Great news! Numerous medical doctors have been successful in helping children to overcome autism. How is that possible? Find out what doctors (like Dr. Mercola) and researchers have learned!

Dr. Joseph Mercola, MD

Autism Solution #1: Detox from heavy metals

Heavy metals may be a significant factor in the onset of autism. When added to other environmental toxins, the toxic overload of heavy metals can overwhelm the brain, especially if the child has taken an antibiotic that has degradated the child's microbial gut flora.

For autistic children, their bodies need help in disposing of heavy metals and other toxins. I have come to believe that one of the greatest heavy metal detox tools available is red, brown and green seaweed, and here's why.

Another way to help reduce heavy metal/toxin load is to minimize environmental toxins. Some options are to use green cleaning products, eat organic foods, filter drinking water, etc.

Autism Solution #2: The flora in the gut

There is evidence that autism and gut flora are closely related. It is widely known that autistic children tend to suffer from gastrointestinal (GI) problems, with those experiencing the worst GI problems often having the most severe cases of autism.

In one study, researchers analyzed the gut microflora of 20 healthy and 20 autistic children using fecal samples, and found distinct differences between the two groups. Improving gut flora is key to overcoming autism.

Improving gut flora with diet

In one of his health articles, Dr. Mercola shares the following: 

"Campbell-McBride's basic thesis is that the autistic child's microbiome was disrupted by the mother's poor diet and use of antibiotics or birth control pills. The mother then transfers that poor microbiome to the child. This early disruption in the microflora, combined with other environmental variables, ends up wreaking both physical and neurological havoc. Chandra, like Campbell-McBride, finds the greatest improvements are typically seen once strategies that help heal the microbiome are implemented."

"When I was treating autistic patients, I typically saw enormous improvements when we restricted sugars, grains, fruit juices and fruits — all sources of net carbs (total carbohydrates minus fiber) that disturb the gut microbiome, increase pathogenic yeast, fungi and viruses, and wreak havoc with the mitochondrial fuel structure. Increasing intake of healthy fats is also important...a high-fat, low-carb diet seems a reasonable strategy to try."

The work of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride said that when her son became autistic, she focused on improving his gut flora, and he was able to fully recover from his autism.

Dr. Campbell gives methodologies for improving gut flora and reversing autism. She shares the following:

The digestive system of autistic children — instead of being a source of nourishment for these children — becomes a major source of toxicity. These pathogenic microbes inside their digestive tract damage the integrity of the gut wall. So all sort of toxins and microbes flood into the bloodstream of the child, and get into the brain of the child. That usually happens in the second year of life in children who were breast fed because breastfeeding provides a protection against this abnormal gut flora. In children who were not breastfed, I see the symptoms of autism developing in the first year of life. So breastfeeding is crucial to protect these children."

Improving gut flora with probiotics

Needless to say, taking a good probiotic can be very helpful for autistic children. Other ways of introducing probiotics into the gut of a child include:

• Sauerkraut
• Kombucha (see my video below on making your own)
  
• Milk Kefir (see my video below on making your own)
  Also, Lifeway Kefir is found in many grocery stores
• Yogurt containing live cultures, the more the better
• Any other fermented foods where the fermentation has not been killed through pasteurization

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Autism Hope: Sulforaphane

Another of the potential autism solutions may be sulforaphane. According to Dr. Mercola, "Preliminary research suggests that sulforaphane, found in broccoli and broccoli sprouts, may benefit those with autism, improving verbal communication and decreasing repetitive behaviors. Broccoli has the ability to affect gene expression and promote detoxification of harmful environmental pollutants."

Sulforaphane may be purchased as a nutritional supplement and used to help with detoxification. I have included a Swanson link here simply because I purchase my supplements from Swanson - their prices are hard to beat!

Autism solutions: Prenatal and early childhood

Research supports the use of prenatal vitamins rich in folic acid and iron before conception to reduce the risk of autism in families where autism has already been diagnosed in an older child.

Although data reveals an increased familial rick for autism, no autism gene has been discovered; scientists acknowledge development of autism is multifactorial and may be influenced by both genetics and environmental expostures.

Children with autism have demonstratably different bacterial colonies in their gut, which may have a significant impact on their ability to withstand vaccinations. Improving the gut microbiome of children in the first 20 days of life may also help reduce their risk for autism.

Autism Hope: Overcoming Vaccine Harm

When you add the heavy metals found in vaccines to toxins that a child is getting from his environment (cleaners, drinking water, toxins in food), it can overwhelm his or her brain. This harmful effect can appear overnight. Vaccines use heavy metals as antigens to cause a stronger reaction by the body to vaccines (An antigen is used to stimulate an immune response by the body).

As a precaution, weigh carefully which vaccines to use. Spreading out the administration of vaccines, doing a heavy metal detox between vaccinations and giving vaccines a little later in child development when a child's body is larger and better able to deal with the antigen load are a good way to reduce potential damage from vaccines.

If there are any signs of autism, please consider delaying any more vaccinations until these signs are gone. By all means and if at all possible, don't put the child on an antibiotic shortly after receiving vaccinations. Doing so is like giving the child a one-two punch. First, the child is loaded down by the heavy metals from the antigens, then their gut microbes which normally can help remediate the heavy metals are killed off by the antibiotic, leaving the child defenseless.

I believe that the above autism solutions may be profoundly helpful for autistic children. If this information has been helpful to you, please share the link with others. Thank you.

By Paul Schneider Jr

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