Magnesium Sulfate, aka. Epsom Salts have been around for a long, long time. We’ve used them for aches and pains, join aches after vigorous exercise or for a child who is feeling sick. When they have a cold or the flu, a nice warm bath with Epsom salts makes them feel better. Epsom salts has also been a remedy for constipation. You can take a can a little Epsom salts to help flush the bowels. As it turns out, Epsom salts are also a nice remedy for some children on the Autism spectrum. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. Magnesium is a mineral that is very relaxing to the body. Many people, particularly in the United States, have a deficiency in magnesium levels. That can contribute to sleeping problems, behavioral issues, cramping muscles and a tendency to just not feel well over all. Magnesium can be absorbed and can cause relaxation. If it is swallowed in bath water it can be beneficial for kids with constipation. The other component to Epsom salt is sulfate. Sulfate is commonly deficient in children with Autism. We can measure serum sulfate levels which most of the time are low. The biochemistry with kids on the Autism spectrum is quite unique and there are various deficits that happen where the sulfur chemistry becomes depleted. This is important because sulfur chemistry is deeply connected to detoxification. The detoxification system in our body is critical to rid the body of toxins and for many kids we know that toxicity is a big problem. Simply adding Epsom salts to your child’s bath can be a nice remedy not only to add magnesium but to add extra sulfate to their system as well. Normally you can add between 1 and 2 cups of Epsom salts. If you have never done Epsom salts, I would recommend 1/2 cup to their bath water for the first night. Some kids may have sensitive skin and may have some slight irritation but each night thereafter you can slowly increase the amount of Epsom salts depending on their reaction. On Average most kids in my practice use between 1 ½ to 2 cups of Epsom salts nightly, on occasion I have recommended 3 cups or more depending on their size and tolerance. Epsom salts is a nice remedy to add to your child’s bathwater at night, it can have a calming effect. Another thing to consider with respects to Epsom salts is that some kids have reactions to phenols. Phenols are chemicals in certain foods like dark fruits and vegetables. Phenol reaction for most kids can manifest as hyperactivity, irritability, agitation and a sense of being over excited with respects to behavior. We know that phenol sensitivity can also lead to headaches and psychiatric issues. A good example is artificial food colors. If you have seen your child have a behavioral problem after eating an artificial color you are likely seeing a phenol response. The chemical in the body that helps process phenols is sulfate. Through the sulfur chemistry system, if we add Epsom salts to the bath water at night we can start to increase the sulfate system in the body, improve the efficiency of sulfur chemistry and many times phenol sensitivities can be diminished. Think of Epsom salts as one biomedical remedy for your child simply by getting some Epsom salts from your local drugstore and adding it to their bath water on a nightly basis.