lyme & autism

AUTISM-A TYPE OF LYME DISEASE
http://www.canlyme.com/autismlyme.html

Medical Hypothosis
Kathy Blanco
December 15, 2004
Copywrite 2004

Autism is growing at epidemic rates. (1) It is reported to be prevelant in 1-150 children, some states 1-80 children. Autism is a complex neurological disorder with seemingly provable and many etiologies such as maternal viruses and bacteria (2), immediate cord clamping and birth drugs (3), metabolic insufficiency during development in utero or infancy (ie, thyroid t3 and t4) (4), purine disorders, adenosine deaminse deficiency (5), mitochondrial disorders (6), iron fragile metabolism (7), metallothionein deficiency (8), oxidative stress, childhood vaccinations which act as triggers to events above through viral persistance in gut and brain (9), and heavy metal poisoning from additives in vaccines (10), and lastly chronic disseminated lyme neuroborreliosis disease. Lyme disease is transmitted through a tick bite. But it can also be transmitted through semen, breast milk and gestational fluids. This means that a fetus can be infected by its mother. B. burgdorferi has been proven by PCR analysis to establish a persistent infection in the mammalian host (Straubinger, R. Persistence of B. burgdorferi in experimentally infected dogs after antibiotic treatment. J.Clin.Microbiol.1997 Jan; 35(l): 111-116).

Lyme disease is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the nation. In 2001, the Center for Disease Control recorded 18,000 new cases, but some experts estimate that the actual number is closer to 200,000. This is four times the number of HIV cases per year. Autism grows as exponetially as that, and an NIH bulliten explained of late it is seen in 1/166 children. Amongst those statistics, is the further frightening 1-6 children now have a developmental, psychiatric problems in the US.

Lyme disease results in underconnectivity of brain areas, defects of the fusiform gyrus and loss of purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Recently reports of white matter disease are prevelant in children and adults with autism paralleling patterns in lyme disease. (11) Late in the progression of this disease neurological, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms predominate, overlapping symptoms of autism, such as food avoidance, facial recognition problems, sleep disorders, ocular symtpoms such as light sensitivity, speech and language loss or word retrieval problems, noise sensitivity, bed wetting, aggression, panic attacks, headaches, movement disorders, sore throats and poor swallowing, hypofusion-poor blood flow particularly to temporal lobes, swollen tongues and lymphs, chronic fatigue symptoms, hyperactivity, gut problems (ie, diahrreah, constiptation, IBD symtpoms, Celiac symptoms), liver dysfunction, thyroid problems (t3 and t4 conversions), iron disorders, heavy metal toxicity,tics, food sensitivities, depression, serotonin uptake problems, autoimmune brain antibodies, problems with sequencing, problems with sensory perceptions, seizures, cardiac conduction abnormalities, illiod hyperplasia, heavy metal toxicity, co infections of HHV6 and Mycoplasma (12), various aches and pains masked as lyme arthritis particularly in the neck area, and zinc copper iron imbalances.

The basic hierarchy is pre-frontal cortex, para limbic association areas, limbic structures, and brain stems – hypothalamus. Lyme encephalopathy can result in dysfunction of the modulation centers, inhibitory pathways, and stimulatory pathways. (13) Autopsies, animal studies, and brain imaging tests have contributed to this understanding. The presenting symptoms of NPLD are sometimes emotional in nature, and include obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and aggression, panic disorder, and other phobic disorders. These self same observations are also seen in autism as reports from parents of these symptoms are typical.

All involved with late state Lyme disease agree there is a large amount of inaccurate information on this subject. This disagreement exists at every level- journals, scientific meetings, clinical practice, and media outlets. The same can be said of autism, in which denials of it’s etiologies are profusely displayed as only genetic, and never any environmental iaotragenic factors involved. Profusely are denials of the existance that autism is based on the bodies response to a foreign material either of neurotoxicity, bacteria or virus, such as lyme, such as vaccinal viruses, such as autoimmune processes that become overabundant. Reports are clear, that parents of autistic children seem to have higher incidences of autoimmune conditions. This is telling us something. It is my belief, this is a sign that the parents themselves have lyme disease-and are giving this infection to their children. Lyme disease is prevelant in all fifty states of the union, and know no geographical areas. However, it is interesting to note, that in states that have the less lyme, there is more availability of selenium in the soils, which is a immune neuro protectant against viruses and bacteria. Parents of autistic children routinely show low levels of selenium in blood work, as well as metallothionein deficiency, a glutathione dependent oxidant. Parents also have higher sedimentation rates (ESR) and thrombaphilia and fibrin deposits showing inflammation as well as thyroid TRH dysfunction. (14) They also often have skewed hormonal balances. Lyme is capable of changing these aspects on blood work.

Interestingly, susceptibility genes for autism parallel the susceptibility genes for arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, such as HLA-B27, and HLA-DR4. Complement immune deficiencies are common in both diseases, including C4B and C3A. The frequency of autoimmune disorders was significantly higher in families of the PDD probands compared with families of both the autoimmune and healthy control probands. Autoimmunity was highest among the parents of PDD probands compared with parents of the healthy control subjects.

Hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and rheumatic fever were significantly more common in families with PDD probands than in the healthy control families. Interestingly, reports of Hashimotos and hypothyroidism are prevalent in lyme disease. (15) Interestingly, reports of mycoplasma are consistent with parents having a mycoplasmal infection, and giving that to their children. (16)

Mycoplasma medications are alleviated by the self same medications for lyme disease. Many parents report that lyme and mycoplasma are prevelant in their children with autism. Familial association studies have also reported an increased risk of several systemic autoimmune diseases among relatives of patients with a systemic autoimmune disease. This association may reflect a common etiologic pathway with shared genetic or environmental influences among these diseases. Environmentally, there is increases in levels of heavy metals, toxicity, neurotoxicants, mold, and most of all but not least, the prevelance of the lyme bacterium. Prolactin may also have important immune-modulating influences affecting the risk of autoimmune disease . The prolactin gene is located close to the MHC region of chromosome 6, hotspots for lyme AND autism.(17) Another protein eaten by lyme is melatonin, which may account for levels of serotonin, prolactin and the ability to detox heavy metals. In autism, melatonin levels are dysregulated, causing sleep disorders, and antibodies are found against serotonin.

Recently there have been reports of short term antibiotic use to kill clostridium and or AGBN’s. Vancomycin was recently used, and reports are that when on the antibiotic for thirty days, symptoms of autism decreased. The Jarish Herxheimer reaction is seen when antibiotics are having a therapeutic effect as well, as evidenced when the child is on the antibiotics. This often scares off the weary parent of an autistic child, stopping the antibiotic for fear it is contributing to their autism symptoms when in reality it was killing lyme with mild to moderate reactions. Unfortunately, in these studies, the children regressed back to autism symptoms as soon as they were removed after thirty days. If the bacteria is not completely eliminated, the symptoms will return. This tells us, I believe, that lyme is involved in their autism. This reasoning has made others think of why these children respond so favorably while on the antibiotic. It could be that it is going after the lyme bacterium (however not it’s stages due to it’s short length), but also calming down the cytokine and chemokine activity in the immune system, and having some kind of effect on viruses which depend on cytokines and chemokines. Typically those viruses are of the herpes CMV class. Reports of HHV6 and autism are abundant. Many children have high herpes titres, sometimes to that of 4-6 times of normal, often corrolating with autism symptoms or seizures. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a three week course of antibiotics, Dr. Jones-a pediatric lyme speclialist, has found that the bacteria that causes Lyme has become increasingly hardy and even when the disease is caught early, it often needs to be treated with an eight to twelve week course of antibiotics or beyond.

Lyme has many names. Among its “symptoms” are ALL of the “ideopathic”(unknown-cause) diseases that plague americans, too many to list here – it affects the body by making sugar turn to lactic acid, which in turn can scar the kidneys over time, irritate the bladder, damage the liver, and upset the pancreas. Lactic acid causes muscle soreness and sensitive intestines/cramping problems (nervous stomach). Interestingly, it is reported that many autistic children have skewed lactic and pyruvate ratios. This creates a mitochondrial disorder, oxidative stress in these children. Lyme also eats proteins, many types. It eats myelin protein, which is known to be going missing in MS patients. The localities for MS hot spots exactly match the pattern of lyme disease, and I believe it is the same disease with a different name. Myelin is what nerves are made of – and damage to myelin, without a meat and potatos diet to replace protein constantly, causes brain troubles (alzheimers, parkinsons, alateral myotrophic scleroses, myocarditis), numbness of the bladder and/or muscle spasms in the elderly mistaken as “incontinence”, nerve troubles, stuttering, etc. This corrolates nicely with what we are seeing in autism. Typically there are myelination antibodies in children with autism, even Neural Axon Filament Protein antibodies, and various other antibodies against brain tissue. Many children with autism lose their ability to sleep through the night without bedwetting. Stuttering is often seen in children with autism. It is also reported that when these children harbor heavy metals, that viruses and bacteria seem to live in areas of that damage. Since these children lack the oxidant metallothionein, they cannot detox the EPA over standard of safe of thimerosol that were in childhood vaccine series, or other environmental factors including their mothers in utero exposure of amalgams. Unfortunately, they still are according to HAPI, a NPO who just tested mercury free vaccines (ARI newsletter 2004). As they work in consortium, there is a theory that the heavy metals bind to these bacteria and viruses, and when they are eliminated, heavy metals start to chelate out of the body. This is evidenced by EDTA chelation which has the ability to kill nanobacteria. Observations and biomarkers of damage are seen soon after vaccinations, but what is equally intriguing, is that lyme may be awoken after an immune lowering event such as vaccinations.

Recent reports show that children with autism are harboring lyme disease. The cry for chromosomal faults are numerous, and often paid and backed to be equally the only way you get autism. What researchers know, is that no money is funded or researched or goes into the immune lowering/autoimmunity events that create autism, and is simply put down. The cogent finding of lyme bacterium being a major risk factor for autism needs to be explored. This is superimposed on the already sustained belief, that autism is an autoimmune disorder. Many of the imbalances of autism could be explained as the body’s inability to detox and to work on this bacteria. Lyme could also be a trigger or a circumstance that initiate or worsening of the autistic condition. This includes milk allergies, strep infections, mercury, dietary intolerances of wheat and milks, and inability to deal with toxic inhibitors. Interestingly, many of the imbalances and deficiencies can be caused by lyme bacteria. Many of the meds used for autism seem to also slow down the lyme bacterium, such as digestive enzymes, anti fungals, of course, antibiotics, anti parasticals, addressing food allergies, increasing zinc, antiinflammatories and even secretin (secretin is tied to insulin, which lyme attacks). Lately, the use of Methylcolbalamine B-12 with folinic acid would also reduce lyme symptoms. Since there is already evidence of abnormal gut bacteria and exaggerated production of cytokines which result in irreversable cellular damage, it behooves parents and clinicians and researchers to look into this paralell and seek state of the art laboratory connections to lyme and autism. Three labs are recommended, STONYBROOK, BOWEN and IGENEX. This may result in the first of it’s kind treatment for autism via lyme therapy.

References
(1) Changes in the Population of Persons with Autism and PDD, Dept Develop Services, California, Health and Human Services March 1 1999
(2) The Journal of Neuroscience, January 1, 2003, 23(1):297-302 Maternal Influenza Infection Causes Marked Behavioral and Pharmacological
Changes in the Offspring
(3) IMFAR-IMMEDIATE CORD CLAMPING and AUTISM, Dr Morley www.cordclamping.com
(4) Abramson J, Stagnaro-Green A. Thyroid antibodies and fetal loss: an evolving story. Thyroid 2001;11(1):57-63.
(5) Adenosine Deaminase – Neurogenetics. 2001 Mar;3(2):111-3. Related
Articles, Links
Autism: evidence of association with adenosine deaminase genetic polymorphism.
Bottini N, De Luca D, Saccucci P, Fiumara A, Elia M, Porfirio MC, Lucarelli P, Curatolo P. Department of Internal Medicine, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy
(6) J Child Neurol. 2000 Jun;15(6):357-61. Related Articles, Links Autism associated with the mitochondrial DNA G8363A transfer RNA(Lys) mutation. Graf WD, Marin-Garcia J, Gao HG, Pizzo S, Naviaux RK, Markusic D, Barshop BA, Courchesne E, Haas RH. Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
(7) Arch Dis Child 1997;76:264-267 ( March ) Fragile X, iron, and neurodevelopmental screening in 8 year old children with mild to moderate learning difficulties N Corrigan,a M Stewart,a M Scott,b F Feec a North and West Belfast Community Paediatric Unit, Belfast, Northern Ireland, b Queens University Belfast Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Belfast, Northern Ireland, c Belfast Education and Library Board, Belfast, Northern Ireland
- And
Life Sci. 2004 Oct 8;75(21):2539-49. Related Articles, Links
Oxidative stress in autism: increased lipid peroxidation and reduced serum levels of ceruloplasmin and transferrin–the antioxidant proteins. Chauhan A, Chauhan V, Brown WT, Cohen I. NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Road, Staten Island, New York 10314, USA.
(8) – Metallothionein Deficiency – see www.hriptc.org Walsh, W, Monograph: Metallothionein and Autism”. {Pfeiffer Treatment Center, Illinois, Oct 2001,
Over 100 articles referenced.
(9) – Wakefield AJ, A Anthoney et al “Enterocolitis in Children with Developmental Disorders” Am.J Gastroenterology 95 No 9 (2000) p 2285-2295
(10) A case control study of mercury burden in Autistic children in autistic spectrum disorders (Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, Vol 8, No 3, 3 Fall 2003) J Bradstreed, MD, D Geier, J Kartzinel, Md, J Adams PhD, M Geier, MD,PhD.
(11) Cure Autism Now Foundation, White Matter Disease and Autism, see website
(12) HHV-6 and Autism – Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1998 Oct;89(1):105-8 Related Articles, Links Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism.
Singh VK, Lin SX, Yang VC. College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109-1065, USA.
(13) Activation of the fusiform gyrus when individuals with autism spectrum disorder view faces, N Hadjikahmi, RM Joseph, J Synder, CF Chabris, J Clark, S Steel, L McGrath, M Vangel, I Aharon, E Feczko, GJ Harris, and H Tager-Flusberg, Neuroimage, Vol 22, No 3 July 2004,
(14) J Neuroimmunol. 2004 Jul;152(1-2):176-82. Related Articles, Links Autoantibody repertoires to brain tissue in autism nuclear families. Silva SC, Correia C, Fesel C, Barreto M, Coutinho AM, Marques C, Miguel TS, Ataide A, Bento C, Borges L, Oliveira G, Vicente AM.
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Rua da Quinta Grande 6, 2781-196 Oeiras, Portugal.
(15) Pediatrics. 2003 Nov;112(5):e420. Related Articles, Links Increased prevalence of familial autoimmunity in probands with pervasive developmental disorders.
Sweeten TL, Bowyer SL, Posey DJ, Halberstadt GM, McDougle CJ. Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, and James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children Indianapolis 46202-4800, USA.
(16) Chronic Mycoplasmal Infections in Autism Patients
Garth L. Nicolson,1 PhD, Marwan Y. Nasralla,2 PhD, Paul Berns,1 MD and Jeorg Haier,3 MD, PhD
1 The Institute for Molecular Medicine, Huntington Beach, California, USA,,
2 International Molecular Diagnostics, Inc., Huntington Beach, California, USA,
3 Department of Internal Medicine, and 3Department of Surgery,
Wilhelm-University, Munster, Germany. Correspondence: Prof. Garth L. Nicolson,
Office of the President, The Institute for Molecular Medicine, 15162 Triton
Lane, Huntington Beach, California 92649. Tel: 714-903-2900; Fax: 714-379-2082;
Website: www.immed.org
(17) Am J Med Genet. 1999 Nov 5;87(1):17-22. Related Articles, Links
Subtle overlapping deletions in the terminal region of chromosome 6q24.2-q26: three cases studied using FISH. Sukumar S, Wang S, Hoang K, Vanchiere CM, England K, Fick R, Pagon B, Reddy KS.
Cytogenetics Department, Quest Diagnostics Inc., San Juan Capistrano, California
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Links between Lyme and Autism:

Support for this hypothesis includes multiple cases of mothers with Lyme disease and children with autism spectrum disorders; fetal neurological abnormalities associated with tick-borne diseases; similarities between tick-borne diseases and autism spectrum disorder regarding symptoms, pathophysiology, immune reactivity, temporal lobe pathology, and brain imaging data; positive reactivity in several studies with autistic spectrum disorder patients for Borrelia burgdorferi (22%, 26% and 20-30%) and 58% for mycoplasma; similar geographic distribution and improvement in autistic symptoms from antibiotic treatment. (Dept of Psychiatry, Riverview Medical Center, NJ)

Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17980971
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The autism connection

http://www.wddty.com/lyme-disease-a-leaky-brain.html

The most dramatic mental condition thought to be caused by Lyme disease is autism. A rare condition 50 years ago, autism now affects one in every 150 American children, according to the latest figures from the CDC.
But why should Lyme disease be implicated? One of the first clues was that the psychological symptoms of
LD are similar to those of autism.

Six years ago, the above-mentioned Columbia University psychiatrists found that children with Lyme disease have “significantly more cognitive and psychiatric disturbances . . . resulting in psychosocial and academic impair-ments” (J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2001; 13: 500–7).

There are other clues, too. As already mentioned, syphilis, which is caused by a similar spirochaetes as in LD, in the womb is known to cause autism. Furthermore, autistic children are known to have many metabolic dysfunctions which are shared by victims of LD, in particular, chronically low counts of CD57 natural-killer (NK) cells.

Of course, scores of theories have been proposed for the cause of autism, among which vaccine damage is perhaps the best known. But LD may be involved there, too. “It is possible that the two are conjoined in damage, and the long-term effects of Borrelia could hamper the body’s ability to mount a significant, timely response to vaccines,” says Dr Geoffrey Radoff, of the Alternative Medical Care Center of Arizona. “This could explain the higher incidences of adverse reactions to vaccinations in children with autism (Townsend Lett Docs, 2007; April: 78–81; online only).

However, some children appear to be born with autism, so how could Lyme disease be involved there? Although the research has yet to be done in humans, studies of farm animals have shown that Borrelia can pass through the placental barrier into the womb and even into breast milk. This makes it possible for an infected mother to pass on the disease to her newborn child, in whom it could present as autism.

Do the numbers stack up? With autism now so widespread, is it likely that so many children—or their mothers—could have been bitten by a relatively uncommon tick?

One answer is that ticks, it appears, are not the only cuplrits. Mosquitoes, fleas and lice may also carry Borrelia (Agric Environ Med, 2002; 9: 257–9), thus vastly increasing the risk of infection. Another theory is that there may be a ‘Borrelia-related complex’ wherein the bacteria pass unnoticed from generation to generation, and only present when the immune system is under stress. Autistic children are known to suffer from a plethora of autoimmune and metabolic disorders (J Autism Dev Disord, 2000; 30: 475–9), and these could turn latent Borrelia infect-ion into a full-blown attack—with no tick in sight.
Such theories were recently aired at a January 2007 meeting of the newly formed Lyme-Induced Autism Foundation, held in San Diego. Texas physician Dr William Harvey reported that he had many patients who tested positive for Borrelia, and yet, “our part of Texas is not an endemic region of Lyme disease”, he said. “No patient had the typical skin rash, but most had been ill for many years, with similarly ill family members.”

Other delegates agreed. “There may be two forms of Borrelia infection: Lyme disease and epidemic borrelio-sis—disease spread directly between humans,” said fellow LD physician Dr Radoff. “It is quite possible that the prevalence of autoimmune disorders found in families with autism is an infection that has existed chronically in the body for years, if not decades.”

Dr Warren Levin, another LD practitioner, has reported that, in the 10 children with autism he has seen, all tested positive for Lyme disease.

Predictably, medicine’s knee-jerk reaction to such findings has been to dismiss them, but one group of researchers is taking them seriously. Yet again, that pioneering team of psychiatrists at Columbia University, led by Dr Brian Fallon, has already taken up the challenge and embarked on a huge epidemiological study of Lyme disease and autism.
Fallon believes that two things will emerge from his study: that regions with very high rates of Lyme disease will also have higher-than-normal rates of autism; and that at least some of those autistic children will respond to LD therapy.
“In our work with children with LD, we have encountered a few children with autistic-like disorders,” says Dr Fallon. “When they received intensive antibiotic therapy, the autistic syn-dromes dramatically improved and, in some cases, resolved.”

Tony Edwards
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2010 Lyme-Autism Connection Conference (Apr 15-18, USA)

We invite you to attend our 4th annual conference called “From Roadblocks to Recovery”. This conference is for physicians, families and individuals who are affected by autism spectrum disorder, Lyme disease and associated disorders. We welcome you to come and learn from the most cutting edge physicians on the planet who are treating these things day in and day out in their practices. You will enjoy a fantastic line-up of speakers and have fun connecting with other families sharing in your journey.

April 15, 2010 – Physicians Training Day
April 16-18, 2010 – General Session

Physicians Training Speakers
Therese Yang, MD – Overview of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lyme disease
Dietrich Klinghardt, MD – The Treatment of Lyme disease Without Antibiotics
Aristo Vojdani, PhD – A Gut Feeling for Inflammation in Autism
Armin Schwarzbach, MD, PhD – Staging Processes in the Laboratory Diagnosis of Lyme and Multiple-Infections
George Gonzalez, DC, QN – Cranial Nerve Rehabilitation
Physicians Case Sharing Panel – Moderated by Jeff Wulfman, MD

General Session Speakers
Jeff Wulfman, MD – Who are you? Human and Microbial Interaction in Lyme Borreliosis, Autism and Modern Disease
Steve Harris, MD and Therese Yang, MD
Jorge Moreno, DO – From Airway to Neuro-Regeneration
Wayne Anderson, ND – Why Does Lyme disease Treatment Fail?
Jamie Juarez, MA, MFT – Applications of Biofeedback and Neurofeedback for Patients Suffering with Autism, Lyme disease and Auto-Immune Disorders
Michael Payne, MS, CRC, CNS – A Better Brain! Energetic Testing and the Resotartion of Neurophysiology Through the Use of Communication Molecules
Gilbert Renaud and Jorge Moreno, DO – Digging Deeper into Lyme and Autism by Identifying the Emotional Trauma Behind These Conditions
Amy Derksen, ND – Foundational Approach to Treating Autism and Chronic Illness
Elizabeth Hesse-Sheehan, DC, QN – Utilizing Plant Stem Cells/Embryonic Phytotherapy for Immune Modulation, Biofilm and Symptom Management of LIA. Quantum Neurology Basics and Case Studies
Toby Watkinson, DC – Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction and Chronic Illness: Case Studies From Current Research Study with Autism
Perry Louis Fields – Aerobic and Anerobic Conditioning to Fight Lyme and My Lyme Plan and How I Did it!
Dietrich Klinghardt, MD – Recent Advances in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder

http://www.lymeinducedautism.com/roadblockstorecovery.html
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Rainbow Child

A site for children on the autism spectrum:
http://www.rainchild.ie/content/book-page/autism-spectrum-disorders-booklet
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Think Tank to Examine Link Between Autism and Lyme Disease
Corona, CA (PRWEB) January 9, 2007

New reports indicate up to 90% of children with autism are infected with Lyme disease. With autism at a staggering 1 out of 166 children, parents are questioning this new finding.

Doctors and parents alike have been examining the potential causes of autism for years, some of which include thimerosol filled injections, environmental factors and most recently Lyme disease. With more doctors supporting the link between Lyme disease and autism, parents have joined forces to create the Lyme Induced Autism Foundation.

Duncan says, “We are not saying that Lyme disease is the exact cause of autism for every single child. Let me clarify; what we are saying is that Lyme Disease could be an inciting factor that is suppressing the child’s immune system, which would make them more susceptible to heavy metal toxicity, environmental factors, etc. There are a large subset of autistic children in which this is happening. However, most children with Lyme Induced Autism cannot begin to heal until this infection is under control. Parents want their children healed of autism.”

Where is the proof that Lyme disease is a factor in autism? Currently, several doctors have stepped forward talking about this. Dr. Warren Levin of Vienna, VA recently appeared on the online radio show on www.autismone.com hosted by Duncan called “The Lyme-Autism Connection”. He stated that of the 10 children with autism he tested for Lyme disease, 100% of them also came back positive for Lyme disease.

But more proof is needed to convince parents and the medical community to take action. The Lyme Induced Autism Foundation has announced its first fundraiser called “Laughter for Healing” at the Improv comedy club in Irvine, CA on February 24th, 2007.

Duncan states, “The whole goal of the fundraiser is to raise money for our research program. We would like to fund a study that will test children with autism for Lyme disease to determine what actual percentage of children are infected. Only then will we be able to pull the top researchers and physicians together to come up with some answers. Lyme disease can be fatal, parents are scared, we need to help these kids now.”

For more information on Lyme Induced Autism, please log onto www.lymeinducedautism.com.

Autism is a disorder that currently affects 1 out of 166 children. Boys are the majority of those affected. The numbers of autism cases spiked in the mid-late 90’s and continues to remain high. The exact cause of autism is still unknown, however, many theories exist. Most children do improve with some sort of bio-medical intervention.

About Lyme disease
Lyme disease is generally caused by a tick bite. Symptoms of Lyme disease include, achy joints, confusion, slurring words or word retrieval problems, brain fog, sensitivity to light and sound. Lyme disease in its late stage can be fatal, causing MS like symptoms and debilitating its victims. Treatment for Lyme disease consists of antibiotic therapy.

About the Lyme Induced Autism Foundation
The foundation was started in September 2006 by parents of children with autism and Lyme disease. Kathy Blanco of Beaverton, OR and Tami Duncan of Corona, CA are the founders. The foundation’s goals are to educate families and physicians on the link between Lyme and autism, bring physicians together to form a consensus for testing and treatment options and to provide funding for research studies related to autism and Lyme disease.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/Lyme_disease/Autism/prweb495433.htm
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Physician’s Think Tank Overview

February 8, 2007 Results from the Jan 27-28 Physician’s Think Tank on Lyme-induced Autism are released by LIAF Founder, Tami Duncan and Jeff Wulfman, M.D.

Introduction
The goal of this think tank was to discuss the link between Lyme disease /
Borrelia and Autism. Physicians were invited from all over the country to attend. The idea was to have a diverse group with many methodologies. The L.I.A. Foundation wanted to discuss the best method for testing and treating this illness with the sensitive immune systems of an autistic child.

http://www.researchednutritionals.com/information.cfm?ID=56
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Lyme disease and autism a new paradigm. Foundation
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, April, 2007 by Kathy Blanco, Geoffrey P. Radoff
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_285/ai_n19170369/
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The puzzle of autism-spectrum disorders: biomedicine as an option for assessment and treatment of patients, including those with Lyme disease and Borrelia-Related Complex
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, April, 2007 by Kurt N. Woeller
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_285/ai_n19170383/
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Autism: Connections between choronic infectious disease & neurologic outcomes
Robert Bransfield MD
http://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/pdf/10.2217/phe.09.5