understanding and treating autism and ankylosing spondylitis

autism /aw-tĭz-ǝm/ is a non-progressive, bio-neurological condition that typically presents in the first three years of life and is characterized by atypical brain function and pervasive and/or spectral developmental challenges especially relating to communication, social interaction, and behavior. Though autism is considered to be idiopathic, its etiology may relate in part to gastrointestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut) and/or malabsorption, systemic candidiases, food sensitivies and allergies, and/or autoimmunity. One in one hundred children, and as many as one in seventy boys, are diagnosed with autism. The condition can be managed with varying success through applied behavioral analysis; occupational, physical, sensory integration, and speech therapies; and, dietary intervention.

ankylosing spondylitis /ang-kǝ-low-sĭng spon-dǝ-līt-ǝs/ is a degenerative, autoimmune disease characterized by chronic and often debilitating arthritis of the muscles, joints, and/or fibrous tissue and occasional iritis. The disease predominantly affects the spine and sacroilium and can lead to the fusion (ankylosis) of the vertebrae. It is part of a group of diseases known as seronegative spondyloarthropathies, which are strongly associated with the HLA-B27 antigen. The cytokines TNFα and IL-1 are also implicated in the disease. Though genetic predisposition is a significant factor, the etiology of the condition may relate in part to gastrointestinal hyperpermeability (leaky gut) and/or malabsorption, systemic candidiases, and food sensitivies and allergies. The disease can be managed through non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and/or disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, which include TNF blockers; physical, chiropractic, and massage therapies; and, dietary intervention.

dietary intervention for autism and ankylosing spondylitis

While these conditions differ significantly, there is a common link in the role of gastrointestinal and metabolic abnormalities that lead to oxidative stress and dysbiosis. In essence, much of the food eaten by people with autism and ankylosing spondylitis (as well as other similar conditions) is toxic to their systems. Both conditions, therefore, can be significantly and positively impacted by dietary intervention that reduces oxidative stress and dysbiosis, and restores natural flora. If you are interested in this vitally important intervention, it is critical that you consult a gastroenterologist, certified nutritionist, and, in the case of autism, a DAN! Doctor. Many family doctors, pediatricians, and rheumatologists do not appreciate the role that these processes have in your overall health and even will, on the basis of outdated recommendations from the FDA and other organizations, advise against dietary intervention. Please note that I am not a medical doctor or health care professional. Inform yourself by reading the books that I have recommended, visiting the recommended websites, and consulting the biomedical research bibliography I have compiled! Push your family doctor, pediatrician, or rheumatologist to give you a referral for a gastroenterologist and certified nutritionist. Meet with those specialists, discuss this research with them, and work out a plan that is right for you and/or your children. They will provide you with vital support, information, and resources! While dietary intervention is not a cure, it will help! For my family's experience with dietary intervention and other challenges related to these conditions, I invite you to visit my wife's blog, Melissa's Moments: living with ankylosing spondylitis and parenting a child with autism.