Dietary and Medical Interventions for Autism

(Biomedical treatment, Autism 101)

Julie A. Griffith, M.D., M.S., C.M.T.Pediatric and Adult Neurology

Behavioral Neurology/Neuropsychiatry120 Ross Valley DriveSan Rafael, CA 94901

(415) 925-1616March 15th, 2006

FEATSacramento

Attention deficit disorder

Language delaySocial pragmatic delay

Fine motor delayHyptonia

Nutritional deficienciesImmune dysreg/allergy/infx/inflamm

Heavy metal toxicities

Autism-working model

• Genetic predisposition PLUS environmental triggers (toxins and infections, allergic triggers which cause gut-brain-immune dysfunction.)

• Expansion of the brain subcortical white matter volume (big heads), due to inflammation (oligodendritic cell infiltration perivascularly), irritability of brain, “downstream” effect from what is happening in the gut and systemically (infection, inflammation and neurotoxicity)

Cerebellar cognitive-affective syndrome. Schmahmann, ANPA conf 2-18-06)

• Executive function • Spatial cognition• Language deficits• Affect -blunting or disinhibition

Language dysfunction

• Language delay- word deafness (not interpret word as having meaning initially), receptive language delay (not just delay, not acquire normal milestones of language, but also abnormal quality of speech and language).

• Speech-hypophonic, aprosodic (without melody)• Sometimes receptive language>expressive

language (speech)

Social skill abnormalities

• Social pragmatic abnormalities • Poor eye contact (eye fixation is at other’s

mouth) Dr. Joe Piven, University of North Carolina) showed that in autism, children look at the mouth, not the eyes. The eyes tell more about fear than the mouth, so children with autism cannot detect fear in others well. Instruct them to look at eyes, this improves their ability to read emotion in the other person.

Fine motor difficulties

• weak grasp• hypotonia of limbs (hands>feet), and

axially (trunk)• Dyspraxia• Incoordination • Writing deficits (graphomotor delay)

Nutritional deficiencies of the following• amino acid • Essential fatty acids• B vitamins• Zinc >lithium>magnesium= iron, >calcium• Antioxidants, especially glutathione• Nutrients of detoxification (cysteine and sulfate,

along with the 5 minerals and glutathione)• Sometimes Vitamin A, C, E (especially gamma

tocopherol)

Immune dysregulation

• Allergies (undigested food causing dcelayed hypersensitivities to food, but also immediate allergies)

• Immunodeficiencies (secondary to nutritional deficiencies, also look for genetic casues)

• Chronic infection• Neuroimmune Majority of children

Toxicities

• Heavy metal poisoning1. Thimerosol from vaccinations (Rhogam and

influenza to mother), vaccinations to child2. Dental amalgams3. Fish (power plants, gold mining)4. Water (Arsenic, lead, mercury)5. Food aluminum and tin from cans

The Greater Sacramento Area has some degree of exposure to heavy metals—arsenic (water) , lead (pipes to homes, especially if older) mercury (from Gold mines during heavy rain runoff, into the fish)• Per NRDC (National Resources Defense

Council), Lead in drinking water• EPA website-multiple fish from different

regions, including Bay Area, in which some fish have levels of mercury exceeding the safe limit (swordfish, etc)

Treatment

I. Stop harmful environmental factors (toxins and inflammatory conditions-allerg/infx/(vaccination bombardment)

II. Heal the gut III. Restore nutrition IV. Treat infectionsV. Remove allergic triggersVI. Remove the toxins

Parents1. Read Children with Starving brains by

Jacquelyn McCandless/educate self. Parents are the best advocate.

2. Attend next DAN! Conference 3. Do from home before seeing physician4. Consider obtaining nutritionist5. Inform PMD want biomedical treatment 6. Obtain DAN! Physiciana. heal the gut, treating infections, nutritionally

replete (vitamins, minerals, aa, efa, detoxification nutrients, B12 shots

b. Genomics,identify unique biochemical patternc. Detoxificationd. ?Seizures

I. Getting started from home

A. DietB. Epsom salt bathsC. (HEPA filter)D. Judicious vaccinationE. BreastfeedF. Mvi/mmiG. (probiotics)H. Remove excessive stimuli

I. Getting started from home-DIET

• Filter water-distilled or reverse osmosis• Fresh, whole food, organic produce, home

grown• Glass, no tin or aluminum cans, try not to give

left overs (mold)• Free range, grass fed animals, wild fish (not

heavy mercury –laden)• Pantry-throw out processed, dyed, foods (or

give charity)• Family at dinner table

Diet:

• Plant based (plants are the foundation) pyramid, 5-13 vegetables/day , rainbow of colors/day

• Vegetables are yummy• Protein (children are amino acid deficient)• Vegetarian-double peril (B12

supplementation, amino acid deficiency, efa defic)

Special diets

• Casein free (dairy free). Healthiest is yogurt, goat products are often tolerated better

• Effects in 1 wk• IgE (immediate) and IgG (delayed)

hypersensitivity to casein. ( Meridian labs)• Protein to caseomorphin (dipeptidase may not

function well) (Great Plains and other labs)

Future topics

• Preparing for detoxification• Metallothionein promoter, alliathiamine,

DMSA topically (detoxification/chelation)• The neurology or understanding of the

nervous system involvement in autism• Genomics