Miracle Mineral Solution: Mother allegedly gave her child bleach to 'cure' autism

A United States women has been accused of feeding her daughter a mixture of acid and chlorine in an attempt to cure the child's autism.

According to a police report, the mother was accused by the child's father of putting hydrochloric acid and "water purifying solution" (chlorine) into the girl's drink. The mixture - which formed bleach - was revealed to the mother on a Facebook group. It has been dubbed "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS).

MMS is a dangerous cocktail of chemicals, including sodium chlorite and citric acid. The compound can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration and has no medically proven properties.

According to Fox 2 News, the allegation is being investigated by the Department of Child Services in Indiana. The child has been taken away from home during the investigation. The United States' Food and Drug Administration has condemned the "cure" as a fake and warned that MMS could be deadly.

Applied Behavioral Center for Autism president and founder Sherry Quinn told Fox 2 News said it was a common occurrence for parents to Google cures. "Taking things into their own hands is something that many parents have done out of desperation, out of hope," Quinn said.

Earlier this year, the Sunday People reported that at least six UK police forces have questioned families over suspicions they gave their children, some aged just two, bleach and turpentine to drink. Online sellers were using Facebook groups to sell the 'miracle cures' for autism, which affects about one in every 100 children in the UK.

It is being sold for £30 ($42.50) on websites in the UK. Concerned doctor, Jeff Foster, warned that the quack "remedies" could result in the death of a child.

He told People: "Autism is a neurodevelopmental disease which is not amenable to any form of tablet treatment. It's developed in the womb or early stages of life. You can't just reverse it and anyone claiming that does not understand the condition.

"When you have very extreme measures like this to 'cure' a condition, it's just a roulette game. Eventually someone will die. It's only a matter of time."