Understanding Autism

"There are several factors which influence autism, such as toxins, environmental factors, digestive health and inflammation."

Autism has, in the past, been considered as a 'mysterious' brain disorder, implying that the brain is the only affected organ. But through observation and research done by the Autism Research Institute, a new perspective has emerged that it is rather a 'whole body disorder' where the brain is affected by the biochemistry generated in the body.

There are several factors which influence autism, such as toxins, environmental factors, digestive health and inflammation. An imbalanced biochemistry will affect the brain and the symptoms of autism in the following ways:

Yeast: A yeast overgrowth in the body will allow toxins to enter the bloodstream and make their way to the brain where they can cause symptoms ranging from 'spaciness', foggy thinking and drunken behavior.
Inflammation in the gut and brain can be as a result of toxins, food insensitivities, or bad bacteria or yeast in the gut. This inflammation causes pain that in turn can cause changes in behaviour such as self injury, leaning over furniture, eye poking and head banging.
Detoxification: When detoxification is poor, toxins from food and the environment build up and act like drugs on the brain, causing irritability, aggression, brain damage.
Depression: When the biochemistry of methylation is not working properly, neurotransmitters cannot be methylated, and therefore not activated. This increases the likelihood of anxiety, depression, ADHD and sleeping issues.
Digestion: When the digestion is poor and the gut is too permeable, the nutrients that are supposed to get through are not absorbed properly, leading to nutrient deficiencies. This will affect all cellular function, including poor brain function.
Hippocrates, often referred to as the Father of Western Medicine, once said that "all disease begins in the gut", which certainly is true with autism. It is important to remove the foods that contribute to inflammation and to add foods that provide the needed nutrients. Understanding why the gut and the brain are connected helps explain why autism and overall health are improved through a diet that supports digestion and gastro-intestinal health and biochemistry. GI health and biochemistry are partners. Biochemistry involves cellular processes that require energy, nutrients and enzymes to function; proper digestion is required to obtain and absorb the nutrients needed for these processes. If there are insufficient nutrients, an inability to digest and absorb nutrients, limit a particular nutrient, or an inability to convert a nutrient to the active and usable form, biochemistry can go awry. Diet is crucial.
Reference: Diet for Autism – Julie Matthews – www.NourishingHope.com
For further helpful information, also see the website: www.autismfile.com
Reference: www.autismsouthafrica.org

Common characteristics of Autism:

• Due to physiological changes within the brain, people with autism cannot fully comprehend thought processes and reactions of others, thus finding it difficult to interact and so prefers to be alone.
• Cognitive development is severely hampered, affecting lifelong learning, the understanding of abstract concepts and imaginative play, e.g. cannot play with a wooden block as if it is a car.
• The development of speech and language may be deviant, delayed or absent. 40% of people with the lower functioning form of autism (Kanner Autism) never speak.
• The area of the brain responsible for encoding verbal communication is affected, often resulting in minimal or no comprehension of speech.
• The inability to fully understand communication and thus the reason for changes in routine or environment may cause extreme confusion and anxiety.
• To ensure a feeling of safety and predictability, familiar activities are often performed repetitively with severe resistance to suggestion of change.
• Self-injurious behaviour, e.g. head banging, biting etc may be noted as a way to create foci of severe pain to block out overwhelming sensory bombardment.
• Displays of aggressive behaviour or tantrums are not generally "bad" behaviour, but occur as a result of extreme anxiety, frustration or fear.
• People with autism battle to look at detail and listen simultaneously. One will often observe little or no eye contact as they attempt to understand what one is saying.
• No real fear of danger sadly leads to many accidents and/or the premature death of people with autism.
• Due to heightened sensory perception, a dislike to being touched or held is often present.
• Uneven gross and fine motor skill development can result in diverse inabilities and unusual abilities.
• Inappropriate attachment to objects.
• Sense of touch, taste, sight, hearing and/or smell may be heightened or lowered.
• Sudden laughing or crying for no obvious reason.
• Unusual habits such as rocking, hand flapping, spinning of objects etc.
• Abnormal sleeping patterns.
• Prefers to play alone.