By admin | Published May 19, 2012

Why Are Autism Rates in Israel So Low?

Approximately 1 in 88 children in the United States have some form of Autism. Only 1 out of every 2400 Israelite children have this condition. There have been several studies done to examine why Israel has much lower rates of Autism. Below are some of the possible explanations:

Fewer vaccinations

Vaccinations have been a subject of controversy for the past 10 years. The number of vaccinations that are children are required to have has increased, and many are speculating that there is a correlation between Autism and vaccinations. Even though health experts assert that Autism is not caused by vaccines, it is quite interesting that this condition is less common in Israelite children. Children in Israel are not required to have as many vaccines as American children.

Diet

Many Israelites today still keep kosher. The kosher diet forbids the eating of swine and other foods that have been deemed unclean. There have been studies done to confirm that a poor maternal diet can lead to Autism. Many women in America do not eat properly during pregnancy.

Fewer environmental toxins

If a mother is exposed to toxins in the environment during her pregnancy, her growing child could be at an increased risk for developing autism. Israel has fewer environmental toxins, which could be another possible explanation for the lower autism rates.

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By admin | Published May 17, 2012

Similarities Between ADHD and Autism

Research has shown that autistic children also have organic xenobiotics like ADHD children. It is found that functional liver detoxification testing – such as caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin clearance -  may also be abnormal in autistic children. It is not definitive, but autism may be primarily a neurotoxicologic disorder that stems from fetal and infant exposure to xenobiotics.  The issue this presents at such a young age is that the blood-brain barrier is poorly developed and combined with potential inherited insufficiency of liver detox mechanisms, problems may arise. It is a possibility that autism and ADHD may be part of the same spectrum of disorders and share quite a few etiological features.

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By admin | Published Apr 29, 2012

Why is Methylation Critical in Autism?

Methylation is so important because it produces glutathione. Glutathione is important for maintaining and restoring health, both physical and mental. Children with autism tend to have lower levels of glutathione when compared to non-autistic children.  Genetically, families with autism tend to have lower amounts of glutathione and also may have a tendency towards problems with schizophrenia, alcoholism, bi-polar disease, depression, and attention deficit disorder. Glutathione is an antioxidant that is essential for protecting cells in the body from toxins.

There are ways that we can help to increase our body’s ability to produce glutathione. By increasing key ingredients in our bodies, we can improve the process of methylation. The following are some of the key ingredients to focus on:

  • Vitamin B12 in its methyl form.
  • Vitamin B6
  • Folic acid
  • Dimethylglycine also known as DMG.
  • Trimethylglycine also known as TMG.
  • Methionine
  • N-acetyl cysteine also known as NAC.
  • Glutathione given as an IV infusion, inhaled with a nebulizer, rubbed in as a cream, and orally.

Improving glutathione production can have a positive impact focus, concentration, and language.

Posted in Autism General, Autism Symptoms, Autism treatment, Causes of Autism, Chelation, Supplements, toxins | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments
By admin | Published Apr 27, 2012

New Research in Vaccines: Infant Monkeys Given Standard Doses of Vaccines Develop Autism Symptoms

Recently, new findings have been released showing that infant monkeys given vaccines recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) exhibited autism-like symptoms. Laura Hewitson, lead investigator, of the University of Pittsburgh and colleagues presented study results at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in London. Often, safety studies of drugs are conducted in monkeys prior to use in humans, however this research on the current childhood vaccination regimen has never before been done.

The abstracts presented at IMFAR described biological changes and altered behavior in vaccinated macaques which are similar to what is seen in autistic children. Animals that were unvaccinated did not show any adverse outcomes. The animals were given vaccines that had been recommended of infants in the USA during the 1990s, including the controversial MMR with the mercury preservative thimerosal. During the 1990s, rates of autism spectrum disorder among children rose dramatically, from about 1 in 5,000 to 1 in 150 children.

The request of the research group is similar to that of Dr. Bernadine Healy, Former NIH Director, in an earlier interview on CBS. Dr. Healy asserted that public health officials have been too quick to dismiss an autism-vaccine connection when the research has been insufficient.

Certainly a few things to think about and to question. Always make informed and educated decisions when it comes to your child’s well-being.

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By admin | Published Apr 26, 2012

What is Chelation and How Can it Help My Child with Autism? Part 2

Chelating agents can be given through an IV, or by mouth. The most common chelating agents for removing heavy metals (lead, arsenic or mercury) include dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS), alpha lipoic acid (ALA), and Calcium disodium EDTA.

Agents and what they typically chelate:

  • DMSA: lead, mercury, arsenic. DMSA also normalizes glutathione levels.
  • DMPS: mercury.
  • Calcium disodium EDTA: lead, other heavy metals, and some minerals.

Although conventional scientific institutes don’t recognize the link between chelation and improvement in an autistic child’s behavior, many parents opt for chelation therapy as a means of aiding their autistic children.

Since 1967 The Autism Research Institute has collected “Parent Ratings of behavioral Effects of Biomedical Interventions.” Tens of thousands of responses have been logged so far. Chelation therapy was recently added to the list of biomedical interventions, and of the 470 parents who reported their children using chelation, 75% reported “good” results. That’s fairly strong evidence!

Posted in Autism General, Autism treatment, Causes of Autism, Chelation, Supplements, Tests, toxins, Vaccinations | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
By admin | Published Apr 26, 2012

The Link Between Major Depressive Disorder and Leaky Gut Syndrome

When a child is diagnosed with Autism, the symptoms that they experience can be extremely diverse. Some of them even mimic other conditions. Such is the case with Depression and Autism. Many autistic children seem to have sudden mood swings, extrmeme feelings of “lowness”, or decreased appetite. All symptoms of depressions.

It is now being said that people who have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) should be tested for Leaky Gut, which, as we’ve mentioned before, is extremely common in people with Autism.

Children with Autism often have gastrointestinal problems.  These problems include gastritis, esophagitis, inflammatory markers at the gut lining, gut lymphatic system hyperplasia, increased intestinal permeability, abnormal gut microbiota findings, increased enzyme secretion, and carbohydrate malabsorption.  Indeed, autistic children with severe gastrointestinal symptoms are more likely to have severe autistic symptoms (via).

Leaky Gut Syndrome itself causes the intestinal immune system to produce chemicals that spread inflammation through the body. It’s the immune system that is supposed to send out defenses to attack bad things in our bodies. You can image the damage that can happen when the “fighting system” is the one spreading the problems.

One of the contributing factors being studied is that depression and other mental conditions may increase the production of the same oxidants that cause damage to the wall of the small intestine. It’s because of this that people who have been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder should also be tested for Leaky Gut syndrome.

How to Be Tested for Leaky Gut Syndrome: 

We offer our Leaky Gut test (only in the USA) in which Dr. Wong will send you a test and will analyze the results. The cost of the test includes the test itself, the shipping, the analyzing of the test, and a custom report from Dr. Wong on the results.

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By admin | Published Apr 25, 2012

What is Chelation and How Can it Help My Child with Autism? Part 1

Chelation is the process utilized to remove damaging heavy metals from the body. Mercury, iron, and other metals are often found in the Autistic body and can have negative effects on the brain making Autism symptoms even worse. Another source of damaging metals is Thimerosal, which is found in many childhood vaccines. Chelation Therapy includes the administering of chelating agents to remove heavy metals. Chelation has been proven to remove excess or toxic metals before they can damage the body and was first used in the 1940s by the Navy to treat lead poisoning.

Our bodies have natural methods of eliminating these toxins from our bodies. In the very young and the very old, it can be more difficult to rid the body of heavy metals, which can therefore accumulate faster than they can be removed.

Heavy metals are tested in various regions of the body depending on which heavy metal it is. One of the most sensitive tests available at most labs is called a Porphyrin Profile.

Posted in Autism General, Autism treatment, Causes of Autism, Chelation, Tests, toxins, Vaccinations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments
By admin | Published Apr 24, 2012

What are Stimming Behaviours?

As it relates to autism, stimming is a repetitive body movement that self- stimulates one or more senses in a regular pattern. Stimming is one of the symptoms listed for autism dianosis although it is also observed in about 10% of young children without autism. Also, many children with autism exhibit no stimming behaviour. Common forms of stimming among autistic individusals include hand flapping, body spinning or rocking, lining up or spinning toys or other objects, repeating sounds, etc.

Stimming can result from a variety of causes.  We don’t know for certain why stimming is so common, the most popular theory is that it helps to regulate sensory input. Stimming helps the individual to block out any uncomfortable sensory input such as noise, light, etc. – and allows the person to experience the sensations they crave. Changes in the diet may help to improve stimming in some cases.

Although stimming behaviors in children with autism are very common, the good news is that many of these behaviors can be minimized if the underlying causes are addressed and corrected.  As these excessive body motions are reduced, children become more teachable and responsive to their therapies, therefore improving autism dramatically.

Posted in Autism General, Autism Symptoms, Behavioral Modification, seizures | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments
By admin | Published Apr 23, 2012

Obese Mothers More Likely to Have Children with Autism

According to recent findings, obese mothers are twice as likely to have children with autism. Researchers found that women who were obese, or had conditions associated with being overweight such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or gestational diabetes were more likely to have children with problems.

This study looked at nearly 1000 children 2-5 years of age, two thirds of whom had autism or other developmental delays, and matched them against the third who had developed normally.

Researchers found that obese women were almost 70% more likely to have a child with autism and more than twice as likely to have a child with a developmental delay.

To read the full story, click here.

Posted in Autism General, Causes of Autism, News, Research and Studies | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment
By admin | Published Apr 21, 2012

Are Older Fathers More At Risk of Having Children with Autism?

New autism studies confirm genetic complexity and risk for older fathers. Four new studies recently published observed the genetics of autism and found further evidence that older fathers are at increased risk of having an autistic child. This suggests that the genetic roots of the condition are incredibly complex.

One study found that the mutations were four times more likely to occur in fathers and the risk for men began increasing at age 35. The reason be may be because the older men are, the more times their sperm-creating cells have copied themselves, and each time a cell is copied, there is a chance that a mutation will occur. Studies that have been published previously found that men over 50 have twice the risk of having an autistic child, compared with those under 30, and the odds are four times greater for those over 55.

To read the full story, click here.

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