Lyme & Autism - Is there really a connection?

In 2002 I was tested for Lyme. At the time my husband and I were living in NC. We had recently married and I was under a tremendous amount of financial stress. I had also suddenly developed a long list of symptoms that doctors could never explain either. I suffered from the following for 1 1/2 years:

chronic low-grade fever
pain in feet while walking (felt like I was walking on marbles)
large welts all over my back and chest that would come and go
frequent nausea
chronic joint pain and inflammation
headaches
weight gain
extremely tired
intolerance to certain foods
abdominal pain and bloating
dry eyes
mental fog
short fuse/extremely irritable at times
**the list is endless

I saw many doctors and had many tests done. Each time I went for testing though my symptoms temporarily resolved. The only thing that was evident at one point was that my white blood cell count was extremely high. However, upon subsequent testing, that count returned to normal (I was also feeling better when it was normal too). Little did I know that the test done (the Western Blot) doesn't cover all of the Lyme bands.

Out of desperation I began taking Olive Leaf caplets and endured colon hydrotherapy treatments in Wilmington, NC. After numerous treatments, my symptoms resolved for the most part and I felt a lot better. I never did receive any answers as to what my mysterious illness was all about, but I'm beginning to believe that I was suffering from Lyme Disease and still am in the chronic form. The symptoms are nowhere near what they were then, but I am tired all of the time and suffer from what I believe is debilitating depression. I still have certain food intolerances too.

Amazingly, researchers are beginning to see a strong connection between Autism and Lyme Disease too. In fact, Lyme Disease causes many of the same nutritional deficiencies that children suffering from Autism are treated for too.

http://www.drcharlescrist.com/symptomsofnd.htm

http://www.lymeinducedautism.com/

Could I have passed this disease onto my baby? Is that why he reacted so terribly to his vaccines and is now on the Autism spectrum? A few months ago I did see a naturopathic doctor who did recommend another Lyme test (more comprehensive). He also told me that where so much time has passed, if I did have it - it would be about managing the symptoms because the bacteria would have meshed with my DNA already.

I will definitely be looking into this further too.