Description: As you might
expect, AntiVirals are drugs which work on helping your body rid itself of
viruses. Antibiotics work on bacteria, and generally work on a lot of different
bacteria. Antivirals are usually more targeted to specific viruses.
How does this fit into the alternative-medical treatment of
autism? Well, to quote one source:
Basically, I believe autism, for many children, is an infection that interferes
with the body’s ability to detoxify and causes a greater susceptibility to
environmental toxins.
The idea of the infection is rather vague and it ties into the rather vague
idea of "toxins" which comes up a lot in alternative medicine in general, not
just autism. It's always worth considering looking closer when language is
vague.
Much of the antiviral approach to autism focuses on herpes drugs:
acyclavir and valtrex. These work by keeping the virus DNA from replicating.
(Note, this means that for RNA type viruses, like measles, it doesn't work.
Just a hint--if someone is talking about using these antivirals for treating a
'suspected' persisitant measles infection, talk it over with another doctor)
It is very natural to read yahoo groups and other sites and filter out the
claims of success. But, if in any of the alternative medical therapies for
autism, antivirals are one of the top to make yourself use a very skeptical
eye. Search out the discussions that are hard to read. Unfortunately, you
won't have to search hard.
There is a very large, very active yahoo group centered on antiviral
therapies for autism. It is a difficult one to read if one is skeptical because
every day there are discussions of children reacting badly to these therapies.
The term seems to be "healing regression" or "yeast die off". As discussed on
the miscellaneous page, there is no yeast die-off. The reason for a "healing
regression" is poorly explained, if at all. They won't be quoted here, but
there are many reports of children going through extended periods of vomiting
using valtrex, just as one example of adverse reactions. Nausea and vomiting
are known side effects of these drugs. But, such events are usually called "die off" or "healing regression".
The idea of "healing regression" is, to a skeptical eye, very worrisome.
It's a game of chicken, where the benefits are totally unproven and the stakes
are a child's health and well-being.