Tag Archives: Autism

A five year old Canadian boy, diagnosed with severe autism, was cured when the true cause of his mental disorder was found to be celiac disease and he was treated with a gluten-free diet and nutritional supplements.

Photo originally posted to Flickr as “Jack”

His autism was cured because he was never really autistic in the first place. He had celiac disease, an immune response to wheat, barley, rye and oats that damages the intestines leading to malabsorption of nutrients.

Gluten-restricted diets have become increasingly popular among parents seeking treatment for children diagnosed with autism.(1)

What if certain children who are diagnosed with autism actually have celiac disease?

Neurological disorders stemming from celiac disease have been widely documented in medical literature. Some of these conditions include poor balance, tremors, migraines, chronic fatigue, schizophrenia, epilepsy, apathy, depression, insomnia, behavioral disorders, inability to concentrate and anxiety.(2)

Many of these issues are due to nutritional deficiencies resulting from the intestinal damage that celiac disease causes. If caused by celiac disease, they improve once gluten is removed from the diet and the intestine heals and functions properly.

Genuis and Bouchard, researchers at the University of Alberta, recently published the case of the 5-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with severe autism at a specialty clinic for autistic spectrum disorders. After an initial investigation suggested underlying celiac disease and varied nutrient deficiencies, a gluten-free diet was instituted.(1) His diet and supplements were adjusted to secure nutritional sufficiency.

The patient’s gastrointestinal symptoms rapidly resolved, and signs and symptoms suggestive of autism progressively abated.(1)

This case is an example of a common malabsorption syndrome (celiac disease) associated with central nervous system dysfunction and suggests that in some cases, nutritional deficiency may be a cause of developmental delay.

Genuis and Bouchard recommended that all children with neurodevelopmental problems Read More »

If you or someone you know has a child with a mental illness, behavioral problem or unexplained neurological issue, you must watch this video. It vividly illustrates how gluten and celiac disease can cause neurological illnesses and how removing gluten from the diet can improve or cure the child. [Note: The title says two videos because there were two videos originally, but Youtube removed them. A reader informed us about the one below. Originally posted May 2009.]

Eamon Murphy started exhibiting mental aberrations and problems eating at three months of age. By the time he was three, his parents were frantically trying to understand what had caused his developmental delay in walking and talking, and now his trances, seizure-like episodes and regression. After a determined effort by his mother and a series of extraordinarily lucky events, he was finally diagnosed with celiac disease…and Read More »

Ethan Fox never slept more than two hours at a time.  He did not speak.  He ran continuously, day and night, until he would collapse from exhaustion.  After a short nap, he would awaken and run again. 

At one year of age, Ethan was diagnosed with autism.  At 20 months, after being written off by other physicians, he was placed on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet by Dr. Kenneth Bock, autism specialist and author of “What Your Family Needs To Know About Autism Spectrum Disorders.”

According to Ethan’s mother, Tracy Fox, results were seen within three days on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet. Ethan slept through the night, spoke his first words and has never had a problem since.  Now age 6, he is at the top of his class at school with a 97%  average…and virtually no one knows he was ever diagnosed with autism.

Read More »

The debate rages on both the causes and “cures” for autism. There is the mercury-vaccination contingent, the gluten-free, casein-free diet supporters, those that believe genetics play a role, and the list goes on. There may very well be multiple etiologies for this developmental disorder, and research continues throughout the world to determine, definitively and finally, what that is.

One of the newest clinical trials is just beginning across the country, at fifteen institutions, including the University of California at San Francisco. Read More »

The CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network released data in 2007 that found about 1 in 150 (8-year-old) children in multiple areas of the United States had an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The number of diagnosed cases of autism is on the rise; the reason(s) for this is unclear.   Autism knows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries.  Family income, lifestyle, and educational levels do not appear to affect the chance of occurrence.

Fortunately, dietary changes can make a significant change in people with autism.  Research is profound on the positive impact that a gluten and casein free diet can make on children with autism.  Gluten and/or casein free diets have been implemented to reduce autistic behavior, in addition to special education, since the early eighties {Autism, Vol. 3, No. 1, 45-65 (1999)}.  The scientific studies include Read More »

Gluten-free diets are often a cornerstone treatment in Autism and developmental therapy. 

Eating gluten-free is both cost effective and healthy. Photo: Global Crisis News

Gut and Psychology Syndrome, or G.A.P.S as it’s called, relies on the idea that in healing the gut (that is, dysbiosis — the state of microbial imbalance) through whole foods and natural lifestyle choices, many neurological conditions can be eased or cured.

  G.A.P.S. diets purportedly have the potential to heal everything from depression to mental fog, dyslexia, to, of course, Autism.  It is the idea that Read More »

by Mark Geier, MD, PhD & David Geier

July 24, 2010

Dear Everyone: We wanted to share with you the avalanche of new mercury-autism studies published yesterday in the peer-reviewed literature. Yesterday, there were six studies published in one day that implicate a causal role for mercury exposure in autistic disorders.

(1) Sorting Out the Spinning of Autism – Heavy Metals – Mercury – & Incidence

“We analyzed the data reported in some articles that have been, or might be, taken to support the view of no-real-increase or no-environmental-connection. Overall, we have offered a critical view of some of the literature from the perspective of research scientists who have become interested in the topic within the past five years and sought to gauge the actual state of scientific knowledge regarding autism etiology…  To summarize, of the 58 empirical reports on autism and heavy metal toxins, 43 suggest some link may be present, while 13 reports found no link. Even with the tendency for null results not to be reported, it cannot be said there is no evidence for a link between heavy metal toxins and autism: although the question may still be open-in sum, the evidence favors a link.” Read More »

In Shape magazine, that is — on the cover of the May issue. Actress, author, autism activist, and mother Jenny McCarthy said she ballooned to 211 pounds after the birth of her son, who’s now 6 years old. Weight Watchers helped her slim down since it taught her about portion control and to be conscious of what she eats.

Then three years ago she switched to a diet that’s gluten- and dairy-free, to match her son Evan’s diet. Not only did it help her shed even more weight, but it’s greatly improved her son’s autism symptoms. A typical day consists of an egg white omelet for breakfast, then for lunch and dinner she enjoys fresh fruit and veggies (she purées them to make her own soups) with fish. For snacks she loves “those little packets of nuts from Starbucks.” Jenny also stays strong and flexible by practicing yoga, and is even trying to teach it to her honey, Jim Carrey. Check out the May issue of Shape for her 15-minute yoga sculpting workout.

Source: http://www.fitsugar.com:80/2971971