With the explosion in autism diagnoses, parents frequently ask, "Other than medications, what can I use to treat my child's autism?" A case report published in the Journal of Personalize Medicine provides a possible answer to that question, as it documents the remarkable example of a reversal of severe autism in two four-year-old fraternal twin girls using non-pharmacologic interventions.
Both girls displayed symptoms of autism when they only six months old, although their condition worsened rapidly at 12 months of age after they received a bolus of vaccinations that had been delayed due to the lockdowns. They both suffered from emotional upset when daily routines were altered, poor eye contact, delays in speech communication, as well as physical symptoms of skin hypersensitivity (eczema) and digestive problems. Most notably, one of the girls lost nearly all speech and only communicated with single words. They were formally diagnosed with severe autism soon after at 20 months of age.
The parents pursued an experimental yet organized and comprehensive treatment plan for two years. The girls' scores on the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist, an assessment tool used to evaluate efficacy of autism treatment, improved from 76 to 36 in one girl and 43 to 4 in the other. [Lower scores indicate symptom improvement.] Such a substantial change in only two years shocked the family's pediatrician, who described it as nothing short of miraculous.
What did they do?
Non-Pharmacologic Autism Interventions
Diet: elimination of gluten, glutamate, casein, sugar, artificial colors, processed foods
Supplements: vitamin (including vitamin D), omega-3 fatty acid, and anti-inflammatory supplementation
Therapies: Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), speech, occupational
Toxins: evaluation and treatment of air pollutants and molds in the home
Each girl received a personalized treatment plan, reinforcing the conclusions of the report's authors that successful autism interventions cannot be one-size-fits-all. Treatment plans must be tailored to the individual patient, as every child has different risk factors, sensitivities, and symptoms.
In my practice, I have been advising all my autistic patients to use omega-3 fatty acid and anti-inflammatory supplements. They support brain health and reduce systemic inflammatory responses, which exacerbate autism symptoms. I also recommend them for adult patients with ADHD and anyone with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (obesity, diabetes, family history of cardiovascular disease, elevated triglyceride or small density lipoprotein levels.
Below are links to the brain health and anti-inflammatory plans I provide my patients. I am now sharing it with my Dissident MD subscribers. To access the plans, you must first create a free patient account at Fullscript by entering your name and email address: Dr. Mark McDonald’s Fullscript dispensary.Watch a one-minute video on how to create an account below.
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