Autism and the link to gastrointestinal disorders

Dr. Andrew Wakefield & the other authors of the Lancet-12 study, have provided firm evidence, that there is a major gastrointestinal (GI) contribution to autism, brought on by the damaging effects of the MMR jab, which seems to induce entero-colitis. He obviously got slaughtered for it by the vaccine industry, subjected to slander, and struck off the UK medical register. The books he has written can't even be sold in the UK. However, what is clear, is, that the more severe the GI symptoms, the worse the autistic behaviours.

Symptoms of gastrointestinal distress in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The GI distress in ASD include diarrhoea, constipation, alternating constipation and diarrhoea, anorexia, failure to thrive, and vomiting. Below is a list of behaviours which may be markers of GI distress in children who are unable to verbalise it in ASD.

There are also a variety of behaviours leading up to, associated with, and exacerbated by bowel movements, such as: increasing anxiety and distress, increased hand flapping, self-injury, hyperactivity, and pain posturing. The stool may be loose, discoloured (yellow), of highly offensive odour, and containing undigested food. Inflammation in the upper GI tract may affect the esophagus (reflux-type esophagitis), stomach (focal gastritis), duodenum (duodenitis), and jejunum (jejunitis). There is lymphoid nodular hyperplasia in the ileum and colon. Leaky gut is also common in children with autism.

Curiously, there is evidence of autonomic dysfunction in ASD, meaning that pain arising from GI inflammation may be perceived with heightened sensitivity. On the other hand, many autistic children may have a decreased perception of pain- e.g. would hardly feel a bee sting. In addition to altered nociception in ASD, there is also reduced intestinal motility, where the normal peristalsis of the intestine is faulty and transit of intestinal contents is delayed (symptoms are: gastroesophageal reflux and constipation). Chronic Inflammatory cells (lymphocytes) have been found in 3 regions of the intestine- duodenum, ileum, and colon. There are also prominent mucosal eosino-phil (allergy cell) infiltration of the intestinal lining. The children who had GI symptoms due to chronic inflammatory cells were unaffected by changes in diet, while the ones with eosino-phil infiltration benefitted from excluding wheat and dairy products from their diet.

Why would so many autistic children have an invisible friend they talk to following the digestion of dairy or wheat?

In autism, due to the inhibition of an alimentary enzyme, the protein in dairy products, called casein, is broken down into a morphine-like opioid compound that acts as a hallucinogen. The new compound is, in fact, called casomorphin, and as it turns out, it is actually more potent than morphine, so no wonder the children are hallucinating. Ultimately, casomorphin can cause brain damage.

Gluten is a protein found in the seed coat of all grasses: wheat, corn, rye, barley, oats, rice, spelt, millet, and kamut. It provides elasticity during baking, giving rise to marvelous breads. Unfortunately, in the compromised guts of children with autism, it is digested into a substance called gliadorphin (also gluteomorphin) and, like casomorphin, is an opioid hallucinogen.

Living in symbiosis vs. dysbiosis

There are approx. 10^14 bacteria in the human GI tract. Normally we live in harmony with the bacteria inside us, however in children with autism the amount of anaerobic Clostridium bolteae is high, which indicates a state of dysbiosis (intestinal flora that has potentially harmful effects), while the level of beneficial bifido-bacteria is low. It is hypothesised that dysfunctional mucosal immune system in affected children creates an environment that favours a dysbiosis.

Anne Evans states in her book Beating Autism: How Alternative Medicine Cured my Child, a Personal Memoir, that 'children with autism are perfectly normal children who suffer with reactions to toxins, allergens, pathogens, and the ensuing neural inflammation'. She states this to differentiate them from individuals who have genetically abnormal brain or neural tissues. Anne's description of what happens inside the GI tract of an autistic child is revelatory: 'Within the digestive system lie many different digestive enzymes as well as neurotransmitter receptor sites, each of which is a perfect “handprint” for the food it is intended to digest or absorb. These receptor sites comprise an identification system. If there is interference with the makeup of these enzymes or the neurotransmitter sites and their specific handprints, then a wide array of undesired responses may result; … Remember, autism is not a mental disorder, but a symptom of metabolic breakdowns. '

Anne explains the reaction in people with compromised GI system as such: 'For example, if a healthy individual takes an aspirin, the receptor sites within that individual's gut receive and identify some portion of the acetylsalicylic acid molecule; then a fourfold chain reaction ensues, addressing pain, fever, inflammatory response, and anticlotting agents. What happens in the individual who is not healthy? What if the neurotransmitter receptor sites have been compromised? The receptor sites may have lost their shape, or their ability to donate electronic charge. They, in turn, behave like gloves missing a couple of fingers. Only two or three of the fingers of the hand need to slip into the receptor sites to trigger some response, and the response may be horribly distorted. This is, in fact, what happened to Sarah (her autistic daughter). The fever-reducing reaction resulted in average body temperatures below 96 degrees Fahrenheit. The anticlotting reactions resulted in severe bloody noses and the vomiting of blood. The pain reduction reactions resulted in a child that could feel no pain at all, even when stung by a yellow jacket. The anti-inflammatory reaction resulted in wounds that would not heal.'

So how to heal a broken GI system?

Anne Evans drew from many different resources and through trial and error arrived at a protocol involving: a) Elimination of preservatives, artificial colourings, pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, radiated foods, phenols, aromatic aldehydes, salicylates, nightshades, legumes, hydrogenated fats, wheat, dairy and sugar, etc. She reckons that it takes at least 3 days to see the results of the elimination of an allergen, during which the child may experience horrendous withdrawal symptoms.

Notes on sugar: During the post-digestive process, insulin diverts glucose away from the brain. Normal people experience fatigue after sugary treats or especially following a sugary breakfast cereal on an empty stomach. The brain compensates for lowered glucose by activating norepinephrine, which halts the flow of glucose away from the brain. Since the brain requires glucose to function, the body pumps up more norepinephrine out of the muscle tissues. Natural movement, hyperactivity, is the result to raise the level of norepinephrine. The entire time, the brain is struggling to concentrate.

b) N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) is a metabolite, classified as food, it can boost the immune system by as much as 300%. This tiny metabolite has been known to make speechless autistic children talk within forty-eight hours.

c) Vitamin A in Cod liver oil, to counteract the 'autistic gaze'.

d) B-complex vitamins- read the labels and find one that does not contain added iron. B vitamins are essential cofactors for the enzymatic processes in the brain. Faulty neurotransmissions are considered the leading cause for inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, forgetfulness, and sleep disorders. B vitamins elevate the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. They are calming and focusing.

NB! Regarding Calcium with vit D supplements: since calcium is a mineral and vitamin D is an oil the two combined in a single pill cannot be absorbed by the body.

e) One group of antioxidants is called oligomeric proanthocyanidins, or OPCs. They have an antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting effect on the body. Find more info here: https://www.masqueliers.com/

f) Amino Acids (such as tryptophan, which is a precursor to serotonin or tyrosine- precursor to noepinephrine and epinephrine: all those are neurotransmitters). Amino acids are the building blocks of all proteins. The body uses twenty of them, eight of which it cannot manufacture by itself. They must be ingested. However, a child with a compromised digestive tract will not absorb these essential amino acids. An adequate level of amino acids will help to calm down the state of constant hyperstimulation. Ideal source is bone marrow. You can make your own by boiling organic beef shanks with chlorine-free water and Celtic sea salt. Boil shanks till marrow falls out of the bones. Let cool. Push the marrow into the pot and discard the bones. Once cool, puree in the blender. Use it as a base for gravy, sauce and soup.

g) Chinese medicine, including acupuncture, kinesiology (muscle response testing), and NAET, or Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique. There is an additional technique, derived from scalar energy, known as Field Control Therapy (FCT®). It has it's roots in homeopathy and involves the analysis of the body using a conventional clinical algorithm to determine the level of tissue stress and degeneration for each organ individually. The FCT® algorithm was derived by Savely Yurkovsky MD.

Conclusion

Obviously, I myself would recommend homeopathy to complement all of the above, as it has been proven to have a profound effect on helping to find one's way back to health.

Author: Evelin Kallas