| Autism is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder that | | | | skills.02" |
| begins at birth or within the first two-and-a-half years | | | | 04. "Many studies conducted all over the world |
| of life.12It is a spectrum disorder (Autistic Spectrum | | | | targeting humans and animals have shown that scalp |
| Disorder / ASD), meaning that it affects people | | | | Acupuncture is very effective in treating |
| differently. Some children may have speech, | | | | developmental and neurological diseases in children. |
| whereas others may have little or no speech.13 Most | | | | Research shows that the level of certain hormones in |
| autistic children are perfectly normal in appearance, | | | | the body and cerebral blood flow improves with this |
| but spend their time engaged in puzzling and | | | | type of treatment.06" |
| disturbing behaviors which are markedly different | | | | 05. "In that study, the researchers used body |
| from those of typical children. Less severe cases | | | | acupuncture for a longer period than the current |
| may be diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental | | | | study. Concluding that there was significant speech |
| Disorder (PDD) or with Asperger's Syndrome (these | | | | improvement in 12 of the studied (out of 13) CP |
| children typically have normal speech, but they have | | | | subjects.07" |
| many "autistic" social and behavioral problems).12 | | | | About the Herbal Therapy: |
| | | | | 01) "Herb Bacopa has been used in several cases of |
| Its cause is still a mystery, neurological studies seem | | | | Autism with positive effects 08" |
| to indicate a brain dysfunction.01The basis of the | | | | 02) "Two chemicals in Bacopa Herb, bacosides A and |
| disorder may be neurochemical, neurotransmitters, | | | | B, improve the transmission of impulses between |
| neurobiological (genetic basis), neuropsychological or | | | | nerve cells in your brain. These bacosides regenerate |
| neurophysiological (dysfunction of complex | | | | synapses and repair damaged neurons, making it |
| information processing).02 | | | | easier to learn and remember new things. Bacopa |
| | | | | also increases level of serotonin, a brain chemical |
| In Autistic / ASD patients the transmission of | | | | known to promote relaxation. The herb's ability to |
| impulses / signals (i.e. information processing) | | | | boost brain function while reducing anxiety may |
| between nerve cells in the brain can not process | | | | explain why it helps treat ADHD, ASD". There was |
| properly or neurons (nerve cells) can not establish | | | | significant improvement in Verbal learning, Memory |
| their accurate coordination accordingly between | | | | consolidation, Early information processing09" |
| each other to connect the neural circuit through its | | | | 03) "Herbs Gingo bilobaimproves blood supply to the |
| rich neural network. Therefore, due to this reason | | | | brain and also increases the rate at which information |
| autistic / ASD children sufferer develop various | | | | transmitted at nerve cells.10" |
| problems. | | | | 04) "The reconstruction of neuronal networks in the |
| | | | | damaged brain is necessary for the therapeutic |
| Autism /ASD is characterized by deficits in language, | | | | treatment of neurodevelopmental-degenerative |
| social communication, symbolic or imaginative | | | | diseases. Herb Ginseng showed potent regeneration |
| play,03cognition and less or no eye contact.Children | | | | activity for axons and synapses, and amelioration of |
| with autism / ASD usually have secondary problems | | | | memory impairment. Also showed neurite extension |
| in behaviour including aggression, irritability, | | | | in normal and damaged cortical neurons. Trigonelline, a |
| stereotypies, hyperactivity, negativism, volatile | | | | constituent of Coffee Beans demonstrated the |
| emotions, temper tantrums, short attention span and | | | | regeneration of dendrites and axons, in addition to |
| obsessive-compulsive behavior.02 | | | | memory improvement.11" |
| | | | | Ref: |
| But, the good news is that there are now a wide | | | | 01. |
| variety of treatment options which can be very | | | | 02. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2001;187 |
| helpful. Some treatments may lead to great | | | | (Supp1):S329-330 "Can Acupuncture of the help |
| improvement. Now, Autism is treatable.04In such | | | | Autism?", Wong V., Sun JG., Division of |
| condition, acupuncture along with herbal therapy is | | | | Neurodevelopmental Pediatrics, Department of |
| highly effective. Excellent results are being achieved | | | | Pediatrics, The University of Hong Kong, Proceedings |
| through simultaneous application of Acupuncture and | | | | of 17th World Congress of Neurology (June 17-22, |
| Herbal Medicine in the cases of ASD / Autism and | | | | 2003, London, United Kingdom). |
| Cerebral Palsy in different countries of the world. | | | | 03. Ref: The Journal of Alternative and |
| | | | | Complementary Medicine, Volume-14, Number-2, |
| There are several research papers, articles etc. that | | | | 2008, "Scalp Acupuncture Effect on Language |
| has been published all over the world about the | | | | Development in Children with Autism", H. ALLAM, |
| efficacy of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicines. Below | | | | M.D., 1 N. G. ElDINE, M.D.,2 and G HELMY, Ph.D.1, |
| are some of the mentionable quotations / | | | | 1Complementary Medicine Department, National |
| statements, cited from those documents in favour | | | | Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt, 2Phoniatric Unit, |
| of effectiveness of these methods of treatment. | | | | Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University , Cairo, |
| About the Acupuncture Therapy: | | | | Egypt. Presented at the International Congress on |
| 01. "The use of Acupuncture in neurological and | | | | Complementary Medicine Research, Munich, Germany, |
| developmental disorders has been increasing lately to | | | | May 11–13, 2007. |
| a great extent. The World Health Organization | | | | 04. Autism Research Institute-USA. |
| (WHO) reviewed and standardized scalp Acupuncture | | | | 05. Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature. World Health |
| (to treat neurological and developmental problems) in | | | | Organization (WHO), Regional Office for Western |
| 1984. In 1988, the WHO published the first standard | | | | Pacific, Manila, Philippines, Part 2, rev ed., 1991:11.) |
| pamphlet on scalp Acupuncture.05" | | | | 06. Acupuncture Research Journal-1996;21:7–9, |
| 02. "Better cognitive (speech, memory, and calculation | | | | TCD observation on cerebral blood flow dynamics: |
| stimuli) performance achieved by the latter group | | | | Inference of cerebral palsy with scalp therapy [in |
| was due to the added effect of the acupuncture | | | | Chinese]. Xiang L, Wang H, Li Z.) |
| sessions, which increased the blood-flow velocity to | | | | 07. Abstracts ICMART 2005;107–108, |
| the brain.03" | | | | "Acupuncture treatment of cerebral palsy and speech |
| "The majority had functional improvement of various | | | | disorders" Fiala P, Stepanka R., Charles University, |
| degrees, depending on the age and severity of their | | | | Czech Republic. ) |
| disabilities. Some improvement was noticeable within a | | | | 08. Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Fact Sheet. |
| few Acupuncture sessions.03" | | | | 09. Neuropsychopharmacology (2002) "Effects of |
| 03. "Acupoints on the scalp and body have been | | | | Bacopa on Human Memory" S. Roodenrys, D. Booth, |
| found effective for treating children with brain | | | | S. Bulzomi, A. Phipps, C. Micallef and J. Smoker, |
| dysfunction, resulting in improvement in the patient's | | | | Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, |
| overall functional abilities.02" | | | | Woolongong, Australia, Psychopharmacology – |
| "In a revolutionary new treatment, our research | | | | 2001; 156: 481- 484, "Chronic effect of an extract of |
| team has demonstrated for the first time in a clinical | | | | Bacopa on cognitive function in healthy normal human |
| trial how acupuncture can successfully improve the | | | | subjects" C. Stough, J. Lloyd, Australia.) |
| dysfunction related to autism, by activating vital | | | | 10. Dr. Simon Yu, Prevention & Healing Inc. St. |
| connections in the brain.We hypothesize that | | | | Louis. USA. |
| repetitive stimulation of specific acupoints can | | | | 11. Neurosignals 2005;14:34-45, "Search for Natural |
| reconnect the neural circuit through its rich neural | | | | Products Related to Regeneration of the Neuronal |
| network to the cerebellum. Improvement may result | | | | Network" C. Tohdaa, T. Kuboyamaa,b, K. Komatsua,b |
| through the resignaling of the neural circuits via | | | | ; aResearch Center for Ethnomedicines, Institute of |
| neurotransmitters, like serotonin / 5-HT, dopamine | | | | Natural Medicine, and b21st Century COE Program, |
| and neurochemicals like cortisol. This reconnection of | | | | Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, |
| the cerebellar-frontal-temporal circuits may reverse | | | | Toyama, Japan.) |
| the basic dysfunctional pathways in autism, including | | | | 12. What is autism? Autism Research Institute |
| attention, emotion, or hyperactivity, and open up a | | | | –San Diego, CA, USA. |
| positive road for learning communicative or cognitive | | | | 13. |