Never rotate antivirals. Choose the ones you feel may be appropriate and use them synergistically for a period of several months. Rotating anything that "kills" will cause what you are trying to kill, in this case viruses, to develop immunity. This is very much like what has happened to certain bacteria which are no longer vulnerable to antibiotics. The antibiotics were "rotated" on a large scale through overuse and people not finishing their prescriptions.

You can rotate indirect acting supplements like echinacea, astragalus, inositol, etc, that boost the immune system and don't attack the virus. There is some concern among parents and doctors that immune boosters (as opposed to immune modulators) may not be a good idea for ASD children with overactive immune systems. This may be a consideration for parents choosing supplements. The information provided for each of these is not meant to be exhaustive. You must do further research.

The information below is presented in no specific order. Do note that no prescription antivirals are mentioned in this list; however, some parents have had good response from their usage.

EPICOR: a yeast based product--not the bad yeast we fight but a brewer's yeast--that acts as an immune system modulator. Research on this product is very strong. Epicor can help with microbial problems, NK cell strength, calcium channel signaling, CD4/CD8 ratios, IgA response, and oxidative stress.

You can purchase it at Vitamin Research Products

Click here for more information

COLOSTRUM: an immune booster and good for viral related GI issues. Colostrum is a dairy product; however, casein-free colostrum is available from here

TRANSFER FACTOR: one component of the immune system, transfer factors are messengers that pass on information. At birth, we are provided transfer factors in breast milk colostrum.

http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/tf.htm

(see links near top left of the page)

MUSHROOMS: certain species of mushrooms offer a wide range of immune boosting and modulating properties because of betaglucans, polysaccharides, and other properties. Some examples of these mushrooms include cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, reishi, and coriolus versicolor. There are far too many mushroom products to list here and you can find a wide variety of them even at places like iherb or vitacost.

The following are only a few examples of introductory reading on mushrooms:

http://pharmaceuticalmushrooms.nwbotanicals.org/

http://www.newstarget.com/021498.html

http://www.gmushrooms.com/Healthref.html

THYMIC PROTEIN: supports white blood, increases T-cell levels, promotes antiviral effect. There are a number of these products available from different companies.

http://www.vrp.com/art/755.asp,

http://www.proboostmed.com/

Biotics Research

ASTRAGALUS ROOT: promotes healthy numbers of Natural Killer cells. Astragalus is taken for only five days per month. Not to be taken during the same rotation as Echinacea)

Read More

Read even more

ECHINACEA: promotes healthy numbers of NK cells. Echinacea is taken for only five days per month. Not to be taken during the same rotation as Astragalus Root. Available in drops that do not taste very bad (generally prepared especially for children). http://www.herbs.org/greenpapers/echinacea.html

VITAMIN C: an immune booster and antiviral. See supplement file for further details. http://www.newstarget.com/007434.html

VITAMIN A: an immune function booster. See supplement file for further details.

VITAMIN D3: a fat-soluble vitamin many people are deficient in that helps to regulate and boost the immune system.

Read more here

and even more here

BETA GLUCAN: immune modulation, antiviral. Pure encapsulations brand is recommended, available from the manufacturer or through Emerson Ecologics.

GLYCONUTRIENTS/POLYSACCHARIDES: these sugars--found also in medicinal mushrooms--may have some positive impact on the immune system. Many people are familiar with the MLM company Mannatech, which sell formulations of glyconutrients. There have been some positive parent reports from these kinds of products. Aloe vera is an excellent source of polysaccharides but one must be sure to verify the polysaccharide level of a product and buy from a reputable source. It is somewhat difficult to get good information on this subject, as most of these products are heavily marketed, but this may be a place to start:

RUSSIAN CHOICE GI: a blend of herbs and probiotics that support immunity.

More information here

LARCH ARABINOGALACTAN: an immune booster

More information click here

ZINC : promotes immune function. See Supplement file for further information.

ELDERBERRY : an antiviral. Sambucol is an antiviral syrup made for children. It is made from elderberries and generally used against influenza but seems to be pretty broad spectrum in activity. Extremely easy to dose in juice or other drinks. http://www.vitacost.com/science/nutrients/elderberry.html

OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT: an antiviral, antibacterial. Douglas Brand works particularly well. Available in powder and liquid forms, OLE has a strong taste.http://www.immunesupport.com/news/98spr009.htm

http://www.holisticjunction.com/categories/CR/olive-leaf-extract.html

VIRASTOP: an enzyme antiviral which digests the protective protein sheath of viruses (dosage varies wildly, but is increased in a stepwise fashion). Must be dosed on an empty stomach for optimal effectiveness. Often used as the foundation of an antiviral protocol in conjunction with other antivirals. See Karen's page, for further details.

Buy it from here

LAURICIDIN: an antiviral that seems to show promise in both research and practical application. Also works against dysbiosis. Pellets cannot be chewed; however, they are very small and most children will be able to swallow 4 or 5 or more at a time if they are placed in yogurt or applesauce.

http://lauricidin.com/

CAT'S CLAW (SAMENTO): an antiviral. There is concern that much of the cat's claw sold is not the effective cat's claw.

Samento is often associated with treating Lyme Disease.

There are a number of PDFs to be read here

TURMERIC: an antiviral, anti-inflammatory. This supplement raises plasma cysteine and should not be used unless plasma cysteine is low. The test for this is no longer available so a parent must observe reactions closely.

GARLIC: an antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial. This supplement raises plasma cysteine and should not be used unless plasma cysteine is low. The test for this is no longer available so a parent must observe reactions closely.

http://www.herbs.org/greenpapers/garlic.htm

LICORICE: an antiviral

ST. JOHN'S WORT : antiviral

More information

INOSITOL : increases NK cell activity (1-4 grams daily) and an antioxidant. Some people choose to use Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP-6) which can also be used to eliminate mineral toxicity. This should be kept in mind when dosing.

More information on Inositol

INOSINE : an antiviral.

OIL OF OREGANO: antifungal, antibacterial, and possibly anti-viral. Be sure that your source is wild oregano.

http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/oregano-oil.html

http://herbalmedicine.tribe.net/thread/f285d709-1013-4e52-9e7e-a4c2e062334a

http://www.origanumoil.com/oil_of_oregano.htm

NATURAL CELLULAR DEFENSE: a liquid zeolite that claims to do many things, among them modulate the immune system. Parent reports would indicate that NCD is doing something for viruses, but the product is rather new and there is not much data to go by in order to understand the very good response a few kids are having. (manufacturer's recommended dose is far too high for most ASD kids to start with and some parents begin with one drop a day, spread out over the day)

http://www.waiora.com/products/item26000-NCD.php

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/autismNCD/

LDM 100: an antibactieral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory derived from a member of the parsley family. Some families who have used LDM 100 have found it very effective but powerful, with strong outcomes like rashing.

http://www.barlowherbal.com/article_info.php?articles_id=8

LDM Information