Treatment with 'friendly' bacteria could counter autism in children

[icymist]

Treatment with 'friendly' bacteria could counter autism in children

IAN JOHNSTON
SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT

PROBIOTIC bacteria given to autistic children improved their concentration and behaviour so much that medical trials collapsed because parents refused to accept placebos, a scientist revealed yesterday.

The effect of the bacteria was so pronounced that some of the parents taking part in what was supposed to be a blind trial realised their children were taking something other than a placebo.

A number then refused to give their children the placebo when they were due to switch, resulting in the collapse of the trial.

Glenn Gibson, a microbiologist who ran the study of 40 autistic children aged between four and eight, said this meant it was difficult to draw any firm conclusions and he is planning to carry out further research.

Read the article

[Warpy]

1. Metabolic problems of some description might explain

why autistic children seem normal at birth and for some time thereafter.

However, it doesn't explain the very real difference they've found in cord blood. It's still a birth defect, not an enviromental contaminant.

It will be very interesting to follow this story. I know families with autistic kids. They are all desperate for treatment, even if there is no cure.

[icymist]

2. I hope the study can continue.....

as this would make these outcomes more clearer:

From the article:
<snip>
He said that certain kinds of clostridia produced neuro- toxins, which potentially could be the cause of autism or a contributory factor.

However, he said this was speculation and the apparent improvement could also simply be because the children had felt better.

[Warpy]

3. I've just posted this one in the Health Forum

Maybe it will give people with autistic kids a little hope. At any rate, it should quiet the anti vaccine crusaders who pop up there once in a while.

[emmadoggy]

4. Whoa! This sounds

very promising. At the bottom of the article was a comments section and there was a comment from someone who included a link to another similar study being done here in the U.S. I went to it and read some of the info and the comments from the parents who's children were participating in it. It was amazing. I hope this work can continue and a real treatment or possible cure can be found for all these children (and adults).
:thumbsup: