Dr Michael Tettenborn described his successful use of anti fungal treatments on children with regressive autism who also suffer from bowel symptoms and who come from highly atopic families. He suggested that such children may suffer from food sensitivities so that anti fungal treatment may need to be combined with an exclusion diet.

Paul Shattock suggested that since autism only occurs when a genetic predisposition is combined with an environmental assault, the current explosion in the condition has been caused by changed/increased environmental stressors: pesticide and drug residues, vaccines, processing of foods, wide spread used of heavy metals and plasticisers, toxic and electronic pollution etc.

He suggested that, in at risk children, such environmental assaults can cause a failure in ‘'sulphation' (OPs, for example, are known to inhibit sulphation), thereby disrupting many biochemical pathways in the body. Lack of sulphation can also weaken the mucus membranes which protect the digestive system making it easier for yeasts to establish and for the gut to become permeable. This in turn could allow excess peptides to pass across both gut and blood-brain barriers.

Barbara ‘'The Bread' Powell gave a mouth watering demonstration of her gluten, casein. MSG and aspartame free baking techniques - followed by ample tastings !

There was a general exchange of experiences between parents of autistic spectrum disorder children who had used, usually successfully, the gluten/casein free diet.

More information from the National Autistic Society - Surrey Branch, 4a West Meads, Onslow Village GU2 7ST

First Publishd in 2002

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