Fever can unlock autism's grip temporarily

[Ceicei]

This is an intriguing study that came from MSNBC news. However, the study is of a very small sample, so we'll see how this progresses during the next few years.

CHICAGO - Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip on children, a finding that could shed light on the roots of the condition and perhaps provide clues for treatment, researchers reported on Monday.

It appears that fever restores nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain, restoring a child's ability to interact and socialize during the fever, the study said.

More than 80 percent of those with fever showed some improvements in behavior during it and 30 percent had dramatic improvements, the researchers said. The change involved things like longer concentration spans, more talking, improved eye contact and better overall relations with adults and other children.

Does this situation only happen with children, or would this be possible with autistic adults? The impression I get from this article is that this is a focus on children, perhaps because their brains are still growing and "malleable" with creating more neurons.

My main concern is whether some, just from reading this, would consider the thought of trying to induce fever with the hope/goal of modifying autism.

- Ceicei

 

[donna]

Towards the end of the article ....
"He said the fever effect was believed found only in children, whose brains are more "plastic" than those of adults."

In the case of my sons, the moment they began to get a fever, they would go into convulsions. So it would be hard to confirm if the fever had any affect on their autistic symptoms.
It is an interesting study though. I hope it prooves to be the breakthrough in research that so many parents are hoping for.

 

[shesulsa]

John's always done better with a fever, as long as it wasn't too high. Anything above 101 and he's downright worse. Interestingly enough, when it's above 95 F outside he's very difficult to control.

I'll read the study you linked to and respond further later, CC.

 

[Kacey]

My main concern is whether some, just from reading this, would consider the thought of trying to induce fever with the hope/goal of modifying autism.

Y'know, I was thinking that too, as I read it. Scary. I wonder if they can find a way to replicate the changes without the fever?

 

[Big Don]

My main concern is whether some, just from reading this, would consider the thought of trying to induce fever with the hope/goal of modifying autism.

- Ceicei

The first thought I had on reading this was, how do you induce a fever...
Scary dangerous.

 

[Steel Tiger]

The first thought I had on reading this was, how do you induce a fever...
Scary dangerous.

You gotta make 'em sick. As you say that's scary dangerous.

The study raises a question for me. In many cases of mild autism there is an increase in focus, possibly even concentration. These ae people that once were referred to as idiot savants I guess. My question is what effect would a fever have on these people? The doctor said there was an increased concentration span in many of the study's subjects and I wonder how the fever effects would interact with the near single-minded focus I have seen in some autistic people.

 

[Carol]

You gotta make 'em sick. As you say that's scary dangerous.

Not necessarily. Therapeutic fevers were part of medical care in days past. Now there seems to be experimental interest in medically inducing fevers to treat certain types of dementia and cancers. I'm not well-versed on the subject but it seems that microwaves and other radio-wave treatments are what is used to induce the fever.

 

[Rich Parsons]

As temperature is a major component of of chemical reactions, maybe the treatment will be some chemical that acts as a catalyst to equate the same chemical reaction as with the raised temperature /fever causes. This way their could be a treatment without inducing a fever.

Now as I am not a bio-chemist, I can only imagine the amount of work requried to bring this about. Also to avoid worse side effects is something that will have to be of a concern.

I do hope it gives some insight for furhter improvement and possibel treatments.

 

[shesulsa]

You gotta make 'em sick. As you say that's scary dangerous.

The study raises a question for me. In many cases of mild autism there is an increase in focus, possibly even concentration. These ae people that once were referred to as idiot savants I guess. My question is what effect would a fever have on these people? The doctor said there was an increased concentration span in many of the study's subjects and I wonder how the fever effects would interact with the near single-minded focus I have seen in some autistic people.

The autistic savant (previously called the 'idiot savant') still has an autistic brain and improperly mapped synapses and missing synapses, so the fever principle would apply to them as well.

A sister disorder to autism is Williams Syndrome whose subjects usually always manifest an inane musical talent specifically, either singing, composing, playing, etcetera. But Williams is, I think, earmarked as a chromosomal disorder as well and I haven't seen any studies yet on fevers in Williams Syndrome patients.

Asperger's, however, is a milder form of autism and could be considered a sister disorder to the attention deficit family. Now ... the Aspies I know tend to run fevers high when they do run a temp above normal at all, so there's virtually no low-grade fevers with them. And the people with these disorders I've seen in a febrile state tend to be so lethargic they can't manage much.

Ways to chemically raise body temperature would be hormone therapies and perhaps iodine therapy which would use the thyroid to help signal body temperature changes. Then there's simpler, less-invasive ways such as warmer clothing, dry-chemical hand, foot and body warmers, warmer environments, etcetera.

I'm curious, tho. I'll have to do a little study on my own dood.

 

[Laurentkd]

The autistic savant (previously called the 'idiot savant') still has an autistic brain and improperly mapped synapses and missing synapses, so the fever principle would apply to them as well.

A sister disorder to autism is Williams Syndrome whose subjects usually always manifest an inane musical talent specifically, either singing, composing, playing, etcetera. But Williams is, I think, earmarked as a chromosomal disorder as well and I haven't seen any studies yet on fevers in Williams Syndrome patients.

Asperger's, however, is a milder form of autism and could be considered a sister disorder to the attention deficit family. Now ... the Aspies I know tend to run fevers high when they do run a temp above normal at all, so there's virtually no low-grade fevers with them. And the people with these disorders I've seen in a febrile state tend to be so lethargic they can't manage much.

Ways to chemically raise body temperature would be hormone therapies and perhaps iodine therapy which would use the thyroid to help signal body temperature changes. Then there's simpler, less-invasive ways such as warmer clothing, dry-chemical hand, foot and body warmers, warmer environments, etcetera.

I'm curious, tho. I'll have to do a little study on my own dood.

Do only Williams Syndrome kids have the special musical talent (when it is connected to autism)? There is a young man at my MA school who is autistic (so labeled by himself and his parents) but who is also a marvolus piano player. Does this mean he has Williams Syndrome? I am always trying to find out more about him so I can figure out how to best interact with him in class. He has made tremendous social progress since he began about 3 years ago.

 

[shesulsa]

Do only Williams Syndrome kids have the special musical talent (when it is connected to autism)? There is a young man at my MA school who is autistic (so labeled by himself and his parents) but who is also a marvolus piano player. Does this mean he has Williams Syndrome? I am always trying to find out more about him so I can figure out how to best interact with him in class. He has made tremendous social progress since he began about 3 years ago.

No, not necessarily. The last studies I read on Williams' there was no scientific basis for the music-specific talents but it's been noted behaviorally in if not all, virtually all - or that is to say all functioning Williams' subjects.

My son, for instance, can hear a musical piece once and reproduce the melody in key and in time, and separately some harmony as well, on his keyboard. But it is only the basic melody, not a reproduction of the piece per se. He is not Williams' but autistic.

You know some level of savantism is present in most autistic subjects.

On the topic of fever, he had a low-grade fever today and functioned quite well! He prepared all of his meals and our dinner, managed his appetite appropriately ... just functioned a bit higher than usual. But his fever was less than 100 F.