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Library Categories > Biomedical Issues > Do Autism and Illness Go Together?

 
Library Item Name:

Do Autism and Illness Go Together? 		   
Summary Statement:

I've finally finished reading Mother Warriors by Jenny McCarthy (review coming next week!), and found myself amazed that every single story included in the book describes a child with severe physical symptoms who, through diets, supplements and other means, recovers not only physical health but also apparently recovers from autism.

I've written about this subject before - but it's one that I think deserves some real attention. After all, the diagnostic criteria for autism are behavioral, not physical. Most researchers say there's no good support for the idea that children with autism are sicker than other children.

True, there are a few disorders that are more prevalent among kids with autism: seizure disorders, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and a few others. But there have been several studies to show that kids with autism are not, for example, more likely than others to have celiac disease (sensitivity to wheat)... and while there have been a few studies to show that children with autism may be slightly more prone to gastrointestinal problems (vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, etc.), the research doesn't support the idea that MOST children with autism suffer from GI problems.
Tags:

mother warriors,  GI issues
Submission Date:

09/28/2008by: shannonj
Current rating:


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