What is Mitochondrial Disease or Dysfunction?
Mitochondrial Disease is a set if genetic disorders of the mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells which are used by the body to convert oxygen and food into energy. Although mitochondrial disease can go unnoticed and not cause any symptoms at all, it can also cause:- • Weakness of the muscles • Developmental delays • Heart problems It is a rare disease which can be present at birth or can occur later on, perhaps being triggered by an illness or fever. Mitochondrial Disease and Autism The link between mitochondrial disease and autism hit the headlines in 2008 when 9 year old Hannah Poling’s family won compensation in the renowned “Poling Vaccine Court Case” after claiming that their daughter’s autism was caused by the nine childhood vaccines that she received. Hannah Poling suffered from mitochondrial disease, like her mother, and went on to develop symptoms of autism within 48 hours of receiving the nine vaccines. Some people will argue that it was the vaccines alone that caused Hannah
