Monday, August 10, 2009

What Can Potentially Cause Autism?

By George Alarcon

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the functioning part of the brain. This disorder is in a category called Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), and is described as a severe impairment in development. People who suffer from autism absolutely must have certain rituals in the day. Often, if these rituals are disrupted, the autistic person will be consumed with fear. Symptoms of autism usually appear by around age two, with the child having difficulty communicating verbally and non-verbally. Children with autism will struggle with social interactions and playing well with others. The most common question among parents is, Can autism be treated?

It is generally accepted that autism is brought about by abnormalities in the structure of the brain or some kind of malfunctioning of the brain. It is considered a neurological disorder. As of yet, we do not know what causes this malfunctioning. There are several theories. One is environmental factors such as toxins in the air, viruses or exposure to chemicals such as mercury. Another is that autism is hereditary, as it does seem to run in families. However; they have not been able to isolate a gene that causes it. In addition, there is evidence that the potential to develop autism also runs in families. But this only a theory so do not take it as fact before it has yet been established as such.

How can autism be treated? Too much mercury in the body, from childhood vaccines and pollution for instance, has been thought to be associated with autism. Chelation is a controversial method of ridding mercury and other harmful toxins from the body. Chelation agents work by binding metals, minerals and toxins in the body together and removing them from the bloodstream. This type of treatment can be administered intravenously, orally or via a cream that is absorbed through the skin. Chelation was originally approved to treating lead poisoning, but some parents claim that chelation has had positive effects on autistic children. Some doctors are convinced that the materials used in chelation can cause liver and kidney damage. So they highly recommend using external chelation treatment through the skin in order to extract heavy metals like mercury. The more heavy metals that are removed from the body this way, the less harm that heavy metals like mercury can cause to the patient.

The diet of the pregnant mother might also contribute to autism. Studies have suggested that retinoids, retinoic acid or too much Vitamin A could increase the chance of a fetus developing autism. It is also believed that environmental toxins or pollutants may contribute to the development of autism although no definitive link has yet been found. An increase in regional cases suggests an environmental trigger and much is being done to study this possibility. Of course, this also is only a mere theory at this time.

Living with an autistic child is certainly not an easy task, but it can be easier, armed with knowledge of the disorder and taking advantage of the professional services available. There are many support groups as well. It is thought that 1.5 million people in the U.S. may have some form of autism. And this is a growing figure that may well climb much higher in years to come. How is the current health establishment going to manage all of these new cases of autistic patients with a system which is already overwhelmed? - 14130

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