Speaking of high fevers, Autism, "cures" | Autism PDD
Payne started having febrile seizures when he was teething and his fever spiked...that was the beginning of the decline.
Hmm.. the article did not work on my computer anyways, i think I may have a firewall blocking it, unauthorized site, and fear of virus contamination (computer, not myself, like your article talks about)
I just wonder, does an NT and AS/ASD kid act the same as far as being sick? I know when I was sick I acted like any other SICK child would. Of course I think not having any energy for stiming and whatever else can contribute. I also understand that some beleive a specific virus or illness in infancy may have caused their childs autism. I hope someday this and other issues are checked out more carefully, especally someday when detection tests become avalible (and some already are, at least on a genetic level, its another thing to isolate environmental factors which may encourage the genes expression)
I remember we discussed this question once since I joined the forum in January. I remember reading that article. It does seem like a real phenomenon.
I haven't heard of high fevers causing autism, although an extremely high and prolonged fever can certainly cause brain damage. Maybe someone else knows of some research in this area.
I have heard other parents saying that when their child has a fever he has language spurts. it definately is a strange phenomenon and could have metabolic reasons behind it. It is definately something to be researched.
other parents who notice the same.
My son has had 9 febrile seziures since 1 years old.. always had some type of fever with out any other sympomons it was very weird would always take him tothe doctor and they would say virus nothing we can do about it.. I always felt there was more going on..oops sorry the link didnt work.
I have been reading a few articles about how ASD children can seem "cured" or act almost normal when running a high fever. I can vaguely recall this in my son, too. Not sure if this is real or not, but I am wondering if anyone else has noticed this?
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1374/is_1_59/ai_53536 208
Also, my son had Hands, Foot, Mouth disease at about 5 months old - do you think there could be a relation to high fevers in infancy & Autism? Has anyone ever heard of such a link? Thanks!
I have been wondering about this as well. My daughter had viral pnuemonia at 15 months with HIGH fevers. But she also had DTAP shot ten days prior to that. After recovering from that, she never seemed the same. I look back at photos and can see a difference in her eyes. I'm not sure if it was the illness or the shot, or the combo, but I know there is a doctor that believes that viruses can cause autistic-like symptoms. I read about this in Jenny McCarthy's book. Very interesting. The link is:
Payne had his boosters 2 WEEKS before his seizures started, but they said (and I believed them) that his teething (4 at the same time) caused a fever spike. He hasn't done that since until he lost all 3 front teeth to get 3 more at the same time AGAIN.
My ds has not had many high fevers. One that was about 102 when he was about 10 weeks old, along with horrible-smelling poops that lasted for about 10 days. They did all sorts of testing (try getting a poop sample from a 10-week old - it is NOT fun!). Nothing.
We noticed him being more intense and sensitive from birth. He did not get any shots until he was about 12 weeks old (due to the illness). He progressed seemingly fine for a long time after that - just more sensitive to noise and more intense/observant than other kids.
Anyway, he has had one high fever in the last three years - when my dh was away and both kids had ear infections. It was his first ear infection ever (he's only had a total of two) and it was a DOUBLE, massive ear infection. I was up all night with both kids and dh was gone on a business trip for the weekend. I did make it through the weekend, thankfully. I was NEVER so glad to see my husband - althoug I basically handed him our daughter (who was about 16 months old at the time) and said "Welcome home. Glad you're back. I'm going to sleep now!"
I haven't seen any improvements when my ds has had high fevers. But, that's what's so interesting about kids on the spectrum - every child is different! But among some, there are definite patterns...
Sarah has never had a fever over '99 and her doctor is totally perplexed as to why..but I really watch her because even at at '99 temp she can be really sick. She is actually extremely healthy compared to her older sister that got sick constantly. Sarah has been on antibiotics only once in her life. Thanks, Norway Mom, It was scary - but he is healthy now (whew!).Tash - Interesting theory. Very interesting. He really didn't eat at all for about three days... Maybe that would make a difference with his stimming (the diet, I mean).
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[QUOTE=moderngnome]I thought of this thread this Week. Bug got a horrible virus, and had a high fever for four full days (at 103, 104 and even 105)...
He was mostly sleepy and had no appetite.
This was totally my son to.
My son just had a 106 fever about 2 weeks ago, and was even in the ER because of it. He sure didnt act normal. He was screaming bloody murder and all he did was want to lay down. He had no appetite whats so ever and even had to be put on ivs to get fluids in him :(
3 days later he was running around stimming and making the his normal sounds he normal does. At first sometimes those sound get annoying but I sure was happy when I heard them again. I thought to myself my kids back YAHOO.
He was mostly sleepy and had no appetite.
I did not notice any language improvement - or any changes in him at all...
Until the fever finally broke for real today - and today he is stimming. I never thought of him as a kid that really stimmed - but he does. His stims are mainly RUNNING THROUGH THE HOUSE. He runs and runs and runs. AND... He makes noise constantly. You could sort of say it is like a car noise (and could be confused for such, since he loves cars and brings one nearly everywhere we go) - but sort of a sound that he makes like a cross between a toy car noise and a beat box noise.
He has been running and making noise all day today.
So, the fever stopped him from stimming - which, in a more affected child, would probably be even more noticeable. (Of course, he was just wiped out from the fever - whenever it would go up, he would sleep and sleep - man I just hate when they are sick!).
Oh, separately - he had Bacterial Meningitis as a newborn - high fever - infection - loads of IV antibiotics. I've been told that there is no relation between that and the PDD-NOS - but who really knows? The sensory (spinal taps), the Antibiotics (loads of high dose ones) and the inflamation/particles/any of that could have been a trigger, huh?
I don't know about fevers but my daughter's speech delay was almost nonexistant coming out of anesthesia. It was eery.
moderngnome --
105 degree fever -- yipes! I'm glad Bug is finally feeling better.
It could be just diet related, as sick kid simply would not eat as usual, or not at all, which probably blocking some foods that can contribute poor concentration, foggy mind etc...
My son has been on gfcf diet for a couple months and has made a really good language progress...
My son almost never has a fever and has neverr had one over 102. I don't know. my 2 year old doesn't run fevers either as a rule never over 101. [QUOTE=dapperma]Now I tend to disagree with the high fevers - but again this is just my opinion. With having twins I do compare alot and wonder why one is ASD and not the other. Of course, they are not identical and being told that having fraternal twins is the same as having two separate births but.....
Both boys were brought up the same. Had all their shots at the same time. My ASD son really never had high fevers compared to his brother who is not on the spectrum. His brother can easily run 104-105 with the same illness his bro had who only ran temps of maybe 101-102. [/QUOTE]
Dapperma,
I have seen the same with my twins. My NT son R just "runs hotter" than my ASD son C. R sleeps on top of his covers with just a sheet, wants to wear shorts and a tank top all winter (we're in Chicago) and hates to wear a jacket no matter how cold it is out. My ASD son burrows under a pile of blankets and will ask for a sweatshirt if he's cold and in the winter bundles himself up like nanook of the north while I'm trying to convince my NT son to please zip his winter coat when it's 20 degrees out.
When they get sick, R's fever is always 2 - 3 degress higher than C's. C has never had a fever above 102, where we've had R up to 104.5 before.
Funny I remember this discussion to so here is my answer yes I thinked my sons high fevers contributed to his autism but I don't think they were the only cause. He was hospitalized 9 times before 18 months because of viral infections, resp. infections, etc. all with a fever anywhere from 100 to 105. Usually which weren't brought down right away. When he had fevers he was very lethargic and spent most of his time on IV"s and living in the hospital sleeping.Now I tend to disagree with the high fevers - but again this is just my opinion. With having twins I do compare alot and wonder why one is ASD and not the other. Of course, they are not identical and being told that having fraternal twins is the same as having two separate births but.....
Both boys were brought up the same. Had all their shots at the same time. My ASD son really never had high fevers compared to his brother who is not on the spectrum. His brother can easily run 104-105 with the same illness his bro had who only ran temps of maybe 101-102. In matter of fact, his non-asd brother has been hospitalized for high fevers.
In reference to talk spurts - I never really noticed any speech progress with fevers but again my ds was 50% behind at 3yrs. I can't offer any wisdom there.
[QUOTE=carolc8632]I have heard other parents saying that when their child has a fever he has language spurts. it definately is a strange phenomenon and could have metabolic reasons behind it. It is definately something to be researched. [/QUOTE]
Its funny Kane has had a fever this weekend and has learnt some new words! he has about 8 words but he can count to 10 really easily but while he was sick which suprised me, he came out with 11, 12 and 20 YAY! but i really dont know if it was the fever! oh and he was looking at a book and my hubby and i nearly fell off our chairs he said octopus, pengin and noodles he hasnt said them since so i dunno if it was a fluke or what maybe it was his fever!
I will keep an eye on him next time he has one!
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