Autism statistics in today's world are alarming. Even more alarming is having your own child diagnosed with autism.
In the past, there were few treatments that promised improvement in the symptoms of autism, and therefore parents viewed a diagnosis of autism as a sentence of doom. Recently, however, an alternative approach called Functional Medicine has made great strides in identifying the biochemical causes of an individual child's autism and in delivering significant improvement.
Autism's Symptoms
Typically, autism is diagnosed at 30 months or earlier. It is a neurological disorder that disrupts normal brain function. Early diagnosis is key to effective treatment.
Autistic children tend to have difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication,
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By testing a child's blood and urine, we can assess his or her neurotransmitter and nutritional deficiencies as well as the presence of toxins and thereby determine the appropriate therapy for that individual.
Natural Therapies for Autism
If the laboratory test results indicate a deficiency in neurotransmitters, the Functional Medicine practitioner would prescribe their replenishment. Neurotransmitters involve a chemical makeup in the brain that is responsible for behavior and learning.
If the lab tests indicate the presence of heavy metals or other toxins, the Functional Medicine practitioner would eliminate these through detoxification protocols, including the use of nutrition and detoxifying the gastrointestinal tract with natural botanical substances.
Nutritional deficiencies would be corrected through a change in diet and a prescription for natural
Associated with autism, there are a number of conditions comorbid to ASC. There is a high prevalence of epilepsy in individuals with autism, with a 1 in 4 prevalence, with seizures often starting in early childhood or adolescence. Tourette’s syndrome also has a higher prevalence within ASC then the neuro-typical population, with a prevalence of 6.5% compared to 2-3%. This may be due to abnormalities in dopamine, glutamate and serotonin abnormalities in autism. There is also a high proportion of individuals with learning difficulties, whether mild, moderate or severe, with a reporting from as low as 20% up to 70% prevalence.
Autism is most commonly described as a developmental disability that is diagnosed over a broad spectrum of impairment and identifiers; and within the first three to five years of life. The number of cases of ASD have steadily grown over the past several decades and can be seen in 1 in every 88 births (Ogletree, Morrow-Odom, &
A basic or complete metabolic panel which shows the serum concentration of electrolytes is sufficient to diagnose hyponatremia, however testing plasma osmolality and a urinalysis for sodium level may be useful in determining the cause the hyponatremia if it is not apparent (Goh, 2004). Treatments for hyponatremia are discussed in the section
The diagnostic criteria requires that symptoms of autism be apparent before the age of three, but it is roughly around that age that a child can be given an autism disorder diagnosis. In order to receive a diagnosis for autism the child must meet several criteria listed in the Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. At least two qualitative impairment in social interactions such as: failure to develop peer relationships, lack of social or emotional reciprocity, impairment in the use of non verbal behaviors (facial expressions, body posture, eye to eye gaze) and lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests or achievements with other people. They must also show at least one of the qualitative impairments in communication, such as: stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language, delayed or
Autism spectrum disorder has become the most common neurological and developmental disorder diagnosed in children today. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012) estimate that 1 out of every 88 American children have been properly diagnosed. There is no known cure for autism, and the inconsistencies of the symptoms of autism in each case make it difficult to target a particular set of effective treatments. However some behavior management therapies, specifically physical therapy, may help to significantly control the unwanted symptoms in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
since the year 2006 were 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism every year, autism is much
The serum creatine levels, the BUN, the urinary potassium, the serum pH and sodium clacium are high.
This set of particular tests were carried out at Manchester Metropolitan University in the Interdisciplinary Laboratory. Prior to the tests that were going to be carried out the client in question was asked to carry out a Pre-Test Medical questionnaire to assess the risks involved and to see if the client would be able to participate in the tests. The tests that were performed on the client were height, weight, haemoglobin, cholesterol, FEV1 and FVC.
Autism is on the rise. Many researchers feel the reasons isn’t because there are more kids being afflicted with it, but the increased public awareness has allowed this disorder to be more easily recognized and diagnosed at a earlier age.
Epidemiological researchers reported the age which autism can diagnose was 44 months, with a large change in the expression of symptoms between various individuals. The children with autism may express brain abnormalities, deficits in communication, weak muscle tone and abnormal emotional and social development.
One the biggest psychological disorders in our society is childhood autism. Childhood autism is defined as “A pervasive developmental disorder defined by the presence of abnormal and/or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3 years, and by the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all three areas of social interaction, communication, and restricted, repetitive behaviour.” (MHresource.org). Furthermore, boys are three to four more times likely to develop childhood autism than girls (MHresources.org). Statistics also show that the prevalence of childhood autism in births is one in fifty-nine and has grown 119.4 percent from 2000 to 2010 (CDC). Now, researchers are looking into what causes childhood autism. They are
Temple Grandin, a doctor in the field of animal sciences who suffers from Autism, once said, “People are always looking for that single magic bullet that will totally change everything. There is no single magic bullet.” Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a general term for a group of complex disorders of brain development. The Autism Spectrum can be split into many subtypes, including Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Pervasive Development Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). Starting from an age as young as infancy, symptoms of Autism may be conveyed. Repetitive behavior, any loss of speech or social skills, and attachment to parents are three of the many symptoms expressed by children with Autism (“What
○ Avoidance of these interactions is practical in most instances by substitution or alternative treatments
Take a detailed patient history and any information about prolonged exposure to chemicals. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Tens of millions of people have been diagnosed with Autism worldwide, effecting both genders, all races, ethnicities and people from all socioeconomic classes. In 2010 a Surveillance Summary was conducted in the United States, where it identified that one in 68 children are diagnosed with Autism (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It has been recognised