Helicobacter Pylori and Autism – What Tests to Perfom

autism — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 07:55:58 +0000

In the first video, I have talked about Helicobacter Pylori, or what is called H. Pylori, and what it does. There’s a number ways of testing for H. Pylori. The most common test that most doctors will run is something they call an H. Pylori antibody test where they look at what are called antibodies, these immune protiens that are generated by our immune system to the presence of an infection, whether it’s a bacteria or a virus. The most common one that is done by most labs is called an IGG antibody to H. Pylori. The problem with that is that IGG is only indicative of exposure to H. Pylori, doesn’t really give you any idea if there is an active infection, so even with that test you still have to correlate it to symptoms. Some labs will also do an IGA and an IGM antibody to H. Pylori, but often times you have to request. Those are important because IGM is actually a marker of active immune activity or immune activity against an active infection, IGA is also part of the complex as well. IGA, IGM and IGG are the common bloodtests that are done for H. Pylori. There is also a breath test that can be done, difficult to do with kids, small kids particularly, so that’s not something that is often used in the pediatrics population, certainly not in the autism population either. Some of the labs are doing stool testing for H. Pylori and are looking for what are called antigen staining or an antigen test.

One of the labs I use is called biohealth diagnostics and they have a panel called 401 which is a stool pathogen panel that when you add the H. Pylori component to it, it’s called the 401 H, it not only becomes a great test for parasites, looking for things like giardia, cryptosporidium, blastocystis hominis, entamoeba histolytica but it also has a stool antigen test for H. Pylori and that if a stool antigen is present, it’s a very good evidence that H. Pylori active infection is present. I often will do that, as an add-on stool test for kids on the autism spectrum to look for the presence of H. Pylori and also to look for the presence of other parasites that maybe missed by other stool test. Those typically are the major tests that are done; the blood testing, the breath testing and the stool testing. The ones that are most common in the autism community would certainly be doing stool testing and the blood testing as well. I realized with some small kids its difficult to get blood and again, if your doctors only gonna run H. Pylori IGG, in my experience that’s not going to be enough, they need to at least do the IGM, the IGA antibody and better than that, will be to add a stool H. Pylori antigen test as well.

Organic Acid Test For Autism

autism — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:40:22 +0000

The organic acid test is a urinary profile that is run from a lab called Great Plains Labs. It is one of the first things I do in my practice to help assess yeast and bacterial problems. The organic acid test also evaluates other metabolic issues, what are called inborn errors of metabolism, or can also pick up on function vitamin and nutrient deficiencies so it is an important test to run. Since the organic acid test is a urine test, it is easier to run than other tests. The two markers that are very important to evaluate in children with Autism are yeast and bacteria. Yeast is a very common problem for kids with Autism. Children with Autism can be greatly affected neurologically by yeast markers on an organic acid test. One in particular is called arabinose which is a byproduct of candida. Arabinose can greatly impact neurological function particularly manipulation of various chemicals in the brain that can affect attention, focusing, it can create problems behaviorally, where kids become more agitated or irritable, sometimes can cause silly, goofy, giddy, behavior or inappropriate laughter. Many kids with Autism who have elevated yeast markers on an Organic Acid test can become more stimmy. Whether it’s visual stimming, physical stimming or just higher sensory needs, becoming more sensitive to sounds, light, or need more pressure, whatever it may be, yeast can be a factor. Bacteria markers on an organic acid test can also be problematic. And we are talking about intestinal yeast and intestinal bacteria. One particular type of bacteria that is evaluated on the organic acid test is called Clostridia. There are many types of clostridia and the specific marker on the organic acid test, called the HPHPA marker, helps to identify the presence of clostridia bacteria. Many kids who have problems with clostridia have the opposite issues as with yeast. Many kids who have high clostridia markers on the organic acid test can be more irritable, agitated, can be aggressive and sometimes self injurious. They are just more agitated whereas yeasty kids tend to be goofy, giddy or silly. Once in a while you can have a child with a real bad yeast issue who can be irritable. The issue is when you have both markers present on the organic acid test. When you have both yeast and bacteria the picture can get a little blurry and it is not a real text book case presentation. The organic acid test is important to delineate between the two. It also becomes important in determining how to treat, whether you are going to treat with anti-fungals, herbs, supplements, or go after clostridia with antibiotics and more specialized probiotics. The organic acid test should be considered a first line diagnostic tool. It is generally easy to obtain because it is a urine test. And I think you will find it to be a very important tool in the overall biomedical assessment of your child.

Autism Recovery Treatment » Testing

Helicobacter Pylori and Autism – What Tests to Perfom

Recommended Reading

Organic Acid Test For Autism

Recommended Reading