Autism and Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis is a condition in which there are significant alterations in the normal bacterial, viral and yeast populations in the intestines. The nature of the dysbiosis and the degree of severity varies from one child to another; however in the context of Autistic Spectrum Disorder we are mainly interested in the population of so-called Anaerobic bacteria - these include:
Bacteroides and Clostridium as well as yeasts such as Candida.
These organisms produce waste chemicals - called Peptides - which are absorbed through the intestinal wall and into the blood stream. From here they are carried throughout the body, but it is their effect on the functioning of the brain which is of most concern to physicians treating children with ASD.
The main 'offenders' are two peptides, Casomorphin and Gluteomorphin. As their name suggests ( - 'morphin' - like morphine ) these peptides have an effect on brain performance which is similar to that of morphine; itself a derivative of Opium. These peptides are produced by the bacteria from incompletely-digested casein and gluten [ which are contained in milk and wheat products respectively ] If a child is intolerant of casein and/ or gluten then the levels of Casomorphin and Gluteomorphin in the blood and tissues can be extremely high - high enough to cause an area of the brain known as the Amygdaloid body to stop functioning. This shut-down affects important nerve pathways in the brain; nerve pathways which control learning and communication.
80% of children with ASD have abnormal bowel action - either constipation or loose, foul-smelling stools. Most of these children have some degree of dysbiosis and it is very important to detect and correct this, so that they can benefit fully from the therapy we offer.
Well over 100 different types of bacteria, viruses and yeasts colonise the bowel of all people. Why then don't we all have problems?
Think of the inside of the bowel as a battlefield - 100+ different armies of soldiers all determined to dominate. Of course this is impossible - there are just too many people to fight and conquer in order to take control. No one army can dominate all of the others - unless something happens to favour one or other army over the rest.
There are many factors which can alter the balance of power in the intestine - genetic factors, dietary factors, an individual's immune system and most commonly, antibiotics.
Antibiotics are a two-edged sword - they help kill serious infection, but there is a price to pay - they also kill off 'good' bacteria which we rely on to provide us with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
Go back to the battlefield - imagine that something happened to kill off all but a few armies - those that are left would have little opposition and could quickly grow into a significant force.
Most so-called 'Broad-spectrum' antibiotics (such as Amoxycillin - possibly the most commonly prescribed of all antibiotics) kill off almost all so-called 'Gram positive' bacteria and many 'Gram negative' ones too - but not all. In fact the whole Clostridium family survive most antibiotics - these are the survivors and they have little opposition as there are few other bacteria to compete with them.
Clostridium Difficile produces a toxin which causes a condition called 'Pseudomembranous colitis' in which the lining of the bowel is stripped off in sheets of tissues exposing the next layer (the muscle layer) to the direct effect of stomach acid. The acid digests the layers of the bowel exactly as it digests food - no wonder sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and the Leaky Gut Syndrome experience abdominal pain! Please also note that there are other bacteria which can cause he production of peptides, but C.Difficile, Bacteroides and Candida are the main offenders.
So - what can be done to get rid of these harmful bacteria?
Think of the battlefield scenario again - imagine that all of the 'armies' could be wiped out at once - you would then have a completely clear field, and could then populate the land with 'good' people who would benefit society (...and they all lived happily ever after...!)
It's not quite that easy when you try to do this to the bowel, but it's not impossible either and we can achieve almost 100% clearance of bacteria.
We use a 'weed and sow' technique - exactly as a gardener would get rid of weeds in the lawn.
We 'weed' out the harmful bacteria with particular medicines that kill only those 'germs' and then we 'sow' the empty plot of land with good bacteria - pro-biotics.
This can often cause a tremendous progress to occur where previously progress was poor or slow.
How do I find out if this treatment will help my child?
The first thing to do is to have a sample of stool analysed. This will tell us whether there is an overgrowth of either Clostridia, Bacteroides and/or Candida (yeast) - any of which could be responsible for delayed neurodevelopment.
Please note: Some children may already have had a stool analysis carried out, and you may have been told that it was 'normal' - the bacteria discussed above are not usually detectable on 'routine' stool analysis, and therefore when requesting these bacteria be screened for it is important that they be specified by name; otherwise they can be 'missed', yet could actually be there in the bowel !.
We can make arrangements for the stool analysis, and on receipt of the report can then tailor a course of treatment for your child to restore the normal balance of bacteria and yeast.
Digestive enzymes
Once the normal bacterial and yeast balance in the intestine has been restored most children experience a normalisation of bowel function and a general improvement in awareness, concentration and communication.
Many children are however left with some impairment in their ability to completely digest certain proteins, as well as some starches and fats. Over the course of time the intestine will heal itself; in the meantime we have found that almost all children show significant improvement with the addition of digestive enzymes to their therapy.
There are two types of digestive enzyme preparation - one concerned with protein breakdown and the other with the breakdown of fats and starches. In our experience children given both types show significantly superior improvement in all areas of development. We currently recommend that both types of enzyme preparation are added to therapy once dysbiosis treatment has been completed.
For the small percentage of children who have no dysbiosis, the addition of digestive enzymes can nevertheless greatly improve their progress and help maintain normal, regular bowel function.