About Autism Stem Cell Therapy
This information is intended for general information only and should not be considered as medical advice on the part of Health-Tourism.com. Any decision on medical treatments, after-care or recovery should be done solely upon proper consultation and advice of a qualified physician.
What is autism?
Autism is an array of disorders which are characterized by visible abnormalities in social interactions and communication. The common medical findings associated in children with the disorder are a chronic immunologically mediated inflammatory condition in the gut and reduced oxygenation in specific areas of the brain.
Autism is characterized by signs and symptoms that include:- Impaired social interaction
- Mood alteration
- Impaired communication
- Digestive and metabolic issues
- Repetitive behavior
- Cognitive delays
How are stem cells used in the treatment of autism/Current research aims at attempting to reverse the abnormalities through administration of anti-inflammatory agents, antibiotic and hyperbaric oxygen. However, none of these approaches address the underlying causes of the intestinal inflammation or oxygen deprivation.
It is thought that mesenchymal stem cells may help reverse inflammatory conditions and regulate the immune system. The umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells are administered intravenously by a licensed doctor.
Which types of stem cells are used to treat autism and how are they obtained?Adult stem cells used to treat autism are harvested from human umbilical cord tissue also called allogenic mesenchymal. The human umbilical cords are donated by mothers after healthy and normal births. They are thoroughly screened and tested for bacteria and viruses.
They are idea for the treatment of autism because they allow for the administering of uniform doses and do not necessitate any stem cell harvesting from the patient, which can be quite concerning for the parents and terrifying for the autistic child. Because the stem cells are collected immediately after birth the umbilical cord-derived cells are much more effective than their counterparts such as bone marrow derived cells.
In addition the umbilical cord derived mesenchymal cells are not rejected by the patient because they do not recognize them as foreign. This is due to the fact that the HUCT stem cells are less mature than other cells. HUCT stem cells also differentiate/proliferate better that ‘older’ cells and are therefore considered to be more potent.
A typical autism treatment protocol takes about 5 days and involves blood tests and physical examination. Intravenous infusions of the mesenchymal cells are then administered.
Advantages of treating with allogeneic umbilical cord tissue-derived stem cells?The cells are not rejected because the HUCT mesenchymal stem cells are immune system privileged and Human Leukocyte (HLA) matching is not required.
Screening and testing of the best stem cells can be conducted to ensure that the best immune modulating capacity, anti-inflammatory and regeneration stimulation cells are selected.
Administering of uniform dosages with high cell counts can be done with the allogenic stem cells.
The umbilical cord tissue provides a supply of mesenchymal stem cells in abundance.
There is no need to harvest stem cells from the patient under anesthesia which can be very unpleasant t the child.
Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells are thought by researchers to be more robust than mesenchymal stem cells harvested from other sources.
AftercareProper follow up after the procedure is necessary to ensure that the patient is progressing well.
Learn more about Autism