Mason's Lyme-Autism Paper Published in Medical Hypotheses Medical Journal!!!

Mason's paper is now in official print in Medical Hypotheses Peer Reviewed Medical Journal!!!!  I am so proud of him.  "Long Term Antibiotic Therapy may be an effective treatment for children co-morbid with Lyme Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Here is the link to the full paper to read:

http://www.drkurtkuhn.com/drkurtkuhn.com/Lyme_&_Autism_files/A%20Correlation%20Between%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorders%20and%20Lyme%20Disease.pdf

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987712000485

This is the first study, to our knowledge, ever done on children diagnosed with both Lyme Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorder that shows their differences in physical/mental symptoms before and after antibiotic treatment and the results are so shocking and interesting!

Antibiotic Treatment

I have been on antibiotic treatment now for over 2 years.  The first six months I was on antibiotics, starting in the Spring 2010, I showed no improvement in my symptoms.  I didn't seem to feel worse or better so the decision was made to start a PICC line in my arm.  I didn't realize it at the time that I was going to have it for over a year.  Although it was a slow process, I gradually started feeling better and better with the IV antibiotic treatment....It only took a year and a half to say that with confidence!!! 

Early on in treatment (about the time I got the PICC line) my husband and I thought we would make a box and put in every pill box, every IV syringe I had to use and see how much medication it would take before I started feeling better.  The box turned into a plastic crate and spilled into another crate.  I wanted to just visually see how much medication was needed to get me JUST on the road to recovery.   The picture below shows just how much it has taken (although I was originally told just two week of antibiotics would do it!)  It is mind blowing!

Our Sweet Boy

My wonderful husband Mason is a fourth grade teacher in Shell Rock, Iowa.  Around the time Tristan was one he had finished a masters in Science.  By the time we found out about Tristan's Autism diagnosis, and as a way for him to learn more about Autism and help Tristan, he decided to go back to school to start working on his second masters in Special Education with an emphasis in Autism.  About two months into his studies is when we found out Tristan also had Lyme Disease.  This really had a major impact on Mason and of course myself.  Although I was struggling with the thought that he might have contracted this from me (since scientists have now found Lyme Disease in placentas and fetuses with moms infected) it was shocking when we soon learned that there were many children in America, just like our son, that were suffering from the same two diagnoses.  That became very interesting to us.  Soon the word got out about Tristan.  Two other families (in our area) decided to get their sons tested for Lyme Disease as well (both with a medical diagnosis on the Autism Spectum).  Shockingly both of these kids where also positively infected with Lyme Disease!!!  This really amazed us that two random families in our area alone also (like our son) had Autism and Lyme...what are the chances?  How many other children out there are also suffering and the parents have no idea?  This started our long fight for awareness and recognition in the hopes that others will be tested and treated to live fuller healthier lives.  Here is a wonderful video my husband Mason put together on our son's progress with his treatment.  Get some tissues as it is a tear jerker and makes me cry every time.
Tristan has been on antibiotics since March 2010.  We did have him retested for Lyme Disease after being on antibiotics for a year and he was still positive but he had half the number of strands he initially tested positive for.  So he has been cured of three strands so far and our hope is within the next year or so he will be cured of this terrible disease.  The changes we have seen in him since starting him on antibiotics have been incredible.....Does he still have Autism....yes.  Is he a much happier and HEALTHY child....absolutely.  That's all we want for him.

Here is Mason's video of Tristan's progress

Since this video was made there have been many new developments in our lives.  Mason went on to finish his degree and did a first ever study on 5 different children that were all diagnosed with Autism and Lyme Disease.  He did a study on their progress (related to physical and mental changes) before and after treatment and the results are unbelievable.   So unbelievable are their physical/mental changes from the antibiotic therapy that it makes you wonder...was this the culprit all along?   The name of his thesis is “The Correlation between Lyme Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorders”.

Click below for a PDF copy of his paper

http://www.drkurtkuhn.com/drkurtkuhn.com/Lyme_&_Autism_files/A%20Correlation%20Between%20Autism%20Spectrum%20Disorders%20and%20Lyme%20Disease.pdf

After consulting with many different medical professionals around the country Dr Robert Bransfeld (president of ILADS) and Dr Stein Harris were eager to co-author this study and just recently it was accepted to appear in the peer reviewed medical journal “Medical Hypothosis”.   It is titled “Long Term Antibiotic therapy may be a effective treatment for children co-morbid with Lyme Disease and Autism Spectrum Disorders”.  (we will also have a link to it as soon as it comes in print!!!!!)  I am so proud of him as this topic will bring so much deserved attention and awareness to this unrecognized growing epidemic.