Breastfeeding Can Help Prevent Autism

  An article appearing in Medical Hypothesis has called for the testing of umbilical cord blood for levels of a growth protein that could help predict an infant’s propensity to develop autism.  If depressed levels of a protein called insulin-like growth factor (IGF) are detected, the probability of developing autism is higher.   Dr. Steinman […]

Antibiotics and Antifungal Medication Could be Linked to Autism

  Researchers at UNC School of Medicine have discovered a potential environmental cause of autism – prescription drugs that interfere with a critical process in DNA called topoisomerases.  Ordinarily, DNA is wound tightly in packages to ensure efficient storage and must be unwound during cell division and gene expression.  Topoisomerases make the unwinding possible that […]

Viral infection disrupts neural development in offspring, increasing risk of autism

  Researchers with the UC Davis Center for Neuroscience and Department of Neurology have found that activating a mother’s immune system during her pregnancy disrupts the development of neural cells in the brain of her offspring and damages the cells’ ability to transmit signals and communicate with one another. The finding suggests how maternal viral infection might […]

Autoimmune Conditions Increase Chances of Having a Child with Autism

  Parents, particularly mothers with MS or thyroid conditions, and many practitioners have suspected a link between autoimmune conditions and autism for many years.  A new study published in Molecular Psychology is proving them right. There are over 100 autoimmune disorders including Crohn’s disease, lupus. psoriasis, Graves’ disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis. 2,700 mothers of children […]

Helping Children with Autism Understand Emotional Cues

One of the diagnostic criteria for autism is social impairment. This is often evidenced by the child’s inability to pick up on emotional cues or perhaps not understanding that what is being said by another person does not match that person’s facial expression as well as not demonstrating joint attention. Research reported in the Journal […]

Bowel Nosodes Help Children with Gut Issues

  If you have a child with autism you know that often times they struggle with their bowels and this can be for a variety of reasons. Intestinal bacteria, leaky gut, allergies and food intolerances. In fact, research demonstrates a close correlation between gut microflora and various aspects of health, such as nutritional status, behavior, […]

Federal Record Retention Requirements for Vaccines

Vaccine Retention periods are not specified. However, each health care provider who administers a vaccine set forth in the Vaccine Injury Table (42 CFR 100.3) to any person shall record, or ensure that there is recorded, in such person’s permanent medical record (or in a permanent office log or file to which a legal representative […]

Could My Baby Have Autism?

  We have heard it a number of times for a number of conditions – early diagnosis is key.  This is also true for autism where early intervention with treatments and therapies can have promising and long lasting results. But do you know the signs that babies 6-12 months old exhibit that can be red […]

Probiotics Help Children with Autism

  Gastrointestinal issues are experienced by the majority of children and adults with autism. According to the CDC, children with autism are 3.5 times more likely to suffer from chronic diarrhea or constipation than typically developing peers. Other symptoms include vomiting/reflux, abdominal pain, gas and foul-smelling stools.   In my practice, we look at ways […]