Bee stings 'help' mother with MS - anecdotes of autism parallels?

[Guest guest]

{Some parents report an autistic child's improvement during sickness.

The WHYs remain a mystery. Has any parent found a temporary improvement

following an autistic child's being stung by a bee? -}

Bee stings 'help' mother with MS

a Cooke is stung by about 12 bees three days a week

A mother-of-two who is battling against multiple sclerosis says she is

being helped by 36 bee stings a week.

a Cooke, 40, of Terrington St Clement, Norfolk, has had MS for 15

years and has no feeling from her waist to her toes.

About three months ago she started a course of bee venom therapy and she

believes it has been a success.

But the MS Society has warned people that they must consult a doctor

before considering this " unproven " therapy.

Ms Cooke told BBC News that she now wants other people to know about

this form of treatment for her condition.

" I want people to have their own opportunity to decide whether to try

this treatment for themselves, " she said.

'Regained use of toes'

" The bee stings have brought about tiny improvements from absolutely

nothing. It is amazing. "

Ms Cooke, who has two children - le, 12, and Kaysie, 19 - recently

found she could move some of the toes on her feet.

Her mother Jillian Fisher said the treatment involves 12 stings at a

time each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

She said that at first they got bees sent from London, but now they have

found a local beekeeper Melton.

'No clinical evidence'

" When we first started using this bee therapy we were told it would not

produce any effects for three months, but in the first couple of weeks

she regained use of some of her toes, " she said.

A spokesman for the MS Society said: " There is no clinical evidence to

support this, though there are some anecdotal reports about various

therapies.

" Anybody who is contemplating this should consult their neurologist or

GP first. "

Doctors have concerns because some people are allergic to bee stings.

The spokesman added that MS is a variable condition with some patients

showing differing symptoms at different times.

Bee venom therapy has been used for treating arthritis.

It is thought that the shock of the sting cranks up adrenal glands to

produce the natural painkiller cortisol.

{And what, praytell, is the mechanism by which the lady came to move her

toes once again? -}

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/england/norfolk/4134375.stm

Published: 2004/12/30 10:54:55 GMT

© BBC MMIV

SEE ALSO:

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<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/somerset/3499709.stm>

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Plight of France's honey bee

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3178400.stm>

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