History about Autism

Autism was believed to be caused by ‘bad mothering’ until the late 1900s, according to the medical community. As time passed, the beliefs of autism have changed. Nowadays, a lot of the medical community think that autism is a genetic brain condition. However, there are still many people in the medical field that do not think this is the case either. This is because the rate of autism has skyrocketed over the years, from a figure that was 1 in 10,000 now at 1 in 46. This then brings the question, ‘how is this possible?’ One explanation could be that there is better detection and now understanding of the disorder, but then that cannot explain an increase of this magnitude. There is a lot more to autism than meets the eye.

What Causes Autism?

Autism is classed as a spectrum disorder, meaning it can range from being very mild to very severe in some cases. It can occur in all ethnic, socioeconomic and age groups. Statistics have found that males are four times more likely to have autism than females. 

The reason why we are seeing an increasing rate of autism in our society is because autism is a systemic body disorder that affects the brain. There is a connection to the brain, when it comes to autism, because why else would children having this condition have countless symptoms from smelly bowel movements, to bloated bellies, ear infections and frequent colds throughout the year?

If a person is exposed to a toxic environment, it can trigger certain genes that cause people to be susceptible to this condition. This is supported by research. There are numerous factors which could lead to autism, and some are listed below:

• Toxins from the environment or from the mother (mercury and other heavy metals) can pass from mother to foetus.

• Medications that the mother was taking during the pregnancy or birth.

• Radiation the mother was exposed to during pregnancy, such as too many scans or x-rays

• Emotional stress experienced in the birthing process or in pregnancy.

Healing Autism with Homeopathy

I use a variety of different protocols to treat my patients depending on their unique circumstances. In most cases, I would have to use a selection of methods to gradually bring someone to a better condition.
Some of these methods I use are:
• Isopathy (giving a person the substance that caused their illness back in homeopathic potency)
• Classical Homeopathy
• CEASE Protocol
• Homeopathic Bowel Nosodes. It is my belief that these remedies will prove to be an
important part of the autism recovery process in the future. They have incredible potential to heal damaged bowels and neurological symptoms such as rage and anxiety.
• Biochemical Tissue Salts. Autistic people often have problems assimilating nutrients due to their compromised GIT (gastrointestinal tract). These remedies can help their bodies assimilate more effectively.
These methods can effectively work alongside conventional medication & other treatments such as Bio-medical intervention, GAPS diet, osteopathy, cranial-sacral therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, chelation and so on.

The Gut & Brain Connection

Only recently, have we began making connections and enhancing our understanding about the gut, also called the ‘second brain’. It is believed that every condition that has an immune component can be correlated to a dysfunction of the gut. This sophisticated system, which is home to around 80% of the immune system, is made up of trillions of bacteria. This habitat with all the bacteria is called a microbiome. The microbiome is shown to be a key reason for turning on and off genetic expression. With what was stated earlier, and the connection between the immune system and genetic expression, this explains why the gut has become the centre for autism research. A study was conducted, which compared the microbiome of children with and without autism. It was found that the children with autism did not have the same gut diversity as to those without it. This was further proven as another study found that mice with autism-like symptoms had a similar lack of gut bacteria diversity compared to mice without autism. With that said, the prevailing theory is that an imbalanced microbiome and a weakened gut lining or ‘leaky gut’ can cause an immune response against the brain, resulting in a genetic susceptibility to be turned on.

Autism is a Neuro-developmental disorder characterized by:
• Social impairments
• Cognitive impairments
• Communication difficulties
• Repetitive behaviours

The Early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The signs of Autism may be evident by age of 18 months or may only become apparent when the child starts school. Some children with autism appear normal before age 1 or 2 and then suddenly lose language or social skills they had previously gained – this is called regressive autism. Parents may notice that their young toddler does not seem interested in playing with other children. This is a common alert for parents as their child is not developing how they should be. Young children with autism may not learn to speak or have minimum speech. This likely results in the child having greater difficulty in understanding the speech of others. This is not the case for everyone, however, some children with Autism can develop good spoken language. However, their language is very concrete and literal; it lacks a social quality and is not used in a conversational manner. They may also notice that the child is not playing with toys in an imaginative way. Instead, they may spend time placing their toys in neat lines; or engaging in the same sequence of play activity over and over again. While these are some common signs, Autism presents differently for each child.

Early signs of autism:

  • Not responding to their name (the child may appear deaf)
  • Not point at objects or things of interest, or demonstrate interest
  • Not play “pretend” games
  • Avoid eye contact
  • Want to be alone
  • Have difficulty understanding, or showing understanding, of other people’s feelings
  • Have no speech or delayed speech
  • Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
  • Give unrelated answers to questions
  • Get upset by minor changes
  • Have unusual reactions (over or under-sensitivity) to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
  • Have low to no social skills

Developmental Screening

Developmental screening is a short test to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have delays. During developmental screening the doctor might ask the parent(s) some questions or talk and play with the child during an exam to see how he/she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a problem. All children should be screened for developmental delays and disabilities during regular well-child
doctor visits at:

  • 9 months
  • 18 months
  • 24 or 30 months

Additional screening might be needed if a child is at high risk for developmental delays due to preterm birth, low birth weight, having a sibling with ASD or if behaviours associated with ASDs are present. If your child’s doctor does not routinely check your child with this type of developmental screening test, ask that it be done. If the doctor sees any signs of a problem, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation is needed.

Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation

The second step of diagnosis is a comprehensive evaluation. This thorough review may include looking at the child’s behaviour and development and interviewing the parents.

It may also include a hearing and vision screening, genetic testing, neurological testing, and other medical testing.
In some cases, the primary care doctor might choose to refer the child and family to a specialist for further assessment and diagnosis. Specialists who can do this type of evaluation include:

  • Developmental Paediatricians (doctors who have special training in child development and children with special needs)
  • Child Neurologists (doctors who work on the brain, spine, and nerves)
  • Child Psychologists or Psychiatrists (doctors who know about the human mind)

• Have unusual interests and behaviours and have a heavy obsession with it
• Have extreme anxiety and phobias, as well as unusual phobias
• Line up toys or other objects
• Play with toys the same way every time
• Like parts of objects (e.g. wheels)
• Become upset by minor changes
Other Symptoms
• Hyperactivity (very active)• Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
• Short attention span
• Aggression
• Causing self-injury
• Meltdowns
• Unusual eating (texture) and sleeping habits
• Unusual mood or emotional reactions without a reason
• Lack of fear or more fear than expected
• Have unusual sleeping habits
• Constipation or irregular bowl moments
• Tip toe walking

• Use few or no words, repeat patterns of words or may have well developed speech, but only
talk about a limited range of interests
• Not respond to their name or simple instructions
• Not copy other’s actions
• Have very limited attention span, except for activities that include their interests e.g. trains
• Not engage with peers
• Not engage in pretend play
• Make limited eye contact

• Use repetitive speech
• Insist on routines staying the same
• Have a narrow range of interests
• Repeat an action over and over
• Get ‘stuck’ on an activity so that it is difficult to move them on
• Line up or stack objects and may become upset if the order changes
• Be oversensitive or under sensitive to touch, sounds, sights, tastes, textures, movement and smells.

THIS LIST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM. Many young children may show some of these signs at different ages. However, if the child’s development is affected in ways that concern you, it may indicate the need to consult a paediatrician.

Though Autism is mostly perceived as something negative, it can come with a handful of
characteristics which makes each individual more special. Many autistic children enjoy following
routines and can be predictable at times. In some cases, individuals can pay great amounts of
attention to detail in something. Although for some social situations can be difficult for someone
with autism, children with autism are known to create long-lasting, strong bonds with people they
feel comfortable with. As to any child, they are all unique and may need help for further
development.

As previously mentioned, the gut is an important factor to look at when treating autism. This could mean small, or large changes to an individual’s diet. A dietary change may be needed but do contact a professional before doing so.

In the end, our aim is to help families overcome this obstacle. If you have any queries about autism
or our treatment towards it, feel free to contact us in the Contact Us page.