The Multiple Causes and Novel Treatment of Autism

Introduction

Autism is not the result of a single cause but rather the convergence of multiple biological, environmental, and toxicological stressors. Toxic metals, such as mercury and lead, interfere with brain development by disrupting glutathione-dependent detoxification pathways. Prenatal exposures—including mercury from maternal dental amalgams, industrial air pollution drifting from Asia, and methylmercury in fish—are consistently linked to higher autism risk. Medications also play a role: antidepressants like Prozac or Zoloft taken in pregnancy, as well as acetaminophen (Tylenol), have been associated with higher autism rates in some studies.

At the same time, immune dysregulation and oxidative stress are nearly universal findings in autistic children. Dr. Jill James’ work showed that autistic children often have depleted glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, making them less able to neutralize toxins. Vaccine-related injuries and infections may further exacerbate this imbalance in susceptible children.

Finally, nutritional deficiencies—especially magnesium, folate, and vitamin D—worsen the body’s resilience, while modern lifestyles (processed food, chronic stress, antibiotic overuse) undermine detoxification and gut health. Together, these factors create a “perfect storm” that pushes too many children toward regressive autism. We present vaccines last because of the ongoing vaccine war. In the middle of this extensive presentation on autism are novel treatments that the medical-industrial complex should seriously consider if it is interested in helping the autism community. Unfortunately, the pharmaceutical industry is more concerned with money and power than with children.

All the Talk is About Tylenol – Nothing Said About Mercury

The news is full on about Tylenol but it is highly doubtful that Tylenol is the only cause of autism spectrum syndrome and a whole list of other common mentally debilitating problems in children though for sure it could be a key factor, not only because of its own severe toxicity on the liver but the complications it causes in terms of the body’s ability to eliminate mercury toxicity, which is a huge problem in the human biosphere. That aside, it seems that the press and the government are mentally incapable of addressing the epidemic of autism in an intelligent way. The mainstream says the causes of autism are not known, and genetics play a key role, as you will hear in the totally untrustworthy press. But there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic unless you want to count mRNA vaccines.

Doctors claim to be baffled by the cause of autism, either because they are absolute idiots or they just do not want to know, because it seems clearer than ever that baby doctors, pediatricians, are one of the principal causes of autism. As President Trump says, “They pump so much stuff (vaccine chemicals) into those beautiful little babies. “It’s a DISGRACE. It looks like they’re pumping into a horse.” The president appears to be more knowledgeable than vaccine experts (which isn’t hard). Pediatricians are medical terrorists who attack babies. Trump said, “We want no mercury in the vaccines. We want no aluminum in the vaccines.” And that is the short list of the nasty, poisonous chemicals in vaccines. Though we will get to environmental causes, another major factor, the bottom line, doctors are poisoning babies while thinking they are doing them a favor, while making a lot of money doing it.

In the U.S., acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose alone is one of the leading causes of emergency room visits and acute liver failure and death. Estimates range from 70,000 to 80,000 ER visits per year, with thousands of hospitalizations. “The danger is that there isn’t much difference between a safe, effective dose and a toxic dose. Just a doubling of the maximum daily dose can be enough to kill, warns Dr. Anne Larson of the University of Washington Medical Center. The other problem is that if you have no food in your stomach, or if you have alcohol in your system, or worse yet, both (not relevant for your kids unless they’re teenagers, but think about that Tylenol you took for your hangover last month), the regular dosage can be toxic because of the overload to the liver.”

Tylenol (acetaminophen) depletes glutathione (GSH), the liver’s primary antioxidant and detox molecule. GSH depletion increases oxidative stress and reduces the body’s capacity to neutralize mercury. Mercury exposure (from environmental or medical sources) requires GSH conjugation for detoxification. When GSH levels are low, mercury accumulates in tissues, including the brain, thereby intensifying oxidative stress and impairing neurodevelopment.

This convergence of Tylenol-induced GSH depletion and impaired mercury detox may increase vulnerability to conditions such as autism spectrum disorders. Thus, the use of Tylenol (especially repeated in infants/children) could lower the body’s ability to excrete mercury, thereby heightening oxidative stress. So, JFK Jr. is not out of his mind making a connection between Tylenol and autism. Since acetaminophen metabolism utilizes GSH, frequent dosing may leave less available for mercury detoxification, especially in individuals already burdened by mercury or those with low antioxidant levels.

Yet until now, mentally handicapped medical experts and health agencies worldwide have not linked Tylenol with autism. And still not a word is mentioned about mercury. In fact, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists both endorsed using acetaminophen during pregnancy this month. So much for medical intelligence. The medical press jumps for joy when it can misinform the public and lead mothers to do the wrong things. The FDA is playing it cautiously, encouraging pregnant women to use Tylenol and generic acetaminophen “judiciously.” And the press has nothing better to do than make fun of Trump’s inability to pronounce acetaminophen. Pathetic does not quite cover it.

Glutathione Deficiency and Autism

Dr. Jill James of the University of Arkansas School of Medicine[i] has documented a unique metabolic profile in 95 autistic children with regressive autism. Regressive autism is a form of the disease in which children develop normally for a certain period before losing previously acquired language or behaviors and being diagnosed with autism. The metabolic profile in the James study children manifests as a severe imbalance in the ratio of active to inactive glutathione in autistic children, compared to a group of healthy control children. Glutathione, a potent antioxidant, is the body’s most important tool for detoxifying and excreting metals, and its production in the body is dependent on good nutrition.

The James study shows that children with regressive autism have consistently elevated levels of oxidative stress as compared to normal healthy children. Individuals with reduced glutathione antioxidant capacity will be under chronic oxidative stress and will be more vulnerable to toxic compounds that act primarily through oxidative damage, including mercury.

The recent inclusion of leucovorin (folinic acid) in HHS autism guidance is a quiet but profound admission that autism involves deep biochemical dysfunction, not just behavior. Leucovorin bypasses blocked folate receptors, which are common in autistic children, and restores folate flow into the brain, where it fuels methylation and glutathione synthesis. This is critical because glutathione is the body’s master detoxifier, essential for neutralizing oxidative stress and excreting toxic metals like mercury. By endorsing leucovorin, the government is effectively validating two decades of independent research showing that autism is linked to redox imbalance and impaired detoxification, confirming that antioxidant defenses and heavy-metal vulnerability must be taken seriously.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics also undermine the body’s ability to eliminate mercury, although through a different route. Medical scientists tell us that antibiotic use is known to almost completely inhibit the excretion of mercury in rats due to alterations in gut flora. Antibiotics interfere with the gut microbiome, which normally transforms and helps excrete methylmercury into stool. When antibiotics suppress these microbes, fecal mercury elimination decreases and tissue retention increases. Together, Tylenol and antibiotics can impair two of the body’s primary detoxification pathways—glutathione conjugation and microbial fecal elimination—making mercury more likely to accumulate and cause neurological harm.

The weight of evidence supports mercury as a biologically plausible contributor to autism risk—especially in high-exposure settings (air toxics, diet without protective nutrients, multiple maternal sources such as amalgam) and in children with vulnerable terrain—but results vary by exposure form, timing, and cofactors (nutrition, co-exposures). The most cautious stance is to minimize prenatal Hg exposure while ensuring nutritional sufficiency (e.g., fish choices lower in Hg).

Antidepressants and Autism

Recent research shows that maternal use of antidepressants—particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro—during the year before delivery is linked to a higher risk of autism in children. These drugs alter serotonin signaling, a key pathway in fetal brain development, and may contribute to oxidative stress and abnormal gene expression. While some debate remains over whether the increased risk stems from the drugs themselves or the underlying maternal depression, the association is strong enough that prenatal antidepressant exposure is now recognized as a significant environmental risk factor for autism.

Environmental Causes

Large population studies in California first flagged a link between ambient metals (incl. mercury) around the birth residence and higher autism odds. Children with autism disorders in the San Francisco Bay Area were found to be 50% more likely to be born in neighborhoods with high amounts of several toxic air contaminants, particularly mercury, according to a first-of-its-kind study by the California Department of Health Services. The new findings, which surprised the researchers, suggest that a mother’s exposure to industrial air pollutants while pregnant might increase her child’s risk of autism.

By the 2020s, the scientific literature had substantially strengthened the associations between mercury exposure and chronic disease. For example, a 2021 meta-analysis of 14 cohort studies (over 34,000 subjects across 17 countries) found that mercury exposure is significantly linked with increased risk of ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular mortality. A 2024 meta-analysis covering 52 case-control studies comparing Alzheimer’s disease patients versus controls showed that circulating mercury levels are significantly elevated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) cases. In addition, recent reviews have identified 16 new epidemiological studies in the last 5 years alone that document an association between mercury exposure and elevated blood pressure and hypertension. A 2025 umbrella review concluded that higher Hg exposure is associated with increased risks of several adverse child outcomes, including autism spectrum disorders.

Have you heard one word in the news about mercury
and autism and other developmental diseases?

Why Is Autism So High in California

Natural mercury releases (from volcanoes, weathering, and oceanic sources) are estimated to be 500–800 metric tons/year. During the 1800s Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic emissions from coal mining, gold mining, and industry increased significantly. By the late 19th century, emissions were reported to be between 2,000 and 3,000 tons/year, with coal burning and artisanal gold mining as the primary drivers. In recent times, with China, India, and others in the Far East building coal-fired plants as if there were no tomorrow, mercury pollution has surged. On paper, global mercury emissions appear “flat” since 2000 (hovering officially around 2,000–2,200 metric tons/year), but that doesn’t line up with the massive build-out of coal-fired power in China and India.

A large share of Asian emissions (coal, industry, and gold mining) rise into the atmosphere, bind to particulates, and are carried by the jet stream across the Pacific. Studies show that approximately 30–40% of mercury deposition in the U.S. West Coast originates from Asia, meaning California is directly impacted. This trans-Pacific mercury is converted into methylmercury in aquatic ecosystems, where it bioaccumulates in fish and birds, and is also found in the bodies of little children and their pregnant mothers. China just posted its highest-ever monthly coal burn.

California now reports the nation’s highest autism prevalence, with boys especially affected—roughly one in 12.5, according to the FDA. This staggering rate can’t be separated from California’s unique exposure to mercury: a third or more of the state’s mercury fallout arrives by jet stream from Asia’s coal and industrial boom, settling into ecosystems and food chains where it becomes methylmercury. With pregnant mothers and young children among the most vulnerable, the collision of rising toxic burdens with fragile biology offers one explanation for why autism is so alarmingly high in California.

Birds Suffer Too

“In the Sierra Nevada’s eastern riparian zones, field work shows that insect-eating songbirds like Western Wood-Pewees and others accumulate elevated mercury in their blood—mercury mobilized by forest fires, legacy mining, and atmospheric deposition. For example, studies in the Walker River Basin found mercury in bird eggs, tissues, and aquatic prey downstream of historical mining zones. These findings establish that mercury burden in those ecosystems has long been elevated, supporting the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to environmental mercury from air, soil, water, and food could contribute to higher rates of autism in those regions.”

Studies on songbirds have shown that even low levels of mercury pollution can cause profound harm. Field research in Virginia found that Carolina wrens exposed to mercury had a 34% drop in nesting success, while laboratory work with zebra finches showed that dietary mercury, at levels similar to those in the environment, cut reproductive success by up to half. Other studies have revealed that songbirds in mercury-contaminated areas develop simpler, shorter songs, indicating neurological damage that affects vocal learning. Together, these findings confirm that mercury exposure disrupts both reproduction and brain function in birds—an ominous parallel to its impact on human neurodevelopment.

Autism is upon us because it’s the outcome of the 50-year experiment of dousing
every living being with an overload of toxic substances, including vaccines.
Dr. Gregory Ellis

Yeast and Fungal Infections and Autism

The extensive use of antibiotics will exacerbate the condition of Candida because it reduces heavy metal excretion, a crucial food source for the yeast-like organism, and also kills the beneficial bacteria simultaneously. Dr. Elmer Cranton says that “Yeast overgrowth is partly iatrogenic (caused by the medical profession) and can be caused by antibiotics and cortisone medications. A diet high in sugar also promotes overgrowth of yeast. A highly refined and chemicalized diet now common in industrialized nations not only promotes the growth of yeast, but is also deficient in many of the essential vitamins and minerals needed by the immune system. Chemical colorings, flavorings, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc., add more to stress on the immune system.”

Children with autism had significantly (2.1-fold) higher levels of mercury in their baby
teeth but similar levels of lead and similar levels of zinc. Children with autism also had
significantly higher usage of oral antibiotics during their first 12 to 36 months of life.[ii]

In 2005, a study implicated the antibiotic Augmentin in the formation of autism. The study strongly suggests the possibility of ammonia poisoning as a result of young children taking Augmentin. Augmentin has been used in children since the late 1980s to treat bacterial infections.[iii]

Mercury-Containing Dental Amalgam

In September of 2020, the FDA found that certain groups may be at greater risk for the potentially harmful health effects of mercury vapor released from the device. As a result, the agency recommends that individuals in certain high-risk groups avoid receiving dental amalgam whenever possible and appropriate.

These groups that may be at a greater risk for potential harmful health effects include:

• Pregnant women and their developing fetuses;
• Women who are planning to become pregnant;
• Nursing women and their newborns and infants;
• Children, especially those younger than six years of age;
• People with pre-existing neurological disease such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, or Parkinson’s disease
• People with impaired kidney function; and
• People with known heightened sensitivity (allergy) to mercury or other components of dental amalgam.

The dentists over at the American Dental Association (ADA) reaffirmed their position that dental amalgam is a “durable, safe and effective” restorative material in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s statements that existing evidence shows that dental amalgam is not harmful to the general population. It’s one of many reasons I insist that the FDA is a medical/pharmaceutical terrorist organization.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), about 28–34 tons of mercury enter dental offices in the U.S. each year, primarily for amalgam fillings. Of that, roughly half goes directly into patients’ mouths, inches from their brains, as restorations (≈ 14–17 tons annually). The rest becomes dental office waste—some is captured, while the rest ends up in wastewater and incinerators.

Mercury vapor from amalgams is continuously released, especially with chewing, hot drinks, or grinding teeth. This exposure adds to the body’s mercury load, which—combined with industrial emissions and food chain contamination—helps explain why vulnerable groups (pregnant women, children, those with poor glutathione status) are at higher risk for health effects, including possible links to autism, neurodegeneration, and cardiovascular disease. In other words, insane U.S. dentists still implant 14–17 tons of mercury every year directly into people’s mouths, and they and their dental hygienists pay a high price.

Dentists who place amalgam fillings and their dental assistants are regularly exposed to mercury vapor. Studies have shown that these professionals have higher body burdens of mercury, which correlates with a greater risk of neurological symptoms, tremors, mood disorders, kidney dysfunction, and reproductive issues.

Importantly, several occupational health studies from the 1980s through the 2000s have documented elevated suicide rates among dentists, especially those working with amalgam. The mechanism is thought to involve mercury-induced neurotoxicity and mood instability, as mercury is known to disrupt neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. Dental assistants, who often handle amalgam without the same protections as dentists, also face increased risks of depression, chronic fatigue, autoimmune conditions, and memory problems.

It is the inability to see the effects of chronic, low-level toxicities on human
health that has been, and remains, our greatest failing as intelligent beings.
Dr. Boyd Haley

For a decade and a half, Dr. Boyd Haley, a renowned former chairman of the chemistry department at the University of Kentucky, has long warned us about mercury contamination. Haley’s chelator NBMI is astonishing and should be near the top of protocols for cancer and neurological patients (think autism, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease) and for anyone who has had mercury fillings in their mouths, as well as for those who live downwind of coal plants, town incinerators, and crematoriums. NBMI crosses the blood-brain barrier and removes heavy metals from the brain, bones, and other tissues. The best source of NBMI is here.

Magnesium is one of the body’s most essential minerals, acting as a cofactor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions. Its influence stretches from energy production to neurotransmitter regulation, making it particularly relevant in the neurological, metabolic, and detoxification challenges faced by autistic children. Multiple studies have shown that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have lower red blood cell magnesium levels compared to neurotypical controls, suggesting chronic insufficiency at the cellular level even when serum levels appear “normal.”

Neurological and Behavioral Functions

Magnesium stabilizes the excitatory–inhibitory balance in the brain. It regulates NMDA receptors, helping to prevent overstimulation by glutamate, a common finding in autism linked to hyperactivity, anxiety, and seizures. It also plays a synergistic role with vitamin B6, and this B6–B6-magnesium pairing has been studied since the 1960s for improvements in sleep, irritability, stereotypy, and social engagement in children with autism. Magnesium is also critical for GABA function, the primary neurotransmitter responsible for calming, making it indispensable for reducing neurological hyperexcitability.

Detoxification and Oxidative Stress

Magnesium is essential for glutathione synthesis, the body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier. Glutathione depletion is one of the most consistent biochemical findings in autism. Without adequate magnesium, the methylation and transsulfuration pathways cannot function optimally, weakening the ability to detoxify heavy metals such as mercury and lead. Since oxidative stress is a key driver of neuronal damage in autism, ensuring sufficient magnesium is one of the simplest and most direct strategies for protecting the brain.

Gastrointestinal and Absorption Challenges

Many autistic children have gastrointestinal dysfunction—ranging from leaky gut and inflammation to chronic constipation. These conditions impair magnesium absorption when supplements are given orally. Historically, DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) protocols often recommended small oral doses (e.g., 50 mg twice daily), but these amounts are now widely recognized as inadequate, particularly for children with absorption problems. Modern biomedical and functional medicine practitioners frequently recommend weight-based dosing (around 5–7 mg/kg/day) and often combine oral, transdermal, or topical routes to bypass the gastrointestinal tract.

Recommended Strategies

• Oral magnesium (e.g., citrate, glycinate, malate) can be effective if tolerated, though high doses may worsen diarrhea.
• Transdermal magnesium chloride—via sprays, baths, or lotions—offers a powerful alternative for children with gut issues, ensuring steady absorption without gastrointestinal side effects.
• Intravenous or intramuscular magnesium is sometimes used in clinical settings for acute agitation, seizures, or cardiac irregularities, but this requires medical supervision.
• Combination with Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine or P5P) enhances effectiveness, particularly for behavioral and neurological outcomes.

Clinical Outcomes

Parents and clinicians frequently report improvements in sleep, anxiety, attention, language, and motor coordination when magnesium supplementation is optimized. Magnesium also supports cardiovascular stability, reducing arrhythmias and regulating blood pressure, which is increasingly relevant given the overlap between autism and mitochondrial/cardiovascular vulnerabilities.

Current Understanding

Deficiency is common: Numerous studies report that children with autism often show lower serum, erythrocyte, or hair magnesium levels than neurotypical peers. Magnesium deficiency worsens hyperactivity, irritability, anxiety, and sleep problems, all common in ASD.

Mechanisms: Magnesium stabilizes NMDA receptors (preventing excitotoxicity), supports glutathione production (critical for mercury and toxin detox), regulates GABA/glutamate balance, and is required for over 300 enzymes, including those tied to methylation and energy metabolism.

• Current supplement recommendations:
• Oral forms (magnesium citrate, glycinate, malate) are commonly used in ranges of 3–6 mg/kg/day, which for a 25 kg child translates to ~75–150 mg elemental magnesium daily.
• Higher intakes are sometimes used under medical supervision, especially in children with seizures or significant constipation.
• Transdermal/topical magnesium (magnesium chloride oil, baths, creams) is increasingly used to bypass gut malabsorption. While controlled trials are limited, parent reports and small clinical studies suggest better tolerance and improved outcomes (less hyperactivity, better sleep, calmer mood).

Magnesium is not just supportive—it’s foundational. For autistic children, who often have gut absorption challenges, exclusive reliance on oral forms may indeed limit benefits. A combined strategy—oral plus topical/transdermal—appears most effective in clinical practice. And given magnesium’s low toxicity, optimizing intake is far safer than under-supplementing.

Present recommendations typically sit around 3–6 mg/kg/day orally, but for many autistic children, topical/transdermal magnesium is a critical addition to ensure therapeutic levels—especially when chelation, oxidative stress, or seizures are in play.

When dealing with autism spectrum and other neurological disorders in children, it is important to know the signs of low magnesium: restless, can’t keep still, body rocking, grinding teeth, hiccups, noise sensitive, poor attention span, poor concentration, irritable, aggressive, ready to explode, and easily stressed. When it comes to children today, we need to assume a large magnesium deficiency for several reasons.

1. The foods they are eating are stripped of magnesium because foods in general are declining in mineral content in an alarming way.
2. The foods many children eat are highly processed junk foods that do not provide real nutrition to the body.
3. Because most children on the spectrum are not absorbing the minerals they need, even when present in the gut. Magnesium absorption is dependent on intestinal health, which is compromised totally in leaky gut syndromes and other intestinal problems that the majority of autism syndrome disorders.
4. Because the oral supplements doctors rely on are not easily absorbed, because they are not in the right form, and because magnesium in general is not easily administered orally.

Magnesium protects cells from aluminum, mercury, lead, cadmium, beryllium, and nickel, which explains why re-mineralization is so essential for heavy metal detoxification and chelation. Magnesium protects cells against oxidative damage and assists in the absorption and metabolism of B vitamins, vitamin C, and E, which are essential antioxidants in cell protection.

Glutathione synthetase requires glutamyl cysteine,
glycine, ATP, and magnesium ions to form glutathione.

Data demonstrate a direct action of glutathione, both in vivo and in vitro, to enhance intracellular magnesium, as well as a clinical linkage between cellular magnesium, GSH/GSSG ratios, and tissue glucose metabolism. Magnesium deficiency causes glutathione loss, which is not affordable for children on the autism spectrum.

Magnesium protects the brain from the toxic effects of chemicals. It is highly likely that low total body magnesium contributes to heavy metal toxicity in children and is a strong participant in the etiology of learning disorders.

“For every molecule of pesticide that your body’ detoxifies, you throw away or use up forever, a molecule of glutathione, magnesium, and more,” says Dr. Sherry Rogers, who goes on to say that, “Your body uses nutrients to make this glutathione, and it uses up energy as well. Every time we detoxify a chemical, we use up, lose, throw away forever, a certain amount of nutrients.” According to Dr. Rogers, there is as much as a 500-fold difference in the ability of individuals to detoxify the same chemical or heavy metal. Magnesium, selenium, and N-acetylcysteine) can strengthen antioxidant defenses for autistic children.

New Therapies to Explore Starting with Lithium

Given that several studies have established a link between neuroinflammation and the neurodevelopmental disorder autism, daily intake of low-dose, or essential, lithium appears to be a particularly promising approach. This trace element reduces inflammatory processes, especially neuroinflammation, by inhibiting a key signaling mediator in inflammatory pathways. Lithium is a mineral found in the best spring waters, and in very high doses, is commonly used for bipolar disorder and sometimes in treatment-resistant depression.

At these doses, lithium helps to:

• Reduce manic episodes and stabilize mood swings.
• Protect neurons (it has neuroprotective effects, enhancing gray matter volume in certain brain regions).
• Lower suicide risk—long-term lithium therapy is one of the most effective interventions for suicide prevention in psychiatry.

At low nutritional doses (such as lithium orotate supplements), some researchers suggest that it may support cognitive function, emotional balance, and neuroprotection, although these uses are less established in mainstream medicine.

Chronic inflammation in the brains of autistic patients, resulting from an overactive immune system, is a sign of autoimmunity. The inflammation indicates that the brain is responding to a process that is stressing or damaging brain cells, a process that includes high levels of oxidative stress. Molecular hydrogen (H2) serves as a potent protector against oxidative stress, inflammation, and allergic reactions. H2 reduces the strong reactive nitrogen species peroxynitrite (ONOO-) as well as hydroxyl radicals (OH), but not nitric oxide radical (NO).

Oxidative stress plays a central role in autism, as many studies show children on the spectrum have higher levels of free radicals and reduced antioxidant defenses compared to their peers. This imbalance damages cell membranes, mitochondria, and neurons, disrupting brain signaling and development. Elevated oxidative stress not only worsens inflammation in the brain and gut but also amplifies the behavioral, cognitive, and metabolic challenges seen in autism, making antioxidant support a key therapeutic target.

Carbon Dioxide and the Brain

CO₂ is a natural product of metabolism and is normally removed by breathing. In the brain, CO₂ levels directly influence blood flow: high CO₂ (hypercapnia) dilates cerebral vessels, thereby increasing blood supply; low CO₂ (hypocapnia, often caused by over breathing or anxiety) can reduce blood flow. Abnormal CO₂ regulation has been linked to changes in pH, neurotransmitter activity, and cellular stress, all of which may impact brain function.

Some studies show children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may have atypical breathing regulation, sometimes linked with altered CO₂ sensitivity. Hypocapnia (low CO₂ from rapid breathing) can lead to changes in calcium balance, blood flow, and neuronal excitability.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is found in a subset of autistic children. Because mitochondria produce CO₂, altered function could theoretically impact CO₂ homeostasis in tissues. There’s emerging interest in controlled CO₂ exposure or bicarbonate therapy (since bicarbonate is the buffer partner of CO₂) to normalize physiology.

CO₂ physiology is underexplored in autism, but it sits at the intersection of breathing, metabolism, and cellular stress — all areas where autistic individuals can exhibit differences. Some integrative practitioners argue that restoring respiratory balance and CO₂ tolerance may improve calmness, blood flow, and even behavior. For example, Buteyko breathing techniques (designed to raise CO₂ tolerance) are sometimes explored in ASD and anxiety, though data are limited.

Abnormalities in CO₂ regulation, breathing, and acid–base balance may contribute to symptoms or severity in some individuals. This area warrants further research, particularly since CO₂ plays a fundamental role in brain and body function. Though used in medicine for 125 years, carbon dioxide inhalation might offer relief from symptoms.

Under clinical conditions, low oxygen and low carbon dioxide generally occur together. Therapeutic increase of carbon dioxide, achieved by inhaling this gas diluted in air, is often an effective means of enhancing blood and tissue oxygenation.

Some autistic children show reduced perfusion in certain brain regions. Oxygen therapy, in theory, could increase the availability of oxygen. Mitochondria produce ATP and CO₂. In dysfunction, oxygen utilization is impaired. Extra oxygen might partly support energy metabolism. Both Hyperbaric and Normobaric treatments are being explored for anti-inflammatory or redox effects, though paradoxically, high oxygen can also generate oxidative stress. That is why Normobaric (only available in Europe) beats hyperbaric because it combines high levels of oxygen, under pressure, with hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Mieko Hester-Perez, who went public on television about giving medical marijuana to her autistic son, Joey. She says it saved his life! Knocking on death’s door, 10-year-old Joey Perez was slowly dying. The potpourri of prescription medications he’d consumed since the age of five had damaged his body beyond repair – the side effects were literally killing him. Joey was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old. At one point, he was taking six different medications – up to three times a day. As a result of the side effects, Joey became malnourished and was diagnosed with anorexia. Every day, his condition got worse. His eyes were sunken in, and you could easily see all the bones in his chest. He was refusing to eat.

At the end of his allopathic treatments, his medical prognosis was a high probability of death within six months. Today, Joey is thriving, and his mother has been on The Good Morning Show to share that the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana saved her son’s life. “Although medical marijuana is not known to be a cure for autism, it has been proven to facilitate ‘life’ for my son and has ushered him into his most progressive developmental period ever.

Today, at the age of 11, Joey is flourishing with new communicative expressions. He has gained over 40 pounds and is happier, healthier, better-behaved, and more productive than ever before. Before we began to give him treatments of oral marijuana, he was a danger to himself and others. He had suffered from anxiety, OCD, and aggression since an early age. At the age of five, Joey was prescribed the first of many ineffective, harmful medications. The medications he was prescribed at that time worked for about a year, but Joey refused to eat, and that was the beginning of their story. As a result of the serious side effects, Joey became malnourished and was diagnosed with anorexia. It was the famous marijuana brownies that saved my son’s life, and it was the doctors and their pharmaceutical medicines that almost killed him.

“It seems to me if one is going to need to use drugs, one ought to consider a relatively safe drug, like marijuana,” said Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., formerly of the Autism Research Institute. “The reports we are seeing from parents indicate that medical marijuana often works when no other treatments, drug or non-drug, have helped.”

Writing in Neuroendocrinology Letters and the European Journal of Pharmacology, Dr. Ester Fride of the Behavioral Sciences Department of Israel’s College of Judea and Samar says, “A role for the endocannabinoid system for the human infant is likely.” She notes that in animals, the endogenous cannabinoid system fulfills several important developmental functions, including embryonal implantation (which requires a temporary and localized reduction in the production of the endocannabinoid anandamide), neural development, neuroprotection, the development of memory and oral-motor skills, and the initiation of suckling in newborns.

Dr. Fride strongly recommends the use of cannabinoids in pediatric medicine. She notes that “excellent clinical results” have been reported in pediatric oncology and in case studies of children with severe neurological diseases or brain trauma, and suggests that cannabis-derived medicines could also play a role in the treatment of other childhood syndromes, including the pain and gastrointestinal inflammation associated with cystic fibrosis.

Steve Davis concluded, “Medical marijuana helped their daughter calm down, have a better appetite, and relate emotionally in a warm and caring way, not typical of severely autistic children. Not only that, it was less expensive and far more effective than the pharmaceutical medicines it replaced.”

Vaccines We Save for Last Because of the Vaccine War in Progress

The vaccine question remains a key sticking point, as everyone who is paying attention to the news knows. No matter how many children are harmed by a vaccine, they will say they have an excellent safety record. Vaccines are one among many toxic insults children must face.

Over 300 pages of evidence from the CDC show that vaccines cause autism. Recently, Steven Kirsch received a treasure trove of documents from a source inside the CDC, “showing they’ve known for over 20 years that Dr. Wakefield was right: vaccines cause autism. These documents have never been made publicly available. The documents include voice recordings, emails, hand-written notes, diagrams, and data. The often-repeated claim that “vaccines don’t cause autism” is quite simply inconsistent with this evidence, which can be authenticated. This is a huge scandal, and our kids have been paying the price for decades, all because the CDC doesn’t want to publicly admit they were wrong.”

Dr. Paul Offit, one of the leading vaccine experts in the world, says vaccines are violent, and they are.

“Vaccinations aren’t easy. This isn’t an easy thing to do. We ask a lot of our citizens. To get as many as 26 inoculations in the first few years of life, and five shots at one time. It’s hard to do that, especially given that vaccination is a violent act; you pin the child down, and you give them this biological agent against their will. The biological agent generally isn’t understood well by the parent, and to some extent, not understood all that well by the physician.” –Dr. Offit

Infants Who Receive Multiple Vaccines at Once at ‘Exponentially’ Greater Risk of Disease, Developmental Delays: Karl Jablonowski, Ph.D., senior research scientist at Children’s Health Defense (CHD), and Chief Scientific Officer Brian Hooker, Ph.D., analyzed 20 years’ worth of data from 1,542,076 vaccine combinations administered to infants under age 1. The data, collected from July 1, 1991, to May 31, 2011, were obtained from the publicly available Florida Medicaid Database, which contains over 460 million billing claims from more than 10 million individuals.

Overall, they found that as the number of shots given to infants during a single doctor’s visit increased, the number of developmental respiratory or infectious disease diagnoses within 30 days of the shots increased exponentially. Each additional shot more than doubled the number of those different diseases diagnosed.

Dr. Richard Halvorsen, the author of the book, The Truth About Vaccines, said: “Thimerosal is an extremely toxic substance and a known poison to the brain. There is enough convincing evidence linking Thimerosal with developmental disorders and learning problems in individual children to warrant its removal from any childhood vaccine.” Kennedy just recently banned thimerosal for all fifty states, but the experts, who enjoy poisoning kids, complained bitterly.

It is essential to note that mercury has been used in vaccines since the 1930s. It was an American company, Eli Lilly, that developed Thimerosal and sponsored its use for many decades, even though they knew it was dangerous from the very beginning, after everyone in the first medical study died. Mercury can compromise the health of anyone—adult or child—being a heavy metal and potent neurotoxin. One needs an atom bomb to get that into the heads of vaccine proponents.

According to Dr. Garry Gordon, one of the founders of chelation therapy, “There are children getting autism who did not receive injectable mercury.” Dr. Raymond Palmer, of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, has studied the contribution of the huge tonnage of mercury being put into the atmosphere and found, in studying school districts in Texas, that, “On average, for each 1,000 pounds of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43 percent increase in the rate of special education services and a 61 percent increase in the rate of autism.”

“Mercury alters biological systems due to its affinity for sulfhydryl groups, which are functional components of most enzymes and hormones. It induces a change in cell structure while disrupting critical electron transfer reactions, leading the cells to be perceived as foreign by the body’s immune defense and repair system,” wrote Dr. Rashid Buttar

The side effects that doctors have long known about, such as fever-caused seizures and occasional brain inflammation, are risks parents take every time they take their kids in for shots. “All health care interventions, however, carry the possibility of risk and vaccines are no exception,” said pediatrician and bioethicist Dr. Ellen Wright Clayton of Vanderbilt University.

The Amish do not have autism, some say, but even if there are some cases, it is at much lower levels than the general U.S. population. Their low vaccination rates, combined with reduced exposure to modern toxins and chemicals, make them a unique “natural experiment” in understanding how environment, lifestyle, and medicine intersect in autism risk.

There is little doubt that vaccines are dangerous (the American government pays out billions in vaccine damages). Most compensated cases involved damages resulting from the flu vaccine, particularly those that led to the paralyzing condition Guillain-Barré syndrome. It should come as no surprise that vaccines kill people because that is what medicine does as a matter of habit. There are constant reports from around the world about vaccines hurting people.

The title says it all. By the time you reach the final page of The Terror of Pediatric Medicine, which I wrote 22 years ago, you will understand that pediatric medicine is one of the worst things that has ever happened to the world of babies and young children. What is happening in the world of pediatric medicine should send a deep chill through the heart of every parent.

[i] James SJ, Cutler P, Melnyk S, Jernigan S, Janak L, Gaylor DW, et al. “Metabolic biomarkers of increased oxidative stress and impaired methylation capacity in children with autism” — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004

[ii] Toxicol Environ Health A. 2007 Jun;70(12):1046-51. Mercury, lead, and zinc in the baby teeth of children with autism compared to controls.

[iii] Medical Hypotheses, (2005 64, 312–315)