Overview

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old. This set of signs distinguishes autism from milder autism spectrum disorders (ASD) such as Asperger syndrome.

Autism has a genetic component, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is generally unclear which genes are responsible. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Other proposed causes, such as childhood vaccines, are controversial and the vaccine hypotheses lack convincing scientific evidence.

It is increasingly accepted by the scientific community that there is an immunological or autoimmune component to at least the majority of cases of autism. Autism is strongly associated with parental autoimmune disorders and there is evidence of an inflammatory component - the arm of the immune system modulated by helminthic therapy.

Most recent reviews estimate a prevalence of one to two cases per 1,000 people for autism, and about six per 1,000 for ASD, with ASD averaging a 4.3:1 male-to-female ratio. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, at least partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.

Autism affects many parts of the brain; and as with many autoimmune or suspected autoimmune disorders how this occurs is poorly understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child's life.

While early behavioral, dietary or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills there is no recognized cure.

However, although it is only one case, Stewart Johnson, the father of a teenage son with autism has successfully treated his son using TSO, an helminthic therapy.

He tried most available therapies, including psychopharmacology, Applied Behavior Analysis, dance and movement therapy, music therapy, audio integration training, various diets and supplement approaches, etc. Some of these helped in certain ways, some did nothing, and some made things worse. Nothing ever addressed his son’s most severe symptoms, except temporarily.

He hypothesized that autism was due to an aberrant immune response after observing that his son’s autism symptoms all but disappeared during periods when his son had fevers or was ill. Deciding that autism may therefore be autoimmune in nature, and having read that TSO was being used successfully to treat various other autoimmune conditions he decided to try TSO to treat his son’s autism.

You can read his account of his son’s remission after treatment with TSO here.