in the body. If this is true than measuring levels of mercury is meaningless. Secondly, the fetus may have been exposed to mercury during pregnancy, perhaps from the mother’s diet. Therefore, for the moment the cause of autism remains an enigma. The only thing that can be said from all the present studies is that mercury levels in individuals with autism are not elevated.

Is mercury the cause of autism? Part 1

2012-01-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

Autism rates have increased dramatically in the last decade and it is estimated that one out of every 100 children has the disorder. Males appear to be five times more likely to develop autism. Many parents strongly believe that the mercury in vaccines is the culprit. Over the years, many anecdotal reports and retrospective studies have been published on mercury and autism.

Some studies have examined mercury levels in the blood and others have looked at mercury levels in hair and in urine. All these studies have only looked at levels of mercury at static points in the life of a child and most studies are short term. More over the studies are fraught with poor control, lack of inclusion and exclusion criteria, observer variation, lack of control and small number of patients

Is autism more a problem of not knowing what is wrong or having no good treatment?

2012-01-12T11:07:00.003-08:00

Both. For the parent, autism is a devastating diagnosis as there is a lot of misinformation. The sad thing is that erroneous data is offered not only by some physicians but also by alternative health care practitioners, natural health healers, herbalists, dieticians, therapists and everyone else who owns a webpage. Many non health care workers now market products for treatment on autism without any scientific backing. We really do not know much about the disorder and we really do not have any good treatments.

I still believe that autism may be related to vaccination. Any thoughts?

2012-01-12T11:07:00.001-08:00

Two decades ago, all the talk was about attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Today, all we hear about is autism. Why have people become so consumed with autism? Firstly, despite intense research, we still do not understand the cause and know even less about treatment. There are no standard treatments for autism. If one was to go to 10 different doctors, one will most likely end up with 100 different opinions. There is no right or wrong about treatments available for autism, just the philosophical approach is different. Almost everything under the sun has been blamed for autism and the latest subject of blame is vaccines.

My child is autistic and I have been told that a gluten free diet may help reverse the symptoms. Any suggestions?

2011-04-03T16:58:00.000-07:00

For every single medical disorder under the sun, someone has come up with a dietary plan. In 99.9999% of cases, the only people who benefit from marketing such diet plans are the manufacturers. There is ZERO evidence that gluten is the cause of autism and thus, eating a diet of free of gluten will do nothing. Several clinical trials have been undertaken on gluten-free diets in autism children. The results have shown no difference in outcomes among children who took this diet and those that did not.

Gluten free diet is also prohibitively expensive and restrictive. The best advice is feed your child healthy nutritious food which is high in fiber, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Give the gluten free diet a rest and save your hard-earned money from scammers and charlatans who offer you false promises. Unfortunately autism is now a business where people make easy money selling crap remedies without any scientific evidence.

Hyperbaric oxygen for autism- another fraudulent therapy? Part 2

2011-02-04T09:31:00.000-08:00

So does HBO work for autism?

A few anecdotal reports indicate that some children may show more concentration, have better eye contact and appear less distracted by noise in the surrounding. They may also become more sociable. Nevertheless, all these benefits are very short lived. However, critics of the treatment indicate that placing an autistic child in an enclosed chamber is no easy thing. These children easily become claustrophobic, may need sedation, develop severe agitation, often develop burst eardrums and have elevated sinus pressures. Moreover, even seizures have been reported.

Like all things in mainstream health care, many sessions of HBO are required. This therapy is usually not covered by most health insurance carriers. At a cost of $150 or more per session, this can easily amount to a lot of money for a therapy that may not work.

There are no clinical studies that have evaluated the effects of HBO treatment on autism. A few case reports indicate that the therapy does not work and is simply a fraud. All parents who have autistic children should first understand that there is no cure for this disorder and there is no single treatment that works in all children. HBO is just another passing fad-and like all other treatments previously, it does have one benefit- it continues to make the providers of this bogus therapy richer and the children continue to suffer.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/02/04/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-new-treatment-autism/

Hyperbaric oxygen for autism- another fraudulent therapy? Part 1

2011-02-04T09:29:00.001-08:00

All over the country, health care providers are offering hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatments for a variety of medical disorders. HBO has only a few medical indications including air embolism, decompression sickness, carbon monoxide poisoning and a few bacterial infections. Now this therapy is being offered to children with autism. Autism is a complex mental disorder and no one really knows what causes it or how to best treat it. So far, the disorder has been treated with a Hodge podge of therapies, including a variety of cognitive behavior therapies. The results of such therapies are mediocre at best and the poor parents are left searching for alternative treatments.

Now hyperbaric oxygen has been introduced as a treatment for autism. The autistic child is placed in a pressurized chamber where pure oxygen is delivered. The doctors who offer HBO suggest that the increase in oxygen may help reduce brain swelling and improves oxygenation of the nervous tissues. Therefore, if the brain gets more oxygen then hopefully it will work better.

Can gluten and casein free diets help reverse behavior in autistic children?

2011-01-27T13:49:00.001-08:00

In the last decade, there have been suggestions that perhaps diet may play a role in the cause of autism. Throughout the years, hundreds of different diets have been developed to either prevent or treat autism; - in every single case, these diets have had no impact on the disease. Now another diet has been added to the list- gluten and casein free diets.

Many women with autistic children have been buying these expensive diets in the hope of reversing symptoms of autism. There are many anecdotal reports on benefits of gluten free diets- most are made by people who have a financial interest in the business of selling such diets.

So is there any real evidence that gluten and casein free diets help improve outcomes in autistic children? A few studies have shown that gluten and casein free diets have no impact on autism - the only impact is in the pocket as these diets are exorbitantly expensive.

While the few studies show no benefit of gluten free diets in autistic children, no one has bothered to show if long-term use of these diets is safe in these children!

Do complimentary treatments help autistic children?

2011-01-17T13:36:00.001-08:00

Almost everything underneath the sun has at one time been recommended as a treatment for autism. Asides from standard behavior and education therapies, there are a lot of complementary therapies. Some of these are based on scientific evidence, others are based on folk lore and many are simply guess work. Thus, as a parent it is important to discuss with your physician what evidence is behind each therapy and the chance of success.

Before you embark on a fruitless journey in search of a cure, you should know that there is no cure for this dreadful disorder nor is there any magic bullet that works in all children. Some autistic children may respond to one type of treatment and others may respond to an entirely different treatment. What is recommended that is that if your child fails one treatment, than he/she should be considered for another treatment option. Finally, treatment of autism has become a major business. You will soon discover that everyone wants your money- a lot of your money for therapies that suck. So do your homework.

Will my autistic child ever be normal?

2011-01-17T13:31:00.001-08:00

The traditional approach to the treatment of an autistic child has always been a combination of special education and behavior management. There is a lot of evidence that indicates that the earlier the treatment is started, the better the outcome of the child. The treatment is long term and requires commitment. The results are slow and there are no immediate answers. While only the exceptional child will improve dramatically, the majority will only show a mild gradual improvement in behavior- but it is rare for an autistic child to be normal again.

I want to provide my autistic child with good care. I am lost by the amount of literature and confusion. How should I start?

2011-01-17T13:28:00.001-08:00

Before you start on any treatment for your autistic child you should be aware of the following:

There is no standard therapy for autism. If you go to 10 different health care workers, you will get 200 different opinions. There is no right or wrong about the treatments available for autism. Just the philosophical approach is different

Because conventional medicine has failed to cure it, many parents have lost faith in their physicians. So to develop a sense of comfort, seek opinions from several pediatricians about the treatment approaches. This will help you calm your fears about the variations in the treatment

The cyberspace is a great place to read about autism but this is the last place you want to seek medical advice. There are lots of individuals who are not even in health care who are now offering treatments for the condition.

Read about the disorder. The more knowledgeable and informed you are, the better the care you will be able to seek for your child

Do not always believe what you hear about treatment of autism. If one child did respond, it does not mean your child will respond.

There is a great deal of variability in the disorder. A single isolated report of improvement with Gingko Biloba does not mean that it works in all individuals. The internet is full of false hype.

No matter what treatment is offered to your child, ask about the pros and cons of the. Understand what the published treatment guidelines are and know how much experience your specialist has.

Discuss the treatment options with your family but ultimately you as a parent will have to make the final decision

Does the internet have any decent information about treatment of autism? I have a 3 year old autistic child.

2011-01-17T13:19:00.001-08:00

Today, a great many parents seek help for their autistic child over the internet. However, one should know that there is currently no standard therapy for autism. There is no right or wrong approach to the treatment- simply that the philosophical approach is different. The cyberspace is full of information about autism but it is not the place to seek medical advice. There are a lot of non-health care workers who now offer treatment(s) for this condition. All parents should be read about this disorder- the more informed you become, the better you will be able to seek care for your child. Do not always believe everything that you read or hear about autism. If one child responds to a treatment, this does not automatically mean that your child will. There is a great variability in autism and single isolated reports will only confuse you. The internet is unrealistic and impractical And finally there are a lot of charlatans who will male false promises with B.S. advice -only because they want your money.

My child has autism. Is there anything that works?

2011-01-17T13:12:00.001-08:00

Twenty years ago, all we ever heard about was attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Today, all we hear about is autism. Why have people become so consumed with autism? Firstly, despite intense research, we still have very few ideas on the cause, pathogenesis and treatment. Almost on a regular basis, there is a new theory and treatment on cyberspace. Autism is a difficult disorder and is best treated by someone who understands childhood developmental growth. While some parents do have their child under the care of a mental health professional, there are just as many parents who do not. The reason is a deep dis-satisfaction with conventional medical therapy. We live in a society where everyone wants instant gratification and results. Unfortunately, autism is the last disorder which can make be treated with a magic bullet and expect overnight success.

Before you embark on an unrewarding voyage in search of a treatment, you should know that there is no cure for this disorder nor is there any effective medical therapy that works in all children. Some autistic children may respond to one type of treatment and others may respond to an entirely different treatment. Most experts agree that if your child fails one treatment, than he/she should be considered for another treatment option.

Does the environment cause autism?

2010-12-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

The cause of autism remains a mystery but there is no shortage of possible causes. Over the past 2 decades, almost everything underneath the sun has been blamed as a cause of autism.

Now scientists have come back full circle and claim that perhaps it is the environmental after all. The latest study from Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles indicates that children who live near freeways at birth have twice the risk of autism compared to children born in rural areas.

This study from LA found that babies who lived within 1,000 feet of a freeway were at a risk for autism. And this they say could be due to a high levels of pollutants in the freeways. The study observed that more than 50 percent of autistic children were born near areas of contaminated air.

So what does this all mean?

Autism also occurs in children born to mother who live in rural areas. Therefore, the results of this study appear puzzling. Moreover, not a single study has ever shown that autistic children have high levels of any specific chemical, metal or any types of toxic gas in their body. Therefore, for now, this is just an academic study.

Even if this was true, parents who want to prevent autism have little choice- there are not many places in America where there are no highways or pollution. There are many other cities in the world that have worse pollution than Los Angeles- like Beijing, Bangkok, Jakarta, Dacca or Mexico City. Yet the incidence of autism does not appear to be any higher than anywhere else in the world. So for now, mothers-to-be who live in urban areas should relax and stop reading too much into these studies. And even if you wanted to sell your home and move away, chances are the economic situation won’t let you.

Electronic diagnosis of Autism in children: Part 2

2010-10-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

At present, the diagnosis of autism is based on a range of behaviors and speech impediment including how much a child talks by a certain age, whether they make eye contact and the degree of repetition in vocabulary.

"Autism is a multi-factorial disorder and it has many behavioral dimensions to consider. And vocalization is clearly an important one," said Oller. "But I certainly don't think it should be used exclusively."

Dr Oller has noticed that the speech development process in autistic children does not follow the typical pattern and there are subtle deviations in both pronunciation and vocalization.

While all this may sound fantastic news, it is important to know that Dr Oller and most of his colleagues received consultation fees from the company that makes the device. Moreover, in fact some of the researchers even work for the company (LENA FOUNDATION). Secondly making the diagnosis of autism earlier in life makes no difference in treatment. To date there is nothing specific available for children under the age of 2-5.

From past history, researchers who have worked with medical industries and received funding always make everything look glossy. So before you rush out to buy this expensive device, remember the adage, “Buyer Beware.” Medicine is ultimately a business.

The results of the study have just been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Electronic diagnosis of Autism in children: Part 1

2010-10-26T12:54:00.000-07:00

Researchers have developed a small electronic device that can now screen children for autism. This small recorder fits into the upper pocket of a shirt and can analyze words the child says during the day. The device has a powerful software program that evaluates all the sound the child makes. The software program recognizes the words, syllables and processes sounds made only by the child being studied. The 12 hours daytime recordings are then analyzed to examine a child's natural speech. Parents return the recorder back to the company after the child has worn it for a day. Back at the company, the researchers analyze the recording for language development progress and degree of autism.

This research done by clinicians at University of Memphis recently analyzed more than 3 million syllabic sounds gathered from over 1500 all day recordings from 232 children ranging in age between 10 months to 4 years. The tests were undertaken in English, but the head of research, Dr Oller said the technique could be applied to other languages. "It hasn't actually been tried yet, but there's every reason to think it should," he said.

Dr Oller, the head of the study has extensively studied language learning and evolution, and has recognized how the structure of diverse syllables changes during a child's first four years of life. This knowledge led Dr Oller to develop a device that could analyze speech.

Said Dr Oller, "Although clinicians have been saying for many years that they think that autistic kids sound strange when they talk, there's been no practical way to use vocalization as a part of the diagnostic or screening procedure in working with autism."

Can Autism improve with Different Diets? Part 2

2010-01-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

In the current report, experts in the field of autism refuted the controversial idea that autistic kids have a “problem gut” or what has been called “autistic enterocolitis.” This idea originated in 1998 by a British physician but has been discredited and has no authenticity. The present report indicates that there is no evidence that gut problems exist in autistic children, but unfortunately there are still some die hard parents who believe otherwise.

For now, experts indicate that parents should not go chasing special expensive diets for their autistic children. Many autistic diets have been developed. Some of these diets are gluten free, others are enriched with vitamins and yet others contain a myriad number of unknown herbs. The lack of availability of proper treatment has led nearly 20-40 percent of parents with autistic kids to buy such diets. The current report recommends that physicians check children for nutritional deficiencies and correct them only if a deficiency exists.

For some unknown reason autistic kids do have a variety of abdominal problems including bloating, gas, and cramps. Why this happens is not known but it may promote abnormal behavior.

Until more solid evidence about diet is forthcoming, autism is still best treated with a variety of behavior techniques.

Pediatrics Jan 2010

Can Autism improve with Different Diets? Part 1

2010-01-04T05:09:00.000-08:00

With the sudden increase in autism, many people have been wondering if a change in diet may help. However, an expert panel says that there is no evidence that dietary or digestive problems are the cause of autism. Despite widespread claims by celebrities that special diets can help treat autistic kids- this is only speculative and not based on any established research.

In a report published in the Jan issue of Pediatrics, it is recommended that painful digestive problems that initiate problem behaviour should be treated medically and not by changed in diet. Said Dr Timothy Buie of Harvard Medical School, "There are a lot of barriers to medical care to children with autism. They can be destructive and unruly in the office, or they can't sit still. The nature of their condition often prevents them from getting standard medical care.”

Added Dr Buie, “Some pediatricians' offices can't handle those kids, especially if children are in pain or discomfort because of bloating or stomach cramps.” It is well known that pain can change behavior, which makes diagnosis difficult and this is even more so in children who have trouble communicating.

One of the hallmarks of autism is the inability to communicate or interact with others. Current estimates indicate that at least 1 in every 100 children may have some degree of autistic features.

Behaviour therapy works for autistic children Part 2

2009-12-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

Children in the focused group had four hours of therapist-led management five days a week, in addition, parents were also asked to put in at least five hours a week.
After two years, many aspects of the children mental functions were improved including IQ. However, parents should note that this study did not cure autism in any child.

While the results are great, the long term follow up on this particular treatment is unknown. Many similar behaviour studies have shown initial improvement in autistic children with regression later one. Finally, such behavior treatments are exorbitantly expensive and can cost at least $50,000 a year. While some states require insurance companies to cover the costs, this is by no means the standard in other parts of the country.

This Study was recently published in the Pediatric journal online

Behaviour therapy works for autistic children Part 1

2009-12-01T09:23:00.000-08:00

The latest study published by researchers from the University of Washington indicate that behaviour therapy for two years in autistic children as young as 18 months can significantly improve symptoms and result in better behavior.
The small study has led to renewed interests in this therapy in many centers where autistic children are treated.

The treatment of autism has been getting more consideration partly because so many quasi treatment claims have been made before. Most of the previous treatments have failed but this latest study appears to show some promise at least for the short term.

Moreover, there is a growing trend to treat autism at a much earlier age. This study showed that when treatment is started as early as 18 months, the results are great.

Children aged 18 to 30 months were randomly allocated to receive behavior treatment called the Early Start Denver model from therapists and parents, or they were referred to other types of less comprehensive treatments. The Denver model focuses more on social interaction and communication which are the most difficult features of autistic children.