Can Fever Relieve Symptoms of Autism? Share Your Experience
This finding may be significant, say the researchers, because:
The new study adds to a growing body of research that suggests that the problems children with ASD have with behavior, language skills and social skills result from poor connections between synapses in the brain. The question, Zimmerman said, is which synapses are involved and how to stimulate them to function.The article goes on to emphasize that this is one small, unreplicated study - and, while interesting, it does NOT constitute proof of anything. It is, however, an interesting study - particularly since it suggests support for the theory that inflammation could be a significant contributor to autistic symptoms. This idea has been promoted for many years by parents and doctors - with very little support from the medical mainstream. Perhaps this well-regarded study will become the wedge that breaks open a whole new level of interest in an intriguing theory.Zimmerman said the heat of a fever might stimulate changes at the cellular level. Fever's impact on the hormonal and immune systems might also be responsible for the perceived changes in the children. The changes observed in the study were not permanent, however, and disappeared within a week of the fever's end, the researchers noted.
Zimmerman also noted that the effect seems limited to viral fevers, such as flu-related fever, rather than other illnesses.
"This is a very interesting study," said Dr. Annette Estes, associate director of the University of Washington Autism Center, who interpreted the study's results in the context of a new line of research that is linking autism to immune system response and inflammation.
I have to say, though, that my son has never exhibited any improvement in symptoms during a fever. In fact, he just lies there... watches TV... and waits to feel better!
What's your experience? Have you seen fever improve your child's autistic symptoms? What's your hope for this new direction in research?
Comments
I have noticed this on three occations. My son is very high functioning…he’s only five…but when he has a fever he is able to carry a conversation for 20 turns, whereas I am lucky to get 3 or 4 exchanges. I can also delve into what’s bothering him and I use this time to ask him questions about himself and it is a lovely gift to get some answers.
This is something I have seen in both of my sons for as long as I can remember. I also know from other parents in our local group and from friends who have autistic children that they have experienced this to while their children are ill. My two sons have always been much less autistic (sorry not a good way to put it I know) while they are ill. I kind of tied it into the fact that neither of my two eat when they are ill. I realised that once they begin to eat again every thing returns and often with a vengeance. I have a few days of respite while they are ill and then a few days of sheer hell which means that they are getting better.
This is very interesting.
As I commented on my blog I did notice some positive, temporary, changes during an old fever episode with Conor but I thought it was my imagination. The authors are careful to stipulate the size and other limits of the study but it is still thought provoking and will be interesting to see what results are found in future studies.
I don’t know especially about fever, but definitely if my son is feeling under the weather i.e. with a cold, his behaviour changes and his communication skills go up. When he has a cold, he will take the initiation to get himself a cup of water AND then get one for someone else(whether they asked for it or not), or if he gets given the leftovers from someone elses’ plate, he will carefully scrape it onto his and then pass the plate back to the original owner…things you don’t normally see him do. Visitors to our home don’t get our joy when we see our son do stuff like this, because to them it’s what a “normal” kid would do. To us, it’s a celebration…snotty nose and all.
Cheers
Caroline
On an additional note…my sons’ speech therapist LOVES the cold/flu season because most of her clients are more responsive, as long as they are not too sick of course.
Cheers
Caroline
Wow! I’ve never heard anyone say this before so it is news to me. I’ve never noticed this before with my son. I have noticed that he becomes overheated for unknown causes, his cheeks and ears turn red. However this isn’t affiliated with illness. As a matter of fact I would say my son has been remarkably healthy (thank goodness). I will surely watch for this during the flu/cold season this year!
Yes, I’ve seen this in my son too. He is almost 10 and has severe autism, and I have noticed that he is less hyper and his communication skills increase when he is sick. I don’t know that he always has a fever along with the sickness when this happens, but I have seen the improvement when he has a fever. It’s always made me feel guilty because I love it when he improves, but I hate that it happens because he is sick:). Also, if he is severely ill with a very high fever, the sickness outweighs the benefits so the improvements come with the low-grade fever.
yes so very true!! My son who is High Functioning from the time he was born with a fever he was very cudly, playful and so on with a fever…Wow, it is really sad to say but I used to tell people I got to cuddle with him only when he was sick and of course nursing. Thank goodness I nursed him for 13 months wish I wouldnt have quit cold turkey back then although he was getting older..He is now 13 this next month and he is more cuddly now but somtimes wish he would go and find more to do on his own…But hey you never get the best of both worlds so everyone out there hang in there I guess it does get easier……..Maybe???????? Love a Mother of 3 raising 7 full time:)
I have a 7 year old son (high functioning). Last February he had a fever that lasted 24 hours. He wasn’t eating much and was very lethargic w/lots of sleeping–no other symptoms of illness. The following month–to the day–he had the same thing. Then again the next month (same date). He skipped May, but had another in June (same date). Had he been a girl, I might have thought hormones. He hasn’t had one since June–but in July his language (spoken and written) exploded.
I also have a 12 year old stepson (no official diagnosis–but we think somewhere on the spectrum) and when he was little and was sick with a fever–he always came out of it having either matured or mastered a new skill. My Mom once told me that my Grandma used to say that her kids were smarter after a fever. I’ve heard this anecdotally (sp) from other people. I think there is some connection–I just don’t know what. Hopefully they can do more research that will be helpful in the future.
My son has Manic Depression with alot of issues attached.
Fevers have always reduced his behavioral, depressive, agitated,etc., symtoms.
He is much more balanced and happier when he’s got a temp.
Canvas Grey: red cheeks and ears, not associated w/ any illness could be a sign of a phenol/salicylate intolerance, common to many children on the spectrum..my son has this. I will give you a link to some info on it and a natural supplement you can give him to help alleviate the symptoms:
http://www.enzymestuff.com/dietsfg.htm (info on phenol/salicylates in foods and the reactions)
http://www.houstonni.com/ (scroll down and find the product No-Fenol)
I am not saying that your son has this intolerance, but it might be worth looking into.
On the subject of fevers, I too have noticed that my son seems more with it and focused, calm during a fever…however, a fever is our bodies response to fighting off virus, bacteria. A fever has never been known to improve neurological function in any person, autistic or not…so, it could be that when our children are fever free their immune systms are actually compromised by viruses and bacteria (many children on the spectrum have compromised immunity already) and when the fever kicks in it actually starts killing off the bad viruses and bacteria leaving our kids feeling better.
I think the researchers need to focus on the FUNCTION of the fever in the body instead of the body’s response to the fever and what may be happening as a result of the fever (i.e. viruses/bacteria dying because of higher body temps)
My son is six and high functioning. I have never noticed these symptoms before when he was sick. He is always just very lethargic. I do however find this study very interesting and you can bet i will be observing more closely next time he has a temp.
For those of you that say your childs symptoms seem to return with their appetite, I strongly recommend the gluten free casein free diet. If they are on the diet and symptoms still persist, I recommend seeking out a DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Doctor and having blood work done to determine the extent of food allergies. It cost about $190 and our son went from non-verbal and not potty trained to going to a regular Kindergarten in less than three years. I hope it was helpful.
My son is 23 and high functioning with excellent verbal skills. Throughout his childhood when he had a mild fever due to flu his behavoir improved and eye contacted increased. He displayed less anxiety and was more attentive. I believe this is a signifcant observation that should be studied through a broad study using induced fever perhaps with a controlled antigen or medication as a double blind study. It would be interesting to hear from other parents of autistic children and autistic adults.
My son does not have autism, but when he was little I remember him talking a lot in his sleep every time he had a fever.
Most DEFINITELY I have noticed this.
My son is sick this week and yesterday he was able to tell me that he needed medicine, it was “starting to get hurting to swallow”, and that his “throat was starting to close up”
We had a home visit from his C.A.R.D. coordinator yesterday and she confirmed that it wasn’t all in my head.
The first time he rolled over and crawled respectively – he was ill. He has consistently shown growth upon illness – and it’s not always temporary.
My son is ten with severe Autism, I noticed when he was three that he has better eye contact, better concentrating and more calm when ever he has fever.
He sists more with us and loved to be huged and dosen’t mind to be touched.
This post is very informative that all parents should be aware of not only those who have experience the situation. I am quite lucky not to have this experience but it’s good to know about the symptoms.
I have definitely observed significant improvements in language and behavior in my son during fevers. My husband and I have discussed it with each other for a while now, confirming we both were not imagining it. When we saw this article we were shocked, we aren’t the only ones!
My son’s speech is normally very mixed up and hard to decipher, but when he has a fever he speaks like any other child (he is very High functioning anyway, but his speech is very strange normally). Also, during a fever he is very calm (normally he is very anxious) and seems to stay emotionally regulated.
My son too. He has 102 and yesterday actually asked for “shirt on” “cold” as well as for “cereal”. The shirt was nowhere in sight. Wow!
I’ve never been formally diagnosed as being on the spectrum, but often suspected I might be.
I’m now 46 and since I was about 20, have experienced the very fundamental changes wrought by a cold/flu.
Life is simply much, much easier.
I become company-seeking rather than shunning.
My thinking and behaviour become neurotypical.
The greatest benefit is in genuinely connecting with people rather than something closer akin to really just ‘being with them’.
It’s nice to be eloquent, confident and popular – a snapshot of normality.
And then the cold/flu breaks and with it comes the plunge back into inner turmoil, anxiety and (relative) isolation …. an extremely difficult time !
What it really does is underlines the near pointlessness of trying to lead a meaningful life when you’re on the spectrum, so stark is the contrast.
When I was younger, I found the transition back from light to dark utterly unbearable.
And if I’m brutally honest, at a root level, I really gave up and resigned myself to being a passenger on a ride over which (I felt) I had as near to no control as makes no difference.
Compared to the brief and occasional interludes of neurotypicality, being on the spectrum is a lonely, painful, frustrating and ultimately, soul-destroying thing – and a very good reason why research should be directed towards fever research without delay … quite simply because fever or more accurately, it’s effects on cerebro-functionality, is a cure for a significant proportion of autistics.
Sadly however, it’s unlikely to attract a flood of research funding.
Now if autism could be temporarily induced in neurotypicals, the situation would be altogether different.
Nik is my new hero. What a great posting. Here are the best theories why fever improves 4 of 5 with PDD disorders: [Lisa email this to Nik]
– This interesting new paper states that fever improving pdd symptoms gives clues why the pdd symptoms occur (brain circuits involved with anxiety and attention) and indicates key neural circuits are present and can be returned to normal behavioral function in 4 of 5 kids with pdd spectrum disorders. It hints that a possible solution waits to be discovered by those researchers that dare to follow the physiologic leads with an open mind to any newfound facts:
Expert medical researchers posit why fever improves many PDD symptoms.
“Autism, fever, epigenetics and the locus coeruleus [of the brain]“. Albert Einstein College of Medicine:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6SYS-4V0MK30-1&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=6a21f64c53f55f8323b1fc7b6af412cb