Autism Autism is a developmental disorder that affects social skills, language/communication and activities/interests. It is often referred to as autism spectrum disorder because of the wide range of symptoms.

Children with autism may appear uninterested in other people and may not interact like others in their age group. They may avoid eye contact and often prefer to play alone. During conversations, autistic children may have difficulty interpreting gestures (like a smile or wink) or understanding how others feel. Some children don't want to be held or cuddled.

Researchers estimate 40 to 50 percent of children with autism don't speak. Others may experience delayed language development. Sometimes children repeat words or phrases they have heard (echolalia). Sometimes speech is very loud or soft. Autistic children may also dwell on a single topic of conversation.

Children with autism often prefer predictable order and become very upset when faced with changes in routine. Some perform the same behavior patterns over and over. Others may develop unusual behavior patterns, like rocking or hand waving.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 1 in 166 children in the U.S. have autism spectrum disorder. The degree of symptoms varies widely.

Traditional Treatment of Autism There is no cure for autism. Current therapies revolve around educational intervention, behavioral therapy and medication. Children usually show signs of the condition by three (although those with mild symptoms may be missed until sometime after entering school). Early intervention is recommended to increase the chance of being able to improve symptoms.

Many children begin therapy before they start school. The programs are tailored to the individual needs of each child. Children may receive help with social skills, speech and language development and behavior control. Sometimes medications are needed. Once the child enters school, educational programs can be structured to meet the needs of the child. Throughout the school years, children and their families may continue to benefit from counseling and other types of interventional programs.

Seeking Other Treatments for Autism: Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Investigators at Arizona State University are looking at two different ways to treat children with autism. One study involves the use of extra vitamins and minerals. Researcher Jim Adams, Ph.D. says preliminary studies show some children with autism appear to show an improvement in symptoms when given vitamin and mineral supplements. Now, investigators want to study the usefulness of vitamins and minerals in a larger group of children.

In the current study, 50 children with autism will be tested to measure levels of vitamins and minerals in the blood. The children will be compared to about 30 peers without autism. Then, for 16 weeks, half the children in the study will get a vitamin/mineral supplement and half will get a placebo. At the end of the study, doctors will measure levels of vitamins and minerals again to determine if supplementation was effective (i.e., were doses adequate and did the treatment result in positive behavioral changes?).

The results of the current trial won't be available until sometime next year. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements won't cure autism. However, researchers are hopeful the treatment will prove to at least improve behavioral, language or cognitive skills.

Chelation Therapy for Autism Chelation therapy is the use of drugs to eliminate toxic, heavy metals from the body. The treatment is currently approved to treat people who have been exposed to high levels of lead (like from lead paint). Some researchers believe children with autism lack the ability to eliminate heavy metals, like mercury, from their body, enabling toxic levels to build in the blood and brain.

Mercury exposure can come from several sources. Several years ago, mercury was used as a preservative in childhood vaccines. Mercury also was commonly used in dental fillings and could potentially pass from the pregnant woman to the fetus. Certain fish (like shark and swordfish) naturally contain high levels of mercury.

In a chelation therapy study, researchers will give children the medication, DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid). In the body, the drug binds to mercury, allowing the metal to be eliminated from the body in the urine. Treatment will continue for three months. Half the participants will receive the chelation drug and half will receive a placebo.

Chelation therapy is not an approved treatment for autism. Doctors are using DMSA off-label to find out if the treatment will benefit children with autism. Anecdotal reports from other investigators suggest many autistic children who receive chelation therapy experience a significant improvement in symptoms. About one-third of those treated fully recover (i.e., their symptoms are no longer obvious).

The current trial aims to study the effectiveness of chelation therapy in a larger group of autistic children. Side effects of the treatment can include rash, stomach upset, decreased platelet levels, and a slight risk of kidney or liver damage.

Some health experts warn chelation therapy isn't a proven therapy for autism and urge caution against its use. A few months ago, a five-year-old boy died while receiving intravenous chelation therapy with a different medication, EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid) for lead poisoning.

For general information about autism or autism spectrum disorders: The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, http://www.aacap.org Autism Society of America, http://www.autism-society.org Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, http://www.nichd.nih.gov National Institute of Mental Health, http://www.nimh.nih.gov National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, http://www.ninds.nih.gov