Natural Remedies For Autism

Home Remedies

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."
Walt Disney

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive compensation if you make a purchase using this link. I do not accept free product in exchange for a review. What I say about any product I recommend and is solely my opinion and not influenced by anyone else. This page is for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any illness, and should never replace the advice of a doctor or health care practitioner.

By: Nicole Burch

      This is a subject near and dear to my heart. I wanted to write about my experience, and hopefully this will help people. About 3 1/2 years ago, our pediatrician at the time had some concerns about "delays" with our son, Antoine. So we did what he recommended and saw a specialist. Not knowing what to expect, I went in to the evaluation nervous, just like anyone else would. After the evaluation, she said Antoine had symptoms of Autism, but since he was still really young he wasn't officially diagnosed. I was crushed and in disbelief, I remember thinking, this lady doesn't know what she is talking about, my baby is fine. After that appointment we left it at that. Not too long after that Antoine started having severe night sweats (I am talking like the pillow & sheets were soaked with sweat), night terrors (my husband was deployed at the time, and that was absolutely terrifying for me). He was also waking up 3 times every night, I was beyond exhausted. I knew there was something else going on, but I was so low on sleep, hope, and patience I would actually get mad at him for waking up so many times. I am not proud for letting my frustration get the best of me. Not knowing where else to turn, I decided to look for natural therapies. We ended up going to get acupuncture, and honestly, this was the start to something amazing. It was the turning point for him and for me.

       I can't remember which day we went for our consultation and treatment, but, that very night Antoine slept all the way through the night (which was unheard of around that time). He went to sleep at 9:15 that night and was up at 6 am. I kept a journal for the first 30 days, and cannot believe how fast we saw results. We did 2 treatments a week, and by the second treatment he stopped having night sweats, his sleep dramatically improved. The night terrors completely stopped within 30 days. I would be lying if I told you it was all good from there, we had ups and we had downs. But, overall the results have been amazing.

       Over the last 3 1/2 years, we have reached many successes and many failures, but most importantly it has challenged us to a whole new level. 2 years ago, we got stationed in Florida, and unfortunately we had to leave our acupuncturist (she is such a gem!) It was a challenge to find the same type of treatment that we had in California. We did find someone over the last couple of months and so far were doing great!

       Before we get into what has helped us the most, let me talk about what Autism is, from two different points of view.

       Autism from western medicine point of view refers to a range of conditions characterized with repetitive behaviors, social skills, and speech development. People who are diagnosed with Autism don't always have the same symptoms, sometimes people have very few symptoms and sometimes several of these symptoms are present. Medical issues such as GI disorders, seizures, sleep disturbances, ADHD, anxiety and phobias are often present in people with Autism. According to the CDC every 1-68 children in the US have Autism, 1-42 boys, and 1-189 girls. It is also said that 1/3 of all people with Autism remain non verbal.

      Autism in the Western medical sense does not exist in Chinese medicine. Autism is associated with what they call "The Syndrome of 5 delays". The delays are observed in the areas of standing, walking, hair growth, teeth eruption and speech. These delays are seen in Chinese medicine as an imbalance or stagnation of qi (energy). Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at disease within the framework of energy balance, and the body and mind are seen as being intertwined. In Eastern Medicine, awareness and reason are strongly affected by Autism and are related to 3 internal organs - the heart, spleen and kidneys. The heart holds the mind and the shen (spirit) which relates to mental functions. The spleen is related to the minds ability to study, concentrate and memorize. The kidney qi is related to long term memory. A disturbance in any of these energy meridians can cause symptoms of Autism. In Chinese medicine the tongue is used as a major indicator for what is going on inside the body because it is the only organ that we can see externally. The tongues - color, thickness, dryness, smell and superficial growth often points to the condition of the heart and helps the doctor determine the pattern and treatment. But, to me what is most interesting about this is while western medicine may group an illness with one treatment plan, eastern medicine looks at the body as a whole and may have 5 or more different treatments for that one illness! The treatment depends on the symptoms and pattern. 

      But, lets talk about some things that I do for him at home that have been a tremendous help! Through trial and error over the last few years, I feel like we are really on the right track! Plus, I will include what we do outside of the home to help him. Lets dive in.

 

Omega 3 fatty acids/ DHA

Omega 3's are essential fatty acids critical to many bodily functions. Our body cannot make them, therefore, we have to get them from our diet. Foods that are rich in omega 3's include salmon, algae, krill, mackerel, walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, brussel sprouts, spinach, sardines, eggs, nut oils, and flax seeds. These essential fatty acids play a critical role in brain functions, and normal growth & development. Omega 3's are well known to reducing inflammation (studies have suggested people who have Autism have inflammation in the brain). These fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and important for cognitive & behavior function. 

Avoid sugar & processed foods

High glycemic foods like sugar, flour, rice, white potatoes produce a rapid rise in blood sugar. Low glycemic foods are foods such as nuts, beans, meat, leafy greens, quinoa. In research at California's Salk Institute they did a study on mice. The mice were bred with Autism like symptoms such as repetitive behaviors beginning in pregnancy. They divided the mice into two groups, one was fed high glycemic foods, the other was fed low glycemic foods but with the same amount of calories. Overall, they said the mice that were fed low glycemic foods showed less repetitive behaviors and more social interactions. They also looked at the brain differences in development- the high glycemic group had far lower brain levels of doublecortin (protein associated with newly developing neurons). The difference was especially significant in the area of the brain for memory. The brain showed more gene activity associated with inflammation, high glycemic diets tend to produce chronic low levels of inflammation.

Take probiotics & prebiotics

Probiotics healthy bacteria are essential for a healthy gut. Most times bacteria is associated with being bad and causing disease. But, probiotics are the good bacteria that help move food through your gut. If we don't have enough good bacteria we can have several digestive issues like diarrhea, and constipation. Prebiotics are what feeds the good bacteria. You can think of probiotics like fertilizer or food for the probiotics. Studies have suggested that children with Autism have abnormal communities of digestive bacteria in their intestines, and research has suggested that by restoring a healthy balance in the gut bacteria can reduce symptoms of Autism. The link between the gut and the brain, and the gut and Autism is becoming more well known. The overgrowth of bad bacteria in the gut can lead to an over production of by products, and this includes toxins. These can make the gut more permeable, where toxins, by products and even food can pass through into the bloodstream- and to the brain. The presence of these toxins in children under 3, at the height of development, can impair development. The probiotics that we use with Antoine are the RAW Probiotics kids by Garden of Life.  This probiotic has 5 billion live probiotic cultures plus 23 RAW and organic fruits, vegetables, and prebiotic inulin. You can get the probiotics here.

Consider digestive enzymes

Enzymes are proteins made by cells in our bodies and all living organisms, and they exist in all raw food. The more raw food that we consume the less of these enzymes our body has to produce. Cooking and other processing destroys enzymes. 
Amylase: breaks down carbohydrates, starches, sugars
Protease: breaks down proteins
Lipase: breaks down fats
Cellulase: breaks down cellulose and plant fiber
Lactase: breaks down lactose
In at least one trial of enzyme based therapy they have talked about the potential link between Autism and DDP4 (dipeptidyl peptidase IV). DDP4 is found in the gut- it breaks down the bond between amino acids in the peptides formed during protein digestion. If DDP4 is low, incomplete digestions of wheat (gluten), and dairy (casein) molecules are a result. In damaged or leaky gut, peptides gluten and casein can pass into the blood, where they would evoke an immune response. In a randomized, placebo controlled trial of digestive enzymes with children who have Autism showed significant improvements in emotional response, behaviors, and gastrointestinal symptoms after just 3 months of use. We found that TriEnza with DPP IV activity by Houston Enzymes are really great quality and help with digestion of gluten, casein, proteins, carbohydrates, lactose, fats and polyphenols. Kind of like an all in one. Antoine used to get bumps on the back of his arms, which indicates his body has a hard time digesting a food, this went away once we started with the enzymes and started eliminating foods he couldn't digest. He also has less bloating and gas. You can find it on amazon in capsules, and in powder. They also have it in chewable form (I haven't tried that one though).

Buy organic

US standards of organic means it's grown with less pesticides, no synthetic fertilizers, no sewage sludge, or ionizing radiation. Organic meat, poultry, eggs & dairy come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. When the label says USDA Organic it means that at 95% or more of the ingredients are organic, with 5% or less of the ingredients are only foods, or processed with additives on an approved list. When the label says 100% organic it means that all of the ingredients meet organic guidelines. When the label says made with organic it means that at least 70% of the ingredients meet the requirement to be organic, and the remaining 30% or less is only from an approved list. We have been buying organic for a while now, and mostly its because I would rather have less chemicals in the food we eat.  More recently, we went to the doctor to get our son, Antoine tested for the MTHFR gene (MTHFR is both an enzyme and a gene; it is important to the body because it processes folate for our body to utilize it. Mutations in this gene result in decreased activity of the enzyme,  which leads to important body functions to become disturbed – this actually includes our bodies ability to detoxify. This process is an critical biochemical process for the proper function of nearly all of our body’s systems). The results were in- Antoine had reduced activity of this gene, which means his body has a hard time detoxifying chemicals like pesticides, metals etc. The more I dug into this, the more I saw that it was actually a common mutation in people who have Autism.

Check vitamin D levels

Vitamin D is an important vitamin for overall health, and it actually gets converted into a steroid hormone- this hormone helps regulate about 1,000 different physiological functions & controls about 5% of the human genome. Vitamin D influences over 200 genes directly. Vitamin D also plays an important role in brain functions, building strong bones, and blocks the release of the parathyroid hormone- which reabsorbs bone tissue, making bones fragile and thin. Our main source of vitamin D is sun exposure, and it is also found in oily fish. In one study of 254 children who have Autism and 254 who do not, they found that vitamin D deficiency was higher in children who had Autism than children who did not (14.2% of Autistic children were severely deficient compared to 8.3% of children who were not Autistic, 43.7% of Autistic children were moderately deficient compared to 37% of children who were not Autistic). As sunscreen exposure increase, so did vitamin D deficiency. Be sure to only take a vitamin D supplements with the supervision of a physician. 

Magnesium bath/ oil

Magnesium is an essential mineral that is needed for over 300 biochemical reactions in our body! It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle functions, supports a healthy immune system and helps build strong bones. Magnesium has been a huge help in relaxing Antoine at night. He is a great sleeper now (it wasn't always that way though!) Check out my DIY for the Ultimate bath, and my sleepy oil recipe, as well as more information on magnesium here. *** be careful if you are fixing a magnesium bath for your little one, if they drink this water it can give them some loose stools. You can always use the magnesium oil on their feet after the bath if you feel that would be better- their body will absorb the magnesium through their skin.

Eliminate/ limit dairy & gluten

As mentioned earlier, some children who have Autism tend to not be able to break down certain foods- like casein (dairy) and gluten (wheat). It's possibly because they might be lacking in certain digestive enzymes needed to break down these foods, as well as the imbalanced gut bacteria. I realize you might be thinking this might be a hard undertaking eliminating these foods from your childs diet (if your child is like mine, he loves breads, and the pastas that are not gluten free). However, I have seen this time and time again in Antoine when we slip up a little bit and let him eat some of these foods. He seems to get more irritable, digestion issues, and behavior changes. I will be the first to tell you that I am not perfect, and thats why I put limit/ eliminate in the title of this one. We are still figuring this one out ourself, and finding replacements for these foods. I would highly recommend trying an elimination diet, to find out what your child can/cannot have even if your child doesn't have Autism. Food allergies and sensitivities are more and more common, and the foods that we might not even expect could actually trigger inflammation in our body. 

Essential oils

Essential oils are highly concentrated oils derived from natural plants. Typically oils are gotten from the plants through a process called distillation- most commonly distilled by steam or water. Several parts of the plants can be used, plant roots, leaves, stems, flowers or bark. The quality of oil does matter, many companies add fillers, additives or other synthetic ingredients. I use Rocky Mountain Oils, #1 because they are great quality with no synthetic fillers or additives and #2 because they are at the right price point for me (not inflated).  I absolutely love using essential oils with Antoine. Some of the benefits include: relaxing & soothing nervous system, fights cold & flu symptoms, alleviates pain, improves digestion, balances hormones and helps improve focus & concentration. I usually incorporate essential oils in his bath, massage, and diffuser.
Some of my favorites are:
Vetiver- calms nervous system & helps with concentration.
Peppermint- soothing & cooling, and can help with digestion. (must be diluted)
Lavender- relaxes body, calming and improves sleep.
Frankincense- helps with focus, reduces stress reactions & negative emotions.
Sandalwood- promotes mental clarity, grounding, anti-inflammatory.
Cedarwood- grounding, calming, and promotes release of serotonin, which is covered into melatonin for the brain.
Ylang Ylang- improves blood blow, anti-inflammatory, helps with digestion.
Some of these single oils alone are higher priced then blends that they have available for purchase (which enables you to still get the benefits of ones such as sandalwood and frankincense)
My favorite blends for Antoine are:
Attention Assist: helps improve focus, grounding, helps fortify the mind.

Dreamtime: is part of their sleep collection.
Peace & Quiet: is part of their sleep collection.
Concentrate: helps with focus & concentration, reduces mental distractions & sharpens awareness.
Immunity: encourages a healthy immune system.
**For more information on essential oils & their uses check out my Aromatherapy page here.

Yoga, meditation & quiet time

People who have Autism are in a state of chronic stress. They have very different sensory experiences from other people- these responses often cause their bodies to get stuck in a fight or flight or freeze modes that divert blood from digestive organs to skeletal muscles. This often results in disrupted digestion, increased heart rate, shallow breathing- producing anxiety. Meditation settles the sympathetic nervous system, and lessens reactiveness to stimuli. An eight week study by Harvard researchers determined that meditation literally rebuilds grey matter over time. In 2012, studies of a yoga program, "Efficacy of the 'Get Ready to Learn' Yoga Program Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders," (published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy) found that "use of daily classroom-wide yoga interventions have a significant impact on key classroom behaviors among children with ASD." This all may seem like an impossible task to get children to meditate or do yoga, but I think its one of those things to work towards! With Antoine we do quiet time, and we have to work up to the meditation and sitting in one spot to do this. Even just 5 minutes at a time is effective. He watches me do yoga and has joined me from time to time. The evidence of benefits of these practices is promising!

Classical / spa music

Studies have shown very positive benefits of classical music with children who have Autism. Music therapy has been used to support emotional, cognitive and social development in many areas. Music therapy may also help to promote wellness by managing stress, enhancing memory, and improving communication. A 2004 study from the Journal of Music Therapy found that music used with people with Autism can improve social behaviors, increase focus and attention, increase communication attempts (verbalizations, gestures, and vocabulary), reduce anxiety, and improve body awareness and coordination. We listen to classical music during different times, but during Antoine's bath is a favorite. I often do meditations and yoga and love to listen to this music with him around. 

Reiki & chakra balancing

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique that is used by many for stress reduction, balancing, relaxing and overall health and wellness. There is very little research available for the use of Reiki with Autism, but more general studies show that Reiki might be effective. I have been a Reiki Master for 10 years and it has made a dramatic difference in my life, I usually spend a few minutes (10-25 mins) every night giving Reiki to Antoine, when he falls asleep. I noticed he goes into a deeper sleep, and it seems to relax him a lot. Reiki and chakra balancing can work hand in hand. The seven chakras are the centers in our bodies in which energy flows through. Blocked energy in any of our seven chakras can often lead to illness, so it's important to clear, and balance chakras. This had also made a huge difference for both Antoine and I. (Check out my series on chakras here).

Massage & acupressure

This is quite possibly one of my favorites, whether your a trained professional in massage or not, you can apply this to your life. We found out that Antoine has a high pain tolerance, and deep pressure massages actually calm him. This has become my go to when he is having a moment of anxiety, I squeeze him tightly and firmly massage down his back on both sides of the spine about 3 of his finger widths lateral (away) from his spine. In Chinese medicine, they refer to what is called meridians. The meridians are located in various places and run along the body. The theory here is that if any of these meridians are blocked, energy cannot flow. The channel I massage down the back for Antoine is called urinary bladder channel which is related intimately with the nervous system. It runs along the back of the body from the eyes to the little toe, with two parallel branches flowing on each side of the spine. These 4 branches of the bladder meridian directly influence the sympathetic and parasympathetic parts of the nervous system- which regulates our fight or flight response.  Many people suffer from an over stimulated sympathetic nervous system- causing constant fear.  Massaging these points along the back totally relaxes the nervous system by switching the autonomous nervous system over to the restful, restorative parasympathetic mode. At night, massage has also been a significant help. I massage his feet with deep pressure, and essential oils, lotion and/or magnesium sleepy oil. A great acupressure point that I use for relaxation is called kidney 1 (this is the only acupuncture point located on the sole of the foot in the depression about 2/3 up between the base of the second toe and heel.) This point calms the spirit, helps with anxiety, headache, night sweats, and descends energy down from the head to promote relaxation. When you massage the foot chances are you will hit this point. I usually massage the top of the foot as well between the big toe and 2nd toe metatarsals. I have also seen great success with massaging his stomach with Rocky Mountain Oils tummy time roller oil in clockwise circles to promote digestion and to release any uncomfortable gases that may be in there. If I have time, I massage his heart channel which is located in the arm pit to the corner of the pinky nail. (a side note in school we called it from stinky to pinky, now I will never forget where that channel is!) The heart channel houses the spirit and controls emotions. When there is a disturbance in this channel there may be insomnia, excessive heat (sweating), agitation and dream disturbed sleep. 

*** What else we are looking into for him:
- Turmeric (to help his body with detoxification)
-Methylated folate ( and how is body metabolizes Vitamin B9)
-Adaptogens such as ashwagandha (to help how his body handles stress)
ABA Therapy (used to increase language and communication skills)

*** What we currently do outside of home remedies:
-Speech therapy (2X week + 2x week in school)
-Occupational therapy (1x week + 1x week in school)
-Body talk & acupuncture (1x week)


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *