In my ongoing effort to stop my son’s seizures we are going to do a trial of IVIG. I first heard of IVIG about 8 years ago when Drake was 5 years old. When doing research it kept coming up as a possible remedy for intractable seizures. IVIG therapy explained- July 09 In my ongoing effort to stop my son’s seizures we are going to do a trial of IVIG. I first heard of IVIG about 8 years ago when Drake was 5 years old. When doing research it kept coming up as a possible remedy for intractable seizures. Fearing I would sound ‘alternative’ and loose credibility with our neurologist I brought it up casually. I continued to mention it at least once a year when we would discuss the list of drugs to try next. I even brought other people to our doctors appointments so they could inquire about IVIG so I would not have too. We are now with a Kaiser pediatric neurologist. As I understand it Kaiser has a billing code for IVIG. I asked our new neurologist if IVIG was an option for Drake and the answer was it is authorized for acute cases of epilepsy not chronic cases. Navigating my child’s way can be frustrating! Any way since the fundraiser we are now able to get additional treatment from a doctor outside of our insurance. We have been with Dr. Bertrand since last year. He specializes in autism and has facilitated Drake’s trial in IVIG, which will take place at the end of this month (July 09). I asked him to explain in his own words why a kid like Drake could benefit from IVIG: IVIG is the abbreviation for Intra-Venous Immune Globulin, or IV gamma globulin. Gamma globulin is a class of antibodies that we all produce that are designed to bind and neutralize infections and toxins. Our body normally uses gamma globulin to bind viruses, bacteria, fungi as well as unusual proteins, toxins, etc. Once these irritants have been bound by the gamma globulin they are cleaned up and eliminated by other cells of the immune system. People with gamma globulin deficiencies are prone to chronic sinus, respiratory and throat infections, among other problems. IVIG is used by conventional physicians to treat a number of infections and immune system problems: hepatitis A, rabies, Guillan-Barre syndrome, autoimmune platelet problems and many other problems. The idea is that if there is a virus, or an autoimmune antibody that attacks one’s own tissues, the IVIG can neutralize it if there are no other solutions present. IVIG also reduces immune system reactivity and inflammation. IVIG is used experimentally in autism. In other words, it is not the “standard of care” (SOC) among traditional neurologists, psychiatrists and pediatricians who treat autistic children. Unfortunately the SOC in autism is only behavioral and educational counseling. Among DAN (Defeat Autism Now) doctors and other doctors who treat autistic kids, it has been noted that out of the thousands of kids who have been treated (the database has 25,000 children), 46% do better with IVIG treatment. 34% have no improvement and about 10% feel temporarily worse. It is thought that the IVIG works in autism to bind up and eliminate chronic viral infections in the central nervous system and / or autoimmune proteins that can attack the child’s nervous system, causing chronic inflammation. It also in general helps to reduce immune system over activation and inflammation that is present in the brain and GI tract of almost every autistic child. Win Bertrand MD

This entry was posted on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 05:53 and is filed under .

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