Supplements and Therapies for Autism
Spectrum Disorder By Jared Skowron, ND A
utism. It’s growing and growing.
In October 2009, the official journal of the American Acade-
my of Pediatrics published a study saying that 1 in 58 boys, and 1 in 91 of all children are on the autism spectrum (ASD). Why so many? Why so fast? More importantly, what do we do about it? When I was in medical school, we didn’t even learn about
autism. Back in the twentieth century, it was rarely known and rarely discussed, but now almost everyone has a child or knows someone who has a child on the autism spectrum. 1 in 58 boys is almost 2% of boys! The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates 730,000 of children between the ages of 0 and 21 in the USA currently have ASD.
This is starting an upheaval in families, school systems, and health care systems. It strains families that did not plan or expect to change their entire life to take care of this child. What happens when these kids grow up in 20 years, and their parents are unable to take care of them? If we have not found a cure by then, there will be a lot of people who need care and housing and help. So why did this happen? Nobody knows for sure, and nobody
wants to be blamed. Toxins and genetics are on the radar for causing autism, as well as vaccines. While it is not a genetic condition, there is definitely an increased risk among siblings to be on the autism spectrum. It can get confusing though, because toxic substances, such as mercury and pesticides have been linked with autism. If families are exposed to these substances, then all the children are ex- posed to them. So are there increased risks among siblings because of the genes or because of the environment they live in? Nature or nurture…it’s tough sometimes to tell. What’s most important is what do you do if you think your child
may be affected, and what do we do when you know your child is affected. If you think your child isn’t speaking when they should, making eye contact when they should, or walking when they should, consult your pediatrician and talk with Connecticut Birth Two Three System (800-505-7000 and
www.birth23.org). They will help guide you through diagnosis and obtaining state services if need be. Connecticut Children’s Medical Center’s (CCMC) Autism Spectrum Assessment Program (ASAP) is also a wonderful resource to obtain a diagnosis.
10 Natural Nutmeg
Once you’re there, what can you do to help your child as much as possible? I cannot say this enough to parents; do everything you can right away. Don’t wait. Don’t hope they’ll grow out of it. Be- cause they probably won’t. Get as much treatment as possible while their minds are still growing and changing.
My focus of treatment is functional and biomedical approaches under the umbrella of the Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) organization. Functional medicine consists of natural therapies that help the brain function better. Biomedical medicine includes natural medicines that help the biology of the body function properly. This sounds very philosophical on the forefront, but in actuality what I give my patients everyday are the fuels their brain needs to work efficiently. Your car runs on gas, oil, coolant, etc. The gas is ignited in the en- gine, converted to a gas, to push the pistons and the tires. Your brain runs on proteins, vitamins, minerals, and oils, which are converted into brain chemicals, such as serotonin, GABA, and dopamine. Does your child have everything they need to fuel their brain? Do they eat all of their proteins, vitamins, minerals, and oils to get the fuel they need everyday? A concern with kids on the spectrum is that they’re very picky eaters. If only chicken nuggets and mac & cheese were the health panacea for us all. Getting neurotypical chil- dren to eat vegetables is hard enough, but getting kids with autism to eat healthy is even more difficult. Every child on the autism spectrum is different, hence the term,
‘spectrum’. All of their insides are different. All of their brains are different. This is part of the reason why treating autism is difficult; there’s not one answer. In my practice, I test every child for things you may not have imagined could be analyzed. This includes brain chemical levels, mercury levels, vitamin levels, candida in the intestines, specific proteins that make neurotransmitters (fuel of the brain), and more. Each child comes back with different results and that gives us different treatment solutions for each child. We easily supplement with natural nutrients and other natural therapies to ad- dress the child’s unique state of health and wellness. Below is a list of commonly used supplements for children on the autism spectrum.
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