tic people physically but also mentally. It helps the child learn better by reducing stereotypic behavior and increasing attention span (Autism zone, treatment:Physical exercise). There is also nutritional intervention which is also under estimated in effectiveness. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, and vitamin C help increase oxygen utilization in the brain and may be beneficial in autistic children. There also seems to be a malabsorption problem that involves an increased permeability of the intestines. Therefore, proteins that typically pass through the intestines without being absorbed tend to get absorbed in the intestines of autistic children. This can cause problems when the proteins break down to metabolites in the blood as well as increasing the incidence of food reactions (food sensitivity and food allergy). For example, casein in milk can break down to casomorphine in the blood, which can act like a narcotic. It is thought that some of the behavioral abnormalities in autistic children result from the effects of the casein metabolites. Gluten is another potential culprit and thus many autistic children are placed on casein-free and gluten-free diets, and many improve. Urinary peptide tests now can be used to detect these metabolites and determine which children should most appropriately be placed on restrictive diets. On those diets, the children often improve and become more coherent and in tune with the world around them (Autism zone, treatment:Nutritional Intervention). The last treatment is the use of drugs. Drugs can be used to alter the behavior of anyone and that includes the autistic. The only problem is that with an autistic person, sometimes the drug can have adverse affects that were unknown prior to the administering of it. Severe, irreversible damage may be the result, or the drug may do exactly what it was supposed to or nothing at all. Most of the time drugs can be effective, but they will not cure ...
