bullshit diagnoses, through recent decades

[Pitbull Mom]

Pitbull mom wrote:

Responsible parents and doctors will always eliminate medical and behavioral issues before trying medication. That being said, I do believe there is some overdiagnosis going on today, as there always has been, and docs who are not specialists sometimes rush too quickly into medication, and some parents look for a "quick fix". Any parent who puts their child on medication needs to do a LOT of homework first.

I agree with you, pitbull, but there are some areas in which coming up with a diagnoses and medicating and keeping your child medicated is beneficial to the family financially.  The type of medication your child is receiving can dictate how much you will receive from the state.
There are presently about 580,000 kids in foster care and the families are paid accordingly:

.........................Daily............................................................Monthly
Ages  00-12 ....   $14.24/Day......................................................$427/Month per child,+ clothing allowance

Ages  13-18 ....   $17.58/Day......................................................$527/Month per child,+ clothing allowance


If you can manage to get the children diagnosed with something, anything then your monthly income increases as follows:  (Levels indicate the severity of the problem), Ritalin being a Level I maybe and more psychotic would increase you to Level II and Level III.

..............................Level I.......................Level II...................................Level III.............
Ages  00-12.............$5..................................$10..........................................$15.....................an additional $150 – 450/Month per child,+ clothing allowance

Ages  13-18.............$6..................................$11..........................................$16.....................an additional $180 – 480/Month per child,+ clothing allowance

Med. Fragile............$8..................................$13..........................................$18.....................an additional $240 – 540/Month per child, + clothing allowance

The Child Welfare League of America reports, "Approximately 60 percent of all children in out-of-home care have moderate to severe mental health problems [ ... ] Adolescents living with foster parents or in group homes have about four times the rate of serious psychiatric disorders than those living with their own families
A 2001 study found that foster care children were more likely to have a mental health or substance abuse condition than other children receiving Medicaid

The families that have been in the system the longest can get all their kids on medication at a very young age and keep them on the medication even if it means having to relocate the family before the doctor can change his diagnoses.  Many of these kids that are placed into foster care have special issues to deal with that other kids don’t have to like:

•   blaming themselves and feeling guilty about removal from their birth parents
•   wishing to return to birth parents even if they were abused by them
•   feeling unwanted if awaiting adoption for a long time
•   feeling helpless about multiple changes in foster parents over time
•   having mixed emotions about attaching to foster parents
•   feeling insecure and uncertain about their future
•   reluctantly acknowledging positive feelings for foster parents

But I don’t think this would account for the statistic of medicating these kids at a rate of 60% or better.  

The same problem exists in our welfare system also, there are approximately 5,800,000 people receiving welfare as of September and they receive similar incentives to medicate.



...

I am uncharacteristically speechless....That is such a fucked up system, I don't even know where to start commenting.

[Nihilanthic]

Now I'm starting to wonder just what TW's role in all of this is...

Eh, I'm still waiting to be truly surprised... time will tell.

[TheWho]

One of the challenges for psychiatrists and/ or psychologists is to constantly bridge the gap between diagnosis and insurance reimbursement.  They also need to keep their thumb on the pulse of what the pharmaceutical industry is testing or presently has in clinical trials so they can reduce couch time (which insurance companies hate) and prescribe more drugs.

Ever since they did away with lobotomies in the 1950’s and came up with their first diagnosis of a “learning disorderâ€

[psy]

Did someone already mention OCD?

or wearing all black,  I think that should be added, we had problems with that one in our family.

Mom?  Dad?  Is that you? (no really...  dresses in black was put on my "reasons for admission" to Benchmark).

[psy]

How about being too smart?  :rofl:

Yeah, "intellectualism" was part of my disease. Also, not swearing, words "bigger than marmalade", and not shaving my legs.

I was called "in my head" constantly.  AAh...  how do I adore thought stopping clichés.  Better than out of my head.

But all jokes aside, people labeled with disorders such as ADHD and BPD and a lot of other things have somewhat different MRI scans than those labeled as normal.  That seems to suggest those people are at least different but IMO isn't to say it's a disorder per-se.  Perhaps a disorder is overdoing it.  So-called ADHD kids do think differently.  They think faster than the average population and often get bored in everyday class.  They should be challenged, not "helped" especially against their will.  I was put on several medications when I was younger and now am effectively dependent on them to function normally.  People have told me "that's a good dependence" but the only real difference I see is that the drugs i'm doing are being sold to me by the government.  It's not paranoia to distrust power, it's common sense.

They don't tell you that before you start taking it, or at least I wasn't told.  Prozac and Aderall will permanantly alter brain chemistry...  What does this do to kinds in the long term?  Doctors don't really know for sure.  Ritalin?  Aderall?  

Does that mean Aderall or Prozac are not effective?  No.  They do work, but the point is that to the pharmaceutical industry, i'm just another dollar and I feel like everybody should be fully informed if something has not been fully tested.  I can't make a valid decision without valid information and without a valid decision there is no legitimate consent (not that it's needed to jam drugs down kids throat).  In other words, I feel like "yeah... your shit works, but could you start telling people about the long term effects... there are other, natural alternatives that do work if you don't fuck their brains up too much first!".

[psy]

One of the challenges for psychiatrists and/ or psychologists is to constantly bridge the gap between diagnosis and insurance reimbursement.  They also need to keep their thumb on the pulse of what the pharmaceutical industry is testing or presently has in clinical trials so they can reduce couch time (which insurance companies hate) and prescribe more drugs.

Ever since they did away with lobotomies in the 1950’s and came up with their first diagnosis of a “learning disorderâ€

[TheWho]

Wait.  I read your post three times and I can't really believe it.  I actually agree with your entire post!  Is It really you, Who?

sorry, yeah its me, I guess I am having an off night.

[Deborah]

Autism 'Epidemic' Follows Increase in Special Education Funding, Shift in Diagnosis
Sunday, November 04, 2007

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A few decades ago, people probably would have said kids like Ryan Massey and Eddie Scheuplein were just odd. Or difficult.

Both boys are bright. But Ryan, 11, is hyper and prone to angry outbursts, sometimes trying to strangle another kid in his class who annoys him. Eddie, 7, has a strange habit of sticking his shirt in his mouth and sucking on it.

Both were diagnosed with a form of autism. And it's partly because of children like them that autism appears to be skyrocketing: In the latest estimate, as many as one in 150 children have some form of this disorder. Groups advocating more research money call autism "the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States."

Indeed, doctors are concerned there are even more cases out there, unrecognized: The American Academy of Pediatrics last week stressed the importance of screening every kid — twice — for autism by age 2.

But many experts believe these unsociable behaviors were just about as common 30 or 40 years ago. The recent explosion of cases appears to be mostly caused by a surge in special education services for autistic children, and by a corresponding shift in what doctors call autism.

Autism has always been diagnosed by making judgments about a child's behavior; there are no blood or biologic tests. For decades, the diagnosis was given only to kids with severe language and social impairments and unusual, repetitious behaviors.

Many children with severe autism hit themselves or others, don't speak and don't make eye contact.

Blake Dees, a 19-year-old from Suwanee, Ga., falls into that group. For the past eight years, he has been in a day program with intense services, but he still doesn't talk, he's not toilet-trained, and he has a history of trying to eat anything — even broken glass.

But he's not a typical case.

In the 1990s, the autism umbrella expanded, and autism is now shorthand for a group of milder, related conditions, known as "autism spectrum disorders."

The spectrum includes Asperger's syndrome and something called PDD-NOS (for Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified). Some support groups report more than half of their families fall into these categories, but there is no commonly accepted scientific breakdown.

Gradually, there have been changes in parents' own perception of autism, the autism services schools provide, and the care that insurers pay for, experts say.

Eddie, of Buford, Ga., was initially diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other conditions. But the services he got in school were not very helpful.

His mother, Michelle, said a diagnosis of autism brought occupational therapy and other, better services.

"I do have to admit I almost like the idea of having the autistic label, at least over the other labels, because there's more help out there for you," said Scheuplein.

"The truth is there's a powerful incentive for physicians and schools to classify children in a way that gets services," said Dr. Edwin Trevathan of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many with Asperger's and PDD-NOS succeed in school and do not — at first glance — have much in common with children like Blake Dees.

At a recent gathering of families with Asperger's children in the Atlanta area, parents told almost comical stories about kids who frequently pick their noses, douse food in ketchup or wear the same shirt day after day.

Such a frank, humorous exchange was once a rarity. Doctors for many years believed in the "refrigerator mom" theory, which held that autism was the result of being raised by a cold, unloving mother. The theory became discredited, but was difficult to dislodge from the popular conscience.

Even in the early 1980s, some parents were more comfortable with a diagnosis of mental retardation than autism, said Trevathan, director of the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

Today, parents are more likely to cringe at a diagnosis of mental retardation, which is sometimes equated to a feeble-mindedness and may obscure a child's potential.

And increasingly, professionals frown at the term: The special education journal Mental Retardation this year changed its name to Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities.

The editor said that "mentally retarded" is becoming passe and demeaning, much like the terms idiot, imbecile and moron — once used by doctors to describe varying degrees of mental retardation.

In contrast, autism has become culturally acceptable — and a ticket to a larger range of school services and accommodations.

In 1990, Congress added the word "autism" as a separate disability category to a federal law that guarantees special education services, and Education Department regulations have included a separate definition of autism since 1992.

Before that, children with autism were counted under other disabling conditions, such as mental retardation, said Jim Bradshaw, an education department spokesman.

The Social Security Administration also broadened its definition of disability to include spectrum disorders, like Asperger's.

Something else changed: The development of new stimulants and other medicines may have encouraged doctors to make diagnoses with the idea of treating them with these drugs.

Perception of the size of the problem changed, too.

Fourteen years ago, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with it. Prevalence estimates gradually rose to the current government estimate of one in 150.

That increase has been mirrored in school districts. Gwinnett County Public Schools — Georgia's largest school system — had eight classrooms for teaching autistic youngsters 13 years ago; today there are 180.

Some researchers suggest that as autism spectrum diagnoses have gone up, diagnoses of mild mental retardation have fallen.

U.S. Department of Education data show that the number of students with autism rose steadily, from about 42,500 in 1997 to nearly 225,000 in 2006. Meanwhile, the number of students counted as mentally retarded declined from about 603,000 to about 523,000.

CDC scientists believe education numbers are misleading, because they reflect only how kids are categorized for services. They say there's no clear evidence doctors are substituting one diagnosis for the other.

Some parents believe environmental factors — ranging from a preservative in vaccines to contaminants in food or water — may be important contributors. (The last doses of early childhood vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal expired in 2002, although some children's flu shots still contain it.)

We're into the second, sometimes third, generation of people who have been overmedicated, particularly with antibiotics. The average diet for a kid now is atrocious-fried cheese, don't know what vegetables are, fruit is fruit snacks from a celophane package. Food cooked in microwaves. So many factors that damage the health and particularly the health of the digestive tract. If you don't digest your food, you slowly die. If the food you're eating isn't healthy to begin with, you die faster. I notice about the third or fourth day on antibiotics and kids get this 'fight or flight' look in their eyes. Like on a cellular level they know they are 'dying'. Followed by some form of yeast infection and/or another illness. If they 'have' to take antibiotics for a condition that can't be treated with a safer alternative, why aren't docs recommending probiotics to counteract the indiscriminant killing of gut flora caused by antibiotics? This shouldn't be discounted. I'll post an article on it.

Dr. Gary Goldstein, scientific adviser to the national advocacy group Autism Speaks, said the explanation for the rising autism prevalence is probably complex. Labeling and diagnosing probably play a role, as do genetics, but he believes the increase surpasses those two explanations.

"I'm seeing more children with autism than I ever would have expected to see," said Goldstein, who is chief executive of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, a treatment center for pediatric developmental disabilities in Baltimore.

Autism Speaks budgets more than $4 million each year to research the causes of autism, and about 90 percent of that has gone to genetics research. But organization officials recently have been talking about changing that mix, and spending as much as 50 percent of that money on potential environmental triggers, Goldstein said.

About time. They need to compare/contrast the US with other countries/societies (Quakers) that haven't experienced an increase. What's different?

Whether it's because of genes or the environment (or both), autism has hit the Massey family hard. Chuck and Julia Massey, of Dacula, Ga., have three sons with Asperger's.

The youngest, Ryan, was first diagnosed after he was slow to develop speaking ability. His brothers — Trevor, 14, and Morgan, 16 — had learning and behavior problems and were later diagnosed with Asperger's, too.

All got special education services and were treated with medications. Morgan has improved, or matured, or both, and is now a social kid in mainstream classes at a Gwinnett County high school. Trevor seems to be making the same transition, his mother said.

Ryan is the most extreme. He still has uncontrollable tantrums and must attend an Asperger's-only sixth-grade classroom that teaches social skills along with traditional subjects.

In a recent interview at the family's home, Ryan acknowledged he still has anger control issues. One of the three other students in his class is particularly irritating. Ryan said the way he reacts is by "grabbing his throat."

But on this night, Ryan was calm. He described himself as happy, and paced the room telling jokes, like a nervous stand-up comedian. ("Why didn't the skeleton go to the party? He didn't have the guts," he said, eyes fixed on his audience.)

Having three Asperger's boys under one roof has at times been very intense, Massey said, noting a replaced dining room window.

Ryan acknowledged it's been educational living in a house full of Asperger's kids. Asked to name something he's learned from his brothers, he replied, "Swears."

People dealing with Autistic kids need to read Son Rise by Barry Kauffman. After finding no hope or help for their son, the Kauffman's spent every moment creating a safe and secure environment for their son which eventually lead to him gaining enough trust to come out of his protective shell. He went on to become an honor student- this boy who doctors said there was no hope for.

[Deborah]

http://www.healing-arts.org/children/an ... tm#wethink

Anti-fungal Treatment
We know that poor bowel ecology - common in autistic children - often promotes the overgrowth of fungi and other microbes. These microbes can be involved in autism, as fungal metabolites are often found in the urine of autistic children.
Many children with autism respond to anti-fungal treatment, and score high for yeast and anaerobic bacteria on such tests as the Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis test, available at the Great Plains Laboratory or Great Smokies Laboratory.
We also know that fungi can make hallucinogenic substances. LSD, for instance, is derived from ergot, and psilocybin from mushrooms. The theory that fungi are producing the compounds which are creating autistic behavior is not so far-fetched. Desmorphin, discussed earlier, is a hallucinogenic substance occurring more frequently among autistic children.
There is evidence that a form of yeast, candida albicans, may cause autism and may exacerbate many behavior and health problems in autistic individuals, especially those with late-onset autism.

Candida or Yeast and Autism:
Some clinicians believe that autistic symptoms are made worse by the overgrowth of Candida albicans, a yeast-like fungus present everywhere. Overgrowth is made possible by a dysfunctional immune system. A healthy immune system would keep the Candida in check.
The "leaky gut" theory of autism implies that withdrawing gut allergens and treating yeast overgrowth, should help the GI tract to return toward normal and autistic symptoms improve.
Many children afflicted with autism have had frequent ear infections as young children and have taken large amounts of antibiotics. These are thought to exaggerate the yeast problem. Other possible contributors to Candida overgrowth are hormonal treatments; immunosuppresant drug therapy; exposure to herpes, chicken pox, or other "chronic" viruses; or exposure to chemicals that might upset the immune system. There is an increased probability, that a "general" environmental factor affecting our immune systems (i.e. ozone layer depletion, "toxic" chemicals, etc.) may be operative, affecting many children and adults.
Because it is impractical to expect anyone to stay on a totally yeast-free diet, ongoing medication, anti-fungal supplements, and avoidance of sugars are often used to control Candida. Even with the use of anti-fungal drugs, it is still important to limit sugar, because yeast grows 200 times faster in the presence of sugar.
If a potent anti-fungal such as Diflucan or Nizoral is used, it can be assumed that within 1 - 2 months most all of the yeast will die off. When Nizoral or Diflucan is used, some experts say that within 7- 12 days patients can experience "die off" symptoms. This consists of either a "sensitization" reaction to "products" released when the yeast is killed, or the release of "formaldehyde" like products or other potentially toxic derivatives during yeast death, that can contribute to negative symptoms in a patient, including hyperactivity, gastrointestinal distress, and irritability. Die-off usually lasts about 7-14 days and after that time the change in the child is reported as sometimes dramatic. If the die-off does not end in 14 - 17 days, the anti-fungal medication is usually changed.
If the treatment is successful for autistic children, usually eye-contact improves and the child seems more aware and less"foggy." Anecdotal reports claim that the frequency of inappropriate noises, teeth grinding, biting, hitting, hyperactivity, and aggressive behavior decreases. The child acts less silly and shows less inappropriate laughter.
The antifungals, Nizoral and Diflucan, are usually monitored with liver function tests drawn every 1-3 months, since these drugs can cause liver damage. Some physicians stop pharmacological antifungals at six months because of postulated effects on the adrenocortical axis. Then, some will switch to Amphotericin B, which has recently been licensed as an oral liquid in the United States, and can be legally compounded by pharmacies in the U.S.
If the antifungal therapy is stopped, and the body's immune system is still sub-optimal, the yeast is thought likely to return. Many believe treatment must be continued for 4 - 6 months to maintain gains obtained from yeast elimination. Stopping treatment after only one month is thought to allow yeast to return in perhaps even more resistant forms.
Probiotics for keeping healthy intestinal flora include:
•Lactobacillus acidophilus GG (Culturelle), made by Vitamin Research Products; Phone: 1- 800- 877-2447

More About Candida albicans:
Candida albicans belongs to the yeast family and is a single-cell fungus. This form of yeast is located in various parts of the body including the digestive tract. Generally speaking, benign microbes limit the amount of yeast in the intestinal tract, and thus, keep the yeast under control. However, exposure to antibiotics, especially repeated exposure, can destroy these microbes. This can result in an overgrowth of candida albicans. When the yeast multiplies, it releases toxins in the body; and these toxins are known to impair the central nervous system and the immune system.
Some of the behavior problems which have been linked to an overgrowth of candida albicans include: confusion, hyperactivity, short attention span, lethargy, irritability, and aggression. Health problems can include: headaches, stomachaches, constipation, gas pains, fatigue, and depression. These problems are often worse during damp and/or muggy days and in moldy places. Additionally, exposure to perfumes and insecticides can worsen the condition.
Dr. William Shaw has been conducting important research on yeast and its effects on autistic individuals. He recently discovered unusual microbial metabolites in the urine of autistic children who responded remarkably well to anti-fungal treatments. Dr. Shaw and his colleagues observed a decrease in urinary organic acids as well as decreases in hyperactivity and self-stimulatory, stereotyped behavior; and increases in eye contact, vocalization, and concentration.
There are many safe methods to treat yeast overgrowth, such as taking nutritional supplements which replenish the intestinal tract with 'good' microbes (e.g., acidophilus) and/or taking anti-fungal medications (e.g., Nystatin, Ketoconosal, Diflucan). It is also recommended that the person be placed on a special diet, low in sugar and other foods on which yeasts thrive. Interestingly, if the candida albicans is causing health and behavior problems, a person will often become quite ill for a few days after receiving a treatment to kill the excess yeast. The yeast is destroyed and the debris is circulated through the body until it is excreted. Thus, a person who displays negative behaviors soon after receiving treatment for candida albicans (the Herxheimer reaction) is likely to have a good prognosis.
Please note: treatment for candida albicans infrequently results in a cure for autism. However, if the person is suffering from this problem, his/her health and behavior should improve following the therapy.
(Excerpted from: The Candida Yeast-Autism Connection, written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. at the Center for the Study of Autism, Salem, Oregon)
There are 30 or 40 strains of candida, and some are very resistant to treatment. Nystatin, quite possibly the safe prescription drug on the market, will work on the weakest candida strains. Ketoconosal (Nizerol) is a stronger drug, but much more likely to have adverse side effects. Diet is at least as important as drugs in treating candida. There are also non-prescription substances that have anti-candida effects, such as acidophilus, caprylic acid, garlic oil, colloidal silver, and other readily available substances, some of which have been used to treat candida for hundreds of years.
The Autism Research Institute distributes an information packet on candida (yeast) and autism: Candida (Yeast) and Autism: Basic information and questionnaire for parents whose child might have yeast-caused (antibiotic effect) autism.

Candida-caused autism?:
"Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus which inhabits almost all humans. It lives on the moist dark mucous membranes which line the mouth, vagina and intestinal tract. Ordinarily it exists only in small colonies, prevented from growing too rapidly by the human host's immune system, and by competition from other microorganisms in and on the body's mucous membranes. When something happens to upset this delicate natural balance, candida can grow rapidly and aggressively, causing many unpleasant symptoms to the host. Some of the symptoms are widely known and acknowledged. Vaginal yeast infections, primarily caused by candida, present the most common case in point. Thrush, the white yeast infection of the mouth and tongue which is common in infants, is another well-known example of candida overgrowth.
In recent years a minority of physicians have begun to try to persuade their colleagues, and the public, that candida may present consequences far more devastating to human well-being than vaginitis and thrush. They cite Japanese studies showing that candida is able to produce toxins which cause severe long-term disruption of the immune system and may also attack the brain. In extreme cases, they claim, severe disorders, totally resistant to conventional treatment, can occur as a result of candidiasis. These include depression, schizophrenia and, in some cases, autism.
It is much too early to reach a firm conclusion, but, based on the weight of the information gathered to date, it seems to me highly probable that a small, but significant, proportion of children diagnosed as autistic are in fact victims of a severe candida infection. I further believe that if the candida infection were successfully treated in these few cases - much easier said than done - the symptoms of autism would show dramatic improvement.
When the Los Angeles Times published a long, syndicated article about [ a child whose autistic behavior and symptoms were greatly reduced by anti-fungal treatment] in 1983, the Mayos, and the Institute for Child Behavior Research, which was mentioned in the article, began receiving letters and phone calls from parents of autistic children throughout the country. It seems that there are many autistic children whose problems started soon after long-term antibiotic therapy, or whose mothers had chronic yeast infections which they had passed along to the infants. How many of these might in fact be caused by candidiasis? No one knows.
William G. Crook, the well-known pediatric allergist of Knoxville, Tennessee, has mentioned several similar cases in his book The Yeast Connection and in his lectures. Cecil Bradley (one of Duffy Mayo's physicians) recently told me that he has seen eight "autistic" children who respond favorably to anti-candida drugs and diet treatment.
ICBR has been gathering information on the possible link between autism and candida since 1966, when our first research assistant, Dale Meyer, noticed that thrush seemed to be mentioned unusually often in the letters and questionnaires sent to us by parents. I am fairly well convinced that there is a connection and that perhaps 5% to 10% of autistic children - those given many courses of antibiotics, or born with thrush or afflicted with thrush soon after birth - will improve when properly treated for candida. However, there is no consensus among physicians on the candida/autism linkage.
Judging from contacts with several hundred parents over the past few years, only about one physician in 20 or 30 will give serious consideration to the possibility that treating candida may alleviate the symptoms of autism. Most physicians regard concern with candida as just another fad, soon to be forgotten. I wish they were right, but I don't think they are."
Bernard Rimland, Ph.D.
Autism Research
4182 Adams Avenue
San Diego, CA 92116

[Pitbull Mom]

The 2 previous posts by Deb are both great articles, and any parent with a child dxd with any ASD should read these and other articles about diet, and try the GFCF diet before trying medication. Most psychiatrists will recommend diet changes prior to trying medication, although many docs don't buy into the GFCF diet, as it has mixed results, but it's certainly worth trying. The debate about thimerosal or mercury being at the root cause of the increasing numbers of ASDs has been going on for years. The current research, and the generation of kids getting vaccines without thimerosal should provide some much needed answers. I discovered that my son had a severe behavioral reaction to red dye, which is found in many foods, but the GFCF diet provided no results for us. I have seen other kids who have definately benefited.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if I can culture this stuff and get high with it?

[Anonymous]

Saw Jenny McCarthy on CNN and apparently, she has a new book coming out soon about her success finding alternative treatements for her son who was dx autistic.  She is strongly suspicious of childhood vaccines and recommended parents check out this org for further information about alternatives.

http://www.talkaboutcuringautism.org/ar ... native.htm

[Anonymous]

So if you have the right yeast or fungus growing in your shit, it can make you trip like mushrooms or acid? I'm not saying I'm skeptical, well maybe a little, but what I really want to know is why does tripping make kids autistic? I never saw anyone act autistic on shrooms or blotter -- mostly just laughed their asses off and had a few interesting perceptual disturbances.

[Deborah]

Desmorphin, discussed earlier, is a hallucinogenic substance occurring more frequently among autistic children.

Dr. Friedman contrasted the samples of normal children with autistic children. The amount and volume of particles in the autistic children was an order of magnitude more in volume and in number of them. Some of these particles include Casomorphine, A-Glaidin, Desmorphin, Deltophin II, Morphine modulating peptide, Novel Autism Peptide I, and Novel Autism Peptide III. These peptides have interaction with other neuro-peptides. Desmorphin is only found in Autistic Children and on the backs of non-captive poison dart frogs. These opioid-like molecules are thought to cause the symptoms of autism.

You can read more about Opiod Excess Theory in a previous article
http://www.healing-arts.org/index2.htm

As for overgrowth of yeast, fungi, molds-there are many great sites, just google. Too many rx drugs and a diet based on corn syrup is reeking havoc. People just need to connect the dots.

http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/ ... andida.htm
Candida and Mental Health

http://www.snyderhealth.com/candida.htm
In the First Stage of Candida, the mucous membrane areas of the body may be infected. These include the mouth, vagina, nose, and respiratory System. Besides vaginal infections, severe P.M.S., urinary tract infections, body rashes, acne, and oral thrush, ALLERGIES to foods, dust, molds, fungus, yeast, inhalants, and chemicals are the most common symptoms. Each day more people seem to be allergic to everything in their environment. Repeated bouts of bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and strep or staph infections may be typical. Mononucleosis and pneumonia may also be noted. It is easy to perceive that each of these successive illnesses requires more and more antibiotics, which may open the door for further Candida overgrowth. Talk about a vicious circle!

The Second Stage of Candida may involve more generalized reactions such as PAIN, HEADACHES (including MIGRAINE), EXTREME FATIGUE, PSORIASIS, INFECTIONS OF THE NAILS, MUSCLE ACHES, JOINT PAINS, AND ARTHRITIS. Naturally, drug after drug is usually taken in hopes of alleviating these miserable conditions. In most cases, the SYMPTOMS alone are being treated--while the CAUSE (candida overgrowth) may be literally being PROMOTED at the same time!

The Third Stage of Candida may involve MENTAL and BEHAVIORAL responses: inability to concentrate, not being able to read or follow a television program or carry on a hobby, serious forgetfulness, memory loss, mental confusion, not being able to think of the words to say something, switching around of words and letters when trying to speak and/or write something, loss of previous skills (such as how-to-type or how-to-play-the-piano, etc.) These frightening problems may often lead to "HOPELESS CRYING" SPELLS, SEVERE DEPRESSION, SLEEP DISORDERS (may include insomnia, confusion dreams, nightmares, apnea, and not feeling rested or restored after sleep), IRRATIONAL THOUGHTS, UNUSUAL FEARS, PHOBIAS, PANIC/ANXIETY ATTACKS, MUSCLE TWITCHING, IRRITABILITY, VIOLENCE, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR, and even EPILEPTIC SEIZURES and THOUGHTS OF DEATH OR SUICIDE. Sometimes people with these symptoms are labeled "mentally ill", thought to be suffering from manic-depressive psychosis or schizophrenia. These desperately sick patients are sometimes turned over to the care of a psychiatrist or hospitalized in a mental institution. They may be given antidepressants, tranquilizers, lithium, etc. to lighten the mental symptoms. But the cause may be overlooked and the patient is not cured on a long-term basis.

A person in the Fourth Stage of Candida may experience a virtual SHUTDOWN OF VARIOUS ORGAN SYSTEMS of the body. For example, the adrenal glands may stop functioning when the endocrine system fails, or the digestive system may stop, producing vomiting or severe constipation. The extreme fatigue may escalate into TOTAL MUSCLE WEAKNESS, such as the neck muscles no longer being able to hold up the head. The body rashes may escalate into HIVES or BOILS. The circulatory system may be swamped with so much yeast that the capillaries are clogged, causing HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, NUMBNESS OF EXTREMITIES, and EASY BRUISING. The person may run a low-grade fever, but the hands and feet will often be very cold. The HEART may develop TACHYCARDIA (palpitations, irregular beats, mitral valve problems or heart murmur). In the respiratory system, the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs may be packed with yeast so that the person cannot get adequate breath for speaking, singing, or exercise; there may be a FEELING OF SUFFOCATION, which may lead to HYPERVENTILATION and PANIC. The complete failure of the immune system leaves the body defenseless against all enemy bacteria, viruses, and disease conditions--including cancer.

The Fifth Stage of Candida seems inevitable at this point: rampant systemic Candidiasis is 100% fatal unless it is diagnosed early enough to kill the yeast overgrowth and regenerate the immune system.

http://www.know-the-cause.com/
In September 1999, Johns Hopkins medical researchers confirmed that virtually all chronic sinus infections were due to fungus. Not all findiings are that solid. As a matter of fact, few are. Rather, scientists seem confused and startled at their own discoveries with regard to fungus. Fungus makes poisonous byproducts called mycotoxins. Antibiotics are one class of mycotoxins. Without this knowledge, however, many questions are raised when researchers stumble onto this seemingly elementary fact. Recently, researchers have discovered that antibiotics are contributing to everything from 2nd heart attacks to breast cancer. It is our hope that someday when discoveries like these are made, logic will supercede confusion.

Another important aspect is acidosis
http://www.snyderhealth.com/acid.htm

So, if one has Acidosis (the standard american diet SAD is highly acidic) and an overgrowth of yeast/fungi/mold, mental/emotional symptoms can manifest.

Again, with all this information available, with science to support it, why aren't kids given probiotics during/after antibiotics? Why aren't doctors recommending low/no sugar diets for kids? ...........it's not profitable.

[felice]

Borderline Personality Disorder has for a long time been known among Psyciatrists and Therapists as a "red flag" diagnosis. When the doc opens your records and BPD is there it means get rid of this patient, or "pain in the ass. My Therapist and I discussed this.