Biochemical Approach to Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Management Limited – #1 in a series of informative papers
Doctor Edward Danczak
I have some 200+ autistic children on my list and see an additional one or two new children each week.

The programme is biochemically organised and has nothing to do with Psychological support.

In view of the recent work on immunology it is clear that the target has to be managing the immune system using immune regulators. Most conventional regulators are suppressants whether it is behavioural e.g. Haldol, naltrexone, risperdal or systemic such as the use of Nystatin or Salazine drugs. Almost none of the complementary therapies work in isolation although all physicians will claim to have cures on children with single therapies e.g. DMG, B6, Nystatin.

In our clinic we use both complex homeopathy, homeopathy, nutritional medicine, probiotics and diet simultaneously. I have not placed any child on a Gluten/casein free diet to date since this resolves as the child gets better. I have used some anti-convulsant medication in conjunction with this regime, but only as a learning aid. Most of my children as they get better acquire a specific new word called “MacDonalds” which is close to my clinic and many parents report the recognition of the restaurant name as an important key point in the child’s input processing. By the way, MacDonalds is a rich and good source of dietary Zinc, and protein. Children who have been on restrictive diets are frequently malnourished and well
below the 50% centile. Frequently AS children are below the 10th centile on growth charts.

The hardest job that I have is to convince some parents to stop all supplements and ineffective medicines and focus on this multi-tasking approach, which hits the main targets of the DAN! protocol at the same time.

Hitting them in isolation does not help nor does endless investigation, since most of the effects seen are due to consequence rather than cause of the defect in health.

Response is age dependent; the younger the child the faster the response. I would, however, expect to see targets hit at between six months and one year those targets being resolution of the eight key points in autism:

Inability to relate
Speech and Language disorder
Impaired communication
Resistance to change
Unusual behaviour and mannerisms
Emotional lability
Overactivity
Seizures

Our clinics have a 75% success rate spread over a year in the UK. The improvement is not calculated in terms of perfect age median scores of achievement but in resolution of these key points with acquisition of skills and change in activity so that the child will sleep, is calm and responsive, has appropriate use of language ( not echolalia), has inquisitive activity and can be taken to a shopping mall with confidence.

The first to appear is almost always improved eye contact, and the improvement in perception will result in toddler type tantrums as input of sensory information and processing of that information leaves behind language or expression. The high and low behaviour becomes less frequent over the year and the child may remain sensitive to changes in immune stressors such as coughs and colds.

Food allergy by itself is not important and is only a symptom of an unstable immune system, usually made worse by circulating metabolic waste due to failure of the PST enzyme system, which usually resolves as treatment progresses. The child initially parallel plays but then joins in with other children. The high point for one of my children was being invited to join the cricket team, being asked to bowl and then taking a wicket.

Group play is the ultimate achievement with any autistic child.

The following is a memo which I send to parents and other physicians who may be interested:

Subject: Autism/Aspergers Syndrome

The Principle of intervention is two fold:

1) To stop the parents from racing from centre to centre dipping in and out of potential treatments.
2) To apply a treatment protocol which is measured at each treatment stage.

Opinions vary as to the precise underlying cause ranging from central activity of lymphokines (aspects of food sensitivity) to mineral deficiency through to direct toxic effects of dietary phenolics such as salicylate.

Autistic children appear to have defective immune systems which is in part hereditary with a strong family history of atopy, arthritis and irritable bowel and part acquired with evidence of food sensitivity, metal deficiency such as magnesium or zinc. Dietary intake may poison basic de-tox enzymes such as sulphyltransferase and lead to excess Phenolic amines in the brain
and elsewhere.

There is increased circulation of Il2, Il4and Il6 (interleukins) which are directly cytotoxic and cause reductions in brain blood flow. There is a failure to respond to normal challenge with reduced immunity following vaccination with mumps and rubella virus. Poor surface immunity is evident with low IgA often in parallel with low IgM and IgG production. Candida is a symptom of this and not a cause.

Lymphocytes do not perform properly and there are deficiencies of T helper and suppressor cells. Zinc dependent Thymulin is ineffective.

The treatment protocol involves the use of

1) Devereux DSM IV Psychological base-line
2) Measurement of urine Sulphite if appropriate (PST assessment)
3) Urine D Glucaric acid (liver de-tox assessment)
4) A low salicylate diet to reduce the load on Sulphyltransferase
5) Liver and gut support using herbal and homeopathic meds
6) Mineral replacement after hair sampling
7) use of a pro-biotic to restore bowel flora.
8) Assessing and altering basic diet if necessary
9) Use of supplements e.g. DMG, Vitamins at a later stage if indicated
10) Regular follow up

This is a chemistry-based therapy; there is no behavioural modification. Arrangements for this should be made elsewhere and usually are. Lovaas therapy has excellent results when the chemistry is well controlled.

All the doctors who work in our practice are specialists in Complementary medicine and have expertise in conventional medicine as well as being Government advisors in medical specialist fields.

Doctor Edward Danczak

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Copyright (c) 2000 [Autism Management Limited]. All rights reserved.
Revised: September 07, 2000 .
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