I'm aspie, and have a sensitivity to wheat and milk. When i cut them out of my diet i feel physically better, which lowers my stress levels, which in turn makes me feel a little better- but still definitely aspie. changing my diet has never "cured" me. i've done rather long (21 days) fasts which would have cleared any allergy related illness, and i was still the same, just really hungry!
If Aspies tend to be more sensitive to their environment in general than NTs (sensory response and the like), we'd probably be more sensitive to allergens too...probably all it is.
Dealing with allergies might make it easier to focus because you wouldn't be feeling physically miserable from them anymore. But it's definitely not the cause of AS.
I've read the wheat/dairy allergies tend to be more common with us (not sure why.) Personally I don't think I have any food allergies - I do have problems with certain plants in pollen season, also with mold, and a truly awful time with perfumes, air fresheners, etc. Some people need to realize that dousing themselves in cologne is not an adequate substitute for bathing.
It seems like a standard question when specialists ask about Autism... seems that allegries are more frequent in autistics, the actual causal link hasn't been made as of yet...
CBT can be helpful dealing with the social issues, I always thought of it as learning a new language..
I don't see how Jungian psychology would be much help...
I have no food allergies.
I'm only allergic to ragweed, and that's becoming a problem each spring since global warming is causing a signifigant rise in the ragweed population due to the way the pollen travels. Yeah, the pollen in the air thickens, and so does the crap in my nose. Last year was terrible.
There are strong suggestions in various medical journals that AS 'behaviours' may occur over time (developmental) as a consequence of a genetic problem with our metabolism of food. This problem with metabolism becomes evident in the 90% or so of those of us on the ASD who have gut problems.
The behaviours that seem to be of major concern to the curebies are the 50% chance of subnormal intelligence with the inability to speak, and the seemingly uncontrollable 'violence'/'rages'/'meltdown's'.
An inability to shed Mercury, and chronic Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese, and complex B deficiencies are all exacerbated by *my/our* (genetic??) inability to naturally produce (sufficient quantities??) of a metal binding protein called Metallothionein.
If there is a genetic problem with metabolism that is not usually manifest when we are less than twelve months old, then perhaps those overt symptoms are triggered with the introduction of solid food or external/environmental contaminants (food, air, water, industrial compounds) or even by the removal of those same external/enviromental factors.
*I* wonder whether the variance in individual situations may be related to a combination of all of the above.
For example, my mother died of infection from burns when I was six months old. At that time, my family lived in a timber mill town. I assume I was given cow's milk rather than formula, due to the size and remoteness of the community. I was also given bananas regularly as part of the weaning process and would have been given rice cereal initially and then wheat in the form of rusks. Oat porridge was/is also considered to a a nutritional breakfast food and would have been given to me when I was able to feed myself.
So from six months to age one, I lost the antibodies in my mother's breast milk, had external airborne contaminants from the timber mill, had either cow's milk or some substitute that would have had local water (the local water in that area still has an unusual chemical basis), very high levels of stress, being weaned, and the introduction of bananas (high levels of potassium). In the following year, I was taken from my family and moved to live in a small capital city with a whole new set of relatives, stressors and environmental issues. Modern methods of food production also (deliberately) remove up to 72% of Zinc from grain crops during milling.
However, who I am now may be related to none of the above.
By the time I got to be two and it was *obvious* that there was something quite different about my development, it may be that whatever 'damage'/'malnutrition'/'contamination' had already happened. If the multiples stresses had not occurred, or if I had not had the milk/water/air/chemicals, then maybe I might have developed differently. Perhaps I could now tolerate gluten, or be able to consume milk products, or be able to drink tap water. It might be that I would not need the additional supplementation of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that I currently take to help me be a *better me*.
Whatever, I do not want to be *normal*. What I do want is to minimise the conflict with *them* and to be recognised for the skills that I do have. Unfortunately, regardless of the end of the intelligence spectrum most of are treated as if we are 'stupid' immediately we are given the label of ASD.
I do not believe that 50% of us are '***' so I am studying to determine the personal validity of the current theories and 'treatments'. I have a theory about what might help that 50% of us who cannot communicate using the spoken language that seems to be the only acceptable criteria for our *humanness*. To get *them* to listen, I need to have a professional qualification. Since most of those theorists do not talk to each other across disciplines, I need to qualify in several disciplines.
Maybe one day, you will all be able to say that you heard it all here in 2007, but I do believe that there is help for those of us who want to alleviate some of our difficulties and/or with comorbid conditions, and am happy to have "an alternative view of the world".
Despite being considered disabled,
. I am happy with my 'odd prosody'.
. I am happy with my own company.
. I am happier now that I know who I am.
I want to *change the world*, but not *ours* ... theirs!!!!!!!!!
So from six months to age one, I lost the antibodies in my mother's breast milk,
if you were breast fed for the first 6 month of your life, you had already received all the immune support you could get.http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/colostrum-2.html the milk you needed, colostrum, is provided only right after birth. that's why the milk from wet nurses don't provide immune system benefits (unless they have just given birth).
So from six months to age one, I lost the antibodies in my mother's breast milk,
if you were breast fed for the first 6 month of your life, you had already received all the immune support you could get.http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/colostrum-2.html the milk you needed, colostrum, is provided only right after birth. that's why the milk from wet nurses don't provide immune system benefits (unless they have just given birth).
sorry http://www.healingdaily.com/conditions/colostrum-2.htm sorry about that. i would have corrected the fist link if there was an edit option.
i should have chose a better reference, but the first page of info is correct.
The reference that you cited is not scientifically accurate.
yeah, i just glanced over it before attaching it. i realized that the site was crap after i went back and gave it a proper read- thus my "poor reference" comment. regardless, by 6 months he should have been fine. 6 months is generally accepted as the minimum necessary, as suggested by your link, second from the bottom.
Ah, yes, but the minimum necessary for what? If we do have a genetic variation to our immune systems, perhaps that minimum is not sufficient for us.
There is clinical evidence to suggest that we have insufficiencies in:
- Metallothionein
- Dimethylglycine
"Metallothionein is a cysteine-based protein that transports metals such as copper, zinc, and cadmium in the body."
"Dimethylglycine or DMG is a non-protein amino acid found naturally in animal and plant cells. DMG is produced in cells as an intermediate in the metabolism of choline to glycine."
I also have no food allergies. However, I am allergic to pollen, cats, penicillin, and sulfate drugs.
If you ever get tuberculosis, you're screwed.
I don't cope well with most antibiotics, particularly sulfa ones. They make me really sick in the stomach.
The only thing I'm allergic to is penicillin, which seems to be a really common allergy here.
I've never had allergies.