Is autism physiological? Why prescribing powerful psych meds likely isn’t the answer

Children as young as 6 months old can be diagnosed with autism, which is solely based on observational analysis, as there’s no medical test.

That's one of the many reasons why the way we’ve been taught to deal with autism as a society may need to be re-examined, and the former running mate of RFK Jr., Nicole Shanahan, is well aware of this.

“Here’s the thing: Most children diagnosed with autism — in fact, over 70% — also have what the American Academy of Pediatrics refers to as co-occurring medical conditions,” Shanahan explains.

These co-occurring medical conditions can include "gastrointestinal issues, sleep disorders, seizures or epilepsy, sensory sensitivities, developmental coordination challenges such as dyspraxia (which is commonly seen in stroke victims), and intellectual disabilities."

While the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes that it's important to identify and manage these co-occurring conditions, most children diagnosed as autistic don’t receive the care they need — because many of them are unable to communicate.

“Today, the autism community is dominated by behavioralists who are frequently not equipped at all to address the underlying medical needs of these children, and rather than looking deeper, the most common response is to prescribe powerful antipsychotic medications like Risperdal and Abilify,” Shanahan says.

“What if many of the behaviors we see in children with autism are actually the result of untreated medical issues like dysbiosis or metabolic dysfunction?” she asks, adding, “More and more physicians and families are stepping forward to say that autism is predominantly physiological, not psychological, and if that’s true, then we need to start by addressing the body, by treating the underlying medical conditions before we attempt to modify a child’s behavior.”

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