| With all the research and studies being done on | | | | children with autism. In fact, it was learned that |
| the subject of autism, it is no longer surprising to | | | | their gut flora is infested by a bacteria called |
| hear or learn about any new connections between | | | | clostridia, a specie connected to gangrene, colitis, |
| autism and other parts of one's body. The | | | | botulism, tetanus, and food poisoning. Naturally, |
| connection isn't always (or is never) clear cut, | | | | because of the imbalance, the autistic child's |
| which means it cannot be determine if the said | | | | gastrointestinal health suffers. |
| connection can be the cause or simply the effect | | | | Of course, it is possible to maintain good gut flora |
| of autism. However, many experts and medical | | | | despite the overwhelming presence of the |
| professionals have learned to take advantage of | | | | clostridia. One of the more popular techniques |
| these connections to treat the symptoms of | | | | used here is the intake of probiotics. Probiotics |
| autistic children. This is the same rationale among | | | | have been around for centuries. They are |
| people who use antioxidants to treat individuals | | | | components of food substances that can |
| with autism. And this is also the same idea that | | | | promote good health. But more than general good |
| gives life to the theory that gastrointestinal health | | | | health, probiotics can improve the microbial |
| is connection to autism. | | | | balance in one's digestive tract. |
| So how does this theory work? | | | | But more than that, a much cited research journal |
| Any parent of an autistic child would know that, | | | | in the Reading University in the United Kingdom |
| more often than not, diarrhea is a prevailing | | | | published a study in 2006 that demonstrates how |
| problem for their child. Although it is not a general | | | | probiotics can not only help gastrointestinal health |
| condition, a significant number of children with | | | | but also the overall well being an autistic child. The |
| autism suffer from constant diarrhea or loose | | | | study used 40 children, half of which were given |
| bowel. Besides this, many children with autism also | | | | probiotics and the others fake probiotics. None of |
| complain of stomach ache and constipation often. | | | | the involved parties knew which they had. The |
| Needless to say, children with autism do not have | | | | parties were asked to give the substance to their |
| the healthiest digestive systems around. They | | | | children for a few weeks, after which the other |
| often suffer from the "leaky gut" syndrome, a | | | | 20 will receive the fake probiotics while the rest |
| problem caused by damaged bowel linings and | | | | gets the real one. While supposedly a blind |
| parasite infections in the gut, among others. | | | | research, the results were so obvious that the |
| Leaky gut syndrome can cause a number of | | | | involved parties who received the real probiotics |
| complications, such as the mal-absorption of | | | | refused to switch. The research was a failure, but |
| nutrients from other parents of the body. | | | | what it presented was promising. Why? Because |
| The reason for this among autistic individuals? | | | | those who took the real probiotics noted |
| Their imbalance gut flora. The digestive tract is | | | | improved abilities and skills among their children. |
| home to numerous bacteria-good and bad. The | | | | The study shows that gastrointestinal health and |
| good bacteria, naturally, should overpower the bad | | | | the overall being can be connected. Still, although it |
| bacteria by 85 percent, otherwise there will be an | | | | is not entirely proven, probiotics remain to be |
| imbalance. Obviously, such imbalance exists among | | | | helpful. |