Autism, Vitamin A and Vaccinations

From Dr. Chun Wong at NewAutismCure.com: A few weeks ago, I blogged about Vitamin D and how the rise in Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to the rise in autism, but vitamin D is not the only deficiency that has been linked to autism and some people are suggesting that a deficiency in vitamin A may be responsible. As I have said before, the Standard American Diet is not healthy and, although we may be eating a lot and filling ourselves up, many of us are actually malnourished because our diet does not contain enough of the essential nutrients that our bodies need to function properly and for our children to develop and grow correctly. Instead, our diets are high in sugar, fats, salt, and empty calories. However, low-fat diets can also be bad for us because by not eating an adequate amount of fat we may actually be causing our bodies to be deficient in vitamin A, which is found in foods like full-fat dairy foods, liver, and cod liver oil. 

Autism and Vaccines

In a study entitled “Is Autism a G-Alpha Protein Defect Reversible with Natural Vitamin A?”, Mary Megson, MD, a developmental pediatrician, argues that “Autism may be a disorder linked to the disruption of the G-alpha protein, affecting retinoid receptors in the brain” and that some cases of autism may be caused by “inserting a G-alpha protein defect, the pertussis toxin found in the D.P.T. vaccine, into genetically at-risk children”. This study also argues that the live viral measles vaccine (MMR) depletes a child’s existing supply of vitamin A and so has a negative impact on the retinoid receptors in the brain. Megson, in an article entitled “Autism and Vaccinations”, reports that this G-Alpha protein defect causes:-

• Night blindness
• Problems seeing light-to-dark shading
• Problems perceiving what they are seeing - Children try to make sense of things by lining up toys, sorting objects by color etc.
• Avoidance of eye contact - Megson believes that this is because the child is trying to get light to “land off center in the retina”.
• Hypersensitivity - A gentle touch can feel rough, common sounds can sound harsh.

Is Vitamin A the Answer?

Megson writes of how she has been treating autistic children effectively with cod liver oil, a source of vitamin A retinol, to “bypass blocked G protein pathways and turn on these central retinoid receptors”. She reports that there were marked improvements in the children in just a few days, including improved eye contact and better vision and perception. After two months of this vitamin A treatment, the children were given a single dose of a drug called bethanechol, to stimulate pathways. These children were then able to talk, laugh, focus and concentrate - a huge improvement! Research like this really does emphasize the need to give our children a nutrient-rich diet and to make sure that we make up for any potential deficiencies with supplements. Cod liver oil is great for children because it is a great source of vitamins D and A (deficiencies have been linked to autism), omega 3 essential fatty acids, and it also offers us the following benefits:-

• Improved blood flow
• Reduced risk of coronary heart disease
• Stronger bones and teeth
• Better vision
• Healthier skin
• Healthy Joints
• Healthy brain development

There are many different types of cod liver oil supplements available for children - syrups, capsules, chewy tablets, etc., so you’re bound to find one that your child likes and will take without any problem. You can read Dr. Megson’s article and study at:- http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/autism.html http://www.whale.to/vaccines/autism35.html