Recently released CDC data shows that autism rates have increased 30% since 2012.(1) Now, 1 in 68 children aged eight years have autism. This is increased form 1 in 88 children in 2012. Keep in mind that there has been no change in the criteria to diagnose autism since 2012.
When we look at boys versus girls, the numbers for both sexes are dreadful, but for boys, the numbers are worse. Autism was found to be five times more prevalent in boys as compared to girls. One in 42 boys v. 1 in 189 girls have autism.
An article on Medscape summarized these finding. (2) In this article, the director of CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Coleen Boyle, PhD, commented, “…there is an urgent need to do more research.” She goes on to state that health professionals “should use this data to ensure children with {autism} are identified as early as possible and connected to the services they need.” Now, I can’t refute that statement, but give me a break! If any research needs to be done, research needs to focus on WHY so many of our youth are suffering from autism. It is mind-boggling how the director of the CDC’s Developmental Division is not calling a national panel together to study WHY so many children are having developmental problems. For goodness sakes, this report (as well as previous reports) should spur the highest levels of our government to act and figure out why our children are suffering.
Folks, if we don’t figure out why so many of our youth are suffering from behavioral disorders like autism, we will not have any worries about the pending global warming catastrophies. The catastrophy of autism is already happening. We simply cannot sustain our standard of living with so many sick children in our population.
Why are so many children suffering with autism? I think the answer lies, in large part, to toxicities, infection, nutritional deficiencies, and food allergies. Also, many of these children have a genetic predisposition whereby they cannot effectively keep up with detoxifying from our toxic world. Children and certainly fetuses are very sensitive to toxic exposures. For over 20 years, I (and my partners) have been testing nearly every patient who comes to my office for heavy metal toxicities. Over 80% of our patients have been found to have elevated levels of toxic agents in their body. The most common toxic agent is mercury. Next is arsenic followed by lead, cadmium and nickel.
Unfortunately, nutritional deficiencies are also very common. Every patient that comes to see me gets a full nutritional evaluation. I can state with certainty that nearly all patients are suffering from nutritional deficiencies. This includes B-vitamins, particularly vitamin B12, vitamin C, and magnesium. Each of these items are required to maintain a healthy immune system and to support the body’s detoxification pathways.
I feel Iodine deficiency is, in part or in large part, definitely related for the rapid rise in autism-affected children. One study found lowered maternal iodine levels (when compared to normal maternal iodine subjects) were associated with a significantly increased risk of having children with autism. Keep in mind, iodine levels have fallen over 50% in the U.S. over the last 40 years. Adequate maternal iodine levels are needed for the baby’s neurological and hormonal systems to properly form. Low maternal iodine levels have been known to cause neurological, hormonal as well as a lowered IQ levels. Perhaps the falling iodine levels could explain the autism epidemic we are seeing.
You would think that the highest levels of our government would be reacting to this study. Where is the “Race for the Cure” to beat autism? If we don’t act now, we will pay the price soon as our standard of living will surely decline and, more importantly, millions of children and parents will suffer.
What can you do? Write and call your elected officials. Tell them (or, better yet, demand) that we need to investigate why so many of our children are sick. Also, if you are a woman of child-bearing age, it is imperative that you have a holistic evaluation before you become pregnant. This evaluation can determine if you have toxic elements in excess and if you have nutritional and/or hormonal imbalances. If your health care provider is not knowledgeable about how to test for these factors, find one that is. And, make sure that you have adequate iodine levels and normal thyroid function before pregnancy. More information about this can be found in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 5th Edition.
I want to acknowledge the help I received with this blog from Dr. Sarah Wine (Ann Arbor, MI) who has a child with autism. IF you have a child with autism, Dr. Wine is an expert at treating this disorder. Her office number is: 734.995.3200
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. March 28, 2014
- www.medscape.com. March 27, 2014
What about the effects of EMF (Electromagnetic frequencies)? Dr Martin Pall thinks they are totally to blame for autism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yydZZanRJ50&feature=youtu.be
You mention here in your blog that any woman of child bearing age should have a holistic evaluation before becoming pregnant. Exactly which tests or what type of ¨holistic¨ evaluation should be done? Please clarify! My wife and I would like to become pregnant in the next few months and I don´t want to leave anything to chance!
Daniel,
See a health care practitioner skilled in a holistic approach. They should check you for nutritional and hormonal imbalances along with an evaluation for toxicity.
DrB
In my opinion not only the vaccines are responsible for this epidemic IT IS ALSO THE GMO’S FOODS WE ARE EATING, AND THE FULL OF PESTiCIDES IN OUR WATER, FOOD, AIR. animals, vegetables etc… and it will continue to increase if we don’t change this,.
Thanks, as always, for educating us with real information, Dr. B!! Just to add another bit of info., I have read a lot about the huge importance of having adequate Vit. D3 levels to prevent autism. The book “Vitamin D3 and Solar Power for Optimal Health”, by Marc Sorenson, has many graphs and studies showing that the higher the latitude, the more sun and Vit. D3 deficient people are, and the higher the autism rates. Since we all spend most of our lives indoors, and then are brainwashed to use loads of sunscreen, (containing lots of toxic chemicals), when we go out, there is no possible way to get enough Vit. D3. Everyone, especially people at higher latitudes, needs to take a very large amount of D3 on a regular basis. Even here, in Santa Barbara, CA, we are too far north to be able to absorb enough D3 through the sun in the winter. Mainstream Dr.’s recommend a daily dose which is far too low, and people may need to take 5,000 to 10,000 Iu’s a day to have healthy levels. Of course, D3 is very powerful in helping prevent autoimmune diseases, as well.
Also, I have found out about the importance of methylating B vitamins in the body, and that many of us have defective genes that prevent this from happening. This causes those of us with the defect to not be able to detoxify chemicals, metals, (vaccines), etc., properly, and may be part of the genetic cause of autism. People should be regularly tested for these defects and be getting B12 shots if necessary to keep the body functioning as it should and needs to in our current toxic world. (This might be in your new B12 Book, Dr. B?)
Thanks again for all your great info!!
As you know, I have two daughters of child-bearing age. My question focuses on the former assertion that there may be a link to vaccines. Do you still feel this way? You do not mention this in the article. My thoughts are that although vaccines are safer than before, I am always uncomfortable with the number of vaccines administered at the same time to such small little bodies. What are your thoughts on vaccines, and do you feel the number given at one time is dangerous?
Linda,
We give too many vaccines. The vaccines all have toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde, mercury and aluminum (aluminum is not terribly toxic unless injected). I can’t understand the wisdom of injecting toxic substances into little bodies who have no blood brain barrier. I have seen enough parents who report their child was fine until they received a vaccination. They are convinced the vaccines caused a problem in their child. The vaccine-autism link is there, but it is not the only cause of autism.
Am I against all vaccinations? No. Do we give too many? Yes. Should you ever inject mercury or formaldehyde (or other toxins) into a baby? Of course not. I say, do your reading, and make the best decision you can. Having said that, if you are going to vaccinate, spread them out and don’t give too many at one visit.
DrB
DrB
Dr. Brownstein, as an explanation for the increase in autism, you suggest that the answer lies, in large part, in toxicities, infection, nutritional deficiencies, and food allergies. Are all food allergies a potential cause, do you think, or are some allergens more problematic than others?
I am particularly interested in the potential effects of gluten, as I have Celiac Disease, as do others in my extended family.
Elke,
Yes, food allergies are definitely a problem. The two most common food allergies I see: dairy and gluten.
DrB
Great article Dr Brownstein. I have worked with infants for 25 years and have two children myself effected by different forms of autism. I am an IBCLC (lactation consultant) and have read reams of literature on the effects of breast milk on the developing gut. The years of observing have helped me to see a way bigger picture regarding gut health and brain function. In big ways like how people get grumpy when they haven’t had carbs or sugar, and very minute ways that even parents miss like ADD kids and their affinity for that one food that acts quite like alcohol when it breaks down giving them the happy buzz those kids require to concentrate on anything or to fall asleep.
I feel with autistic kids there is a tipping point that comes from poor gut health, malabsorption, poor nutrition, overgrowth iof bad bacteria and virus and fungus in the gut and then a bombardment of chemicals and pharmaceuticals that is life in these United States. Read Dr Natasha Campbell McBride Gut and Psychology Syndrome. She is a pediatrician and phD in nutrition. Her son HAD autism. He is recovered. He functions without autistic traits now. Both our daughters are very well. we followed her advice and recovered our girls gut health over a two year period. It was one of the most arduous tasks we have ever done. Our girls have a very shallow tipping point. Our youngest can eat no wheat no dairy and no refined sugars including HFCS She falls apart in her immune response and falls apart emotionally.
The answers are out there. But sometimes I feel shut down trying to discuss the possible answers with mainstream physicians who do not want to hear I suspect medications and immunizations have been to blame in my children’s ill health. Those docs then red flag the chart and pull a crazy mother card on you.
But I digress. Thank you Doctor. I so appreciate your perspectives.
The concept of vaccination is absolutely insane! If doctors were taught properly, they would know that diseases are nurtured by the growth media inside our bodies. It is the soil, not the seed that produces disease. To quote Claude Bernard (1813-1878) “The microbe is nothing, the terrain is everything.”
Awesome post Dr. B! Our children are the foundation of our communities. Their health affects all our health.
I have autism and I am not sick. Quite the contrary. I have a neural structure that differs from those of neurotypicals, and those differences give me a great many advantages in the same way that your neural structures give you a great many disadvantages. Our brains are structured in variety of ways, ranging from autism at one extreme and solipsism at the other. Though the solipsistic extreme is closer to neurotypical brains, from my perspective, it is just as extreme and just as pathological. It simply doesn’t seem so because it is closer to how neurotypicals typically think.
My grandfather on my mother’s side was probably autistic, I am autistic, and my son is autistic. That sounds genetic to me. It seems to me that you ought to have a better understanding of how diagnoses work. The new criteria came out in 2012. Did that mean everyone on earth was simultaneous diagnosed under the new criteria. Of course not. That takes time. The increase is a mere artifact of the new criteria.
While it is good to find what causes autism and to see how something can be done about it, it is hard to know whether there’s really an “epidemic” or we are now more increasingly aware that autism exists per se. After all, since most people didn’t need to be literate for most of history it’s not surprising that dyslexia became more realised in the 20th century – some people were always dyslexic but they were never going to be a position where it made any tangible difference. So too autism is probably quite ancient and since most people had to work hard at menially tasks throughout history meant that autistic people were probably quite invisible throughout history. Heck, if an autistic serf made for a better serf because he wasn’t wasting time socialising when he should have been working then autism would have been deemed a favourable trait. Nowadays people are expected to socialise in school and be sociable in the workplace – hence autism now stands out like a sore thumb. However most interesting to note at no point does the author suppose the possibility that autism is a genetic trait.
Is there a blood test for soy toxicity that you are aware of ??
Dr. Brownstein,
Rates increased that much just since 2012?? This is indeed troubling, and like you said something must change in terms of how this is being addressed. By the way, do you know whether rates are increasing worldwide, and if so, are they increasing as rapidly as they are in the U.S.? Or are rates mainly increasing in the U.S. and/or only increasing at such a rapid rate in the U.S.? If so, we need to know WHY rates are only increasing in the U.S. and/or why they’re increasing at such a rapid rate in the U.S. yet not increasing like this throughout the rest of the world. Thank you for providing such an excellent blog (and I have your iodine and salt books, which are also wonderful).
Thank you for posting this and getting the word out. My son was a healthy happy boy and one day at a well visit the doc gave him SEVEN shots in one day. On the way home I knew something happened. He had a huge red warm lump at injection sites and developed a fever. He stopped eating his favorite foods, lost his language, blood in stools, hello autism…….It is criminal what is happening all over the world to innocent children. It turns your life upside down, robs you financially and emotionally .
And they refuse to be held accountable. And continue to destroy lives. My son is healing with classical homeopathy. I will never give up.
Laura
I agree totally with your article except for one small fact. If autism stems from elevated toxins in the body and also nutritional
deficiencies why aren’t boys and girls equally affected? My grandson has autism and my daughter has sought out help in both categories with little success.
Pamela,
Good question. There is some research that boys may suffer more autism due to genetic defects on the X chromosome. Since boys only have one X chromosome, they are more likely to be affected. Girls have an extra X chromosome that may shield them. There are other theories, but they are only theories right now. A good read about the topic can be found here: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/study-why-more-boys-girls-have-autism-390092833
DrB
are you afraid to mention all the vaccines given to kids???? this seems the most invasive of all the toxins….the elephant in the room!!!
Virginia,
Not afraid at all. I did not mention that because I did not want to take away from the basic premise: The rate is rising and we must figure out why. I think vaccines, with their toxic ingredients (mercury, aluminum, etc.,) certainly play a role. But, not every autistic child has autism due to vaccines. I have seen enough parents who knew they had a healthy child until a vaccine was given.
DrB
Please include credentials, ie MD, DC, ND and not just Dr. as in DR. Wine
Sarah Wine, D.O.