Chelation Therapy not Effective in Lowering Autism Symptoms

A therapy widely used to eliminate heavy metals from the body is not effective in reducing autism symptoms, a new study says.

Previous studies have shown a link between autism and mercury poisoning. Chelation therapy has been widely used to treat autistic children since then. 

Chelation therapy is the process of using a chemical, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) to remove heavy metals like lead and mercury from the body. However, the therapy has been found to cause kidney damage and gastrointestinal problems.

For the study, lead researcher Tonya Davis from Baylor University in Waco, Texas and colleagues reviewed five studies, each including 41 autistic children aged between three and 14. All the five studies looked at effectiveness of the therapy in lowering autism symptoms, Reuters Health reported.

All the participants were subjected to chelation therapy, several times a week for seven months.  Children also took vitamin supplements.

After the treatment period, parents provided details about their children's condition.  Researchers found only a 4-year-old boy benefiting from the therapy. All the other participants reported the treatment helping to achieve some improvement. However, researchers couldn't fully attribute the improvement to chelation therapy. 

Concerned with the findings, health experts urge parents and medical practitioners to select a treatment only after ensuring its safety.

"There's really no evidence that mercury causes autism or has a place in causing autism, and also we know that chelation can be dangerous as well. Even the underlying theories don't make sense," Dr. Joyce Mauk, head of the Child Study Center, an organization that treats kids with developmental disabilities in Fort Worth, Texas, told Reuters Health.

"Most children with developmental disabilities, what gets them better is a really skilled therapist and lots of work. If you hear about something when all you do is inject something or take a pill, it's unlikely to work."

The findings come at a time when about one in every 88 children in the country is affected with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or the developmental disorder that leads to significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.