The Effects of a Clean Room Sleeping Environment on Elemental and Chemical Concentrations in Children With Autism
Condition: Autism
MeSH terms: Autistic Disorder
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      A child and their parent were asked to participate in a research project that sought to study
      whether sleeping in a very clean environment for 14 days improved the elimination of
      chemicals and metals from the child's body. The child had an approximately two hour
      evaluation to confirm his or her diagnosis of Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Not
      Otherwise Specified. When one of these diagnoses was confirmed the child was scheduled to
      spend 14 nights sleeping in a very clean environment in a specially created room at The
      Children's Institute.

      Several hours prior to the first night the child slept in the clean room the child's mother,
      father, or guardian filled out behavioral rating scales about the child with the assistance
      of the study's research coordinator. The child also had approximately two tablespoons of
      blood drawn from an arm and a few inch sample of hair was taken from the back of the child's
      head. The child and a parent or guardian arrived at The Children's Institute about one half
      hour prior to the child's normal time of settling for bed for 14 consecutive nights. The
      child and a parent or guardian slept in the clean room, wearing the provided very clean
      clothes and sleeping on special mattresses and sheets each night for 14 consecutive nights.
      The child and parent were observed by a nurse through a window during the time in the clean
      room. The child and parent participated in regular daytime activities during these 14 days of
      the study. On the morning after the last night the child and a parent or guardian slept in
      the clean room a parent or guardian filled out behavioral rating scales with the help of the
      research coordinator. Approximately two tablespoons of blood were drawn from an arm and a few
      inch sample of hair was obtained from the back of the child's head, at The Children's
      Institute or at home.
    

Detailed description: 
      Autism spectrum disorders are characterized behaviorally by expressive language and social
      deficits, the performance of stereotypic and repetitive behavior patterns, and abnormal
      cognitive functioning. Children with autism spectrum disorders often do not have known
      anomalies seen on genetic testing. An emerging paradigm suggests that the majority of
      children with autism are displaying a pattern of genetic / environmental interaction that
      make them susceptible to difficulties with detoxification of the heavy metal and chemical
      environment. Children with autism demonstrate increased difficulty with the performance of
      methylation and sulfation required for the elimination of fat soluble chemicals from human
      tissues. These children also commonly display dysfunction of their metalloprotein systems
      necessary for the elimination of heavy metals such as mercury and arsenic from their bodies.

      This study sought to provide 10 children with autism an opportunity to sleep in a clean room
      environment, a hospital room that was modified to remove nearly all traces of particulate
      matter, chemicals, and heavy metals, for a 2 week period while going about their normal
      activities during the day. In the clean room, the children slept on bedding and wore clothes
      that did not release any toxins. This room created a concentration gradient for chemical and
      heavy metal toxins that may have allowed these toxins to leave the children's bodies during
      their stays.

      The children's parents filled out seven rating scales, including the Aberrant Behavior
      Checklist, immediately before and after the 2 week sleeping periods. The children had blood
      samples taken before and after the 2 week sleeping experiences that measured biomarkers of
      metalloprotein (heavy metal elimination) and immune functioning, such as the plasma
      zinc/serum copper ratio and T and B cell subsets. Red blood cell and hair concentrations of
      toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and chromium 6, and red blood cell
      concentrations of chemicals implicated in contributing to human pathology, including
      polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diethyl ethers (PBDEs), and phthalates were
      determined before and after the sleeping experiences. These pre and post stay variables were
      statistically compared, and it was hypothesized that the children's red blood cell
      concentrations of toxins would be significantly reduced while their hair concentrations of
      toxins would be significantly increased after their sleeping experiences in the clean room,
      supporting the concept that the clean room promoted the release of heavy metals and chemicals
      from their bodies. This one year study was a proof of concept cohort study.
    

Intervention name(s): Cleanroom
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Cleanroom with air the quality of the pre-industrial age
Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Ten children confirmed to have autism through ADOS
      
Keywords: autism, cleanroom, immune dysregulation, toxins