Help With Autism

Heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury can wreak havoc on our bodies. Although there are regulations that have eliminated these hazardous products from paint, pencils, thermometers and other products, there is still a risk of being contaminated. The most common method of heavy metal detoxification is through the use of chelation therapy.

Chelation is defined as being the existence of multiple bindings between a polydentate ligand and a central atom. While this may sound confusing, what it essentially means is that chelating agents convert the toxic material, in this case heavy metal, into an inert form that your body can purge. Without the use of some form of detox, heavy metals will accumulate in your body and cause continuous damage.

By now you are probably familiar with the dangers and concerns surrounding mercury poisoning. In the last few decades there has been a concerted effort to eliminate mercury from household items such as thermometers and cosmetics. Despite these efforts, there is still worry over mercury poisoning, and most people consider fish to be one of the main risks today.

All fish store some amount of mercury in their bodies, which is absorbed from the surrounding water. Big, predatory fish like mackerel, shark and swordfish, have higher mercury levels from consuming other mercury-laden fish who are lower on the food chain. Because mercury accumulates throughout their lives, these fish can have astronomical mercury levels by the time they reach your table. Although mercury is present in virtually all fish, many have a negligible amount and are safe to eat.

As a parent, one of my greatest fears came true three years ago. My youngest son was sick, but not with any of the typical viruses that afflict small children. I looked for signs of flu or even the common cold, but there were none. In fact, the problem didn’t have anything to do with his respiratory system – at least not on the surface. When I took him into the pediatrician’s office and he was diagnosed with mercury poisoning a few minutes later, I was utterly flabbergasted.

The mercury poisoning symptoms were all there in front of our noses: his sudden lack of coordination, increased sweating, elevated heartbeat, sensory impairment and dulled memory. According to the doctor, methylmercury had entered the nervous system some months before, and if left untreated it would stay there and wreak even more havoc. The sooner we treated the problem, the fewer long-term effects would remain.

As soon as the diagnosis was handed down, my husband and I began to speculate about the source of the contamination. After throwing out some possibilities – we didn’t eat any more fish than a normal family, nor does our son have any amalgam fillings – the answer became clear. There had been a mercury-based preservative in one of his routine vaccinations. Needless to say, we were outraged. I recommend that every parent becomes familiar with the warning signs so that they can seek treatment right away.

Over the years, the toxic metal mercury has played a central role in numerous real-life horror stories. There’s the terrifying tale of the swordfish dinner. The adage of the amalgam filling. And of course who could forget the yarn about vaccination complications. While it’s true that mercury can be dangerous in any context – its status as a heavy metal means it should never be brought into direct contact with human tissue – the threat of exposure from vaccination is perhaps most troubling.

It’s really a matter of disclosure. Most seafood restaurants will put a note in the menu about fish and shellfish with notably high mercury levels – especially swordfish, shark, tuna steak, etc. The debate rages on about the level and effects of mercury in amalgam fillings. Unfortunately, the fact that the mercury-based preservative thimerosal has been utilized in vaccinations and associated with the onset of autism in young children continues to be swept under the rug.

The best way to address a case of mercury poisoning is to undergo heavy metal detox. Chelating and clathrating agents work best as they isolate and remove dangerous traces of toxic metals by trapping them and escorting them out of the body. No matter the source of the mercury exposure, it’s crucial to take care of the problem quickly and efficiently.

By now most of us are familiar with H1N1 influenza, colloquially known as swine flu, a respiratory condition that has besieged many workplaces and a few universities as well. The flu is still relatively new to the American public, as it was first identified in spring of this year. H1N1 is particularly troublesome because of how quickly and easily it can spread from one person to another.

A vaccine has been formulated and made available to the public for the 2009-10 fuel season, which lasts until next May. The vaccine purports to prevent the following flu symptoms: fever, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting. If infected, most individuals experience flu-like symptoms for eight days. Although the Centers for Disease Control would have us believe that flu vaccines are safe, it’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks.

The H1N1 vaccine does contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that has been linked in some studies to the onset of autism in young children. Anyone who has read about or experienced the effects of mercury poisoning knows how harmful that toxic metal can be when it’s unleashed on human tissue. The Mayo Clinic recommends the following swine flu prevention options: stay home when you’re sick, wash your hands regularly and avoid contact with crowds.

Autism, a developmental disorder that generally manifests itself in children before the age of 3, can be troubling for all involved. Many parents first notice symptoms of the condition when they take their children for “play dates.” A child with autism will have a hard time communicating with others, he may demonstrate compulsive behaviors and his interests might be severely limited.As previously cited in this blog, the incidence of autism in American children has been elevated to alarming levels: 1 in 91 children in the U.S. are afflicted. Unfortunately, the signs of the disorder aren’t always readily apparent. Kids with milder forms of autism might not display all of the symptoms, but it’s important for parents to bear in mind that hypersensitivity to hearing, taste, touch and smell are other notable indicators.

It might sound strange or callous, but in a way parents and autistic children are lucky to be getting the disorder diagnosed in this day and age. Just a few years ago, autism was still a mystery; some people outside the medical community even questioned whether it was a legitimate problem. Treatment for autism has come a long way in a relatively short time span, and parents should consult a pediatrician as soon as possible to explore options.

While autism certainly complicates the lives of those children living with the disorder every day, parents are also affected in a negative way. There’s no doubt that frustration can set in when a child lacks the means to communicate effectively with others and when his behavior doesn’t seem to “make sense” to other people. But what about that child’s caretakers – the people responsible for giving him the best future possible?

Selflessness is a major part of parenthood, and it’s hard to dedicate the time, money and attention necessary to a child with autism. Parenting a child with autism can be a struggle, which is why it’s best to seek out a diagnosis as soon as possible. For the mental health of the child and yourself, you should try to find a specialist who has dealt with all of the frustrations you cope with every day.

But diagnosis is only the first step on the road to recovery. Once you’re certain that your child suffers from an autism spectrum disorder, you’ll undoubtedly want to get to the root of the problem. By retracing your child’s steps in a figurative sense, you can glean a better idea of the disorder’s cause. For many parents, the answer lies in heavy metal detox, which removes toxic mercury from the brain and improves neurological function tremendously.

It seems that with each passing week, more studies are released with disturbing results regarding the autism epidemic. This time it’s the medical journal Pediatrics, which one week ago reported that one in 91 American kids suffers from an autism spectrum disorder. As we’ve previously discussed on this blog, the autism spectrum includes “classic” autism, Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome and childhood disintegrative disorder.In states across the country – most notably Missouri and New York – some legislators are pushing to mandate better medical treatment for autistic children. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has been one of the most outspoken proponents for increased federal funding to autism research and mandatory coverage for autistic kids from insurance companies.

Autism remains a touchy subject; it’s not a cut-and-dried disease with obvious causes and fool-proof treatments. Many parents believe mercury poisoning to be among the key factors in contributing to the onset of autism in young children. Specifically, thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative found in certain childhood vaccines, is thought to have a detrimental effect. With any luck, at least some good could come out of this latest rash of diagnoses. Maybe now people will begin to demand some answers.

As reported recently in the Los Angeles Times, many more 8-year-olds have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder than was the case just two years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASDs were diagnosed in about 1 out of 100 Americans of that age. Two years ago the government estimated something along the lines of 1 in 150.

Autism spectrum disorders include autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome and atypical autism. Scientists at the National Institute of Mental Health were quick to point out that a higher diagnosis rate is not necessarily a cause for concern. Some suspect that the ability to discern the disorder has advanced with medical technology. Although it’s hard to draw definitive conclusions from this autism news, it certainly serves as a reminder about the problems associated with the disorder.

For many concerned parents, the question becomes how best to treat the disorder and free their children from a life rife with miscommunication and frustration. As always, the key is to trace the problem back to its source. If a child has undergone vaccination in the last few years, it’s important to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician to test for mercury traces in the body.

Before we begin to discuss clathration therapy and its many positive benefits, it’s important to have an understanding of the chelation process. When chelating agents are introduced into the body, they bond with pre-existing toxic materials that have been collected over time. The chelating agent will encapsulate the toxins during that bonding process, and the body’s natural excretory processes – defecation, urination, the loss of dead skin, and breathing – take care of the rest.

Chelating agents are commonly used to treat arterial plaque, which can build up and cause serious cardiovascular problems. In some cases chelation has been used to pull heavy metals such as mercury out of the system as well. Unfortunately, chelation is not without its drawbacks. After the bond is created with the toxic substance, there’s still nothing preventing it from attaching to other cells on the way out of the body.

Clathration therapy offers a solution to the disadvantages of chelation, as it neutralizes toxins and keeps them from harming other cells and tissues as they are leaving the body. PCA-Rx is one clathration agent that works to remove mercury and other heavy metals and toxins that would do severe damage to the system. Whether they are picked up through the natural environment or from childhood vaccines, these dangerous substances have got to go.