AUTISM’s ALARMING FACTS
• Autism affects nearly 1.5 million Americans.
• A new case of autism is diagnosed nearly every 20 minutes.
• Autism occurs in 1 out of every 150 births.
By comparison:
Leukemia 1 in 25,000
Muscular Dystrophy 1 in 20,000
Cystic Fibrosis 1 in 5,000
Juvenile Diabetes 1 in 500
• Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S.
and is growing nearly 17% (24,000 new cases) every single year.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates that 500,000 children in the United States have autism.
Autism knows no racial, ethnic, social boundaries, family income, lifestyle, or educational levels and can affect any family, and any child. And although the overall incidence of autism is consistent around the globe, it is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.
What is Autism?
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
What Causes Autism?
There is no known single cause for autism, but it is generally accepted that it is caused by abnormalities in brain structure or function. Brain scans show differences in the shape and structure of the brain in autistic versus non-autistic children. Researchers are investigating a number of theories, including the link between heredity, genetics and medical problems. In many families, there appears to be a pattern of autism or related disabilities, further supporting a genetic basis to the disorder. While no one gene has been identified as causing autism, researchers are searching for irregular segments of genetic code that autistic children may have inherited. It also appears that some children are born with a susceptibility to autism, but researchers have not yet identified a single "trigger" that causes autism to develop.
Of course, there are many theories as to the cause of Autism, such as abnormal cerebral blood flow to areas of the brain, high fevers, birth trauma, brain injury, infections, reactions to vaccines (some reports implicate MMR which is a combined vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella), or lack of oxygen before, during or after delivery. Other theories suggest mineral deficiencies such as calcium, iron and zinc either in utero or after birth or fat and protein deficiencies.
Autism is now understood as a multi-functional disorder that may, among other things, involve:
* Heavy metal damage to brain cells
* Autoimmune damage to the brain cells
* Intestinal inflammation
* Persistent yeast, viral and bacterial infections
•
Cellular energy processing dysfunction (Kreb Cycle dysfunction)
Recent peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies by Nataf et al. (2006) and by Geier and Geier (2006) indicate that many children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may have unusually high levels of mercury in their brains. By age two, American children have received 237 micrograms of mercury through vaccines alone, which far exceeds the current EPA "safe" levels of .1 mcg/kg per day. (That's one-tenth of a microgram, not one microgram!) The cause is a mercury-based preservative called “Thimerosal” used in these vaccines.
Sadly, in a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the “fathers” of Merck's vaccination programs, warned management that 6-month-old children who, when administered the shots on schedule, would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standards. He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued and complained that the US Food and Drug Administration, which has a notoriously close relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, could not be counted on to take appropriate action, as did the European regulating counterpart. Merck ignored Hilleman's warning, and for eight years government officials added seven more shots for children containing Thimerosal.
Drug makers wary of liability have reduced the level of Thimerosal in most children's vaccines in recent years, but the preservative remains in flu shots, tetanus boosters, and some over-thecounter drugs.
Thimerosal is 50% mercury by weight. In October 1998, more than 7 years after Dr. Hillman raised the alarm about mercury in the Merk vaccines, the FDA finally banned the use of Thimerosal in over the counter medications. But the F.D.A. allowed it to still used in most children’s vaccines.
Before the FDA ban, mercury had been added to eye drops, contact lens preparations, nasal sprays, contraceptive creams, hemmhoroid creams, lubricating gels, allergy injections, and antiseptics such as Mercurochrome® and merthiolate.
Three days in particular may be singled out as spectacularly toxic for infants. These figures are calculated for an infant's average weight in kilograms for each age:
Day of birth: hepatitis B-12 mcg mercury. This is 30 x the safe level.
At 4 months: DTaP and HiB on same day, which is 50 mcg mercury.
This is 60 x the safe level.
At 6 months: Hep B, Polio which adds an additional 62.5 mcg mercury to the
body. This is 78 x the safe level. At 15 months the child receives another
50 mcg of mercury when the booster shot is administered.
This is 41 x the safe level.
These one-day blasts of mercury are called "bolus doses". Although they far exceed "safe" levels, there has never been any research conducted on the toxicity of such bolus doses of mercury given to infants all these years.
Mercury is a known brain poison. Historically, the toxicity of mercury has been known for more than a century. The Mad Hatter was more than a fantasy character from Alice in Wonderland. Mad Hatter's disease became well known in England in the mid-1800s, when hat-makers were subject to inhaling the vapors from the mercury-based stiffening compound they used on felt to make top hats. There is the distinct possibility that this one factor alone could be responsible for damaging the brains of young children and could be the reason for the increase in autism cases.
However, the government and the pharmaceutical complex has made the case that since no direct connection has been scientifically determined between mercury and autism, that such a connection cannot be in fact “true”. This is a ridiculous argument. It is like saying that we know lead is toxic, lead is used in bullets, and bullets can kill, that we cannot establish that it is the lead that killed someone when they were shot by a bullet. This is not what many researchers are saying. Rather, we know that mercury is a poison and mercury is used in children’s vaccinations therefore it is entirely possible that this same mercury could be causing physiological damage to children.
Fortunately a number of U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers have reduced or replaced Thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines. However, as the chart above identifies, there are still vaccines on the market given to children (and adults) that contain this toxic substance, which should be avoided.
Other Possible Links to the Rise of Autism in Children:
While there are genes that predispose a child to Autism, and we know that there is a genetic component to Autism, genetics alone cannot explain the recent rise in Autism in industrialized nations. This leads researchers to look at nutrients and toxins interacting with these genes as the most likely candidates as causal factors for Autism.
The integrity of cell membranes that protects each cell can become impaired, leaving the cells vulnerable. There is a great deal of scientific support, based on both animal and human studies, that a reduced intake in Omega 3 fatty acids results in impaired cell membranes and Neurodevelopmental disorders.
Deficiencies in Key Nutrients in our modern diet, such as Zinc, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 and Folate, may affect neural development and result in cellular membranes weakness and the disruption of the internal processes of cells. These weaknesses predispose us to the devastating effect of environmental antigens.
Antigens (foreign toxic matter, heavy metals, viruses and bacteria) attack vulnerable cells and damage them, resulting in cells that can no longer carry out their normal functions. It is well known that antigens damage or change the expression of the genetic code in our cells, causing these damaged cells to malfunction.
The delicate balance between beneficial and detrimental bacteria in the intestines can be upset by antibiotics, food preservatives, toxic additives and environmental toxins, leading to a condition known as intestinal dysbiosis (a condition whereby bacteria species are abnormally distributed).
When this occurs, opportunistic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract may irritate a vulnerable intestinal wall resulting in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, leaky gut and food sensitivities. Some bacteria produce amines, and, when these bacteria proliferate, they can produce large amounts of amines. A recent discovery in Neuroscience is that there are receptor sites in the same areas in the brain as neurotransmitter (messenger chemical) receptors. This finding suggests that excess amines can result in the scrambling of brain signals and affect learning, attention and mood. In a developing brain this can have serious implications.
Nutritional deficiencies interacting with pre-existing genetic flaws adversely affect cellular structures and the internal cellular apparatus. When these cells are later exposed to toxic chemicals, heavy metals and antigens such as bacteria and viruses they can be easily damaged and consequently fail to perform their normal functions.
These cells are distributed throughout the body's systems, such as: Immune System, Central Nervous System, Gastrointestinal system, Neuroendocrine and musculoskeletal systems and others. Consequently Autism has been described as a multi-systemic disorder.
The Remarkable Healing Power of Oxygen:
Increasing oxygen flow to the tissues and cells in the brain can help all these processes
The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for autism has been used in many countries worldwide. The results are varied and the individual reports from families and health professionals are encouraging. There are many testimonies on the net from families who have taken HBOT for their autistic child with varied results, mostly very encouraging.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is based on simple concepts. The air we breathe has a small percentage of oxygen. Breathing 100% oxygen in a normal room increases that level of oxygen in the bloodstream by about 3% to 5%. However, breathing pure oxygen in an increased-pressure environment delivers twenty to thirty times that amount of oxygen to your body’s tissues. This is especially important in tissues affected by poor circulation such as brain tissues damaged by stroke or head injury.
HBOT increases the oxygen tissue concentration, which increases cerebral blood flow to an area thus enabling the body to restore brain tissue metabolism of oxygen and nutrients, helping restoration of any areas that are suffering from hypoxia. New blood and oxygen begin to stimulate an area, especially one that has viable, recoverable brain cells that are "idling neurons". HBOT reduces swelling or excess fluid in the brain that might be pressing on centers of the brain, which cause "confusion" in their function ability. HBOT has been demonstrated to exert positive objective changes from a safe, adjunctive therapy that has been overlooked by most healthcare professionals. Parents are encouraged to educate themselves on this new dynamic use of HBOT so they can make informed decisions for the future of their child.
In mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (m-HBOT), the gas is oxygen and the liquid is blood. So when a person enters a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, more oxygen is dissolved in the blood.
Under pressure, oxygen does not only hook up to red blood cells – the "traditional" way oxygen is delivered to tissues. It also dissolves into the blood plasma. This is significant because when that plasma circulates near dormant or injured tissues, the oxygen in the plasma will dissolve further into the cells there. In fact, damaged or injured cells receive more oxygen from the blood plasma than from red blood cell in the "traditional" delivery system.
"Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can compensate for decreased blood flow by increasing the oxygen content in the blood and body tissues and can even normalize oxygen levels in oxygen-deprived (ischemic) tissue. In addition, a number of studies have shown that HBOT has potent anti-inflammatory effect on the brain.
Furthermore, recent evidence demonstrates that HBOT increases the production of an important form of cells from human bone marrow, which may aid recovery from neurodegenerative diseases including autism.
Based upon these findings, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is being used more and more to
permanently improve both symptoms and the quality of life in children with autism.”
Maryellen Markley, Ph. D., Director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Center in Honolulu, HI. The results of the study on autism HBOT research in 20 centers across the U.S.A. will be published in June of 2007.
The Controversy:
Autism is a debilitating disease. The fact that it affects children makes the impact even more heartbreaking. As we have seen, there is a considerable controversy as to isolating what the root cause is and how to address the problem. Some professionals claim it is merely a genetic propensity and while we can identify genes that might be the cause, we do not have the ability to alter those genes and stop them from manifesting the disease.
Others believe strongly that there is nutritional component, or rather, a lack of nutrition
component. Malnutrition due to poor eating habits certainly appears to play a major role in many of today’s childhood diseases including diabetes and ADHD. None should wonder that eating foods rich in carbohydrates, preservatives and other chemicals, and not eating adequate amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits containing natural vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, etc. will have a profound affect on a growing fetus.
With the rise of childhood obesity, and the lack of nutrition in most prepared foods that form the basis of a child’s diet in the U.S. today, the brain, which requires a major share of nutrition consumed each day, will undoubtedly become starved of the very energy nutrients to maintain proper health.
As we have explained, at the root is efficient energy production. The brain’s 100 billion brain cells (neurons), and about ten times that many, or one trillion, support cells (glia) all require oxygen on a second-by-second basis. Poor nutrition affects the body’s ability to process oxygen as well as to control the natural by-product of energy production we call R.O.S. or “reactive oxygen species”.
(Another term for R.O.S. is “free radicals”.) Free radicals, it is believed, can damage DNA.
Therefore, poor nutrition, and the body’s increased inability to deal with free radicals, may also have an adverse affect on the brain and exacerbate autism’s symptoms.
As we have explained, early childhood immunizations are not, in themselves, possible coconspirators in permitting this disease to establish a foothold in the brains of children. However, it is clear that the levels of mercury present in the vaccines is high enough to present a cytotoxic response that may temporarily or permanently damage brain cells. Why the F.D.A. and the medical community have not shown greater concern about this is a mystery. Conspiracy theorists can make all sorts of claims about profiteering from the pharmaceutical and medical community, though there is no proof that this is true. Yet, the manufacturers of these vaccines are aware of the toxic side effects of mercury.
Here is what the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has published about the dangers of mercury poisoning:
“The nervous system is very sensitive to all forms of mercury. Methylmercury and metallic mercury vapors are more harmful than other forms, because more mercury in these forms reaches the brain. Exposure to high levels of metallic, inorganic, or organic mercury will permanently damage the brain, kidneys, and developing fetus. Effects on brain functioning may result in irritability, shyness, tremors, changes in vision or hearing, and memory problems. Short-term exposure to high levels of metallic mercury vapors may cause effects including lung damage, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, increases in blood pressure or heart rate, skin rashes, and eye irritation.
“How does mercury affect children? Very young children are more sensitive to mercury than adults. Mercury in the mother's body passes to the fetus and may accumulate there. It can also pass to a nursing infant through breast milk. However, the benefits of breast feeding may be greater than the possible adverse effects of mercury in breast milk. Mercury's harmful effects that may be passed from the mother to the fetus include brain damage, mental retardation, incoordination, blindness, seizures, and inability to speak. Children poisoned by mercury may develop problems of their nervous and digestive systems, and kidney damage.” (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 1825 Century Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30345 CDC Contact Center: 800-CDC-INFO)
It only seems logical that if infants are going to be immunized with vaccines laden with mercury to prevent possible future diseases, that every effort should be made to help detoxify the infants brain of this mercury.
Many “experts” argue vehemently that oxygen will cause more damage to the brain. This is a silly argument. The brain requires more than one forth of the oxygen we breathe. It is the body’s inability to efficiently neutralize metabolic wastes that may cause problems. Supplementing a child’s diet with plant vitamins, plant minerals, essential amino acids, natural enzymes and healthy foods will minimize any possible damage. In fact, nutritional supplementation in combination with oxygen therapies may become the catalysts for substantial positive outcomes. Certainly the initial clinical research bears some truth to this combined approach.
Dr. Gary W. Goldstein, president and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, which specializes in children's developmental problems, agrees: “Here there is no scientific rationale, and there's actually a school of thought developing that ... breathing in too much oxygen can actually damage brain tissue.”
Kirsten Scharnberg, writing in the Baltimore Sun, added: “In the case of children with autism, considered the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S. today, advocates claim some stunning results: transforming nonverbal children into fluent speakers; helping children hypersensitive to outside stimuli become calm enough to attend public schools; changing kids once adverse to any personal interaction or touching into affectionate toddlers." (‘Oxygen therapy for kids with autism debated’. Originally published April 27, 2007 <baltimoresun.com>")
"Oxygen is needed in the body. We can be without food and water for a lengthy time.
We can be without oxygen only for a few seconds...it is the spark of life."
Dr. Charles H. Farr, M.D., Ph.D.: O2 Therapies
"Oxidation is the source of life. Its lack causes impaired health or disease; its cessation, death."
Dr. Eugene Blass, Ph.D.: Oxygen Therapy: Its Foundation, Aim & Result
"All chronic pain, suffering and diseases are caused from a lack of oxygen at the cell level."
Dr. Arthur C. Guyton, M.D.: The Textbook on Medical Physiology
"Oxygen plays a pivotal role in the proper functioning of the immune system."
Dr. Parris M. Kidd, Ph.D.: Antioxidant Adaptation
Oxygen plays a vital role in proper metabolic functions, blood circulation, the
assimilation of nutrients, digestion and the elimination of cellular and
metabolic wastes.
Sufficient oxygen helps the body in its ability to rebuild itself and maintain a
strong and healthy immune system. You know how important water, vitamins,
minerals and enzymes are to your health and vitality. Although you can
actually exist without food for about 40 days, and water for about seven days,
without oxygen, life ceases to exist in only minutes.
ASO® is:
• an all-natural supplement
• contains one of the highest concentrations of activated oxygen available
today.
• pH balanced (app. 7.1)
• Contains no chlorite molecules
• Independent laboratory tests confirm that ASO® is completely non-toxic
and safe to use
both orally and topically!
ASO® stabilized oxygen is undoubtedly a new powerful tool in the modern
world of medicine. The more we get to know about it, the more we can treat
without side effects. ASO® is a tool, a key to a noble dream for a better world, better life quality and life itself.
Dr. Marios L. Christofinis, M.D., Ph.D.
“From the results, it is concluded that the ingestion of the activated oxygen solution (ASO®) considerably affects the tolerance levels of lactate acid in the blood and improves VO2max.”
Nicos Yiannaki Pericleous, M.Sc., ACSM
ASO® is the premiere stabilized oxygen supplement.
The chemical components in ASO® are distilled water, sodium chloride (from sea salt), bioavailable
oxygen and essential and trace minerals. Other liquid-stabilized oxygen supplements
bond their “active” oxygen to salt molecules forming oxychlorine or oxy-halogen compounds, which drive up the pH of these supplements to levels that could be dangerous to the skin as well as delicate membranes in the oral cavity if taken improperly.
ASO® is the most well-researched oxygen dietary supplement
available today.
ASO® has been the subject of more than two dozen independent research studies at laboratories and at universities all over the world. Athletes, scientists, educators and health professionals and practitioners have testified to its safety and efficacy over and over again.
I believe ASO®, because of its inherent “energy factor” potential may just be the “Rosetta Stone” that unblocks the pathogenic mechanisms of disease in general and provides the knowledge for proper disease prevention management. ASO® Activated Oxygen is not simply an important nutrient supplement but a dynamic energy molecule. ASO® has an extremely high ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) of 950 mV. That means ASO® possesses energy that can be transferred to the surrounding environment, potentiating the bioenergetic processes and correcting or reversing underlying cellular dysfunctions. In other words, ASO® works like a bright new cellular battery.
Menicos A. Spartalis, M.D., Vascular Surgeon
On behalf of the World Team, I want to personally thank you for your assistance in one of the greatest sporting endeavors ever undertaken. As you probably already know, of the 15 members that participated…11 are going to Sydney! That is an incredible rate of success…you (ASO®) are an important part of that successful team.”
U.S. Olympic Sprint Swimming Team “It is the researcher's opinion that ASO® results in greater metabolic efficiency which may correlate to significant energy reductions thus prolonging and enhancing the quality of an individual's life.
Further, ASO®, used in conjunction with mineral supplements, may be an excellent therapeutic tool for treating physiological disorders including chronic fatigue syndrome, immune deficiency disorders and several chronic pain related disorders.”
James D. Aker, Ph.D., M.S., P.A., P.P.A.,
“In short, in both measurable parameters and subjective observations, the test subjects in the group treated with the oxygen supplement (ASO®) experienced the following to a greater degree than the control group: Greater stamina and endurance, Reduced muscle fatigue, More energy, Less “out of breath”, Greater feeling of strength, Felt that the product helped them perform better.”
‘Effect of stabilized oxygen consumed with water on blood and urine markers of oxidative stress and blood oxygen saturation during extended military mountaineering training at moderate altitude.’ Eldon W. Askew, Ph.D. Department Chair, School of Nutrition, University of Utah, Donald E. Roberts, Ph.D., James E. Reading, M.A., Jeffrey M. Pfeiffer, M.S., Lt. Lance Orr, MC, USNR.
References:
1 Based on prevalence statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007), based on the autism prevalence rate of 2 to 6 per 1,000 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001) and 2000 U.S. Census figure of 280 million Americans, and based on U.S.
Department of Education's "Twenty-First Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" (1999).
Mark Stokes, Naomi Newton, Archana Kaur. (2007) Stalking, and Social and Romantic Functioning Among Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Hélène Ouellette-Kuntz, Helen Coo, Jennifer E. V. Lloyd, Liza Kasmara, Jeanette J. A. Holden, M.
E. Suzanne Lewis. (2007) Trends in Special Education Code Assignment for Autism: Implications for Prevalence Estimates. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ,
David R Dossetor. (2005) Responding to diagnostic uncertainties of autistic spectrum disorders: facing the challenges. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 41:8, 405–406
Catherine Skellern, Philip Schluter and Michael McDowell. (2005) From complexity to category: Responding to diagnostic uncertainties of autistic spectrum disorders. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 41:8, 407–412
Catherine Skellern, Michael McDowell and Philip Schluter. (2005) Diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders in Queensland: Variations in practice. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 41:8, 413–418
Z Liu, N Li & J Neu. (2005) Tight junctions, leaky intestines, and pediatric diseases. Acta Paediatrica 94:4, 386–393
F Icasiano , P Hewson , P Machet , C Cooper and A Marshall. (2004) Childhood autism spectrum disorder in the Barwon region: A community based study. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health 40:12, 696–701
# A. L. Yonan, A. A. Palmer, K. C. Smith, I. Feldman, H. K. Lee, J. M. Yonan, S. G. Fischer, P. Pavlidis and T. C. Gilliam. (2003) Bioinformatic analysis of autism positional candidate genes using biological databases and computational gene network prediction. Genes, Brain and Behavior 2:5, 303–320
Abnormal Regional Cerebral Blood Flow In Childhood Autism
Takashi Ohmishi, Heroshi Matsuda, Toshiaki Hashimoto, Toshiyuki Kunihirok, Masami Nishidawa, Takeshi Uema and Masayuki Sasaki
Departments of Radiology, Psychiatry and Child Neurology, National Center Hospital of Mental, Nervous, and Muscular Disorders, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo, Japan
Correspondence to: Takeshi Ohmishi, Department of Radiology, 4-1-1 Ogawa higashi, Kodairs City, Tokyo, Japan 197-0031
Neuroimaging studies of autism have shown abnormalities in the limbic system and cerebellar circuits and additional sites. These finding are not, however, specific or consistent enough to build up a coherent theory of the origin and nature of the brain abnormality in autistic patients. Twenty-three children with infantile autism and 26 non-autistic controls matched for IQ and age were examined using brain-perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer. In autistic subjects, we assessed the relationship between regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF) and symptom profiles. Images were anatomically normalized, and voxel-by-voxel analyses were performed. Decreases in rCBF in autistic patients compared with the control group were identified in the bilateral insula, superior temporal gyri and left prefrontal cortices. Analysis of the correlations between syndrome scores and rCBF revealed that each syndrome was associated with a specific pattern of perfusion in the limbic system and the medical prefrontal cortex. The results confirmed the association of (i) impairments in communication and social interaction that are thought to be related to deficits in the theory of mind (ToM) with altered perfusion in the medial prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus, and (ii) the obsessive desire for sameness with altered perfusion in the right medial temporal lobe. The perfusion patterns suggest possible locations of abnormalities of brain function underlying abnormal behaviour patterns in autistic individuals.
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DISCLAIMER AND WARNING:
It is important to note that many doctors recommend HBOT for children on the spectrum IN CONJUNCTION WITH antioxidant supplements. HBOT treatments may cause additional oxidative stress to patients.
Supplements to consider while providing HBOT treatments are: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, CoQ10, glutathione, and selenium. Dosing of these supplements are based on the age, weight and testing of the patients. Please see your doctor for additional information.
This information is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or diagnose any disease or medical condition. Always consult with a medical professional before taking any dietary supplement or using any alternative modality, especially if pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications or if you are under a doctor’s medical care.