The majority of the autistic children realize benefits from a gluten-free and casein-free diet. (Gluten is a protein found in many grains, and casein is a protein found in many milk products. They are similar proteins.) The parents are advised to start slowly with limiting just the Autism Interventions 17 casein from milk, and then move on to the gluten. more...

Most of the adults at the healthyawareness forum are quite familiar with MSM, magnesium sulfate baths, TMG, and coenzyme B6. It turns out that these same substances are also quite well known on the autism lists. It is almost as if they came to the same conclusions by traveling down a different path. more...

I’ve talked to several people who found that thyroid supplements were beneficial for their autistic children. However, it will be a while before enough parents try this and we get an idea of what percentage it helps. I think we are back to the same problem with the blood tests. They measure how much thyroid is in the blood, but not how much is being used. more...

In many cases of autism, there is a strong serotonin influence. A heightened influence of serotonin can cause central hypothyroidism, which occurs in about 30% of the autistic. Serotonin can also interfere with intestinal motility, pancreatic function, and mitochondrial energy production. It can even make a person more susceptible to seizures. more...

In a preliminary trial of immunoglobulins taken intravenously, some of the autistic recipients improved significantly. One of the immunoglobulins, called IgA, is of particular interest. IgA is the most predominant type of antibody that is found covering the gut mucosa, and IgA is low or absent in a fair number of autistic individuals. IgA keeps toxins and bacteria from binding to the cells that line the intestines. Without enough IgA, the intestines become inflamed, and the lymphoid tissue in the gut swells. more...

Dr. Lonsdale has done a preliminary study of 10 autistic children, ages 3 to 8, using the coenzyme form of B1. (The body must convert B1 into its coenzyme form before it can be employed. One coenzyme form of B1 is called thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide, (TTFD) or allithiamine.) more...

Too much acetylcholine can also cause drooling. Since you now have your son on B6, you may find that you don’t need the melatonin for his sleep. The sleep disturbances might be due to an excess serotonin influence. Glycine, taurine, B6 and magnesium might help reduce this influence and thus help with the sleep. more...

The usual form of many supplements of vitamin A from cod-liver oil is a gelatin capsule. This inactivates most or all benefit from the vitamin A and fatty acids it is supposed to supply, and now we learn it also inactivates the DPP IV enzyme necessary to digest peptides. Do not use vitamin A capsules. more...

Secretin is a hormone made by the cells lining the small intestine. In celiac disease, the gluten damages the intestinal cells that produce secretin. We don’t know how these cells might be damaged in autism, however, many of the autistic children improve when given natural secretin. more...

Some cases of autism may be due to brain membrane dysfunction. Decreased flexibility of the membrane that covers the brain can interfere with the proper flow and pumping of the fluid that baths the brain. cranial sacral manipulation can also be used to treat colic and hyperkenesis (muscle spasms). more...

Many of the autistic have high levels of pesticides and solvents in their bodies. This would interfere with DPP IV. (Is the high level of pesticides and solvents due only to exposure, or is it also due to an impaired ability to remove these poisons?) more...

I haven’t had much luck with the herbal antifungals. I think a lot of them make claims that aren’t true and just end up draining a sick person’s wallet with little or no results. That’s just my opinion of course. There are a few herbal antifungals that I do believe have merit. more...