Autism: Getting Better: A Biomedical Protocol Based on Autism's Typical Biochemistry

Aside from behavioral treatments which have been around for decades, most existing autism treatments are ineffective and some are dangerous. Psychiatrists tend to prescribe drugs that are limited in their efficacy to decreasing irritability while inducing a myriad of significant side effects; neurologists conduct brain scans which are of limited utility; and geneticists continue to see autism as a research project to categorize a large number of distinct genetic conditions which many geneticists see as primarily neurological in nature.
Yet there is a growing body of research in the medical literature that shows that autism is typically a whole body disease and there are certain biochemical characteristics that are common across the majority of those who have it. In addition double blinded placebo controlled trials have shown that certain supplements which tend to address these issues of biochemistry also tend to improve behavior and other symptoms associated with autism.
As a parent of a child with autism what is one to do? One option is to continue with behavioral therapies while simultaneously pursuing biomedical treatment. Such biomedical treatment should be guided by: an appreciation of individual biochemistry as determined by testing, an understanding of what is typical for autism biochemistry as described in the medical literature, and knowledge of what therapies are typically effective in autism based on results in the medical literature.
In this book, Seth Bittker, who is the father of a boy on the spectrum, describes an innovative biomedical autism treatment protocol that was developed while keeping these points in mind. The protocol applies the most relevant findings in the existing medical literature in a practical way and in some cases it breaks new ground. Along the way the reader will learn about the history of autism treatments, what is typical for autism biochemistry, why take a biomedical approach, what is wrong with the traditional biomedical approach to autism treatment, how to select a practitioner, which medical tests are likely to be relevant, how to interpret an organic acid test in the context of autism, and what indications can be used to judge whether specific supplements are likely to be effective for a particular individual with autism.