About Autism and Mito

  YOUR ROADMAP TO THE SITE

STEP 1: Educate Yourself.  

•  Read about the connection between autism and Mito.
  
•  Read about three families' journeys from ASD to a mitochondrial disease
  diagnosis; their children's symptoms, testing, treatments and responses to a
  mitochondrial cocktail.
  
• Join our monthly call. (See below for details.)
  
• Listen to this 2009 recording of a lecture presented by Dr. Fran Kendall about the link between autism and mitochondrial disease.

STEP 2: Educate Your Doctor About Screening for Mitochondrial Diseases.

•  Have your doctor read the pediatric screening guide for an outline of symptoms.
•  Download Dr. Fran Kendall's brochure explaining the connection between ASD and mitochondrial disease and share it with your doctor to begin a dialog.
• Visit Dr. Fran Kendall's website to print the article "Bridging the Gap Between ASD and Mitochondrial Disease" and bring it with you to your next appointment.
• Direct your doctor to visit Dr. Fran Kendall's website  for an overview of the connection between mitochondrial disease and autism, symptoms, and Tier 1 and Tier 2 testing available.
• Suggest your doctor check out the table of contents for MitoAction's Clinician's Guide.
  

STEP 3: Learn About Treatment. 

• Review the article,  Update on Mitochondrial Disease Treatment Approaches.
• Click the link to  Treatment in our categories.
• Click the link to Testing in our categories.
  

 
Does Your Child With Autism or ASD Have An Underlying Mitochondrial Disorder?

Do you have a child with autism, PDD, PDD-NOS, or Asperger’s Syndrome who has other unexplained medical conditions?  Many parents and physicians are investigating the association between atypical autism and mitochondrial disease.

You may have heard other parents or physicians talking about mitochondrial dysfunction; however, you may have no idea if mitochondrial disease is relevant to your child. Research looking at the connection between autism and mitochondrial disease in 2005 and 2007 first estimated that the cohort of children with ASD and overlapping mitochondrial disease could be as low as 4.1 to 7%. 

Current research suggests that the link between these two diagnoses may be greater than previously suspected. As a result, the paradigm for evaluation of children with autistic symptoms is changing. Mitochondrial experts have stated that some mitochondrial diseases are potentially both genetic and environmental in origin.  And some believe  there is a genetic predisposition with an environmental “trigger” (such as fever or illness) in some cases.

Appropriate identification of children with mitochondrial disease and autism may improve their overall outcome. Currently, clinicial treatment approaches for children with ASD and Mito focus on improving metabolic support and mitochondrial function through use of vitamins and supplements called the "Mito cocktail." Energy management conservation and other supportive care are equally important.

It is our hope that this section will serve as a tool for education, support, and a starting point for discussion with your doctor. We hope you will use the autism categories on the left and join our monthly calls to learn more.

Alyssa Davi, Parent Advocate

Autism@mitoaction.org

Bryan (left) and Will (above)  have ASD/Mito but it doesn't define them.