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| Foreword | |
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| Introduction: Coming to Terms with Autism | |
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| An Important Note to Readers | |
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| The Rise and Fall of the "Refrigerator Mother" Theory | |
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| Kanner's Diagnosis | |
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| The Refrigerator Mother Theory | |
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| Progress in Behavioral Intervention | |
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| Autism Isn't Purely Genetic | |
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| The Autism Epidemic | |
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| Concern in California | |
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| The Mind Institute Study | |
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| Diagnostic Substitution? | |
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| What about the Rest of the Country? | |
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| What about Other Countries? | |
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| Changes in the Diagnostic Criteria | |
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| Other Explanations? | |
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| The Hidden Horde Theory Refuted | |
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| California Update | |
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| The Autism Crisis | |
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| Autism Is a Disease, Not A Disability | |
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| Autism: An Environmental Illness | |
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| Disease, Not Disability | |
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| The Multiple Hit Hypothesis | |
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| Basics of the Immune System | |
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| The First Line of Defense | |
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| The Non-Specific or Innate Immune Response | |
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| The Antigen-Specific or Adaptive Immune Response | |
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| Antigen-Presenting Cells (APCs) | |
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| T-Cells | |
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| B-Cells | |
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| Th1 Vs. Th2 Response | |
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| Other Immune Cells | |
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| The Problem of Immune Dysregulation | |
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| Do Individuals with Autism Have Immune Dysregulation? | |
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| Excessive Inflammation | |
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| Autoimmune Reactions | |
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| Food Reactions | |
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| Abnormal Response to Infections | |
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| Measles and the MMR Controversy | |
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| The Epidemiology Wars | |
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| Biological Plausibility | |
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| Confirmation | |
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| Is Autism a Gut Disease? | |
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| Diagnostic Confirmation of Upper GI Disease | |
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| Abnormal Stools | |
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| Autistic Enterocolitis | |
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| Leaky Gut Syndrome | |
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| Intestinal Dysbiosis | |
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| Why Can't They Detoxify? | |
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| Detoxification 101 | |
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| The Methylation Cycle | |
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| The Importance of Glutathione | |
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| Impaired Methylation in Autism | |
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| Does Mercury Cause Autism? | |
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| The Mercury Cycle | |
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| The Toxicity of Mercury | |
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| The EPA Reports Concern about Mercury | |
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| Mercury and Autism | |
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| What is Thimerosal? | |
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| Thimerosal Studies | |
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| Further Evidence Against Mercury | |
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| Where Does Ethylmercury Go? | |
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| Is Ethylmercury as Bad as Methylmercury? | |
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| Cell Death in the Brain and the Immune System | |
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| Thimerosal Inhibits Glutamate Transport | |
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| Thimerosal Affects Nerve Differentiation | |
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| Can You Be Genetically at Risk for Thimerosal Injury? | |
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| Other Effects of Thimerosal on the Immune System | |
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| Thimerosal Inhibits Methylation | |
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| Thimerosal Depletes Intracellular Glutathione in Brain Cells | |
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| Other Effects of Thimerosal | |
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| Autistic Children and Mercury Exposure | |
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| Environmental Mercury Exposure and Autism | |
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| The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Report | |
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| Autism and the Brain | |
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| Neuroanatomy (Brain Structure) | |
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| Abnormal Neurochemistry | |
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| Seizures | |
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| Sleep Disturbances | |
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| The Autism Web-Making Sense of the Disease | |
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| Treating Autism | |
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| The Multi-Tiered Treatment Approach | |
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| Correcting Nutritional Deficiencies | |
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| Vitamins | |
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| Minerals | |
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| Omega Fatty Acids | |
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| Essential Amino Acids | |
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| Other Nutrients | |
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| Providing a Good Diet | |
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| Treating the Gut | |
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| Treating Dysbiosis | |
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| Digestive Enzymes | |
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| Fixing a Leaky Gut | |
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| Treating Constipation | |
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| Treating Reflux | |
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| Treating Autistic Enterocolitis | |
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| Detoxification | |
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| Preventing Oxidative Stress | |
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| Supporting the Detoxification Pathway | |
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| Removing Toxins | |
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| Treating the Immune System | |
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| Immune System Support | |
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| Removing Immune Triggers | |
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| Breaking the Inflammatory Cycle | |
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| Treating the Brain | |
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| Removing False Neurotransmitters and Neurotoxins | |
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| Modulating Neurotransmitters | |
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| Neurohormones | |
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| Supply the Brain with Oxygen | |
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| Treating Seizures | |
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| Lessons from Israel | |
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| Parent Ratings of Behavioral Effects of Biomedical Interventions | |
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| DSM III-R and DSM IV Criteria for Autism | |
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| Notes | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Acknowledgments | |
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| Permissions | |
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| Index | |
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| About Thoughtful House | |
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| About the Authors | |