Jessica Kingsley Publishers, ISBN-10: 1843108771
Dr. Bernard Rimland was one of the founders of DAN and the founder of the ARI (Autism Research Institute) . Psychologists her son was diagnosed with autism in the 50's and he wrote in the 60 "Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior "which has revolutionized the way its time to see the autism theory of" frigid mother "was abandoned to consider autism as a neurological disorder. Hopefully this new book will cause a revolution too. But if one considers that the French doctors have over 40 years to understand that autism is not a psychological problem, we can wait a long time ...
The book does not speak specifically of autism actually or not just in any case. He speaks mainly of disorders more "minor" disorders such as behavioral or conduct disorders, hyperactivity attention deficit disorder, learning disorders, and also personality disorders most important such as autism or schizophrenia. Dr. Rimland provides a global name for all of these disorders: "the dyslogic syndrome" might be translated as the dyslogie. Does not speak one more step in addition to dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysphasia? French doctors are even using the term "disharmony" (instead of saying high-functioning autism or Asperger). Rimland He invented a new term: dyslogie, which refers to all persons who do not behave logically, therefore, especially behavior problems.
The book is divided into two parts: the epidemic and dyslogie responsible dyslogie.
Part I: Outbreak of dyslogie
Chapter 1: What is dyslogie?
"It would have looked silly if I had the gun out and I had not shot him. I have looked stupid "is a typical example of reasoning dyslogique. Bernard Rimland
"invented" the term dyslogie in 1975 following the questioning of his friend John who was writing a Wacker essay about learning disabilities, and noted that many children who had problems in reading, math, writing was also a more serious problem: a problem of logical reasoning.
The biological basis of thought can easily malfunction: the brain is our most complex organ and it is also the most fragile: it is an easy target for all the toxins and accidents. By cutting the regular supply of nutrients to the brain by reducing its oxygen supply by reducing the supply of glucose, or the pollutant with heavy metals or chemicals, it malfunctioned.
Chapter 2: The victims of the epidemic dyslogie
Rimland cites several studies that show a deterioration in the grade level of students, an increase in conduct disorders in schools, emphasized by many teachers. While the number of autistic children has increased dramatically in recent years, this is not the only disease to have increased. Since the fifties, the percentage of children with physical or mental or learning disabilities has increased from 2% to 8%. About 4 million Americans suffer from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, about 10 times in the last century. Approximately 150 000 children under 6 years are treated with antipsychotics or Ritalin!
The number of crimes committed without any logical reason is constantly increasing. Rimland cites the case of a child who had killed his mother after seeing American beauty because of the aesthetic representation of death in the film. He cites many other instances throughout the book, including cases of multiple murders in American schools, cases that are more and more often in the headlines.
In his 1975 book, John Walker had identified several evidence to recognize the dyslogie:
- misjudgment
- Failure to understand the consequences of their actions
- selfish or narcissistic behavior
- Impulsivity
- Inability to delay immediate gratification to achieve long-term goal
- Low level of attention
- catastrophic reactions and inappropriate for small problems
- Poor abstract thinking
- impoverished social skills and often poor visual contact with Other
- Lack of empathy towards others or animals
- Inability to learn through experience
- Need excessive exciting sensations
- Lack of inhibition and easily frustrated
Not only grades in general down, but even the cultural content of television broadcasts down (if not totally absent) to meet the needs of this growing population dyslogiques.
He cites a test taken in the early 1990s to test the writing skills of students in universities (colleges) U.S.: 4 / 10 of 1% have passed this test with a level regarded as the norm a few decades before (the rest were well on below).
Chapter 3: Why psychological interventions can not cure dyslogie
He cites in this chapter many Examples of psychotherapy given in schools and in prisons to try to give children with behavioral or prisoners in the right way, all doomed to failure. He even cites studies showing that prisoners who could benefit from psychotherapy are more likely to reoffend than those who had no treatment!
Studies show that our DNA plays a greater role in shaping our personality and our behavior as education (p51 ff). Eg by the rate of alcoholism among children of alcoholics varies little, whether the child is was educated by the alcoholic parent or adoptive parents.
Chapter 4: Why drugs do not cure the dyslogie
After the failure of psychotherapy, Rimland analyzing the failure of drug treatments. He cites several examples, first of all murders or suicides that occurred in the days occurring after the administration of some antipsychotic drugs to children. Antipsychotic drugs that were administered by physicians to notify parents of any risks. Since then, they have received "black label" warning against use in children, but yet they continue to be used in the U.S.. He cited the risk of cardiac arrest or arrhythmia due to the use of stimulants like Ritalin (over-used in the U.S.).
Illegal drug use could be justified if they were followed by real progress with behavioral problems, but on page 66 and 67 he quotes a series of murder or attack with firearms in American schools made by children ... who were taking Ritalin or other drugs. It stresses the need to consider that these crimes have occurred following the use of these drugs and not in spite of the use thereof. It criminalized
no drug use in all circumstances, but only abu thereof, which is evident in the USA, and their use without taking necessary precautions, such as "quick fix" miracle when it is not and by concealing the dangers real and cons indications yet that it does not bother to explain to the patient or relatives thereof.
Part II: the leaders of the dyslogie
Chapter 5: dyslogie food: why what your child eats can make her sad, mad or violent
It may seem strange to think that our actions or behavior are influenced by salad we ate last night or the burger? But it's true, because the food provided all the nutrients that build everything from the cells of our brain neurotransmitters until it uses to transmit messages.
The problem may be genetic and clear as in the case of phenylketonuria, but mostly the dyslogie food comes from a diet low in nutrients, combined with a genetic vulnerability. The typical American meal is doing to create the dyslogie, somehow, since it is almost empty or filled with nutrients and non nutrients or anti-nutrients such as artificial colors, sugar, additives, preservatives, etc..
Dr. Rimland also noted that if one advises mean intakes of nutrients daily, these tips apply to an "average" person but in reality that those zinc requirements may vary from 1.2 to 11.4 micrograms per cubic centimeter blood, vitamin A requirements may vary from one to ten times depending on the individual, etc..
He cites the example of the Appleton School: This school was one of the most difficult of his county, with a very high rate of violence, a policeman stationed permanently in the establishment to try to restore order, and everything went from bad to worse. Until the day when the director decided to replace school meals that were composed of pizzas, hamburgers, sodas, etc. (which is common in the U.S.) by eating "healthy." After a few months the number of problems has dramatically declined in the facility, students have become more attentive and their academic performance has improved, so Appleton became a model school, and several other district schools have followed suit with the same results.
He also cites the case of food intolerance: when certain foods, good for most people, have negative effects on others, such as strawberries, milk, wheat etc..
In the "Food and the brain of the fetus," he also cites the importance of maternal nutrition in the developing infant brain, and physical development as well. The case of folic acid is well known, however, between when a doctor discovered the relationship between folic acid deficiency of the mother and neural tube defects, several decades elapsed before the discovery is commonly accepted.
Chapter 6: The contaminated brain: how the toxicity of our environment influences the thinking of our children.
In this chapter he shows with numerous examples of any problems that may result from our toxic environment (heavy metals, pesticides, etc.). He cites the case of George Michael Hodges, who grew up in the 50s in a poor area of Appalachia. His parents were alcoholics chronically underemployed. Hodges found his toys and even food in the city dump heavily polluted bathing in a river contaminated with cyanide, manganese, lead, mercury and cadmiun. At the age of 29 years Betty Ricks he killed simply because she refused to respond to his advances. Rimland concluded that in its behavior can be attributed to a combination of factors: his impoverished childhood and his upbringing by abusive parents, as well as his poor diet, excessive toxins in the environment, and also the genetic heritage of his parents . This site
all toxic substances to which we may be exposed: pesticides in our gardens (or rivers), household products, heavy metals etc., which young children, except that they crawl and do everything in their mouths, are more exposed than we plus the fact that their developing brains are more fragile than ours.
The major threats to our children's brains are
- Endocrine: as biphenol A or phthalate, used in plastics. They are linked to cancer, birth defects, fertility problems, and changes in the brain that can alter our behavior
- Pesticides: many are endocrine disruptors that may interfere with acetylcholine, One of the main neurotransmitters involved in learning and memory.
- Alcohol: he site fetal alcohol syndrome that has devastating consequences on the child.
- Tobacco: pregnant women who smoke increase the risk of hyperactivity, impulsivity, aggression, delinquency, lower intelligence in their children etc.
- Lead: mainly through the water, despite the precautions taken in recent years
- The mercury via vaccines, although thimerosal is banned since 2002 in the U.S. vaccine, he remains in the flu vaccine
- Cadmium: he site where James Huberty killed 21 people who in a McDonalds and according to the autopsy rate was much cadmium elevated in the brain that the doctor wondered how he had to be alive
- The manganese present in the milk of breast milk substitutes (soy formula)
Chapter 7: dyslogie caused by physicians and other treatments that damage He cites brain
vaccines that are administered increasing rates and numbers of increasingly important. And also the fact that all research that challenge are deliberately ignored show buried. He also cites the case of researchers receiving intimidation or threats to conduct such research.
He criticizes the medicalization birth, with more and more drugs as cytotec administered to accelerate the work, despite the risks of such drugs or Demerol, a painkiller administered which can cause respiratory problems in babies. The ultrasonds, used increasingly in pregnancy are not without risks.
Finally he talks about the role of antibiotics in the development of diseases such as autism.
Chapter 8: Why NO case is hopeless dyslogie
For over 30 years he is involved in autism and it confirms that if 30 years ago most children with autism were institutionalized, in recent years more and more children treated with approaches similar to that advocated by DAN doctors see their improvement and development come to recover and become healthy adults leading productive lives. But
approaches Orthomolecular medicine can be used successfully in many psychiatric disorders considered. He cites the example of a child who is 3 years old had killed his hamster, 4 killed the family cat just to see if he would scream loudly, 5 had tried to kill himself by jumping from car on and intersecting throat with a knife, had bitten his sister who had to be hospitalized, etc.. Treated by Dr. Walsh, the Pfeiffer Center, a clinic specializing in orthomolecular medicine for behavioral disorders, this guy has totally lost his behavioral problems.
Chapter 9: an action plan to end the dyslogie
It is different recommendations to parents, educators and professionals. I only mention the "action plan" for parents:
- Find a doctor practicing alternative medicine (homeopathy, naturopathy, orthomolecular medicine). Avoid doctors who abuse drugs or psychotherapy
- Clean child's environment: water, air, soil. Avoid pesticides and other hazardous household products. Choose "green" products.
- Provide a balanced diet and healthy child and remove the junk food (food trash style fast food, soft drinks etc.) and vitamins if appropriate.
- Be sure your child has done in sport and physical exercise daily, and is not always locked inside
- If necessary make a cognitive therapy, or ABA, which teach the child strategies to cope with life's problems
- If you are pregnant: avoiding toxins, eating properly and avoid unnecessary medical procedures that may harm the fetus.
In conclusion to respond to those who reject these approaches without even thinking, he said (among other):
- The usefulness of lithium in psychiatry was discovered in 1940 but ignored for several decades
- The doctor who discovered that most ulcers were caused by a bacterial infection was denied the right to speak at medical conventions and was shunned by his colleagues - until irrefutable proof of its correctness theories are made
- The doctors who have discovered the benefits of folic acid for pregnant women have been ignored for decades, while that children still nascent to suffer and be disabled for life
My comment:
I was several times in the U.S. and I was often struck by the number of obese, especially youth. It is not uncommon to see a 20 year old walking with a cane to support his weight, see completely wheelchair. The medical profession now accepts readily the physical consequences of an unbalanced diet. In France the standard soda vending machines were removed from schools, there is now warnings on food advertising etc.. In short, it is recognized as a major health problem. We can also readily admit that an unbalanced diet can cause fatigue, lack of physical tone. Yet the idea that food can influence our behavior most recoil. Yet these same people drink coffee every morning to wake up and be more attentive. This does not prevent that some people can drink several cups of coffee at 17h and sleep without problems while other did not sleep at night if they take a cup in the afternoon. Coffee is a stimulant, but it acts differently in different individuals. But when one suggests that chocolate may cause eg a reduction in attention in a child, we always seem to look like a Martian. Why? Why is it so difficult to admit that the food has a role not only for our physical well being but for our mental well being? And the drastic change of diet during the last 50 years can only have an influence on our brain?
It also admits readily that pollution alters the ecological balance of the planet, a pollutant in a river can kill thousands of fish. And therefore in large quantities, pollutants, heavy metals that are now part of our everyday life, can have serious consequences on our health. But why is it absurd to think that these same pollutants and heavy metals in smaller quantities may also have insidious effects on our mental as physical well-being?
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