These books belong on your desk. My comments are below.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com

#1: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0312545622/1n9867a-20

The Age of Autism: Mercury, Medicine, and a Man-made Epidemic 
Dan Olmsted

Autism, mercury, medicine and man made disease brings an important historical perspective to the mercury issue that further supports my contention that we all need to focus on toxins first in our efforts to restore or improve health in everyone.

#2: http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Applications-ozone-therapy-physicians/dp/145641335X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305915366&sr=1-6

As many of you know, for the past twenty years I have been teaching classes to physicians and other health practitioners on the applications and principles of ozone therapy.  For most of that time, I have been repeatedly asked, “Why don’t you write this stuff down?”.  So here’s the news – I finally did. 

The book is the accumulation of over thirty years of experience using ozone in a general medicine practice.  It offers step-by-step protocols for all of the major medical conditions that I have found to successfully respond to ozone therapy.  It also offers new scientific insights into how ozone stimulates healing on a cellular level, and discusses its effects on oxygen utilization in general.  These effects serve to explain what causes our bodies to degenerate over time, and offers direction on how that process can be slowed. 

The book is entitled, “The Principles and Applications of Ozone Therapy – A Guideline For Physicians”.  You can purchase the book at www.amazon.com.  Just plug in “Frank Shallenberger” in the search engine.  For those interested in learning firsthand how this is done, please come to the course.  Details and registration can be found atwww.ozonecourse.com.   God bless all of you.

Frank Shallenberger, MD, HMD

#3: http://www.amazon.com/Your-Stomach-Really-Miserable-Praktikos/dp/1607660008/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305915627&sr=1-2

Your Stomach: What is really making you miserable and what to do about it, Jonathan V Wright, M.D.

Low stomach acid is epidemic and symptoms are virtually identical to excess stomach acid. If you live on antacid based therapy you will induce nutritional imbalances and deficiencies. I have tested hundreds of patients using the Heidelberg capsule test, which actually measures stomach acid before and after a challenge with food; 98% need more acid to eliminate their stomach problems.  

This book by Dr Wright may save you time in helping educate your patients in the simple process of taking some BETAINE HCL with a meal. It identifies those whose symptoms are aggravated and thus can not use it to their benefit but most will tell you this is their solution!  I needed 4 capsules with meals for years, as I had no stomach acid but now that I have regenerated my body, I no longer am dependent on Betaine capsules with every meal. 

#4: http://www.doctorgaby.com/samples.html

“Nutritional Medicine” by Dr Gaby is his life’s work. With over 15,000 references, this $300 textbook is destined to be an authoritative source for anyone seeking information on nutritional approaches to any health problem. Look at the samples available at no charge and see how much you do not know on just the topic of vitamin C.

Of course, it is impossible today to have any one text provide the information that will keep everyone happy. The FDA may want it burned.  And there will be those who want higher or lower recommendations, for example, some will feel that with the levels of Bromine, Fluorine, etc typically found in everyone today, the need for iodine will be higher than what Dr Gaby recommends.

Nonetheless, this outstanding contribution can help improve the health of everyone on our planet as establishes a solid basis for incorporation nutrition into the management of all health problems.

Of course, allopathic medicine will also have trouble in spite of the over 15,000 references here. They are so used to claiming that there is nothing else that can be done for so many patients they see that this needs to be placed in the waiting room of every doctor’s office. Then anyone willing to learn more about nutritional approaches to health problems will find in one convenient source potential life saving information.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Vitamin D Newsletter
Another Autism Case Report
by John Cannell, M.D.
vitamindcouncil@vitamindcouncil.org

January 30, 2010.
(This is a periodic newsletter from the Vitamin D Council, a non-profit trying to end the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency. If you would like to subscribe please go to the Vitamin D Council’s website. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/)
This month, I dedicate the entire newsletter to a mother’s lengthy case report of her autistic son. Other than name and place of residence, the letter was not edited.
Dear Dr. Cannell:
At age 2.5 years, between December 2007 and January 2008, my son experienced a fairly dramatic onset of symptoms that led to his diagnosis of autism. His symptoms (many of which we did not even know the terminology for at the time they first occurred) included:
–The inability to sleep at night, we would put him to bed at 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. following his normal bedtime routine
–Development of anxiety and refusal to leave the house even to do preferred activities
–Obsessive-repetitive questions and monologuing/run-on speech
–Sensory issues (refusal to wear jeans or any fabrics other than fleece, screaming hysterically at bath time, complaining and covering eyes in sunlight, covering ears for everyday noises that had not bothered him before (toilets flushing, pulling pots and pans from cupboards, etc.)
–Toe-walking
–Flapping and self-stimulating behaviors (repeatedly tapping his cheeks and eyes with all ten fingers, continually twisting up his fingers in pretzel-like configurations, holding objects in his peripheral range of vision and straining to see them from the corner of his eyes)
–Development of an unusual pattern of stuttering/vocal tic at the end of words,he would repeat the last sound/syllable,”I don’t want to go to the store-or-or-or-or-or-or. It won’t be fun-n-n-n-n-n-n-n.” He would make sounds even in his sleep “n-n-n-n-n-n” or “s-s-s-s-s-s-s”
–Loss of muscle tone (stopped walking up and down stairs and began crawling/sliding instead, decline in balance and motor skills)
–loss of handedness (began switching left to right hand, after seeming predominantly left-handed)
–Marked increase in hyperactivity
–Frequent spacing out/unresponsive episodes
Our son and his twin sister were born at 36 weeks, 5 days on March 17, 2005 after four months of bed-rest. As early as their 8 week appointment, I mentioned to our pediatrician that we had concerns about our son’s eye contact and social responsiveness (in comparison to his sister). I felt that I was having more difficulty bonding with him. We were told “don’t worry, but don’t wait” and were referred to our state’s Early On intervention program. At the end of June a physical therapist and speech pathologist from our intermediate school district came to our home to evaluate our then 3 month old son and told me that he was doing just fine and that I was worrying too much. I agreed that by the time they saw him he had begun smiling and making better eye contact.
We didn’t worry again about our son until fall 2006. He had walked just before his first birthday, but by 18 months+ he still seemed clumsy and prone to falling compared to his sister. We took him back to the intermediate school district for evaluation and were told that all of his development seemed to be in the normal range and that we shouldn’t worry. We were advised that we could take him to music and gym classes to work on his coordination and told that we could pay for private physical therapy if we elected. We followed all of the recommendations.
For a year, we didn’t notice any other changes until the sudden onset of symptoms listed above when he was 2.5 years. With the sudden onset of symptoms above, we took our son to see a number of specialists during the winter of 2008 including a neurologist (who diagnosed him with Asperger Syndrome), a psychologist (who diagnosed with autism), and a second psychologist who specialized in the treatment of autism (who diagnosed him with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not-Otherwise-Specified). All three diagnoses are on the autism spectrum. He also began seeing an occupational therapist, a speech therapist, a behavioral specialist, and a DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) doctor for dietary interventions. We saw a dramatic improvement by April/May of that year. Nearly all the symptoms on the list above had resolved. We assumed the improvements were due to diet but he started to go into the sun around that time. Our son slept well and spent many peaceful, happy and anxiety-free months during the spring and summer after turning three.
In mid-November 2008, I sent the following e-mail to the DAN doctor who had been helping us with our son.
“You saw our son Jonathan Switzer a few times regarding his autism diagnosis and diet issues, etc. He had a regressive period last winter from about December through April when his autism was diagnosed, then did pretty well all summer. Nursery school started off okay, too, but now he seems to be having another regression.
Main symptoms:
–Great difficulty getting to sleep (fidgets for 2 plus hours most nights while he had been falling asleep easily for several months prior to that)
–Marked increase in anxiety (again refusing to leave the house even to do things he loves, frequently shaking/clenching and telling us “I’m scared)
–Onset of OCD-like behaviors (afraid to get hands dirty, get extremely upset if he gets even tiny drips of water on himself)
–Increase in self-stimulatory behaviors (flapping, fidgeting, noise-making)
–Frequent crying jags and telling us he’s just giving up on everything
We have had other parents tell us that their kids on the spectrum have a worsening of symptoms during the winter months and we feel like we are observing this same pattern. We’ve done some reading about light therapy for depression/anxiety and to help correct disturbed sleep patterns and would like to give it a try for Jonathan.
Wondering if you have ever prescribed a light therapy box for pediatric patients before. Our insurance told us they will cover it with a diagnosis of Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I don’t even know if that is something that can be diagnosed in children. Guess we’re willing to try anything at this point. Do you know much about this type of therapy?”
Neither the DAN Doctor nor our pediatrician would write a prescription for a therapy light, so we purchased one on our own and found it made no discernible impact on his symptoms.
By December, our son’s symptoms had worsened further and we decided to put him in a very expensive and intensive autism treatment program through our local hospital. He made slow progress during his participation in the program from January through April. He was also involved in speech and occupational therapy during the winter months. At his IEPC meeting at school in March, we were encouraged to put him in the district’s program for children with developmental delays. We instead elected to register him for regular pre-school for the following year.
During that winter, I was crying to some friends about my son and describing his seemingly seasonal pattern of symptoms. We had just seen a second neurologist searching for help, and I was extremely frustrated when, after listening to my son’s symptoms and history, he told me bluntly, “There is nothing seasonal about autism,” then suggested that we put our son on an anti-depressant. We refused the medication. One of the friends I was crying to is a research librarian and the other is a medical researcher. After our conversation, they located and e-mailed me a few journal articles they thought might help, one of the articles was by Dr. Cannell and discussed his vitamin D theory of autism. Reading the article was one of those “Aha!” moments and I felt hopeful that Dr. Cannell was on to something.
By June our son was released from both speech therapy and occupational therapy and we were told that he no longer showed any delays for his age. When he had begun occupational therapy in January, the OT had been astonished at our son’s lack of muscle tone. She recommended that he also receive Physical Therapy services, so we went on a long waiting list. Our initial OT was in a car accident, and in May we were transferred to a new OT. When the new OT first saw our son, she said could not believe he was the same child described in the notes. By May the low muscle tone, hyperactivity and distractibility noted in his file, were no longer evident. His turn came up for physical therapy and we were told he no longer needed it.
Our son has always spent a lot of time outdoors in the summer, without sunblock. He had a happy and relaxing summer. As fall/back-to-school approached, I began to fear the onset of another regression and again read the article by Dr. Cannell my friend had sent. I visited his website and decided we would try a vitamin D supplement. Our pediatrician did not encourage any dose higher than 400 i.u. (that found in a typical multivitamin) but did write a script to have his 25-hydroxy level tested. In August his level was 37, so we started him on 5,000 iu daily and had his level retested on October 21st. By October his level was 96. The pediatrician was concerned that this was too high and told us he should not have more than 400 iu per day.
Knowing that Nov-March are typically his worst months, we reduced the dosage down only to 3,000 iu from October through mid-December. At an appointment in December our son was doing wonderfully (none of his usual fall/winter symptoms yet evident) and the pediatrician told us 3,000 iu was too much and that we should be giving no more than 400 iu. In mid-December we reduced the dose to 1,500 iu. By the beginning of January we noted a marked loss of eye contact. We also noted that our son was again interchanging his right hand for writing and eating (after using his left hand exclusively for 8+ months). We increased his vitamin D level to 4,000 iu daily in early January. On January 11 we had his 25-Hydroxy level checked on January 11 and found that it was 89. By the end of January, we and his grandparents noted improvement in his eye contact.
In January 2010 we attended his preschool conferences. The teacher had marked cards with the following code (1=age appropriate, 2=developing, 3=area of concern). Our son received 1s in all areas with the exception of hopping on one foot and balance beam where he received 2s. We were told that he is on par with or ahead of his peers in all areas (academic, fine motor, etc.), and that his teacher had noted no unusual symptoms or concerns.
During the fall/winter 2009-2010 our son has been free from nearly all of the most troubling symptoms that plagued him the previous two winters. The following example may demonstrate the improvement in his daily life since last winter.
One of our son’s low points was a Christmas party we attended in December 2008. Before leaving the house to attend the party our son screamed and yelled about having to take a bath and because we would not let him wear sweatpants to the party. He then begged us not to make him leave the house. During the 40 minute trip to the party our son asked us repetitive questions and talked incessantly. Upon arriving at the party, he immediately walked into an unoccupied room adjacent to the room where the party was occurring, and put his face into the corner. Despite much coaxing by my husband and me, he refused to come out of the corner.
After approximately 45 minutes of standing in the corner we managed to get him out through the promise of some food rewards. He proceeded to walk around and around the perimeter of the living room where all of the other kids were playing. He rubbed himself along the walls and covered his ears as he walked. He finally settled into playing alone in a corner of the room. All of the kids at the party participated in a book exchange. Our son refused to come to the area where the other kids were gathered. We coaxed him over only to have him throw the book he received and refuse to thank the parent who had purchased it for him. He spent much of the evening in time-outs for that and other inappropriate behavior.
In June of 2008, after playing in the sun for several months, we met for a picnic with the same group of friends at a local park. Our son ran up to the other children and joined right in playing bulldozers in the sand with them. He behaved and interacted in a completely appropriate and typical way during the picnic which lasted several hours.
This year (2009) we attended the same Christmas party at the same house. Our son got ready and left for the party without anxiety or incident. He chatted normally during the drive to the party. He walked into the house, said, “Hey, check out my new train,” to some of the kids already playing and settled in to playing happily with the other kids. During the book exchange, he received a book, smiled and gave a big hug to the person who gave it to him.
In December of 2008, I took a leave from my job so I could get my son to the intensive behavioral treatment program he was in and to all of his other therapy appointments. I dedicated 40-60 hours per week to my son’s various appointments and home therapy program.
This winter (January 2010), a former colleague asked me what Jonathan’s current therapy program consists of. I told her I spend about 30 seconds each day opening the jar of vitamins and giving him his chewable vitamin D. In my opinion, the 3 minutes or so I spend each week giving him his vitamin D have been much more effective, and much less expensive, than any other treatment we have pursued.
Thank you.
Jeannette, Wisconsin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Jeanette:
You’re welcome. Several things need comment. First, the symptoms are typical of autism. Second, the seasonality of symptoms suggest a vitamin D deficient disease. Third, the treatment in the spring of 2008 seemed effective but, in hindsight, it was simply due to spring sun exposure. Fourth, as you may now know, light boxes for seasonal affective disorder make no vitamin D. Fifth, your pediatrician knows little about Vitamin D other than what committees tell him; your decision to ignore his advice probably saved your son’s brain from further injury, as autism is a progressive inflammatory destruction of brain tissue. Sixth, the fact that you needed bed rest and gave birth prematurely suggests you were Vitamin D deficient during your pregnancy.
Seventh, his twin sister has never had autism, despite the same intrauterine environment. This is consistent with my theory, that autism is caused from a quantitative, not qualitative, variation is one of the enzymes that metabolize Vitamin D. That is, there are no structural differences in these enzymes in autism, only a genetically determined difference in the amount present. These enzymes are responsive to estrogen; estrogen protects the brain from being damaged by low Vitamin D, probably by increasing the amount of activated Vitamin D present, explaining why boys are four times more likely to have the disease.
The report that your son deteriorated when his dose was reduced from 3,000 to 1,500 IU suggests autistic children need adult doses of Vitamin D. When you reduced the dose from 3,000 to 1,500 IU/day he worsened although his level on 1,500 IU/day was probably still greater than 50 ng/ml. This makes me think that dosage needs to be stable and suggests that Professor Reinhold Vieth’s theory of a detrimental seasonal resetting of the intercellular metabolism of Vitamin D may even be true at levels above 50 ng/ml, where the body is storing the parent compound, cholecalciferol, in muscle and fat.
His current dose of 4,000 IU per day is perfectly safe and will give him a level of 80-100 ng/ml, inside the reference ranges of American laboratories. Toxicity (asymptomatic high blood calcium) begins somewhere above 200 ng/ml. Generally speaking, autistic children should take 2,000 IU per every 25 pounds of body weight for six weeks, then have a 25(OH)D blood test and adjust the dosage to get into the high end of the reference range, 80-100 ng/ml.
Although I first published the Vitamin D theory of autism theory 3 years ago, few autistic children are currently treated for their Vitamin D deficiency. This is due to several reasons. One, those who think, correctly, that autism is a genetic disease, stop thinking after that, reasoning that genetic diseases are untreatable. Such thinkers do not understand epigenetics (upon the genome). Vitamin D is probably the heart of epigenetics, as nothing works upon the genome like vitamin D.
Secondly, the “all autism is caused from vaccinations” crowd cannot accept the Vitamin D possibility as it threatens their core beliefs. They simply cannot change their minds.
Finally, as you now know, organized medicine would say you should stop the vitamin D and watch your son deteriorate, which is why slavery to evidence based medicine is fine for scientists and unethical for practitioners.
John Cannell, MD
Executive Director
Vitamin D Council
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“Of the 282 individuals with ASD, 14 (10 males and 4 females) met the modified Walker diagnostic criteria for mitochondrial disease. These individuals tested negative on chromosome microarray analysis, fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and Rett syndrome, among other tests. Neurological characteristics accompanying their ASD included ataxia, dystonia, seizure disorder, and developmental delay. All 14 demonstrated molecular or biochemical problems.”

And don’t forget that the latest information on Autism will be presented at tomorrow’s conference, which will be of special importance for chiropractors. “We decided that no other doctor was trained in nutrition and natural healing like chiropractors.  I also believe that there is no better vitalistic physician in the world and I love chiropractic. It would be a perfect fit for those called to help these special children.”    Dr. Renee Tocco

Hope For Autism Conference Presents: Autism & Vaccines It Is Not Possible to Make Informed Decisions Without this Information
Presenting:
Mary Tocco – 30 yrs. Independent Vaccine Investigator Alan Phillips – Attorney and Consultant

Topics Covered:  Vaccine Ingredients and Production,
The Autism-Vaccine Connection, HPV and H1N1, Vaccines and Your Rights, Vaccine Exemption and more….

Date: Friday Nov. 13, 2009
Location: Sheraton Charleston Airport Hotel

12:45 – 2:45pm
Raising Children Nature’s Way –
Avoiding Unnecessary Toxins and Interventions

2:45 – 4:45pm
Vaccines:  Parental Rights and Legal Issues- Attorney Alan Phillips

6:00 – 8:30 pm
Vaccines, Autism & Illness…Indisputable Evidence

$25 Pre-paid ($30 at Door)
To Register call 843-766-1969

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disturbed Energy Metabolism May Be a Factor in Some Autism Spectrum Disorders Jacquelyn K. Beals, PhD

October 28, 2009 (Honolulu, Hawaii) — A new study provides evidence of abnormal energy metabolism as an underlying mechanism in some individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The report, presented here at the American Society of Human Genetics 59th Annual Meeting, evaluated the prevalence of ASD in a large population with suspected mitochondrial disease, summarized the mitochondrial and nuclear defects, and found “evidence that there is disturbed energy metabolism as an underlying pathological mechanism in a specific subset of patients within the spectrum of ASD.”
ASDs are defined by deficits in social interaction, impaired perception and communication skills, and repetitive behavior. Impairments are usually identified before a child is 3 years old, and often coexist with abnormal cognitive functioning, learning, attention, and sensory processing. Diagnosis is typically reached through clinical observation of development.
Autism is now considered 1 of several ASDs, which also include pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified and Asperger’s syndrome. Currently, biological and genetic markers for early identification are largely lacking. A February 2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report estimated the prevalence of ASDs in the United States to be approximately 6.7 children out of 1000, or 0.67%.
Mitochondrial respiratory chain disease (MRCD) is a complex dual-genome disease. Presenter Lee-Jun C. Wong, PhD, from the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, noted in her talk that more than 200 genes are targeted to mitochondria, so defects in nuclear and/or mitochondrial genomes can affect mitochondrial function. Disorders can be autosomal recessive or dominant, sex-linked, or maternally inherited. Thus, both MRCD and ASDs are genetically heterogeneous disorders.
“Mitochondria are the only organelles that contain their own DNA. So, in order to be a dual [genome disease], you have to have DNA in the mitochondria involved,” Dr. Wong told Medscape Pathology. She explained that a primary defect can be in the mitochondrial genome, but mitochondria are unable to function alone with just the mitochondrial genome. Nuclear genes are also required, so there will always be interaction.
The current study reviewed the records of more than 4000 individuals evaluated by the Mitochondrial Diagnostic Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine and the Pediatric Genetics Clinic at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. Among more than 4000 individuals suspected of having mitochondrial dysfunction, 282 showed autistic features (ASD). The male/female ratio was close to 1 in those without ASD, but was 1.74 among individuals with ASD. The researchers also found more males than females with suspected MRCD and definite ASD.
Of the 282 individuals with ASD, 14 (10 males and 4 females) met the modified Walker diagnostic criteria for mitochondrial disease. These individuals tested negative on chromosome microarray analysis, fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and Rett syndrome, among other tests. Neurological characteristics accompanying their ASD included ataxia, dystonia, seizure disorder, and developmental delay. All 14 demonstrated molecular or biochemical problems.
Electron transport chain abnormalities were detected in 8 of the 14 individuals (4 had a common mitochondrial mutation); in addition, 2 females with ataxia and other problems had mutations of the nuclear gene POLG, which functions in the replication of human mitochondrial DNA. Additional nuclear gene mutations among the 14 ASD individuals affected SCO2, TWINKLE, SUCLA2, and other genes involved in mitochondrial DNA depletion. One patient with a homozygous SCO2 mutation also showed COX deficiency; 2 had primary LHON mutations.
“Mitochondria are making energy, but brain function requires a lot of energy,” Dr. Wong said. So we think that if you have mitochondrial dysfunction, you probably also have a brain [that does] not function very well. And that’s what causes the ASD.”
However, the diagnosis of ASD is “so nonspecific that you can almost apply it to anyone,” observed session comoderator Jerry Vockley, MD, PhD, professor of pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, professor of human genetics at the Graduate School of Public Health, and chief of medical genetics at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in Pennsylvania, in an interview with Medscape Pathology.
“If you’ve got all these other symptoms and autism spectrum disorder, should you follow-up and look for respiratory chain deficiency? Absolutely!” said Dr. Vockley. “But if you have nothing but autism spectrum disease, mild — even severe — neurointellectual deficits, and no other somatic findings, no neuromuscular findings, no lactic acidosis, nothing on metabolite analysis, is it worth looking for mitochondrial dysfunction? . . . There are no data right now that suggest that it’s worth doing.”
Dr. Vockley feels that a basic neurometabolic screen is reasonable in children with autism, as well as various blood and urine tests, and perhaps even a skin biopsy for enzyme testing.
“But if you don’t have anything on either symptom or metabolite analysis that points to the mitochondria, the next step is very invasive — it’s muscle biopsy. I don’t think that we have the data yet to say . . . that’s a reasonable thing to do,” he said.
“The problem is that both disorders are becoming quite frequently diagnosed. If you look at the fringes of both, the atypical presentations for either, both are frequent enough that eventually they’re goIng to intersect,” noted Dr. Vockley. “The question is: Do they intersect functionally? And we’re not there yet.”

Dr. Wong and Dr. Vockley have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) 59th Annual Meeting: Abstract 62. Presented October 22, 2009.

This is a great group doing wonderful work in Autism. Please seriously look at their program and speakers, as I assure you if you get there you will be very glad you made the effort, as there is so much to learn and they have the total approach that I endorse.

Garry F. Gordon MD,DO,MD(H)
President, Gordon Research Institute
www.gordonresearch.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope for Autism Training Conference
Developed for Patients, Families and Practitioners

Register TODAY!  Only 10 days Until the Conference!

Friday, Saturday & Sunday, November 13 – 15, 2009 Registration / Exhibits Begin at 9:30 am

The Sheraton Charleston Airport Hotel
4770 Goer Drive. North Charleston, SC 29406, Phone: (843) 747-1900

This exciting, three day conference offers something for everyone.
Physicians, patients, and their families get three days of valuable information, hear inspirational success stories, and learn about successful treatment programs and approaches from knowledgeable speakers.
Chiropractic Physicians who complete the Hope for Autism Training will have the opportunity to obtain a Certificate of Proficiency and be placed on the HFA Referral Directory in addition to obtaining 20 hours of continuing education credit* ___________________________________________________________________

If you refer a chiropractor, get $100 Cash Back!
____________________________________________________________________
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
http://www.hopeforautism.us/Conference_Registration.html
For more information, please visit www.hopeforautism.us

Or call 843-766-1969.

Kindest Regards,
Dr. Renee Tocco
www.HopeForAutism.us

Caroline Cassels

New findings from the CHildhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study show that preschoolers with ASD had neither elevated nor reduced total Hg levels in blood compared with unaffected control children, after adjustment for dietary, medical, pharmaceutical, and dental sources of Hg, and resemble those of nationally representative samples.

“After adjusting for intake [of Hg], by and large there are no differences between children with AU and children with typical development in their circulating levels of Hg,” lead investigator Irva Hertz-Picciotto, PhD, MPH, chief of the Division of Environmental and Occupational Health and M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of California–Davis, told Medscape Psychiatry.

However, she added, this current analysis does not address the issue of whether there is a causal link between Hg and AU/ASD because Hg levels were measured after a diagnosis of AU/ASD was made.

The paper was published online October 19 in Environmental Health Perspectives.

Contradictory Findings

The study’s findings contradict some previous studies suggesting that children with AU have higher blood Hg levels relative to unaffected control children. Hg has drawn particular attention in terms of ASD because of its known neurotoxicity in some forms.

In addition, the inclusion of thimerosal, an Hg-based preservative found in some childhood vaccines, has further fueled this debate, although many vaccines are now thimerosal-free.

Much of the previous research investigating a potential association between Hg and AU have included only single sources of Hg and/or have used subjects from selective populations.

Uniquely, the CHARGE study is a population-based case-control study of 2- to 5-year-olds that examined a wide variety of Hg sources including fish consumption, dental amalgams, vaccines, and other pharmaceutical sources of Hg exposure such as nasal sprays or earwax removal products that may contain Hg. The researchers also looked at whether children with dental amalgams and a habit of grinding their teeth or chewing gum had higher circulating Hg levels.

The study findings were based on data from 452 children. Of these participants, 249 had a diagnosis of AU, 143 were typically developing, and 60 had other developmental delays such as Down syndrome.

Don’t Be Afraid of Fish

Data on possible sources of Hg including fish consumption and dental amalgams were collected via interview with the subjects’ parents. Information on vaccines was obtained from the children’s vaccination and medical records.

At study outset, said Dr. Hertz-Picciotto, the children with AU/ASD appeared to have lower blood Hg levels than typically developing children. However, it turned out those children with AU/ASD tended to eat less fish, and once researchers adjusted for this they found blood Hg concentrations were roughly the same between the 2 study groups. In addition, they found that blood Hg concentrations were very similar to a nationally representative sample of 2- to 5-year-old children.

Interestingly, and somewhat surprising, she added, was the finding that children with dental amalgams who engaged in teeth grinding or gum chewing had higher circulating blood levels of Hg.

Dr. Hertz-Picciotto said her team plans to conduct further research examining prenatal Hg exposure.

She added that although certain types of fish, such as swordfish and shark, tend to be high in Hg, overall it has been shown that fish consumption during pregnancy has a positive effect on children’s cognitive function.

“Pregnant women shouldn’t be afraid of eating fish. They just need to choose the right fish,” said Dr. Hertz-Picciotto.

She added that organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency have excellent Web sites that provide advice on fish selection she added.

Fred Volkmar, MD, director, Yale University Child Study Center, New Haven, Connecticut, who was not involved in the study, said the findings are reassuring to both clinicians and parents and suggest Hg does not appear to play a role in AU/ASD.

“The trouble with science is that you can never prove the negative — you can only fail to prove the positive. But this study, which is from a well-respected group of researchers and published in a well-respected journal, seems to suggest Hg does not appear to be a contributing factor [in AU],” Dr. Volkmar told Medscape Psychiatry.

He also applauded the study’s population-based design and the fact that the researchers considered multiple sources of Hg.

However, he acknowledged the need for more studies to replicate these findings and to investigate the potential role of prenatal Hg exposure in AU etiology.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Environ Health Perspect. Published online October 19, 2009.