JEAN-RONEL CORBIER, MD

Board Certified Child Neurologist

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AUTISM

VITAL INFORMATION YOU SHOULD KNOW

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by 3 main areas of dysfunction:

  1. Language and communication
  2. Social interaction and perceptiveness
  3. Behavior

Autism usually has its onset before the age of 3. A typical child with autism has difficulties communicating his or her needs either verbally or nonverbally. Not only is verbal expression (speech) affected but comprehension (i.e. receptive language) is impaired as well. An early clue that an infant may have autism is lack of pointing by the age of 1.

As far are social interaction, children with autism appear to lack the ability to interact appropriately. Social cues are often difficult for them to grasp. They may not understand the concept of personal space. Early on, children with autism may not appear to be affectionate, although many exceptions exist.

Behavior may be severely affected. Children may have prolonged tantrums out of the blue or out of proportion to a triggering event. Children with autism may have recurrent episodes of rocking, hand flapping, looking from the corner of their eyes, toe walking and other repetitive behaviors known as self-stimulatory behaviors. The behaviors (like tics in children with Tourette's syndrome) may be exacerbated in times of stress, fatigue, or infection. These are involuntary movements, although they may temporarily be suppressed.

Apart from the main characteristics mentioned above, children with autism often have sensory processing disturbances. Many children with autism especially when they are young may appear deaf. These children may however actually have hyperacute hearing. Many children have deficits caused by difficulties processing information that has been seen, heard, or experienced tactily (i.e via touch). There are often distortions in sensory input that range from mild to severe. A regular door bell sound for instance, may sound like a very loud and annoying blast. A simple hug may feel very uncomfortable and cause some distress. Sensory processing disturbances, especially auditory ones, when present, can contribute to language as well as behavioral disturbances in children with autism.

Many children with autism have seizures that can be obvious (generalized tonic-clonic or 'grand mal' spells where the whole body shakes vigorously) or subtle (such as a blank stare with altered responsiveness). Seizures should always be assessed. This is done by obtaining an EEG (brain wave test).

Finally, many children with autism have some evidence of impaired immune function as demonstrated by recurrent infections (e.g. ear infections or other upper respiratory problems). Many children with autism also have gastrointestinal disturbances ranging from diarrhea to constipation. A significant problem is that of nutrition. Many children are picky eaters, especially when it comes to nutritious foods. Chicken nuggets and fries seem to be tolerated no matter how picky the child is.

Appropriate treatment of autism entails a recognition of all of the above problems and treating them thoroughly.

 

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  • Learn about the history and cause of autistic spectrum disorder.
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  • Learn how to distinguish between genuine versus exploitative therapies in autism.
  • Discover how the RESTORATION model can provide optimal treatment for individuals with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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TREATMENT OF AUTISM

In order to make significant strides in the treatment of autism, you must do the following:

  1. Have an appropriate evaluation/assessment with the right professionals (primary care physician, child neurologist, psychologist [or neuropsychologist], speech, occupational and, if necessary, physical therapists and any additional specialist that may be needed such as an immunologist, a gastroenterologist, a geneticist, a developmental optometrist, etc.
  2. Every child should be evaluated to rule out a sensory disturbance whether primary (e.g. hearing loss) or secondary (e.g. auditory processing difficulty).
  3. Seizures should be ruled out.
  4. Be aware that nutrition plays a key role! Address nutritional needs of the child. Make sure the child is eating a healthy diet and avoiding food substances that have the potential to impair brain and immune function. Many children may not tolerate dairy products (casein) and some do not tolerate wheat products (gluten). Appropriate dietary supplementation is often necessary. Because many children with autism have significant metabolic, biochemical and nutrional disturbances, correcting these disturbances can be a bit tricky although necessary part of treatment. Proper laboratory testing is necessary. One of the main areas of dysfunction in children with autism is that of detoxification (i.e. of toxins, heavy metals, etc). 
  5. Avoid stress. Stress (whether psychosocial or biological from illness or poor nutrition) can affect children with autism. Parental stress can also have 'toxic' effects on the behavior and welfare of children with autism. Parents should seek support from organizations and institutions such as church, support groups, or other such organizations.
  6. Trust in God, especially vital if you feel you are at the end of your rope.