tookec asked this question on 5/4/2000:

We are looking at a very possible diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome for our 13 yr. old son. He was diagnosed with ADHD at age 4 and has been on a variety of meds since that time, and is now on Adderall. The therapist we're working with thinks he seems many characteristics often associated with Asperger's. In reading an article in the May 9 issue of "Woman's World" magazine, I came across an article about using vitamins and minerals (B-complex, chromium, magnesium, fish oil, and flaxseed oil) to treat Asperger's. This vitamin/mineral therapy is apparently being studied by the Autism Research Institute. Does anyone have any information about this, including studies, dosages, etc? I am very open to trying this regime, but I need to know dosages. Thanks so much!

jillyk gave this response on 5/5/2000:

My son has AD/HD + conduct order, we have tried the fish oil etc, alas to no success. Research all you can to start off with, be warned that a lot of the publications out now are extremely anti psychiatry and depends on personal opinion and hearsay. Aspegers syndrome is a form of austism, and as far as I can ascertain there is no cure for a chemical imbalance of the brain. Of course the decision to follow you heart for the best possible for you or son is understandable and admirable. If you want I can write in more detail about aspergers syndrom let me know if you would like to know more about this. All the best :)Jill.

tookec asked this follow-up question on 5/5/2000:

Jill, where did you find the information regarding the vitamins and minerals? How much was your son taking, and how long did you try this approach? I know there's no cure for a chemical inbalance in the brain, but I know that the inbalances can be helped via medications (e.g. prozac to raise the seratonin, etc.), so I'd like to at least give this a try. We've gone through a lot of different meds in trying to treat the ADHD; some were more effective than others, but all with side-effects. I haven't found any information regarding a pharmaceutical approach to dealing with Asperger's, everything I've read to date really addresses behavior modification. I'm interested in trying a nutritional approach to augment the behavioral therapy. Thanks!

jillyk gave this response on 5/6/2000:

Ok, go to a homeopath and present them with the knowledge of your sons condition, my son was on 6 fish oil and multivitamin supplements a day.. it got up to 12 fish oil tablets. We tried this for 4 months, and it did little to change my sons behaviour, we were also overdosing him on mitamihns, as the diet he was on was extremely well balanced and he was receiving all the mineral and vitamins he required. In my sons case it was not appropriate to continue on this trial, and we reverted back to medication, so go to a herbal store with an expert or a homeopath and see if they cannot construct a regime of diet and vitamin supllement for you.. I question the benefit of behaviour modification an Asperger's syndrome is a form of autism and behaviour modification for the autistic is an extremely difficult thing to achieve. My sister's boyfriend has a 15 yr son with aspergers.. he was adamant he could not go to the funeral of a relative as he had no present to bring, rational thought and justification of such thought is seldom experienced in the child with aspergers.

I am sorry I have not been able to help you to much with the diet aspect, perhaps if your get in touch with a nutritionist, they might be able to suggest any other food that you might not have heard about before that may be beneficial to your son. :)Jill. feel free to write.

tookec asked this follow-up question on 5/6/2000:

Thanks for the follow up. Our son isn't severely AS, just enough AS to be "quirky" and really struggle socially. In her book, "Pretending to be Normal," Liane Holliday Willey (AS person who is a doctor of education, writer, researcher, wife, mother . . . ) notes that AS people can learn social behavior, much in the same way one would learn a foreign language. It doesn't come naturally, but it can be learned. That's our thoughts re: behavior modification. Also, part of the behavior modification revolves around modifying the behavior of the people around our child, to better accommodate his AS. We are going to get a complete workup for him (neurological, psychological, etc.) in the next few weeks at a psychiatric facility near our home. I will talk with the therapists there about a nutritional approach, as well as discussing this with our pediatrician. After that, I may seek out a homeopath . . . I'll play that by ear. Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions! I'd be interested to hear from others out there who've tried a nutritional approach.

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