Desperate parents are being deceived into giving their autistic children, some as young as two, bleach in order to ‘cure’ them, an investigation has found.
Six police forces across Britain have questioned families over allegations they have tried a dangerous mix of chemicals, it has been revealed.
A secret Facebook group aimed at parents of youngsters on the spectrum claims the incurable condition is caused by parasites that can be cleansed.
But, the ‘cure’ revolves around autistic children being given potent chemicals, either through an enema or orally, that could kill them and damage their gut.
Campaigners have blasted the treatment, MMS (miracle mineral solution), and have now begged for it to be made illegal. The makers claim the deadly solution can also cure cancer and malaria.
It is being peddled by former drug addicts, an investigation found, after it emerged last year a church cult was also promoting them.
Furious doctors have spoken of the dangers of following advice from unqualified advocates online, warning ‘it’s only a matter of time’ before a child dies.
One of those selling MMS online is an ex-drug addict, from Margate, who narrowly escaped jail after admitting causing his fiancee’s death by reckless driving
Campaigners have blasted the treatments, MMS and have now begged for both to be made illegal (pictured: MMS and the citric acid solution its makers say it should be mixed with)
Dr Jeff Foster, a GP based in Leamington Spa, blasted the quack remedies promoted online, which have been exposed by The Sunday People.
He told them: ‘Autism is a neuro-developmental disease which is not amenable to any form of tablet treatment. It’s developed in the womb or early stages of life.
‘You can’t just reverse it and anyone claiming that does not understand the condition.
‘When you have very extreme measures like this to “cure” a condition it’s just a roulette game. Eventually someone will die. It’s only a matter of time.’
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the umbrella term for conditions that affect social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour.
Charities estimate there is around 700,000 people who are on the autism spectrum in the UK. In the US, it is as high as 3.5 million.
Figures suggest four boys are diagnosed with autism – which often causes sufferers to struggle with social interaction – to every one girl.
There’s no ‘cure’ for ASD, but speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and educational support are available to help children and parents.
A secret Facebook group aimed at parents of youngsters on the spectrum claims the incurable condition is caused by parasites that can be cleansed. But, the ‘cure’ revolves around autistic children being given potent chemicals that could kill them and damage their gut
Dr Jeff Foster, a GP based in Leamington Spa, blasted the quack remedies promoted online, which have been exposed by The Sunday People
However, unqualified advocates are peddling their myths that chemicals, such as MMS, can cure autism by ridding the body of parasites.
One of those selling MMS online is an ex-drug addict, from Margate, who narrowly escaped jail after admitting causing his fiancee’s death by reckless driving.
Danny Glass, known online as Sunfruit Dan, claims that people can live a ‘disease-free’ life if they use MMS, which reportedly costs £30 ($42).
Along with the Facebook group, Genesis II church also advertises the use of MMS on their website and lists sellers of the treatment.
The organisation has 27 churches worldwide, including one in London and Co. Kildare, Ireland, it was reported in August last year.
It offers a ten-day course for members to train as MMS doctors or ministers, after which they could be able to open their own church.
Once the ‘ministers’ heal 10 people, they are given a ‘doctorate degree’.
Emma Dalmayne, an autistic mother-of-six who campaigns against any dangerous treatments that have no scientific proof, blasted the Facebook group.
Images claiming to show parasites leaving the body of autistic children actually showed their bowel lining had been burnt, she told The Sunday People.
Emma Dalmayne, an autistic mother-of-six who campaigns against any dangerous treatments that have no scientific proof, blasted the Facebook group
She said: ‘When I first read about MMS I didn’t think it possible that parents would feed their own children a bleach solution – let alone give them enemas with it.
‘I felt disgusted and sickened. No parents will admit to doing this to their children publicly. This treatment is not illegal at the moment but we need to get rid of it.’
Ms Dalmayne last year attacked the highly-secretive Facebook group and ousted a mother-of-three for using the quack remedy to ‘cure’ her autistic son.
The woman, from Cheshire, was investigated by the police and social services last August after posting on the group, which had 8,500 members at the time.
Ms Dalmayne has repeatedly called for the Government to ban the treatments and last year received 55,000 signatures on a petition calling for their ban.
Dr Foster, who re-iterated that no dose of CD is safe either, added: ‘It causes abdominal cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea.
‘If you drink it on a long-term basis it causes inflammation of your gutlining, stomach, oesophagus and intestines.
‘At some stage something pops and then you can bleed to death.’
WHAT IS MIRACLE MINERAL SOLUTION? THE DEADLY BLEACH PEDDLED TO PARENTS TO ‘CURE’ AUTISM, CANCER AND MALARIA
Government health watchdogs issued an urgent warning about miracle mineral solution (MMS), which has since sold thousands of bottles worldwide, in 2010.
A deluge of serious complaints forced the Food Standards Agency to urge people who bought the drink to throw it away.
Those who had tried it suffered agonising bouts of nausea and diarrhoea after taking just a few drops of the fluid.
It was reported at the time that MMS contains 28 per cent sodium chlorite solution – the equivalent to industrial strength bleach.
The FSA warned at the time that this was six times the amount that can be found in a bottle of Domestos bleach.
Its makers claim it can cure cancer, malaria and even autism – but no scientific evidence exists.
Bottles of the liquid cost in the region of £30 ($42) and it must be mixed with citric acid to produce chlorine dioxide. In large doses it could prove fatal.
It is reportedly stocked in some shops, but can be bought online.