Autism Treatment “?” Light And Sound Sensitivity And Autism

by daniel.julia

I have seen over the years that some children on the Autism spectrum tend to have certain sensitivities to various things. The sensitivities can be with sound or even light and these sensitivities can be very challenging, I have even had some children who required earphones to muffle sounds so that they can leave their home. And even household noises like the vacuum, a loud TV set, etc. can cause problems for a child who is very sensitive.

When a child has sensitivities like this, I look for a few different things that can contribute. One thing that can heighten these sensitivities is yeast overgrowth, so I look at an organic acid test to check arabinose or other yeast biomarkers. Mineral deficiencies, especially magnesium, can also be another cause. A child who is magnesium deficient may have an overall heightened level of irritation and agitation. Adding in more magnesium has reduced some of the light and sound sensitivity that some children struggle with. There are a few ways you can supplement magnesium, the best way being through an IV so that you are bypassing the digestive system. But, for all families, this is just not possible so there are other options.

Magnesium can also be supplemented orally. There are various forms of magnesium. A very rapidly absorbed form is magnesium glycinate. A good dose for most children is between 250 – 400 mg, with benefits seen over time. While magnesium citrate is also a good option, but this form can have a laxative effect so the dose cannot go too high with magnesium citrate. So if the magnesium is to address sensitivity issues, then magnesium glycinate is probably a better form to use. You can also try doing Epsom salt baths which provide magnesium sulfate. You can add one to two cups of salt to your child’s nightly bath. Or you can try Epsom salt cream, one to one and a half teaspoons twice a day applied to the skin, instead.

When I have a child with light and/or sensitivities, I look at the possibility of yeast overgrowth or a magnesium deficiency as the two most likely causes. There are therapeutic programs out there also to help with sound sensitivities and auditory processing, one is called Auditory Integration Therapy or AIT. For children with light sensitivity, magnesium supplementation is often very helpful. Magnesium does play a role in issues related to stress and irritability for children on the Autism spectrum.