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It is generally accepted within the autism community – parents and professionals alike – that autism is a behavioral-based disorder, that is, the analysis is based on observation of behavior and treatment focuses on reducing challenging behavior. However, a growing number of individuals within Stream community also acknowledge that it is equally relevant biomedical component to the disorder that should not be overlooked in planning treatment programs for individuals with autism spectrum. While recognizing the need for biomedical testing, both parents and professionals can be at a loss to understand the number of tests available and how to determine which test (s) are most appropriate for a child or adult with ASD.
Proposals for tests that follow are based on 10 years of experience as Laboratory Director of The Great Plains Laboratory, medical laboratory that performed more testing for people on the autism spectrum than any other place in the world. My suggestions are now also based on experience with its own 14-year-old stepdaughter my Paulina, who has severe autism.
Food Allergy Testing
One useful test for people on the autism spectrum is universal IgG food allergy test. The most common foods that are abnormal in children and adults on the spectrum are cow’s milk, cheese, yogurt, wheat, barley, rye, spelled, and soy. We have documented these allergies at The Great Plains Laboratory by testing thousands of blood samples from people on the spectrum worldwide. Many articles in the literature report similar abnormalities.
frequency high IgG antibodies to wheat and milk is about 90% of people on the autistic spectrum. Most individuals with IgG allergy or sensitivity to cow’s milk are also allergic to milk goats. Other common allergies are peanuts, eggs, citrus fruits, corn, sugar, and baking yeast. There are various tests available for allergies, so it is very important to check what type of allergy test is available. While useful in some cases, I have not seen IgE allergy test to be as valuable for individuals with ASD. Unfortunately, this is one type of food allergy test that most laboratories offer.
decision on whether or not IgG food allergies are present is important. These allergies or sensitivites are associated with food reactions by certain white blood cells release cytokines, powerful protein content as gamma-interferon, which can cause major changes in behavior and even psychosis. IgG allergy is found in children and adults throughout the autistic spectrum include autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and Asperger syndrome. These anomalies are also very common in attention as well.
Wheat and milk restriction has been one of the most effective treatments for individuals on the spectrum. Before treatment with gluten and casein free diet, Paulina spent most of the day screaming, crying, throwing tantrums and pull it off the shelves. She could not go out to eat at a restaurant where she was so hyperactive that she would squirm out of his seat and wander around the restaurant. All these difficult behavior stopped after the implementation of gluten and casein free diet (as well as antifungal therapy).
Testing for celiac disease
celiac disease is another common wheat intolerance with a frequency of 1: 150 among people of European origin. The incidence of this disorder seems to be higher in the autism spectrum than in the general population, although people on the spectrum have celiac disease sometimes too. Celiac disease can be confirmed by the presence of antibodies intestinal enzyme transglutaminase, which is involved in a biological process gluten.
inhalant Allergy Testing
allergies to things in the air is termed inhalant allergies. These allergies, unlike food allergy, does not need to be tested with the IgE test. Some of the most common allergies are mold, mildew, pollen, cats, dogs, birds, and dust. One child with autism had severe behavioral response when certain special teacher came into the classroom. After testing for inhalant allergies, found that the child had severe cat allergy. The teacher was a cat lover and had some at home. Cat hair would get the clothes and teachers called allergic child. The baby was transferred to another teacher and severe behavioral reaction stop.
Testing for Yeast
Another very common abnormality in autism is gastrointestinal overgrowth of Candida. Candida is a member of the yeast family – a type of fungus. Drugs that kill yeast or fungus are called antifungal drugs. The greatest amount of Candida is present in the gastrointestinal tract, but it can sometimes enter the bloodstream and has been found in the blood of children with autism have very sensitive test called PCR, which measures Candida DNA. There are about a dozen species of Candida, but the three most common are Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida krusei.
There are many reasons to control Candida overgrowth. Excessive Candida can inhibit normal digestion and absorption of nutrients into the circulation, as well as preventing the production of important vitamins required for optimal health. Candida produces many toxic byproducts including gliotoxins, which may impair the immune system. In addition, a large portion of a Candida cell wall protein (HWP1) have a structure that is almost identical in protein wheat gluten. Because of this similarity, Candida binds to the enzyme transglutaminase, which is present in the intestinal lining. This binding of transglutaminase anchor long strands Gærcelleme to gut like ivy vines climb a brick wall. This anchor inhibits yeast is mechanically disrupted the digested food passes by. Binding Candida to transglutaminase also interferes with the normal function of the enzyme in the digestion of gluten. If a piece of the Candida cell wall protein (which is similar to gluten) into the bloodstream, they can react with one of the blood coagulation also has Transglutaminase activity, leading to disturbances in blood clotting mechanism. These modified proteins may not be recognized by the immune system, as a result, can lead to autoimmune diseases. Finally, Candida cells can also cause digestive enzymes such as proteases and phospholipids that effectively eat away the intestinal lining, allowing undigested food molecules to pass through into the bloodstream, and therefore cause more food allergies.
Candida can be detected by culturing on Petri dishes chair or by measuring the amount of chemicals that are produced in the gastrointestinal tract. These by-products can be measured in urine organic acid test (OAT), which also checks for inborn errors of metabolism, nutritional deficiencies, and other factors. This material or fermentation products are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract by blood vessels called the portal vein. These vessels carry these fermentation products to the liver where they are distributed via the bloodstream. The blood containing these fermentation products is filtered through the kidneys and excreted in the urine.
It is important to know that stool tests can often miss the presence of Candida when there are high levels of antibodies called IgA in the intestine. These IgA antibodies coat Gærcelleme and inhibit their growth enough to prevent them from growing in a Petri dish even though they may still be able to grow enough bowel to cause trouble. Such a situation can lead to a false negative.
by testing yeast fermentation products in the urine, this problem can usually be overcome. However, about 10% of yeast produce common products of fermentation. We have solved this problem by offering a combo test for both yeast fermentation products – urine organic acid test (OAT) – and yeast culture from stool. If yeast can be grown, it is the added advantage of yeast sensitivity to various drugs or natural agents can be determined. Many yeast resistance to various antifungal agents for the widespread use of these drugs in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). As people with HIV, many of the autism spectrum have a serious lack of privacy Candida. One possible reason why people with autism have this problem is that the vaccine against measles virus can significantly impair the ability of the cellular immune system (Vaccine January 8, 2001) to control Candida. We have found this same lack of cellular immunity in people with autism. The Great Plains Laboratory expected to have a test for this defect available shortly and possible treatment as well.
Along GF / CF diet, reduce or prevent yeast overgrowth has been one of the more effective methods to reduce autistic symptoms. Paulina had been on antifungal treatment (nystatin) for several years, but her behavior began to deteriorate significantly. Studies show that yeast it had developed resistance to nystatin. With this change, it had become very hyperactive and uncooperative. She spent a lot of time crying and whining, could not sleep, and pulled part of the table. Within six hours of the beginning of the antifungal drug Diflucan, natural smiling her behavior again. Unfortunately, prolonged use, Diflucan can sometimes cause liver damage so we carried out a limited carbohydrate diet to help control the yeast after we stopped Diflucan. With effective antifungal therapy, parents have reported reduced aggressive and self-injurious behavior, improving learning in schools, improve focus and concentration, better sleep and less hyperactivity. Many parents do not realize that antifungal therapy over an extended period of autism; others come with antifungal drugs that are ineffective. It is important to antifungal treatment be supervised by a competent doctor. A cheaper microbial organic acid testing can be done on a regular basis to make sure the yeast or harmful bacteria have not returned.
Testing for Clostridia
Several years ago, I began a collaborative study with Dr. Walter Gattaz, research psychiatrist at the Central Mental Health Institute of Germany in Mannheim to evaluate urine in patients with schizophrenia. These samples were very valuable since they were obtained from patients who were drug-free. Thus, any biochemical abnormalities would be due to a disease and not a drug effect. Five of the twelve samples contained a very high concentration of compound which is confirmed as a derivative of the amino acid tyrosine, which is very similar but not identical to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylpropionic acid. I then identified this compound as 3- (3-hydroxyphenyl) -3-hydroxypropionic acid or HPHPA. This particular compound has been associated with colonization of the gut with Clostridia bacteria.
How is this important to autism? HPHPA is far higher in the urine of children with autism than in normal children. People with autism who have high levels of the compound have a very abnormal or even psychotic behavior. One child with high levels of HPHPA urine kicked out the windows of a family while being transported to school. Clostridia can be treated with antibiotics vancomycin or Flagyl. The first patient in a medical study of improved Flagyl treatment but then came back when the drug was discontinued. The same child was retreated with six weeks of vancomycin. A development expert estimated that the child had received a six-month development after six weeks of treatment. Again, the child was reversible after discontinuation. The use of beneficial bacteria, Lactobacillus acidophilus GG, the brand is Culturelle, is very useful in controlling Clostridia species in most cases and can be safely used for years if necessary. This product has about a millionth of a gram of milk protein casein per capsule but such a small amount is unlikely to have a significant impact in most dairy sensitive people.
Testing HPHPA is also full of organic acid test or microbial organic acid test in the Great Plains Laboratory. It is important to be aware that some laboratories wrong measure DHPPi as a signal for Clostridia.DHPPA is a byproduct of chlorogenic acid, a common substance found in wine and many fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, tea, coffee, sunflower seeds, carrots, blueberries, cherries, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potatoes, and peaches. In addition, it is also a subject byproduct of good bacteria, E-coli and Lactobacillus.
The Mercury Toxicity
Mercury is a naturally occurring metal found throughout the environment. Mercury can enter the environment ore deposits contain mercury because of wind or rain or anthropogenic. In addition to mercury from a vaccine preservative Thimerisol, other major sources of mercury contaminated humans are dental fillings, which are 50% mercury and large fish such as tuna and swordfish.
Mercury is in two basic forms, organic and inorganic. Inorganic mercury consists of metallic mercury and inorganic mercury compounds called salts. Metallic mercury is liquid at room temperature. It is brilliant silver content in thermometers and generally with the silver as aluminum for dental fillings. Liquid mercury from thermometers can give off steam if the thermometer breaks that could then be absorbed through the lungs. Mercury is also used in alkaline batteries. Organic mercury compounds are methyl mercury, ethyl mercury and phenylmercury. Methylmercury is produced from inorganic mercury microorganisms in the environment and perhaps microbes in the gut. Methylmercury is highly toxic. Exposure to three drops of methylmercury to the gloved hands of the research was fatal. Mercury exposure should be avoided at all costs.
It is important to note that the symptoms of the toxicity of mercury mirrors closely the clinical symptoms of autism .. parents of a child who had developmental delays and myopathy contact me because test the child had revealed high levels of mercury in the hair and blood . They reported that their child ate salmon or tuna five or six times a week. While fish are a great source of essential fatty acids, most large fish significant methylmercury. The FDA has recommended that pregnant women abstain from certain fish high in mercury. Since methylmercury is fat soluble, it could also contaminated supplements derived from fish oils. In addition, mercury is used as antifungal agents in paints for 1992. Therefore, anyone in older houses need to be aware that peeling paint or cleaning of the existing paint could result in exposure to mercury. Mercury in fillings during pregnancy can be a great source of exposure to developing babies in the womb. Ethyl mercury, the most commonly used preservative in vaccines, has been present as a preservative in other products as well :. Contact lens solutions, nasal sprays, and ear and eye drops
Testing for heavy metals
Heavy metals can often have a combined effect of exposure so many low heavy metals could be just as toxic and exposure to one metal at a high level. Heavy metals are found to be elevated in children and adults with autism and PDD are uranium, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, lead, aluminum and antimony. Hair is the easiest to collect samples in most cases and is generally considered one of the best samples for screening for heavy metals from heavy metals such as mercury, can be 250 times higher in the hair and blood. However, the use of hair metal testing is controversial. The State of New York bans high test for heavy metals than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the US Government promotes hair screening for mercury as a very useful method. In New York State test for heavy metals in the blood or urine can be used instead of high. Chelation therapy with chelating agent DMSA is probably the most effective treatment at this time for those people with abnormal.
many tests can be very helpful in determining the most important biochemical abnormalities so that treatment can be focused on the most important issues. Although each autistic children will experience different levels of success with biomedical tests and treatments, I would like to share one success story that describes what can happen in some cases. Three years ago, the family came to visit from Turkey with a four-year-old son with severe autism. They insisted that they did every test offered by the laboratory. I tried to convince them to reduce the financial burden by summing the tests could be delayed to a later date. They would not listen and insisted firmly that they get every test available. Two years later I received a letter from parents who had implemented all treatment marked test. Their son had fully recovered and was able to download a regular school classroom without an aide.
The tests focus in this article has been helpful to people with autism at any severity. Parents and treatment professionals who want to deal biomedical testing should first start with this group. Many other tests can be useful to people with autism of all ages; they are presented in Table 1. Most of the tests are covered by insurance and HMO is generally not to pay the physician gets approval in advance from the Audit Committee.
as concerned parents and professionals, it is extremely important that we are holistic in our approach to treatment and check whether or not the biomedical / biochemical agents are contributing to autistic symptoms. Only then we will be best able to reduce or prevent behavioral challenges related to autism spectrum disorders.
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