Did you know 1 in 36 US children were identified with autism spectrum disorder?
Is your child or grandchild at risk?
We can help prevent autism and ADHD from rising further by addressing chemical intolerance, said Dr. Claudia Miller, allergist/immunologist, professor emeritus, and leader of the TILT Research Program at UT Health San Antonio.
Parents with chemical intolerance scores in the top tenth percentile had 5.7 times the risk of reporting a child with autism and 2.1 times for ADHD compared with parents in the bottom tenth percentile, according to Dr. Miller’s 2024 research.
To spur awareness of the chemical-intolerance-and-autism connection, among parents, policymakers, and health practitioners, Dr. Miller developed a TILT Tutorial on Autism and ADHD.
The tutorial explores the growth of autism and ADHD in the United States, how these conditions are linked to chemical intolerance and TILT, how to understand TILT and its origins, and how we can reduce TILT – which could, in turn, help reduce the frequency of conditions like autism and ADHD.
“This tutorial contains information not available in any text. It makes clear the massive health implications of the interwoven rise of chemical intolerance and autism and ADHD, and spells out what we should do about it,” Dr. Miller said.
What Can Parents or Grandparents Do to Prevent Autism and ADHD
You can use the new TILT tutorial to explore the implications of this link between chemical intolerance and autism.
The tutorial also contains specific actions that every sector of society – parents, individuals, healthcare professionals, architects, and more – can take to become a part of the solution, such as creating a clean air oasis at home or doing an environmental house call.
A first step for parents is taking the TILT Self-Assessment.
The TILT Self-Assessment:
- Keeps to a minimum the time needed to obtain a comprehensive exposure history
- Can be completed by many patients in advance of their appointments and administered at intervals to follow progress or setbacks over time
- Provides quantitative (0-10) assessments of symptom severity, life impact, and chemical, food, and drug intolerances
- Uses the QEESI Symptom Star to graphically depict Symptom Severity—in individuals or groups—at selected time points, for example, before and after an exposure event, before and after avoidance, a move, change in job or school, a drug, or medical or other interventions
- Includes the Masking Index which identifies background exposures that may need to be eliminated so they do not interfere with, or “mask,” symptom triggers
- Provides a seven-item Brief Exposure History
- Helps calculate a Total Chemical Intolerance Score which facilitates comparisons between individuals, practices, and groups.
Take the TILT Self-Assessment for yourself!
“It is in our power to blunt or reverse the current epidemics of autism and ADHD. Our actions may well lead to profound improvements in the health and wellbeing of future generations,” Dr. Miller said.
Do You Suffer Chemical Intolerance?
You can find out if you have chemical intolerance, or are TILT’ed.
Answer these three questions from Hoffman TILT’s Brief Environmental Exposure and Sensitivity Inventory (BREESI):
- Do you feel sick when you are exposed to tobacco smoke, certain fragrances, nail polish/remover, engine exhaust, gasoline, air fresheners, pesticides, paint/thinner, fresh tar/asphalt, cleaning supplies, new carpet or furnishings? By sick, we mean: headache, difficulty thinking, difficulty breathing, weakness, dizziness, upset stomach, etc.
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse or allergic reactions to any drugs or medications (such as antibiotics, anesthetics, pain relievers, X-ray contrast dye, vaccines or birth control pills), or to an implant, prosthesis, contraceptive chemical or device, or other medical/surgical/dental material or procedure?
- Are you unable to tolerate or do you have adverse reactions to any foods such as dairy products, wheat, corn, eggs, caffeine, alcoholic beverages, or food additives (e.g., MSG, food dye)?
If you answer YES to any question, take the TILT Self Assessment and share the results with your doctor!