Comments on: Chelation Study Put on Hold

By: Sherry M

Sherry M — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:29:37 +0000

I am new to the community of parents who are trying to help thier Autistict children. My son is condidered highly functioning but still has many difficulties to overcome. I am finding it hard to believe how divided the community is on the subject. I expected to have to fight ignorance and judgmental behavoir from the rest of world in regard to helping my son, but I have to say that I never expected the level of anger and animosity I have found within this community. I don’t see adults working together for greater good of the children. All I hear from both sides of the community is this constant us versus them mentality that frankly has me bewildered and puzzled.
If we can’t have rational and supportive discussion amoung ourselves what are the chances that we will ever be able to affect real and lasting change for our children? We don’t have to agree on every issue but I don’t think we need to verbally attack each other and further the rift. I don’t know how much Merucury or metal poisoning contributes to Autism. I am not ready to say that I believe vaccines made my son sick. I think there are many other factors involved Diet, genetic predisposition, environmental factors, medical issues not yet identified, but I can’t ignore the fact that his spiral began after having several shots at once. I don’t think the vaccines caused his autism but I think they may have been the final straw in a complex medical and genetic situation that already caused him to be vulnerable to autism. Having said that I guess I am just overwhelmed in my pursiut to help him. It is hard to know which direction to take when both sides are so busy arguing and are ignoring that both sides have produced results. I don’t know what to do at this point.

By: Dan

Dan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:43:30 +0000

I agree that the death of anyone,especially children is a very sad thing. But at least the doctor was trying to help, not harm the boy. My thought is that the strength of the EDTA was to strong for a small boy and was given in to short a time for his body to adjust to the chelation chemicals. Yes the Dr. should have been more careful. An adult treatment takes 3 hours or so. How many Doctors can say they have never made a mistake? Thousands die in hospitals every day and doctors rarely get sued. But keep this in mind. Chelation Therapy is not only in the spotlight, It is under direct attack by the very medical professionals who should be doing all they can to see if this treatment will HELP their patients regardless of the monetary loss to their practice of dispensing drugs for every ailment under the sun. I am an ADVOCATE for Chelation Therapy. I am not a health professional, but I have a non-medical opinion. It is NOT for everyone, and it will not make anyone live forever. It MAY help when the underlying cause of ill health is caused by circulation problems. Think plaque. And the problems it causes, heart attack, stroke loss of limbs from diabetes, etc. Now think Clear arteries. It doesn’t take a doctors training to see what that can do for your health. You all have a brain, use it! Find out about the people ahead of you that took the chance to ENQUIRE! Don’t think your Dr. doesn’t consider his own knowledge of ALL the world’s medical treatments to be so superior to yours, that you don’t have any say so in what treatment you are entitled to. There are THOUSANDS of people all over the world that take chelation therapy and are healthier because of it. You don’t think so? I invite you (DARE YOU!) to visit any clinic anywhere and sit in the treatment room (in a nice easy chair) and talk to the people getting this treatment. You keep an open mind and listen to what you hear. Talk to the patients, not the doctor selling the treatment. You think the patient will tell you a fish story? Ask them how much it costs, nay sayers say “Thousands”. What does a bypass cost? Or an amputation and are you healthy afterwards? EH? Any doctor that tells you it doesn’t work, ask him or her how many treatments he has given that it didn’t work? Keep in mind that the NIH study is not over yet. Let it run it’s course, then see what NIH has to say. And some doctors who have a hell of a lot of money to lose will bad mouth it to death regardless of whatever good things come out of this study. Only a fool would expect 100% cure for all things for every patient. Tell me if the drugs you are taking are a cure for Your health problems. Just so we understand each other, I have taken around 70+ chelation treatments and unless they are made completely unaccessable, I intend to take at least one a month for the rest of my life. I am 73 of age, work out at the “Y” every day, hike in the woods and dance my legs off. After a stent was put into my heart 5 years ago, (90 % blockage), I started researching options and started chelation 4 years ago. My ultrasound six months ago indicates I now have 5-15 % blockage. Not bad! It’s been reported 20 patients have died from chelation. “Oh, Really?” And that’s over in 50 YEARS since it’s been around. And how many die every day from prescribed drugs, or surgery? Twenty or so, you think? Look into chelation and make your own decision or Enjoy your Bypass!

By: Chelation Study Called Off

Chelation Study Called Off — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:04:54 +0000

[...] in July, a study on chelation as a treatment for autistic children was put on hold due to safety concerns. Now the National [...]

By: Regan

Regan — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:15:33 +0000

Chelation study ‘called off’ LeftBrain/RightBrain

By: Regan

Regan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:52:54 +0000

The full text of the Science article The referred to paper that ostensibly halted the trial, Stangle, D.E., Smith, D.R, Beaudin, S.A., Strawderman, M.S., Levitsky, D.A., & Strupp, B.J. (2007). Succimer Chelation Improves Learning, Attention, and Arousal Regulation in Lead-Exposed Rats but Produces Lasting Cognitive Impairment in the Absence of Lead Exposure. Environmental Health Perspective, 115, no. 2, February 2007

By: Regan

Regan — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:37:47 +0000

If you get Science, there’s a good article.

Science 18 July 2008:
Vol. 321. no. 5887, p. 326
DOI: 10.1126/science.321.5887.326
News of the Week
MEDICINE:
“Stalled Trial for Autism Highlights Dilemma of Alternative Treatments”
Erik Stokstad

By: Pressure to Study Chelation?

Pressure to Study Chelation? — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:07:18 +0000

[...] the July 14th Nature is an article about the NIMH chelation study that was put on hold due to safety concerns. NIMH director, Thomas Insel, M.D., says that, due to [...]

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 23:54:55 +0000

There’s no scientific basis for chelating autistic children, not for “autism” specifically.

Reports about the effects of chelation tend not to note what other therapies (such as educational programs) that a child is in, and that might also be helping the child. (Would be glad to read reports that do; am looking.)

By: HCN

HCN — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:37:06 +0000

Still, there is a risk. This is why that for lead poisoning the level of lead in the blood has to be a certain minimum to risk using DMSA (and even more to risk EDTA).

Also studies of the stuff for lead poisoning show that chelation does not repair neuro damage:
pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/114/1/19

“Results. Chelation therapy with succimer lowered average blood lead levels for ~6 months but resulted in no benefit in cognitive, behavioral, and neuromotor endpoints.

Conclusion. These new follow-up data confirm our previous finding that the TLC regimen of chelation therapy is not associated with neurodevelopmental benefits in children with blood lead levels between 20 and 44 µg/dL (0.96–2.17 µmol/L). These results emphasize the importance of taking environmental measures to prevent exposure to lead. Chelation therapy with succimer cannot be recommended for children with blood lead levels between 20 and 44 µg/dL (0.96–2.12 µmol/L).”

and:
w w w .pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1241834&blobtype=pdf

“Although succimer lowers blood lead in moderately lead-poisoned children, it does not have a beneficial effect on growth and may have an adverse effect.”

By: Sarah Cook

Sarah Cook — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:48:09 +0000

Most drugs have side effects. I had to put my child on the antibiotic for an ear infection. The list of possible side effects were very scary. This is one of the most prescribed drugs to children.

Using the logic that “the human tendency is to see improvement” fails to explain why all the other drugs, supplements and diets on the survey didn’t show the same positive results.

I really hate to sound like an argumentative person. This is a very serious subject and should be based on facts not bias.