According to the medical establishment, any autism treatment that does not chemically pollute the brain is ‘off-label’. However, less controversial is the topic of poor gut health in children with ASD.

Eight of the eleven originally-described patients with autism (circa 1940) had G-I symptoms. Scientific literature is fairly established (1*,2*,3*, 4*,5*, 6*) about this association.

The Theory:
Somehow, the sticking point for real scientists is the association between gastrointestinal disturbance and autistic behaviors. Those would be the real scientists who never cared for a child with autism. Or, those who never ate some bad Chinese food.

Given that the association is genuine, then, what better way to help a child recover from hyperactivity, poor focus and attention, continuous repetitive movements, ineffective sleep, chronic constipation or diarrhea, or grouchy mood, then to address that condition?

It was along that line of thinking that successful biomedical treatments were undertaken, over 50 years ago. Despite the continuing controversy of impersonal science and scientists, the remaining question for those involved with helping patients is, “What’s the best way to heal the gut?”

The Findings:
Toward that endeavor, research has documented associations with eosinophilic esophagitis, GERD (reflux), intestinal lymphadenitis (think big tonsils, but further down), and colitis. These are medical conditions with actual, established therapeutic interventions.

The Treatment:
The cause and prevention of that inflammation along the G-I tract poses an attractive therapeutic possibility. The offending agents could include food allergies, toxins, viruses, bacteria and fungus, including some imbalance of those forces, in susceptible individuals.

Some of the protocols, such as addressing toxins, avoiding allergenic agents, or prescribing antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal products, have held up better than others.

The Experience:
Gut health is evaluated in each of our patients by CLIA approved laboratories. Findings consistent with fungal presence, or signs and symptoms assigned to that condition, were treated with brief courses of low dose fluconazole in patients throughout 2014. Their regular visits were documented and reviewed, including appropriate periodic laboratory studies.

This was performed under a physician’s care, with the parents’ full understanding and consent – and usually their trepidation and reluctance.

The bottom line is this: within 2 or 3 short courses, a simple, oral, antifungal medication was well-tolerated, and effective in reducing many symptoms that are generally assumed to be ‘autistic’.

Warnings:
Fluconazole can have serious side effects and drug interactions. Present practitioners should follow a written, rigorous protocol and document progress. Other sources of inflammation should be explored and addressed, as well.

Disclaimer:
This information is to be submitted for publication. This is not a recommendation for patients. Further studies are warranted and validation requires more scientific scrutiny.

Addendum:
Here’s a (typical) email that arrived as I was typing this story, “Hello Dr. Udell,
<<Jane>> is showing issues related to yeasty behavior. Last time we saw you a month ago, she seemed to have grown out of it. We then took a trip that seemed to have disturbed digestion and she has loose stools, some silly behavior etc. She was on diflucan till Dec 1st week. Do you think we need to get her on the antiyeast again?
Meanwhile, she has showed progress in other respects, increased eye contact and need to communicate more. Her babbling has increased but still no consistent words…”

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