Autism Triggers: Metabolic Disorder and Systemic Toxicities Affect Neurodevelopment and Behavior

Most children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder never receive a medical workup to determine why they are not developing neurotypically, but if they did, the doctor would likely discover metabolic dysfunction and toxicity problems as the root cause.

Research supports that children on the spectrum suffer from immune systems that are compromised- operating in a hypersensitive state. Children on the spectrum will frequently get fevers when they are younger of unknown origin (at least the most common causes are ruled out with conventional medicine). This has been linked to the body’s attempt to find balance and fight microbes circulating in an unusually high fashion.

Immune system dysfunction can also come from toxins circulating in an unusually high number due to compromised detoxification pathways. Toxins accumulate from what is breathed in, placed onto the skin (60% of what is placed on the skin ends up in the blood stream), injected into the body or consumed through what is eaten. Why do some children tolerate environmental exposures better than others…? Much has to do with the genes a person is born with.

Epigenetics is the study of how the environment impacts gene expression. When sequencing is completed to determine the genetic mutations one carries that affect detoxification and methylation, then steps can be taken to overriding them with vitamin supplementation. Minimizing toxin exposure can help clean up the system too. Both of these steps which aim to improve methylation and detoxification have been shown to improve overall health and well-being.

One sign that conventional medicine maybe overlooking that signifies an infant’s system might already be taxed, is when a baby is born jaundice. Jaundice occurs when liver is not able to breakdown bilirubin, a natural byproduct of red blood cell catabolism. Some may argue the reason for this occurring in a newborn, but having a large toxin load already circulating at birth from maternal exposure could certainly contribute to the risk.

The liver is responsible for eliminating the majority of waste in a body, so if it is sluggish at eliminating bilirubin, it leads me to believe it may be sluggish at eliminating other things too. There are two phases in the liver where multiple enzymatic reactions occur that eventually lead to elimination. If there are mutations in pathways responsible for detoxification, one cannot eliminate toxins as efficiently as someone without them. Studies show that newborns today have cord blood samples containing hundreds of chemicals, many toxic to the nervous system and brain.(3) Studies also support a high rate of hyperbiliruminemia in newborns later diagnosed with ASD.(6)

People with ASD in general have multiple nutritional deficiencies identified though specialized testing. This combined with an accumulation of toxins in the system can lead to systemic inflammation and an autoimmune state characterized by disarray in the nervous system. 

In my opinion, as it stands today, conventional medicine does not have a clue about how to identify the root cause of disease in those with ASD- or the majority of other autoimmune disorders for that matter. Time and again I see patients on mood altering drugs, or meds that suppress their immune system in an effort to decrease their symptoms. I see no focus on finding the cause behind why a person’s system is in disarray. Immune suppressing drugs lead to the harboring of even more toxins in a compromised body. Not addressing the root cause of disease and attempting to halt it will only lead to a person acquiring more autoimmune diseases over time.

Some thoughts on ASD and conventional medicine’s approach:

1) ABA Therapy/OT/SPL/PT is all great, but a child will not develop the ability to think for themselves and carry a conversation if their mind is stressed with toxins and nutritional deficiencies.

2) Psychoactive drugs continue to be used, even though they do little good, and the long-term side-effects are scary.

3) People are frequently drugged because providers have nothing else to offer.

4) Pharma plays a role in causing the Autism epidemic.

    Immunizations have preservatives that can be hard on the system.

    Immature immune systems may not react as anticipated to adjuvants and microbial strains introduced.

    Drugs in general are hard on the liver and can decrease the organ’s ability to function optimally; compromising its ability to clean the blood.

    Every pharmaceutical a person takes is eliminated into the common water supply (unless you have a well), and drinking city water contains copious amounts of pharmaceuticals. Get reverse osmosis if you do not have it already!

5) Thimerosal is a preservative that contains mercury in an inorganic form which is actually harder for the body to eliminate than the organic form found it foods like Tuna.

6) Mercury poisoning is associated with the neurobehavioral signs and symptoms seen in ASD. Check out Trace Amounts for a documentary on an adult that regressed into autism after receiving a Tdap shot containing Thiomerosal.(4) I frequently encounter adults and parents that site a decrease in well-being shortly after receiving an immunization.

Thoughts specifically regarding Pharma and vaccine use:

1) Pharma is not held liable for vaccine damage done to children- The George W. Bush administration set up a separate court system for claims of damaged victims- it was worked into the Homeland Security Act.

2) The Supreme Court stated that vaccines are inherently dangerous, and ruled that vaccine manufacturers cannot be held liable for vaccine damage.

3) Throughout medical literature going back to 1943 all of the theories suggest a link between the MMR vaccine and Autism as well as mercury and Autism.

4) Vaccines are linked to brain damage in published research.

5) The formerly secret now made public Simpsonwood meeting in June of 2000 between the CDC and vaccine manufacturers prove that the manufacturers of vaccines knew that just 12.5 micrograms of mercury found in vaccines will cause ADD/ADHD (there are 25 micrograms in the flu vaccine).(5)

6) Aluminum is no safer! So do not be fooled when you are told your immunization is thiomersal free- “Experimental research…clearly shows that aluminum adjuvants have a potential to induce serious immunological disorders in humans. In particular, aluminum in adjuvant form carries a risk for autoimmunity, long-term brain inflammation and associated neurological complications and may thus have profound and widespread adverse health consequences.â€(1)

7) Dr. Kenneth P Stoller, MD, is a former Pediatrician at UCLA who resigned because he says that the American Academy of Pediatrics KNOWS Vaccines cause autism and tried to hide it.(2)

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(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21568886 

(2) http://www.ewg.org/research/body-burden-pollution-newborns

(3) http://traceamounts.com/