OPINION
As I have often warned readers, always be wary of headlines proclaiming that “science says…” Too often such claims are more due to the febrile imaginations and desperate attention-seeking of a science-ignorant media. Scientists are not above making extraordinary claims that are far from justified by their studies. That’s especially true in medical science, which is rampant with fraud and deceit.
So, when the media are trumpeting an apparent stunning breakthrough in autism treatment, your bullshit detectors should be ringing loud and clear.
Severe autism can be reversed and symptoms reduced to an indistinguishable level, scientists have discovered.
Two non-identical twin girls in the US were found to have a level of autism at 20 months old that required “very substantial support”.
A groundbreaking trial saw their parents and a team of medical experts create a bespoke two-year programme of interventions designed to help the children thrive and flourish as much as possible.
Scientists say the programme was successful, with both girls undergoing “dramatic improvements” in the severity of their symptoms.
If true, this may be a genuinely groundbreaking finding. The girls were diagnosed with Level 3 ASD, the most severe level of the condition. That they were diagnosed so young testifies to the severity of their condition. That the girls were non-identical twins is also potentially important, as it means that they are not genetically identical and so the applicability of the treatment may be more widespread.
But it should also be borne in mind that autism presents in girls very differently than boys. In particular, the “classic” autism symptoms – severe deficits in verbal and nonverbal social communication skills, inflexibility of behavior, extreme difficulty coping with change, or other restricted/repetitive behaviors – are most prevalent in boys.
With those caveats in mind, though, what exactly did the therapists in the study try?
The twins underwent behavioural analysis, speech therapy and a strict gluten-free diet and nutrition programme as part of the trial to reduce inflammation [gastrointestinal inflammation is a “biomarker” of autism].
The diet was casein-free, a protein found in milk; low-sugar; had no artificial colours or dyes; zero ultra-processed foods; primarily organic; and locally sourced.
The girls were also given daily supplements for omega-3 fatty acids, multivitamins, vitamin D, carnitine, and others.
The results, they claim, were spectacular.
The progress of one of the girls, described only as Twin P, was heralded as “a kind of miracle” by one of the paediatricians. Twin P scored a 43 out of 180 on the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist scale in March 2022 and this was reduced to just four by October 2023.
“One of the twins’ symptoms were reversed to the point of being indistinguishable from children who had never had a history of autism symptoms,” Dr Chris D’Adamo, study author from the University of Maryland, told The Telegraph.
“This twin’s functions are comparable to those who never had an autism diagnosis.”
The other girl, known as Twin L, had more severe autism aged 20 months, scoring 76, and this was reduced to 32 a year and a half later.
“[This twin] improved dramatically, but not quite as much,” said Dr D’Adamo.
Although they are not using the term “cure”, the scientists are confident the improvements won’t be undone over time. This is because, they say, autism is a developmental condition.
“One can safely say that once they have overcome the developmental aspects of autism and returned to a typical developmental trajectory, they are very unlikely to exhibit the common symptoms of autism again,” said Dr D’Adamo.
“Symptoms that could return might be more along the lines of things like anxiety, gastrointestinal issues, sensory issues, but not necessarily the behavioural aspects of autism.”
The scientists also caution that theirs is not a blanket treatment or one-fits-all cure.
Writing in the study, published in the MDPI journal Sexes, the anonymous parents said they knew there would not be a “singular cure” to reverse the symptoms and instead the programme focused on alleviating the “total load” on the children.
“Despite sharing similar genes and identical conception, gestation, birth experience, and post-natal factors – as well as benefiting from consistent nurture, home environment and family dynamics – each daughter presented an ASD diagnosis entirely uniquely,” they write.
The treatment was therefore highly individualised – “following a nonconventional, holistic understanding of each daughter’s individual needs, exploring root cause and designing customised support”.
Whether the treatment regime – or customised versions of it – indeed turns out to be “a kind of miracle” cure, or not, depends on how successfully its results can be replicated.
