Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can turn your life upside down. Caring for a child with ASD affects everyone in your family and every corner of your life. The symptoms, the struggles…you’d do almost anything to make it better.
But with all of the models and tips on how to live easier with autism, what's really the best way to help a child live a more comfortable life?? The answer lies in the gut: Look for a way to balance their microbiome (the trillions of bacteria that live in their gut) and you will find a simple, safe way to improve symptoms and behaviors.
Changing the gut changes everything
Changing the microbiome makeup can have a profoundly positive and lasting effect on both physical issues and ASD behaviors. That includes:
- Reduced irritability
- More eye contact
- Better communication
- Fewer GI (gastrointestinal) symptoms
And thanks to a groundbreaking study, we know exactly how rebalancing the gut microbiome can help children with ASD.
Changes in Gut Bacteria Improve ASD Symptoms by 47%
A couple of years ago, a team of researchers looked into the connection between gut bacteria and ASD symptoms. They recruited 18 children with ASD, and rebooted their microbiomes completely in an 8-week clinical trial that included fecal transplant.
They found promising data that, by altering the gut microbiome, they were able to help improve GI and behavioral symptoms of ASD, including:
- 80% improvement in GI symptoms (like constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain)
- 24% reduction in CARS (Childhood Autism Rating Scale) scores
- decreased irritability
- reduced hyperactivity
- improved communication and socialization
- better daily living skills
- 4 year increase in developmental age
Those same researchers just published a two-year follow-up to that original study. It found that, not only did those improvements last for two years, they got even better:
At the two-year check back, CARS scores had decreased by an incredible 47%. And while almost all of the children scored in the severe range at the start of the original trial, 39% now placed in the mild to moderate range… and 44% scored below ASD cut-off.
On every single scale they looked at, they saw impressive improvements. That includes an average 2.5-year increase in developmental age.
Fixing GI Symptoms Makes Everything Better
Get this: People with ASD are at least four times more likely to suffer dysbiosis (a condition where the bad bacteria in the gut outnumber the good).
That’s why GI problems are so common in ASD. And when GI issues are worse, other symptoms and behaviors may intensify.
In fact, research shows that more intense dysbiosis is directly linked with regression – a situation when children with ASD lose communication and social skills.
Spore Probiotics Promote Positive Gut Changes
While fecal transplants may work for some, it's not always the best solution. (Stay tuned for an article about fecal transplants coming soon!)
But there is an easy, "everyday" way to rebalance the microbiome: Fixing the gut microbiome with spore probiotics! Taking a daily spore probiotic basically sends in beneficial bacteria to rebalance the gut, helping to relieve GI symptoms like:
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Bloating
- Gas
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Food allergies