Introduction
My interest in autism was sparked by my experiences with the detoxification of children that were damaged by the administration of vaccines. Many behavioural problems soon disappeared when vaccines were detoxified, even when children came to me for completely different reasons. In my practice it turned out that mood swings, agression, restlessness, attention disorder and ADHD often correlated to the many and early vaccinations in children. When some of my autistic patients greatly improved after the detoxification of their vaccines, my interest had been aroused and I became increasingly convinced that autism must tie in with the administration of vaccines. In this conviction I do not stand alone, since researchers like Dr. Andrew Wakefield and Dr. William J. Walsh also share this view. Their work has provided clear insight into this matter. At a
Hypothesis
According to my personal theory and experience, autism is caused by an accumulation of stress factors in the cerebral cortex (neocortex). These stress factors can start before or during pregnancy, caused by e.g. tropical vaccines of the future parents, use of allopathic drugs, application or removal of amalgam fillings, bacterial or viral infections, premature birth or a difficult delivery. The first year of a child’s life also plays a crucial role with its growing number of vaccines. Other medical procedures may further increase stress levels: anaesthesia (e.g. positioning of eardrum tubes), insufficient nutrition with too many sugars, hydrogenated fats and food deficiencies, insufficient water supply, use of microwave oven, various environmental factors (e.g. plastics and heavy metals) etc. When at 14 months of age the MMR and Meningococ vaccinations are administered, stress levels reach a breaking point whereby the brain gets locked or enters a sort of standby mode. Important functions of the cerebral cortex shut down. This breaking point can just as likely be triggered by completely different stress factors, such as going through simple childhood diseases like varicella.
Vitamin C
My interest in vitamin C stems from cancer therapy. In the Non-Toxic-Tumor-Therapy (NTTT), vitamin C plays an important role as an antioxidant. In addition to the water soluble vitamin C, fat soluble vitamin C (ascorbylpalmitate) is often prescribed, particularly in brain tumors. Vitamin C also seems to play an essential role in protecting children against the adverse effects of vaccinations or other stress inducing events. The Australian doctor Dr. Archie Kalokerinos witnessed a double increase in child mortality among Aboriginals after vaccination campaigns. Human beings are unable to produce vitamin C themselves like other mammals do and therefore totally depend on vitamin C intake. In stress situations such as vaccinations, infections or other diseases, emotional stress etc., extra vitamin is used and needed. For this reason Dr. Kalokerinos advises against vaccinating sick or not yet fully recovered children. In the
2.
When vitamin C takes part in anti-oxidative processes, the ascorbate radicals that are produced are relatively harmless because they are neither highly oxidative nor reductive and are easily recycled into active ascorbates by enzyme systems using NADH or NADPH.
3. Vitamin C stimulates the excretion of copper and thus aids in the reduction of stress. All autistic children prove to have elevated copper levels (read more in article).
4.
Vitamin C aids and promotes the enzyme that transforms dopamin in norepinefrin (noradrenalin). This is a necessary step in the adrenal catecholamine metabolism and it precedes methylation steps that balance out catecholamine levels.
5. Vitamin C aids and promotes the enzyme in tyrosine metabolism that transforms hydroxyphenylpyruvate to homogentisic acid.
6. Vitamin C is required for the formation of L-carnitin. L-carnitin within the cell is necessary for normal use of fats for energy (beta-oxidation of fatty acids).
7. Vitamin C aids folic acid metabolism by the transformation of folic acid into folin acid.
8. Vitamin C renders stool less consistent in obstipated children and stimulates the intestine; too high a dose may cause diarrhoea.
Water- and/or fat soluble vitamin C
Fatty Acids
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) play a crucial role in the formation and functioning of the brain. These polyunsaturated fatty acids have almost completely disappeared from our modern diet.
Scientific research in recent years has revealed that an unsaturated fatty acid deficiency (HUFA) or a disturbed balance of these fatty acids may play an important role in behavioural disorders, learning problems, dyslexia and autistic spectrum disorders. These fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) are found in fish, flaxseed oil, certain nuts and to a lesser extent in leafy greens. They are essential in the normal development of the brain as well as in our mental and emotional health. Pregnant women should take omega-3 supplements and children under three years of age also require large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) for a healthy development of their brain. Additionally, research has shown that the administration of omega-3 fatty acids leads to better results than the omega-6 fatty acids, plus the fact that especially EPA rather than DHA gives favourable results. For this reason various omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been marketed containing an EPA/DHA ratio of at least 4:1. The standard fish oil contains a 3:2 ratio.
According to Dr. Alex Richardson, indications of an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency are:
1. Excessive thirst, frequent urination, rough or dry skin, dry lustreless hair, dandruff and soft brittle nails.
2.
Allergic propensity: eczema, asthma, hay fever, etc.
3. Visual symptoms such as poor night vision, hypersensitivity to light and reading disorders such as dancing letters.
4. Attention disorders: quick distraction, poor concentration and memory disorders.
5. Emotional hypersensitivity: in particular depression tendencies, intense mood swings and excessive fears.
6.
Sleeping problems: in particular being unable to wind down at night and having difficulty waking up in the morning.
Vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as flaxseed oil only contain
DHA is especially important in the structure of brain cell membranes, particularly in early childhood when the brain grows and later on in life to retain flexibility of the membranes.
In children, 20% of the brain consists of DHA. EPA plays an essential part in the short term regulation of brain functions such as hormonal balance, the immune function and the bloodstream. EPA is equally important in reducing infections, for instance in the digestive tract. Both fatty acids are indispensable for all cell membranes since they regulate the nourishment flow to the cell. They are also involved in the release and reabsorption of neurotransmitters (chemicals that are essential in stimulus transfer between neurons).
What is metallothionein?
Methallothionein is a protein that carries out very vital functions in the body. There are four different types of this protein. It is made up of 60 to 70 amino acids and 7 atoms of zinc. One of its most important functions is the protection against heavy metals. For this reason high concentrations of this protein are present in the mucous membrane of the intestine where it serves as a binding agent for heavy metals by exchanging zinc for mercury, lead, platinum, aluminium etc. It goes without saying that in this modern age the protection against heavy metals plays an essential part in maintaining our health in a greatly polluted world. We continually ingest heavy metals with our food, the daily intake of mercury in nourishment being about 20mcg and if teeth are filled with amalgam, an extra dose is added depending on the age of the amalgam (1mcg/day for old amalgam to 450 mcg/day for newly used amalgam). Several vaccines also contain mercury. In the
Metallothonein also plays an important role in several other processes in the body:
1. It regulates zinc and copper concentration in the blood.
2. It is essential in the development and functioning of our immune system.
3. It is indispensable in the development of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain together with the Omega-3 fatty acids.
4. It protects against excessive yeast growth in the intestines.
5. It prevents intestinal infections.
6. It is involved in gastric acid production.
7. It influences taste and texture sensation of food in the mouth.
8. It has a regulating influence on hippocampal behaviour.
9. It is involved in the emotional development and socialization (amygdala).
Owing to all these vital functions of metallothionein it is very reasonable to assume that a deficiency of this essential protein may lead to all kinds of problems in the development of the child. Most likely a genetic disorder is involved that does not become evident until the system experiences an overload. This may be triggered by a vaccine, a bacterial or viral infection possibly combined with antibiotics, amalgam fillings of the mother during pregnancy etc. The fact that some scientists and M.D’s give a purely genetic lable to the cause of autism is proof of a poor scientific mentality and a lack in logical thinking. It is impossible for genetic disorders to increase at such an explosive rate as in the case of autism. In the
The conclusion that these data point to is that there might be a lot of children with a dormant metallothionein deficiency that run the increased risk of developing symptoms caused by all kinds of environmental factors. The symptoms resulting from malfunctioning metallothionein are most likely not only restricted to causing disorders in the autism spectrum but several other modern disorders like ADHD and other behavioural disorders, fibromyalgia, ME and CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) could possibly also be explained by this. It could even be a factor in cancer. For many years now I have been testing cancer patients and many of them show high copper and low zinc readings. In my practice, I have experienced several autistic children displaying a total shift towards ADHD type behaviour. Many children are diagnosed as autistic at one point and subsequently as ADHD or vice versa. Practical experience and continued scientific research will eventually have the final word.
Copper and zinc blood testing
To find out whether or not metallothionein is active is determined by the testing of copper and zinc in the blood. The copper count should be determined in the blood serum and zinc in the erythrocytes (red blood cells). Erythrocytes contain a higher zinc count than the blood serum. During testing procedures red blood cells are destroyed leading to a rise of zinc concentration in the serum which in turn leads to an inaccurate reading. Determining the zinc count in the red blood cells is therefore more accurate. The fact that many people have increased copper and decreased zinc levels can be explained by various causes. Stress causes human beings to retain copper and expel zinc in the urine. Chronic stress which is so prevalent in the western world may therefore lead to unbalanced copper/zinc ratios.
Adding to this is the fact that our food contains much more copper than zinc. Copper is a growth enhancer and is used in artificial fertilizers. Likewise we ingest extra copper by drinking water from copper pipes. Excessive milk consumption also inhibits the assimilation of zinc. Decreased copper is rare. Increased copper and decreased zinc however are frequent. From hundreds of testings I have gradually established an accurate picture of high and low levels. In my opinion 13-16 mcmol/l for copper and 180-200 mcmol/l for zinc are normal readings. Sometimes copper readings of 30 or 40 are found, which is excessively high, and zinc readings of 140 or lower which is excessively low. However the copper/zinc ratio is the main point, the higher the copper the more zinc is required for compensation.
Dr. William J. Walsch, Ph.D, found that 100% of autistic children had increased copper and reduced zinc levels.
Detoxification of vaccines using potentized vaccines
The homeopathic method as applied in the treatment of vaccination damage consists of administering four successive remedies of the suspected vaccine. Each course consists of the dilutions 30K, 200K, MK and XMK. At times lower potencies (6K and 12K) or higher potencies (LMK) are required. The duration of a remedy course depends on the severity of the problems and the reactions of the patient and can vary from 2 weeks to 2 months. Remedies should be repeated until no further improvement is seen, leaving 1 or 2 weeks of interval between the different course. A long remedy series may also be followed by several short two weeks series with one week of interval. The administration is carried out by letting 2 granules or 10-20 globules to melt in the mouth.
Vaccines
· One of the important factors in the development of autism is without a doubt the administration of many vaccines at a very early age. In the
·
The immune system consists of two important parts, the humoral and the cellular defence. Vaccinations cause there to be a shift from cellular to humoral defence which leads to a weakening of the immune system.
A zinc deficiency can lead to a similar shift.
· All autistic children should be detoxified using the homeopathically diluted remedies of the vaccines that have been administered to the child.
· Autistic children should never again be vaccinated!
Intestinal Disorders
·
Approximately 85% of autistic children experience intestinal and assimilation disorders.
·
Most autists experience digestive problems in respect to excessive fungal growth such as candidiasis, food allergies and hypersensitivities. If sufficient metallothionein is present in the intestine, heavy metals such as mercury or lead will be bound to sulfhydril groups. Sulfhydril groups in enzymes are needed to break down casein and gluten. Many autistic children have gluten and casein allergies (over 85%). These enzymes also need zinc. Therefore a metallothionein deficiency will lead to a deficiency of the enzyme that breaks down casein and gluten. This in turn leads to a casein and gluten allergy.
· A leaky gut simply means a failing metallothionein function that causes mercury, lead and other toxins to end up in the portal vein.
· High concentrations of metallothionein are also present in the mouth and a deficiency may lead to taste disorders and eating problems (for example refusing to eat solid food with lumps).
· The function of metallothionein in the stomach is
a) production of gastic acid,
b) supply of zinc to the digestive enzymes,
c) production of proteins against gastric infection.
· Metallothionein also plays an important role as a protective mechanism against infection of the intestine and diarrhoea.
It kills candida and protects against excessive fungal growth.
The treatment
Treatment consists of a number of steps and therapies.
1. Detoxification (homeopathically) of the most relevant stress factors in the patient’s history: vaccines, anaesthesia, antibiotics, childhood diseases, etc. In case of a history of difficult deliveries and caesarian sections, osteopathic help will be called in. Osteopaths are of the opinion that the meningae are often too tense leaving the brain insufficient room to grow (causing stress!).
2. Secondly the oxidative stress of the celebral cortex is treated with fat soluble vitamin C and the brain is nourished with omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) which are important building blocks for the brain.
3. Thirdly the metallothionein function in the bowels and the brain can be restored with the use of zinc. For this we use an ascorbate complex (water soluble vitamin C combined with potassium, magnesium (tranquillizer) and zinc). This also restores the integrity of the bowels. In addition Saccharum Officinale D6 likewise yields good results in restoring intestinal flora and function.
4. Next specific aspects of the austistic behaviour can be addressed by a constitutional homeopathic treatment of the child, whereby a remedy is selected that is largely based on the behaviour of the child. The remedy Saccharum Officinale and other constitutional remedies are important elements in restoring eyecontact, contact with the outside world and the emotions etc. Cuprum Metallicum can offer the solution to the typical rigidity and obsessiveness. Both remedies are part of Inspiring Homeopathy and not yet very well known in the homeopathic world.
What can you do yourself?
1.
Fishoil, 500-1000mg/d can be started before consulting an expert.
2. This also applies to vitamin C, water soluble form, 500mg 3 times a day from 2 years of age and 1000mg 3 times a day from 4 years of age. The fat soluble form (ascorbylpalmitate) 500mg 3 times a day from 2 years of age and 1000mg 3 times a day from 4 years of age.
3. Give your child the best nutrition available, ergo organic nutrition. By doing this you will prevent further intoxification with heavy metals, pesticides, flavour enhancers, colour additives, conservatives and other waste products.
4. Leavened bread (sourdough) instead of yeast bread to prevent the binding of zinc to an insoluble complex with phytin acid and to enable the assimilation of nutritional zinc. Since whole wheat leavened bread is often very heavy, it would be better to start with lighter leavened bread.
5. Give your child sufficient water.
6. Provide a quiet and peaceful environment for your child, eliminating excess stimuli such as TV or computer.
7. Make sure your child is well grounded with the earth. Static electricity may give rise to both emotional/mental disorders and physical complaints. Synthetic clothing, isolating shoes (rubber or plastic soles) and synthetic floor coverings should therefore be avoided. If possible, have your child walk around barefoot. Eliminate all electric appliances in the bedroom such as electric alarm clock, TV or audio equipment.
8. Provide a healthy sleeping facility for your child. A healthy bed should not contain any metal. If possible, have your child sleep facing north or east. A dark room is important for the production of melatonin (sleep hormone).
9.
Avoid antibiotics since they impair intestinal flora and consequently increase the underlying problems.
In case of infection, opt for naturopathic solutions.
Cases
Case 1
This first case clearly demonstrates how effective detoxification of vaccines can be because after a first series of remedies the parents stopped treatment for well over six months. The first series had a very clear and positive effect on the development of Tom. During the break there was no longer any improvement. When after six months treatment is resumed with further detoxification of the vaccines as well as a more constitutional treatment combined with fish oil, zinc and sulfur, Tom improved considerably again. Let us take a closer look at this process.
At 11 months there was a complete reversal in Tom’s development. He displayed major regression. All at once he was no longer able to do things. He withdrew into his own little world, was unreachable and showed lack of emotional contact. Till the age of two and a half he remains in this condition, but after this slowly starts to develop again. He has many ear infections and a chronic cold; at 14 months he gets his first ear tubes. I see him in my practice when he is nearly four. His development lags behind about 18 months and in bad spells he cannot be reached at all. He also displays many repetitive movements such as up and down movements on his knees and elbows in his bed, which makes the bed move through the entire room.
He has been vaccinated according to schedule from three months on. Apart from the DTPP/HIB and MMR he also received the Meningococ-C vaccination. I decide to detoxify both the MMR and the DTPP/HIB and to give three series of a month each of every shot. The MMR series lead to violent reactions and seemed to aggravate his autism, but after each DTPP/HIB series he clearly improves. Contact has increased, he looks you in the face, makes jokes and engages in question and answer games. Language comprehension improves and he displays a more extrovert attitude.
I prescribe three additional short series of the MMR as well as three of the DTPP/HIB. I don’t see him again until a year later. The series have had much effect. He talks a lot more and contact has greatly increased. Things no longer obsess him. He has found his place in the family. Serious behavioral disorders no longer exist. Before detoxification he would often spend hours in a corner of the room turning the wheel of a toy car. At times, he still flutters when very excited. His developmental retardation has not been fully restored, neither are his motor skills or his cognitive abilities up to par. His speech is somewhat staccato. Playing with other children than his sister still proves to be problematic at times. After a meal he now is satisfied whereas before he continued eating.
Then I prescribe a higher potency of the DTPP/HIB (LMK), once every two weeks. Sometimes the disturbance has penetrated so deeply into the energy that lower potencies fail to cover it completely. In addition I also start with Saccharum Officinale 30K, twice a week; fish oil 500mg, a zinc supplement with Vitamin B6 and 1000mg MSM (a sulfur supplement). I see him back three months later. Only now the parents realize that during the break in therapy the development of their son had come to a halt. In three months’ time he has recovered remarkably. He has learned to ride a bike, is toilet-trained day and night, contact has further improved and his speech has shown great progress; he spontaneously talks about things and is able to have real conversations. He is less excited by things out of the ordinary. There are no more repetitive movements. At swim class things are fine and for the first time enjoyed the fair this year when last year this still proved to be very problematic. In response to my question to rate the healing process with a number, 10 being complete cure and 0 being the pre-treatment situation, the parents rate manageability as a 9 and the overall healing process as a 6/7. Weak points are still his concentration, contact and responding to assignments. The DTPP/HIB LMK is continued unchanged and the Saccharum Officinale is raised to a 200K once every two weeks. The supplements likewise remain unchanged. If the healing process continues in this manner, it is likely to expect a complete cure.
Case 2
This case is exceptional because his autistic features have been caused mainly during the first 18 months of his life when he suffered emotional deprivation in an orphanage before his adoption. He was double vaccinated first in
Kjell is an adoptive child from
An osteopathic practitioner transferred him to me. Osteopathy did him much good, since the treatment he is able to really cry, often in half hour spurts and he also laughs a lot more and even acts like a clown. He makes contact with other children and physical contact is possible as well. When he comes to see me (two and a half year old) he doesn’t speak a word and remains in a close circle around his mother with fingers in his mouth. He drains his mother’s energy. He is obsessed by food, has no point of saturation and could eat all day long. He is quite obese. He screams without making a move till he gets what he wants. He perspires a lot and sleeps in pajamas without a blanket. At night he is very active and does not fall asleep until 9.30 p.m. He has been vaccinated in
Adoptive children often respond very well to the homeopathic medicine Saccharum because the main theme of this medicine is lack of love and fear of abandonment. A mother in charge of a crisis shelter for small children who comes often to me with children she takes care of for a while told me: “It is unbelievable what you accomplish with Saccharum in these children. It is amazing how much they improve”.
For an experienced homeopath, it would not be difficult to discern the Saccharum traits in this child as well. I prescribed Saccharum Officinale 30K twice a week after which he improved dramatically. His mother says it is a different child. He no longer looks up and away. He even kisses his mother while embracing her. He wants to be carried now. He eats everything, even with lumps. He is open to new experiences, climbs on and touches everything. He shows an interest in his environment and enjoys going outside. He also displays bad tempers. Yet even though his improvement was spectacular, he relapsed at the end of the 30K period. But the Saccharum 200K proved to help again.
He is very cheerful and sings all day long. He loves music and dances on it. He throws temper tantrums when things do not go his way.
From this we moved on to Saccharum MK. As a reaction he develops eczema and often puts his fingers in his mouth again. Invariably a week and a half after taking a dose of Saccharum MK he becomes aggressive again.
Then I moved on to Saccharum XMK in combination with Calcarea Carbonica D6 once a day and calcium (200mg) twice a day in order to initiate his speech development.
I have abandoned to treat speech problems with calcium, homeopathically as well as in orthomolecular doses. The results were too meager.
He responds very well to the first dose of Saccharum XMK but when he takes the second dose two weeks later he has a very strong aggravation which resembles a complete relapse.
His developmental retardation is enormous, but now his speech clearly starts to develop: he asks the name of things and memorizes it. He knows entire songs by heart and sings along with them. Yet he remains fixed in his thinking, is pushy and has a quick temper.
Subsequently I decide to treat him also orthomolecularly according to the views of the
In my understanding he still lacks something that has become the restricting factor. I prescribe him DHA, pyridoxal-5-phosphate (active form of B6); MSM 500mg twice daily; L-glutathione 250mg and L-glutamine 500mg. In addition to this he still has the calcium and Calcarea carbonica D6 twice daily, and Saccharum Officinale XMK every 10 days.
Subsequently there is a definite breakthrough. His mother confirms this. He began to improve after only three days. He climbed on a chair as if he wanted to say: “Look at me!” He shows that he is present. His speech is improving by the week; he makes two or three word sentences. He chooses his own clothes. He is able to choose small things like what he wants to eat on his bread. He is no longer obsessed with food and senses when he is full. He has lost a lot of weight, his mother says he literally dropped a load. His diapers are no longer foul, his faeces are normal with normal odor. He still has temper tantrums when he needs another dose of Saccharum.
He now takes Saccharum LMK once every three weeks. It is difficult to say what caused him to have the ‘definite’ breakthrough. Could it have been the DHA, the MSM, the glutathione or the glutamine. What is clear is that a combined treatment of a homeopathic remedy and a specific orthomolecular treatment have led to more results than I or the parents could have imagined. After all, he was a severely traumatized child belonging to the autistic spectrum!
The vaccines were not detoxified in this particular child. Often I start with the detox program which in itself can lead to remarkable improvements.
Case 3
At times the mere detoxification of the suspected vaccine proves to be the solution of the case and mostly it is a first step to cure.
Rik (4 ½ years ): diagnosis autism. He had been a perfectly normal child until the MMR vaccination at 16 months. He had developed rapidly, had been able to go up and down the stairs by himself. In the first week after his MMR shot he relapsed rapidly, mentally as well as physically. His behavior changed dramatically: he became aggressive, was uncontrollable at the daycare center, made screeching noises, withdrew from strangers, his speech completely disappeared and his physical development stopped and even relapsed. He became a poor sleeper; eye contact was no longer possible; his pupils were fully contracted and no longer responded to light; there was no way to correct him, he had soft stools and frequent nosebleeds.
After five series of potentized MMR much has been accomplished. His pupils react to light again and eye-contact is reestablished; the nosebleeds have stopped; he sleeps well again. He has resumed speaking and forms two or three word sentences. He is once again aware of and responsive to his environment, for instance at one point he suddenly became afraid of seeing a mother duck with ducklings whereas before he never had shown any response to such a scene. He is able to reach out and make contact. He hugs his parents and people he loves, he comforts his sister when she cries. His restlessness is gone and he is able to follow instructions. His fears have decreased and his self-mutilating tendencies have completely disappeared. During each potentized MMR series he screamed as when he received the original MMR vaccination, but afterwards he steadily improved. He is back to being a normal child, the veils have been lifted.
Case 4
At times the constitutional homeopathic remedy (often Saccharum Officinale) plays a key role and provides the sought after breakthrough. This proved to be the case with Diede. When I see him he is four years old, suffers from eczema and is very restless with strong autistic traits and cannot be corrected. He avoids eyecontact, screams when taken to bed and often has nightmares. He was a perfect child up to the age of three months when he received his first DTPP/HIB. Yet he shows no sign of improvement during the detoxification of the vaccines. However when a treatment with Saccharum Officinale is started, 30K once a week, within three months there is clear improvement: he plays like a normal child again and his autistic traits have completely disappeared. His eczema and thin stool are cured. He is no longer restless, is open to correction and no longer has unnecessary temper tantrums. He goes to sleep without any trouble and no longer experiences nightmares. His speech is progressing slowly and so far there has been no relapse (2 years later).
Case 5
This case is also from my beginning time when I started the treatment of autistic children. The detoxification of her vaccines was very successful, but the constitutional treatment with homeopathy did not work. Finally the correction of the cupper-zinc levels and the addition of different supplements worked.
Anke is a seven year old girl when I first see her at my practice. She mainly has behavioral problems. She is very aggressive towards her mother and younger brother, rebellious and incorrigible. Afterwards she often feels very sorry and promises never to do it again, yet five minutes later things can totally escalate once again. For no reason she suddenly becomes very angry and is beside herself. In this state she appears to be a different person. Her mother says that the look in her daughter’s eyes changes and her voice becomes very commanding. It is as if she is not aware of hurting others. Everything needs to be done according to a strict time schedule and nothing can be moved in the house. She is very insecure in new situations and becomes angry when not understood or when things are done outside of regular routine. She has a hard time dealing with emotions, especially grief, fear and disappointment. She is only able to play with her younger brother when things exactly go her way. She wants to be in control and is greatly attached to fixed rituals. In school however she behaves normally and there are no problems whatsoever.
Even though a proper diagnosis has never been made, it is clear that Anke definitely has autistic traits. Her physical development however is perfectly normal and not retarded as is often the case in autistic children. She is also able to adjust her behavior outside of her home.
With Anke I have applied all three therapeutic methods extensively. The administration of supplements eventually led to a definite breakthrough.
First the various vaccines were detoxified. She had violently resisted her second DTPP/HIB shot (at three months old). Immediately on entering the infant care center she had started screaming at the top of her lungs and had to be held down by three adults in order to give her the shots. (This seems to be unrealistic, but that is what the mother told me). With every other shot after that she responded similarly. The vaccinations themselves did not seem to bother her that much.
I started the treatment with two detoxifying series of MMR. After the second series she was very angry and contrary. After three series of DTPP/HIB she became more quiet and her anger diminished. Further detoxification showed no improvement but her mother says her eyes look much better. It is remarkable that during the series she is not troubled by her aggressive moods, but afterwards she quickly relapses into her old behavior. Apparently something else is bothering her. She has many fears, especially fear of abandonment when her mother leaves.
A homeopathic treatment with Cuprum Arsenicosum, Aconitum, Vernix Caseosa, Saccharum Officinale, Lac Maternum, Anacardium, Rhus Toxicodendron and Lycopodium does not give the desired effect. She herself says that some wires are mixed up in her head.
In the meantime I have attended the autism congress in
Case 6
In this case the major part of the autism has been cured with the detoxification of the MMR shot.
Rik is autistic and at the time 7 years old. He has serious developmental and behavioral disorders that started a few days after the MMR vaccination at 16 months of age. Before this time he had been a perfectly healthy child. He had started walking before turning one and was very bright. After the MMR shot he became apathetic, throwing stuff instead of playing and hitting everything with sticks. He retreated when people came to visit. His speech development greatly relapsed and he bit rubber things. He had difficulty going to sleep and woke up around four in the morning. There was no longer any eye contact, his pupils were contracted and he looked right through you. In the kindergarten his aggressive and out of control behavior made him impossible. His stool had turned soft and at night he often had nose bleeds. He was very spasmodic.
Yet his parents never made any link with the MMR shot. Not until he was three years old his mother consulted a pediatrician who diagnosed a link with the MMR shot and reported the case to the RIVM (Dutch governmental institute for vaccination). The latter called the parents stating that if they could present ten more cases with similar symptoms the matter would be investigated. Fine assignment for the parents whose autistic child already proved more than a handful.
The MMR had already been (partially) detoxified by a fellow homeopath after which he was able to sleep through the night. A halt was put to the nose bleeds and some contact was reestablished. I detoxified the MMR with an extension of the four potencies with a 6K, 12K and LMK. As a reaction to the 6K he experienced a great relapse as if the vaccine was being readministered: he withdrew emotionally with once again contracted pupils, nose bleeds and bouts of yelling and screaming. After four days he revives and is able to repeat each word, sings “ happy birthday” and suddenly says “ I am happy”. He tears everything up like a two year old, sits at the table and is able to lay out a thirty-five piece puzzle. He hangs his coat on the coat rack and the yelling and screaming have diminished a lot. He is once again back in the world. He looks at you, he responds to the emotions of others, kisses his mother when he hurts her. He is much more controllable and attends a regular kindergarten. The veil has been lifted and his pupils are wide open. He no longer throws his toys about. His aggression has greatly diminished and he is able to give hugs again. He has slowly come out of his isolation.
In school he handles work situations well and really plays. Even though his speech has progressed, it still remains the most retarded aspect.
Case 7
I recently received this e-mail from the
Hello Dr. Smits,
I read your website with great interest. My son (now 29 months) became severely autistic with other biological health issues after his first DTP shot. We have seen a classical homeopath with great success over the past 13 months. This past dose of DTP remedy has been nothing short of a miracle. In quick summary, my son went from a child that did not speak, did not play, did not interact, banged his head repeatedly all day, spun in circles, and other stims, with leaky gut syndrome, yeast infections, and other issues to a little boy who now speaks, plays, laughs, is potty trained, and by all other means is a normal toddler. There are no residual autistic symptoms! However, he must remain on a strict diet. He can only eat rice, potato, pears, chicken and beef. He can also tolerate sheep’s yogurt. He is still very intolerant of gluten, casein, soy, corn and phenols.
Case 8
In this case we see that also goes back to the beginning of my treatment of autistic children shows that different approaches are necessary to keep the healing process going. Sometimes certain approaches do not give the expected results and sometimes certain treatments give unexpected results.
Adriaan is four and a half years old when he first appears in my practice. He has not fully completed the vaccination program. In reaction to the first DTPP/HIB he was a little shaky, to the second one he developed a high fever and was ice cold for twenty four hours. He showed similar reactions to the third shot but additionally became very ill. To the fourth shot at 15 months of age he developed a fever of 39,5 Centigrade even after having been given aspirin in advance. He didn’t eat for three – four days, cried in an abnormal way, vomited continually, developed a very swollen leg, suddenly starting tilting his head and after three days the skin around his mouth started to peel which is indicative of an intestinal disorder. After two days he also overstretched which is indicative of a brain disorder. From that time on he also developed chronic diarrhea.
These were not the only problems he was having because he also stopped talking, started looking straight ahead as if he had blinders on and contact was no longer possible. At the tender age of three months he had already developed intestinal problems, right before the first shot he had had bloody diarrhea with mucous but this was no problem whatsoever to the infant care center. In their view, sick children could also be vaccinated. There is hardly any contra-indication as there used to be, a stand that shows little medical insight. My advice is:
“Never have your child vaccinated if it is not completely healthy, not even when it has a common cold”.
Adriaan continued to have green stools with mucous and some blood. He also turned out allergic to all kind of food. He had multiple respiratory infections and was prescribed Pulmicort. Additionally he received large amounts of antibiotics which increased his intestinal problems. At the age of three years his tonsils were removed.
An orthomolecular doctor prescribed various supplements. Subsequently his behavior gradually improved. He attends a medical day care center due to his hyperactivity and social skill disorder. His fine motor skills in particular are retarded and his concentration is poor. He is difficult to correct and reprimands don’t stick, even when he is punished. He displays quite a lot of aggression towards other children and uses many abusive terms. He becomes very hyper and indomitable when exposed to too many stimuli. His fantasy has clearly improved and his IQ is above average.
We agree on a four week series of DTPP/HIB, followed two weeks later by a short series of a week. At first he has more trouble going to sleep and his behavior falls back. He is harder to correct, is very obstinate and inflexible. He gets stuck in things a lot. His intestines react also, in particular to the MK with thin, smelly and sour stools. Blood analysis shows he has high copper and low zinc.
In this stage of treatment it often is very hard for parents to keep having faith in the treatment, especially because they are often exposed to very negative reactions from the environment and official organizations. These detox courses often last for months and when aggravations continue for a while some parents drop out.
But Adriaan’s parents persevered. He is given additional zinc, vitamin B6, MSM, L-Cystein, L-Histidine and fish oil.
Six months later Adriaan is doing a lot better. He has become more sociable, empathetic and is very attached to his parents. The normal feelings slowly return. He likes to play outside. His stool now is solid and regular. His allergies have greatly improved.
His parents have started osteopathy which bring more balance. He has less tantrums and is better able to play by himself. Yet his overall behavior has only slightly improved.
Next I start with the homeopathic remedy Saccharum officinale 30K, once a week and the same supplements are continued. After four months he shows definite improvement. His language skills have much improved and in school he is in the top of his class. His social skills have also improved although he does not always sense when enough is enough and can be quite domineering. He is very eager to learn and loves nature. He has an eye for detail. He remains hard to correct. His concentration has improved. The autism diagnosis no longer holds and parents estimate the healing process to be 60% given that there is still much room for improvement.
Conclusion
Bibliography
1. Metallothionein and Autism; William J. Walsch, Ph.D., Anjum Usman, M.D., Jeffrey Tarpey, Tanika Kelly; Pfeiffer Treatment Center, Naperville, Illinois
2. The Natural Medicine Guide to Autism; Stephanie Marohn; ISBN 1-57174-288-3
3. The Post-Vaccination Syndrome, diagnosis, treatment and prevention;
4. Nutrition in Behaviour and Learning; Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, ADHD and the Autistic Spectrum – Can Fatty Acids Help?; Dr. Alex Richardson, 2003,
5. Zinc, Auto-immune disease, Food allergy and Cancer; Johan E. Sprietsma; Ankh- Hermes BV –
6. Regulation of Cysteine- Rich Intestinal Protein, by Mediator of the Immune System; Cousins, R. J., Hanningham- Foster, L. ; Journal of Infectious Diseases; Vol. 182 Suppl. 1:S81-4; September 2000
7. Association Between Thimerosal-Containing Vaccine and Autism; Anders, M.Sc., Michael Stellfeld, M.D., Jan Wohlfart, M.Sc., Mads Melbye, Ph.D.; JAMA, October 1, 2003, Vol. 290, no. 13, p. 1763-66
8. Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD; William Shaw, Ph.D. the
9. The Natural Medicine Guide to Autism; Stephanie Marohn;
10. Detoxify or Die; Sherry A. Rogers,M.D.; Sand key Company,Inc.; ISBN 1-887202-04-8
11. Every Scond Child; Archie Kalokerinos,M.D.; Pivot Health Book; ISBN 0-87983-250-9
12. Vitamin C, Nature’s Miraculous Healing Missile; compiled by Dr. Glen Dettman, Dr. Archie Kalokerinos, D. Ian Dettman; Frederick Todd publishing, Melbourne; ISBN 0-646-11985-0
13. Ascorbate, the Science of Vitamin C; Dr. Steve Hickey, Dr. Hilary Roberts; ISBN 1-4116-0724-4
14. Behavioural Problems in Childhood, the Link to Vaccination; Viera Scheibner, Ph.D.;
15. The vaccine guide, Risks and Benefits for Children and Aduls; Randall Neustaedter, OMD; North Alantic Books; ISBN 1-55643-423-5
16. The Poisoned Needle; Eleanor McBean; Health Research; ISBN 0-7873-0594-4
17. Vaccination and Immunisation: Dangers, Delusions and Alternatives; Leon Chaitow; the CW Daniel Walden Company; ISBN 0-85207-191-4
18. Cancer and Vitamin C; Linus Pauling, Ewan Cameron; Camino Books, Inc.;ISBN 0-940159-21-1
19. You are not sick, You are thirsty; Water: For health, for Healing, for Life; F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.; Warner books 0-9702458-4-X
20. Breaking the Vicious Circle, Alain Gottschall, B.A.,M.Sc.; edition 2004
21. Vaccinated children two and a half times more likely o have neurological disorders like ADHD and autism, new survey in
22. Cal-Oregan Unvaccinated Survey; June 26, 2007; Generation Rescue; www.GenerationRescue.org
23. DVD, 52 minutes on vaccination damage: autism, pertussis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue. See www.ppdocu.com
Carbohydrate metabolism and the intestinal tract
Glucose is the only sugar our body is able to burn. For this reason all sugars that end up in our body need to be converted into glucose. This can only be done with the help of enzymes that are produced by the body itself. Unlike sucrose, lactose and starch, glucose does not require any digestion and is quickly absorbed in the small intestine. Children suffering from diarrhoea develop a damaged intestinal wall which leads to a disaccharide intolerance (regular sugar). This damage of the intestinal wall causes an excessive production of mucus by the intestinal wall cells, which blocks the disaccharides from connecting with the digestive enzymes of the absorbing intestinal cells. Thus they become food for all kinds of bacteria which leads to an unbalanced intestinal flora. These bacteria produce waste products that are absorbed in the blood and that are toxic for the body. As a rule the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine are home to smaller amounts of intestinal bacteria than the last part of the small intestine and the colon. Excessive bacterial growth of stomach and small intestine may be caused by acid blockers, undernourishment or malnutrition accompanied by failing immune system, old age and last but not least the use of antibiotics that enable bacteria to mutate. This overpopulation of bacteria in the stomach and small intestine can endanger the absorption of vitamin B12. Additionally it leads to increased gas production and fermentation products that maintain malabsorption and intestinal disorder. Likewise the intestinal wall forms a thick layer of mucus to defend itself against the aggressive intestinal content which in turn increases malabsorption. An additional problem is that yeasts, bacteria and parasites having entered the small intestine cause damage to the intestinal wall and thus destroy the important enzymes. Lactase is the first enzyme to be affected in this way. This explains why there are so many problems with milk and dairy products because these cannot be digested without lactase. When the situation becomes more serious there is the possibility of infection and ulceration of the intestine that are known as serious disorders: Crohn’s disease, colitis ulcerosa, celiac, diverticulitis and chronic diarrhoea. All these problems can be tackled by depriving these bacteria of their nutrition source with the help of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Bacteria feed on undigested sugars that remain in the intestine and that in turn are converted into gasses and acids (D-lactate) and other microbial by-products. These acids in the small intestine damage the intestinal wall and cause abnormal brain activity and behavior because they travel to the brain via the blood. Likewise the nervous system and brain can be affected by the malabsorption of vitamins and minerals. Thus these intestinal disorders may cause epilepsy, schizophrenia, confusion, aggression, disorientation, blurred vision, poor judgment, offensive behavior, indistinct speech, unsteady gait, rolling of the eyes, amnesia and eccentric behavior. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that digestion largely depends on the digestive fluids of the pancreas. Fiber is an important filler product that retains a sufficient amount of water in the intestine to prevent the stool from becoming too hard and dry. Fiber is not digested in the intestine!
Specific carbohydrate diet or gluten-free
The SCD basically originates from the start of the last century and was developed by Dr. John Howland for celiac disorder. Dr. Haas continued its development and concluded after treating 600 celiac patients: ”We see complete cures without any relapse, no death tolls, no crises, no lung problems or growth inhibition." (1949). But shortly hereafter a group of faculty members of the departments of pharmacy, pediatrics and youth health sciences of the University of Birmingham, after conducting a study of just ten children, reached the conclusion that the celiac disorder was not caused by the carbohydrates in the grain but rather by the gluten protein in the flour of rye and wheat. Much later it was discovered not to be an actual gluten allergy but rather a sealing of the carbohydrates by the gluten which partly hinders the digestion of the carbohydrates. When the gluten is removed and subsequently added to the flour, digestive problems do not occur. Likewise the diagnostic method also came to a halt because mainly biopsies were used as the diagnostic method as apposed to addressing the typical symptoms. This led to a large group not being diagnosed properly even though people did have disorder symptoms. Additionally, the gluten-free diet does not alleviate the patient of other serious intestinal problems that do not classify as typical celiac symptoms. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet on the other hand is effective on a much broader level.
Intestinal disorders and the brain
As early as 1908 it was concluded that some patients who suffered from prolonged diarrhoea and malabsorption also showed degeneration of the brain, the spinal cord and other nerve tissues. It was proven that paralytic symptoms and various psychiatric disorders were caused by malnutrition which in turn was caused by malabsorption due to intestinal illness and the production of toxins affecting the normal function of the brain. In the seventies and eighties it was discovered that patients who were less able to break down and absorb nutrition due to a partial removal of the small intestine, often developed neurological symptoms such as aggression, sudden disorientation, blurred vision, poor judgment, offensive behavior, slurred speech, unsteady gait with small steps, rolling of the eyes, confusion and delirium.
Intestinal disorders and autism
The SCD sees the digestive problem in autistic children as a disturbance in the bacterial fermentation process and its consequent problems:
1. The production of enormous amounts of volatile short-chain fatty acids (organic acids, e.g. D-Lactate).
2. Reduction of pH value (acidity level) of the blood by the absorption of these acids.
3. Excessive bacterial growth of undigested carbohydrates in the end of the small intestine and the colon.
4. Mutation (change) of bacteria by the acids or antibiotics.
5. Production of toxins by diseasing bacteria.
According to the Pfeiffer Institute 85% of all autistic children suffer from digestive disorders. A research involving 400 autistic children conducted byHarvard General Hospital showed that 55% suffered from a lactase deficiency and 15% from a lactase and disaccharide deficiency. Additionally they proved that the digestion of carbohydrates is obstructed at the position of the absorbing intestinal cell. All this forms the basic principle of the SCD: preventing disaccharides from entering the intestine.