Editor’s Note: Happy Friday! Dr. Amy Wells is here with a naturopathic view of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Have a great day. Here she is:

This month, I thought I’d shed some naturopathic perspectives on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a disorder affecting many families, regardless of race or socioeconomic status. ASD is defined by the Autism Society of BC as a neurological disorder resulting in brain dysfunctions that affect the behavior of children, mostly boys who often show symptoms by the age of three.

Children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder have no visible structural disabilities, but have apparent behavior set backs. Disinterest in the enjoyment around them, minimal or no communication, avoidance of eye contact, withdrawal from hugs or touching, sensitivities to light and sound and difficulties coping with new environments, often resulting in tantrums, are familiar behavior patterns in autism.

This disorder has been labeled as a spectrum due to the various degrees to which a person can be affected. Under ASD fall autism disorder, Asperger’s disorder, Rett’s syndrome and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, to name a few.

The jury is out as to whether there is a cure for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Regardless, many people living with this diagnosis are able to have a high functioning, purposeful life.

A goal of naturopathic medicine, when treating ASD, is to remove any obstacles that may be hindering this and to encourage optimal functioning of each individual’s terrain. It has been observed that people living with ASD can have higher incidences of other syndromes that can exacerbate their behavior challenges.

Ensuring that autistic children have tip top digestive systems enables better availability of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals into their bodies, discourages inflammation and its toxic metabolic byproducts, inhibits overgrowth of opportunistic pathogens and promotes adequate secretion of digestive enzymes.

Inability to correctly digest food can result in products that can cause numerous systemic symptoms, and are often recognized as a food sensitivity or allergy. One allergy to immediately rule out in autistic children is gluten. Requesting a transglutaminase antibody test from your medical doctor can determine if the child has Celiac Disease. Sensitivities to casein, a protein found in dairy products, is another commonly found food intolerance in autistic children.

The opiate theory postulates that gluten and casein breakdown in the gut into various peptides that resemble opiate drugs. Under normal healthy circumstances, these opiate like peptides are passed into the bowel and excreted. However, if there are any imbalances in the gastrointestinal tract where the tight junctions of the intestine is compromised, (we call this leaky gut syndrome), these larger opiate like peptides are able to be absorbed into the blood system and elicit effects on the body. There can be a higher incidence of leaky gut syndrome in autistic children, and this could help explain their sensitivities to wheat (gluten) and casein and potentially other foods.

Under the realm of healthy guts, an overgrowth of yeast, called Candida, can also worsen symptoms of autism. In healthy intestines, Candida albicans population is monitored by enzyme levels and various probiotics. If those levels are uncontrolled, Candida can see the opportunity to reproduce and it will. The metabolism of this yeast produces waste and byproducts that can get absorbed into the body and create new symptoms or aggravate existing autistic patterns. Undergoing a Candida protocol, involving a restricted diet (aimed at starving the yeast) teamed with anti-fungal botanical medicine and increasing probiotics often corrects this problem.

Numerous research has shown relationships between diet and behavior, but a pertinent study, performed by Dr. Feingold in the early 1970s, suggested that certain food additives and preservatives could affect behavior and cognition. By removing these chemicals from the diet, symptoms resolved in 70% of children. Albeit, his work mostly focused on hyperactivity in children, there are overlapping autistic symptoms that may therefore stand to benefit from such a regime.

When removing obstacles for optimal health, another area to investigate in autistic people is the status of heavy metals in the body. There have been countless cases of autistic children having hair mineral analysis performed, showing high levels of various heavy metals, like mercury, aluminum, arsenic or antimony. Often undergoing chelation therapy clears the offending metal from the body, and behavioral symptoms began to improve, communication skills improve and anxieties decrease.

Beyond removing the obstacles to cure, naturopathic medicine aims to optimize the function of the systems by supplying vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and amino acids. Providing adequate nutrients to the digestive system, immune system and nervous system in particular, can help improve whole body functioning for an autistic child.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is not a straight forward list of symptoms. It entails a web of underlying or overlapping issues, that when addressed, helps the overall function of the autistic individual.

© Dr. Amy Wells, Naturopathic Physician