Hemodialysis as a treatment for infantile autism.

A course of 10 weekly hemodialyses was conducted on a young adult female with infantile autism. Multiple parameters were measured to assess outcome. No significant changes were noted in her mood, behavior, or cognitive functioning. Several other autistic individuals were evaluated for the study but were felt to have either behavioral or cognitive limitations, which made the procedure unsafe. It is concluded that hemodialysis in a larger group of autistic individuals was not justified.