Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: alexbalex on 21/07/2013 22:35:17
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Hi, a friend of mine shared with me that his 4 year old boy has problem with speaking and socialising. He called it an autistic like condition. In his experience with doctors he didn't get a definitive diagnose, as he put it: "Doctors don't know". Eventually, he was led by Internet and some "open minded" medics to Gut and Psychology Syndrome conclusion. I heard about it for the first time from him. After quick search in the Science based medicine website it looked to me that this is just another alternative nonsense. My problem is how to break this to him. As far he is concerned he is trying to help his kid so there must be some very convincing reason to stop doing it. My question is: Is there a credible source of information that is scientifically shedding light on Gut and Psychology Syndrome? Are there any peer reviews?
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That the author claims to have trademarked the phrase " Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ " speaks volumes.
That the bacterial content of the guts of autistic children is different from normal children (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0068322) could be a consequence of their autism rather than a cause : their neurological dysfunction could affect bowel transit time (http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/bowel-transit-time) , which in turn affects the bacterial population in their stool.