Yes, as Australian’s we are living longer, but our quality of life as we age is becoming poorer. At least half of us have a chronic health condition which impacts...

Due to the sheer volume of research over the last few months, this research review focuses on some selected issues in ASD. Do go to the autism page of the...

Significant iron deficiency and low blood levels of vitamin B12 in boys around age 8 are associated with behaviour problems, according to new research. These problems exhibit as both internalizing...

A new study has found that more than 200 human-targeted, non-antibiotic drugs inhibit the growth of bacterial species that make up part of the human microbiome. A number of drugs...

Five times as many males as females are diagnosed on the autism spectrum. Autism is under-diagnosed in women as they tend to fly under the autism radar and tend to...

This month I have included research into ADHD, vitamin D, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Comorbid psychiatric disorders in a clinical sample of adults with ADHD,...

Bio-Balance held their annual conference in Melbourne recently with some great speakers from the US and Australia. The wealth of knowledge these speakers passed onto the attending delegates was invaluable....

A new study has found that adult deaths from very low levels of lead exposure, is higher, perhaps ten times higher than previously expected! In line with some other recommendations...

A recent study has put forward the idea that the rise in autoimmune disease may be the result of food additives damaging the gastrointestinal mucosa and increasing intestinal permeability or...

Poor sleep in autism is finally becoming recognised as a major issue and a central feature of autism. Up till now other issues like speech, behaviour or epilepsy have been...

Recent studies have suggested a relationship between low vitamin D levels, autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A recent review of the literature adds some interesting information on this connection...

Due to the sheer volume of research over the last few months, this research review focuses mostly on nutritional intervention and gut related issues in ASD. Do go to the...

The outcome is not what either the cardiologist or naturopath expected. If you or anyone in your family has high cholesterol – read on. In January 2017, I went to...

It may sound like science fiction, but you may be eating lab grown “meat” very soon, if it lives up to the hype. Recently I heard a radio interview with...

A new paper, by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, has highlighted the critical period of child development from conception to the end of two years of age. This being the...

This month I have included research into ADHD, gluten, melatonin, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Gut microbiome in ADHD and its relation to neural reward anticipation....

The following article is available in full on the Great Plains Laboratory website. It was written by James Greenblatt, Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Services at Walden...

A new study indicates that some Australian families could be getting exposed to dangerous levels of lead contamination from their kitchen tap water. In 2014, researchers enlisted volunteer help from...

The Fruit, Vegetable and Diet Score Report, produced by the CSIRO and commissioned by Horticulture Innovation Australia, compiled the dietary habits of adults across Australia over an 18-month period.  With...

There is a perception that buying healthy foods is more expensive than buying junk foods. A new Australian study debunks this perception. Australian Dietary Guidelines, are often referred to when...

An Australian study has found that 1 in 5 Australians, aged 25 to 54 do not have time exercise or to eat healthy. The study, Your money or your time?...

Sulforaphane, a natural compound found in broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables, has been identified as a possible treatment for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a serious health...

Parents often have concerns that their child is going frequently to the toilet or wetting themselves during the day. A paediatrician reflects on why this may happen in some children....

This month I have included research into ADHD , as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD The effects of magnesium physiological supplementation on hyperactivity in children with attention...

This year seems to be yet another bad season for colds and flu. More people seem to be reporting that they have been hit with a viral infection and are...

This month I have included some research into melatonin, intestinal permeability and vitamin D, as well as the usual ASD research review. Melatonin Melatonin Supplementation, a Strategy to Prevent Neurological...

The documented journey of a Sydney father who defied convention and took his autistic teenage son backpacking across Africa. The results could revolutionise the study of autism. This documentary was...

Do you ever see shapes, lights, or colours, even though there is nothing really there? These were the type of questions asked of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A...

Animal studies have provided strong evidence that gut bacteria play a role in neurodevelopment. More specifically, altering intestinal microbiota has been found to impact cognitive, communicative, and exploratory behaviors. Very...

This month I have included some research into melatonin, intestinal permeability and vitamin D, as well as the usual ASD research review. Melatonin Dietary Sources and Bioactivities of Melatonin. Full...

Recently a new drug hit the news and created a huge amount of excitement in the autism community. Will it bring the hope that parents are looking for? I have...

Psychiatric disorders may arise from genetic, environmental factors. Increasingly, immune-related theories are proposed, with increasing research into infections as possible causative agents. It is believed that exposure to infectious organisms...

  You would think that by now, you do not need another study to tell us that the fewer hours of sleep children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) get, the...

Iron deficiency in Australian children you would expect to be a rare occurrence. So why am I seeing so many children in practice that are obviously anaemic or have sub-optimal...

This month I have included some research into ADHD, vitamin D, melatonin and mental health, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, cognition, and...

The study of human social behaviour may need to include another discipline, immunology. Until relatively recently, the brain and immune system were considered to work independently of each other. Groundbreaking...

Babies who get homemade food may learn to like a wider variety of food types and be leaner than infants who eat store-bought products. In this current study, published in...

This article was originally published in Spectrum News. It has been modified in length. Readers are encouraged to read the complete article. Many people on the spectrum take multiple medications —...

Parents that have a child diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), often look for alternatives to medication. Although food sensitivities, sleep, lead exposure, low iron,...

The use of heartburn medications like Nexium is widespread. These medications suppress the symptoms of acid reflux and give symptomatic relief – but doesn’t fix the problem! Recent research should...

This month I have included some research into ADHD, vitamin D and mental health, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Cardiovascular Effects of Stimulant and Non-Stimulant Medication...

Immunotherapy for cancer has been touted as the next big breakthrough in cancer treatment. However, before we get too excited about a “cure” for cancer, it is emerging that immunotherapy...

A new study may explain why people who do not have celiac disease or wheat allergy, experience a variety of gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms after ingesting wheat and related cereals....

Previous studies have shown significant benefit in supplementing omega-3 and omega-6 oils to improve attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. This latest study looked at improving children’s reading ability with...

Giving stimulants to kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may not help them complete homework and increases risk of abnormal heart rhythms. A recently published study has found that...

Monthly Research Review February 2017 This month I have included some research into ADHD, gluten and mental health, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Iron Status in...

Breastfed infants are at risk of vitamin D deficiency because of the low concentration of vitamin D in breast milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends supplementation of breastfed,...

Imbalances in the gut microbiota contribute to chronic gut inflammatory diseases. Interestingly, exercise can improve gut health by diversifying the gut microbiota and systemic health. There is accumulating evidence that...

Recently the ABC’s Four Corners program aired an episode questioning the efficacy and safety of supplements available in Australia. This brought a barrage of criticism from many quarters of the...

This is the title of an article published, of all places, in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. It draws on research studies looking at the depletion of...

This month I have included some research into ADHD, gluten and mental health, as well as the usual ASD research review. ADHD Academic Achievement in Adults with a History of...

Sunscreen likely provides protection against skin cancer in some high-risk groups, but it is probably not broadly effective, according to a study of children that used the appearance of new...

Magnesium is one of the most common deficiencies in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Given that there is such widespread magnesium deficiency in ADHD, is it worth supplementing...

Are you allowing your child too much screen time? The consequences should concern you. Parents should take note of two new studies that look at the amount of time young...

A new study has looked at why individuals with neurodevelopmental and mental illnesses also have significant underlying medical disorders. What they have found should revolutionise the treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders....

A new study has confirmed an association between heartburn drugs (proton pump inhibitors or PPIs), that treat heartburn, peptic ulcers, and other acid-related disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and...

New research indicates that your diet is not only important for your health and gut microbial diversity, but also of your children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren. Research led by...

This month I have included some research into ADHD and gluten, as well as some selected ASD research studies. ADHD The effects of risk factors on EEG and seizure in...

As ethnic populations migrate to different countries, children of these migrants develop the same allergies as most other children. However, children are developing allergies to foods that we have not...

Risk factors for ASD The relationship between mercury and autism: A comprehensive review and discussion.“This review found 91 studies that examine the potential relationship between mercury and ASD from 1999...

Vitamin D has hit the headlines again. This time low vitamin D levels are associated with allergies and melanoma. Melanoma? But we have been told to stay out of the...

Spring – that time of year we should look forward to as summer is just around the corner. Unless you are an allergy sufferer. Then this is a time that...

New research just published is showing that children treated with methylphenidate (Ritalin) for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), show abnormal brain changes. Even when they have stopped taking the drug,...

This article was originally published in Spectrum News. The content has been abridged to provide a summary of the original content. Applied behavioral analysis (ABA) is the most widely used therapy...

Over the last six months I have been talking to many parents at Autism Expo’s in metropolitan Melbourne and regionally in Victoria. What is clear is that children with disabilities,...

I never thought that I would ever be commenting on a game that my kids played as children many years ago. Despite my aversion to such games and scepticism of...

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) recently, medical error is the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and cancer. The researchers examined four...

More research into supplements, as well as nutritional and biochemical abnormalities in ASD. As well as diet, gastrointestinal issues and the quality of life of ASD individuals as they enter...

Since supplements are on the “quack watch” list, let’s start a medical equivalent. As to what we call it I am open for suggestions. MedQuack Watch? Let’s start the list...

Articles appear regularly in print, media or the internet as to how parents are being taken advantage of by practitioners, that are peddling “quack therapies”, that are useless and even...

This article was originally published in The Sydney Morning Herald. It has been edited for this edition of the newsletter. Drugs such as Ritalin make no difference to the long-term...

This month there is a novel treatment that is reported – helminth therapy. Helminth is a general term for “worm”. Helminths were common contaminants in the grains that we consumed...

This article first appeared on the Drugwatch website in September, 2015. Testimony from a Johnson & Johnson (J&J) biochemist at a trial in February 2015, revealed the company hid study results...

Higher levels of vitamin D are associated with a substantial reduction in the risk (more than 65%) of all invasive cancers combined, according to a new study published in April. This...

I have been personally following autism research for well over 20 years. Despite the huge number of studies that have been published, the most common research findings into diet and...

Anything to do with weight loss I avoid like the plague. So I was surprised to find myself reading a report on a six-year follow-up study that was done on...

Although antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are a widely recognised  health problem, we are now also seeing the emergence and increased rates of serious invasive fungal infections. Just like bacteria, some fungi...

In the previous April Monthly Research Review, I was surprised to find the number of studies being published on trials of supplements that have been shown to benefit ASD children. This...

There is growing concern about microbial resistance to antibiotics. The World Health Organisation has recently labelled antibiotic resistance as one of the greatest threats to public health. Australia has one...

The previous month in the Monthly Research Review highlighted studies showing the benefits of supplements that parents are commonly using to supplement their ASD children. I was surprised to find...

The UK have introduced a sugar tax on soft drinks in an attempt to battle the rising rates of obesity and diabetes. Australia is looking to do the same. This won’t...

The use of ADHD medications for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children appears to be associated with bone loss, according to new research. The data was presented at a recent...

Neurological abnormalities due to gluten have been well reported in coeliac disease patients. However, there are some disturbing reports emerging of severe mental disturbances and psychosis developing as a result...

What happens when a distinguished professor comes to a doctor as a patient? This is no ordinary patient. Although she is not a medical doctor, she does have expertise in...

The previous month in the Monthly Research Review highlighted studies showing the benefits of supplements that parents are commonly using to supplement their ASD children. I was surprised to find...

Upcoming Events – Not to be missed COMING UP VERY SOON IN APRIL!!! Melbourne Autism Expo The Melbourne Autism Expo (MAE) will have a broad range of products and services...

Ovarian cancer in women has been referred to as the silent killer as the symptoms are ones that many women experience from time to time. They tend to be less...

Something is Wrong in the Asylum – Psychiatric drugs Psychiatric drugs are one of the most prescribed medications by the medical profession. You would think that there would be more...

The previous month has seen many more studies showing the benefits of supplements that parents are commonly using to supplement their ASD children. There are other studies showing the benefit...

NOT TO BE MISSED!!!! There are two unique opportunities coming up for parents to learn more. There is nothing more inspiring than to listen to biomedical doctors that are implementing...

Is it possible that the use of dishwashers can increase the risk of developing allergies in children? Interesting research from Sweden is suggesting that parents are better off ditching the...

It is well known that lead exposure poses serious health risks. Lead is still widely present in our environment and in the foods and drinks we consume. It may surprise you...

You have received an ASD diagnosis for your child. In-between specialist appointments and therapy sessions you worry about their future. The reality is, from recent studies, that the majority of...

Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF) has a number of videos that are a good introduction to gut bacteria and gut health. The first video is a good introduction to the...

The end of 2015 has seen a total 4,189 autism research papers published and listed on PubMed. This is a 28% increase in autism research papers published over the last...

Just as I thought that I had said all I wanted to say on the subject of supplements, a Medscape News item pops into my mailbox. This time it is...

In the 1990s mono sodium glutamate (MSG) was phased out of Chinese restaurants due to “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”. Some individuals eating at Chinese restaurants would experience various symptoms, including burning,...

In May 2014, the NSW Food Authority released a document “Artificial colours in local and imported food products”. This document reports on 2 surveys on artificial colours in food products....

Twice last year when I went out to dinner I have ordered calamari dishes. On both occasions the calamari was very tender. Other family members commented on how tender it...

If you have a child that is compliant, listens to you, doing well at school, a joy to take out, has no skin or abdominal issues, sleeps well– then this...

December is a month we are all time poor finishing off projects and preparing for the festive season. So I have opted to feature two short videos for time poor...

The research keeps coming and it is a struggle keeping up due to the sheer volume. However my motto is as always, if you don’t look for it and read...

There has been an explosion of research into vitamin D for many years now. The research is telling us that vitamin D has far more wide ranging effects than we...

This topic has been on my mind for some time. As the supplement industry has expanded to become a billion dollar industry, I have seen the market flooded with poor...

I was reading an article on ADHD, “Who Is Diagnosing All These Kids With ADHD?” The article was commenting on a recent study into ADHD diagnosis, “Diagnostic Experiences of Children...

What’s so special about methylation? Methylation is being talked about a lot in medical research, as well as in many discussion groups from chemical sensitivity to chronic fatigue and autism....

In today’s digital technology world, there is no excuse for parents not to be informed. When I was looking for treatment options to help my son, the internet was in...

Socialisation deficits are one of the core characteristics of ASD, and a significant source of impairment regardless of cognitive or language ability for these individuals. In teaching social skills to...

Those with seasonal allergies or allergic rhinitis, the beginning of spring brings with it months of sneezing, nasal discharge, nasal congestion, itchy, watery eyes and general malaise. Sometimes this may...

Every month there seems to be a flood of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) research being published. October was no different. Everything from dietary studies to the stress parents have caring...