Why Do 25% of Kids with Epilepsy have Autism?
This has always been of interest to me and something I wanted to know more about. Why do 25% of kids with epilepsy also have autistic characteristics, and vice versa. I asked my pediatrician about this years ago and he emailed me a medical paper that talked about there being a link in the brain between epilepsy and autism and that sometimes when a child who is autistic suffers a trauma – the seizures will start.
With my son Adam, he developed the autistic tendancies at about 18 months to 2 years of age. He was bright and alert, but obsessive compulsive. He always lined things up continuously, he made lego structures well beyond his years that were completely symmetrical on both sides – they were amazing. He walked around the house pointing to and counting electrical plugs. He always wanted the green sippy cup and did not like to leave his routine. As he got older, his symptoms increased dramatically to full blown aspergers with little to no eye contact and extreme behaviour.
When Adam was four, my husband and I went out on a much needed date. We had Adam (4), Justin (3) and Shelby (1). We rarely went out and when my brother and his wife offered to babysit, we jumped at the chance. We were going to a movie and the kids were in their pj’s getting ready for bed when my husband joked to Adam “see you in a week!”. Adam flipped out and started to cry. I felt terrible leaving him. That night was Adams first Grand Mal seizure and start of our nightmare. A coincidence?
For years I worked on how to help Adam. I went to countless seminars. I tried herbs, chiropractic, essential oils, diet changes and studied food allergies. One of the professionals who made a lasting impact on me was Dr. Lendon Smith. He was a remarkable man who was a pediatrician his entire career – who focused on the characteristics of these kids. When I met him, he said “Let me tell you about Adam” – He knew that that traits were the same in these problem kids.
He said Adam is blond-haired, blue eyed, or red-haried freckle faced. He walks on his toes, he has ear infections, and has a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. He nailed it. I paid attention. In a future podcast I am going to talk more about food allergies.
Today we have learned so much more about how gluten and casein free diets and how little changes can make a big difference.
There are strategies in place now that you can follow such as:
- Gluten free and casein free diet
- Investigating and removing food allergies and sensitivities
- Removing candida and other yeasts from the gut
- The importance of gut health and leaky gut syndrome
- Supplementation of vitamins, especially B6 and B12
- The importance of probiotics and the problem with antibiotics
- Glutathione – the body’s chief detoxifying agent which autistic children are often low in
Jenny McCarthy recently released a new book called “Healing and Preventing Autism… A complete guide“. She co-authored the book with autism expert, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel. This book is an essential read for any parent with a child diagnosed with autism or who suspects that their child could be showing signs of autism.
I strongly recommend this book to any parent who suspects their child is developing autistic tendancies. The earlier you start on treatment the better. These were some of the strategies we implemented with Adam and had huge success.
I wish you well.
Arlene Martell
