Autism Treatment – Biomedical treatments for adults with Autism

I want to talk about an issue with respects to adults who have Autism. The issue is the word “cure” that has been thrown about for a number of years within the biomedical community. Not all doctors or individuals say that this is a goal or potential for Autism. But, it certainly has sparked controversy and even anger within the Autism community, and especially for adults who live with an Autism spectrum disorder.

I would like to make my perspective clear in that I have never used the word “cure” in my discussions of the biomedical treatments for those with Autism. I do see people with Autism “recover” from some of their underlying medical problems but often “cure” implies that the person has changed completely. So, I avoid using the word “cure” and I can see why some get frustrated or just completely disagree.

I believe that biomedicine entails much more than just simply giving certain medications, a diet, or administering supplements, it is fully understanding the clinical picture of a person. When you begin looking at issues like vitamin and amino acid deficiencies, dietary allergies, biochemical imbalances, digestive problems, or whatever may be an issue, improving those underlying health issues can many times improve the cognitive abilities of individuals with Autism whether they are children, teens or adults. This approach is focusing on optimizing the health and potential of an individual rather than a “cure”, which I think is a good approach. I believe that should be the focus of any health pursuit, we don’t want to change that person’s personality but rather we want to make sure their body is functioning better. We want to see the brain functioning better, the gut functioning better, the body functioning better, the immune system functioning better, the heart functioning better and the lungs functioning better.

For example, it is reality that many individuals with Autism have problems with their digestive tract. When you address those issues you may not have a total “recovery” but you will have an person who now feels better. If they have relief from digestive issues, they are digesting their food more effectively, they are having less bowel issues and they may be able to function better. When physical pain is gone, mental harmony and mental capacity will likely be improved, it is common sense.

So we can see how children are not the only ones suffering with some of these health issues, adults can too. I primarily see children in my practice but have treated adults as well for the same things. And I have seen adult patients who also have a child on the spectrum, then you really see how things go hand in hand. The focus is not on a “cure” but on the optimization of the person’s health and ability to function. This process helps them function to their highest potential, whatever that may be.