Natural Remedies for Autism
Autism is a little understood brain disorder that affects approximately 4 out of every 10,000 people. But every mom with a little one that shows sign of autism feels very alone at times. There are well over 100,000 autistic individuals in the United States.
Autism is usually diagnosed in early childhood (before the age of three) and is characterized by a marked unresponsiveness to other people and to the surrounding environment. Physically, autistic individuals do not appear different from others, but they exhibit marked differences in behavior from a very early age. While most babies love to be held and cuddled, autistic infants appear indifferent to love and affection. As they grow older, they fail to form attachments to others in the way most children do, and instead seem to withdraw into themselves. It is important to note that autism is not a mental illness.
Many autistic children also exhibit unpredictable and unusual behaviors that can range from constant rocking, to pounding their feet while sitting, to sitting for long periods of time in total silence. Some experience bursts of hyperactivity that include biting and pounding on their bodies.
Autistic children have learning disabilities, and are often mentally disabled. Speech development is usually delayed, and in many cases is absent or limited to nonsensical rhyming or babbling.
Some autistic children seem to have lower than normal intelligence, while others seem to fall into the normal range. Still others have low intelligence in most areas but almost supernatural abilities in others, such as mathematics or music. Most develop a strong resistance to any changes in familiar environments or routines.
The cause of autism is unknown. Studies comparing twins suggest that there may be a hereditary component to this disorder. Some experts believe that it is a result of some neurological imbalance or malfunction that renders the autistic individual painfully oversensitive to external stimuli. It is known that autism is not caused by parental neglect or actions, as was once believed.
Certain triggers have been implicated as possible precipitators of the disorder. These could include problems in pregnancy and birth, viral infections, exposure to certain environmental chemicals or pollutants, or even allergies to certain foods (i.e. gluten or dairy products).
There are also suggestions that autism may be caused by a reaction to childhood vaccines, especially those containing high amounts of mercury. More research is needed in this area.
There are also natural treatments for autism, including herbal and homeopathic remedies which can help maintain harmony, health, and systemic balance in the brain and nervous system, without side effects or sedation.
Here are some natural remedies
