The Effects of a Clean Room Sleeping Environment on Elemental and Chemical Concentrations in Children With Autism

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.