A Plumstead mum-of-six has been nominated for a National Diversity Award for her work campaigning against the use of bleach as a 'cure' for children with autism.

Emma Dalmayne, 39, Eglington Hill, Plumstead has created an online community to fight against people selling "Miracle Mineral Solution" and educate the parents of autistic children.

MMS, or "Miracle Mineral Solution", is sodium chlorite and hydrochloric acid and creates bleach when it is mixed together as the packaging instructs.

It is sold as a cure for autism, either as a drink or an enema, and is used by misguided parents to flush out the parasites they falsely believe cause autism.

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Miss Dalmayne has been nominated for a National Diversity Award

Miss Dalmayne, who has been nominated in the Positive Role Model category, became involved in campaigning when she found out her son was autistic. 

She was only diagnosed with autism herself two years ago after a lifetime of feeling different.

She said: “I just felt outside of social circles, when my son was in school I could never understand the bahaviour of the other mums, I didn’t fit in.

“When my son was diagnosed I decided that I would find out as much as possible about autism.

“I became aware of MMS, it is really really bad stuff these people are giving to their kids."

MMS is sold over the internet and there are online forums where people discuss methods and the horrific side-effects, which they see as being a positive sign of the treatment working.

The side-effects include parts of the stomach lining becoming detached and experts have said its use can lead to serious illness or death.

Through infiltrating one of these groups Miss Dalmayne was able to provide evidence to the police in November 2015.

She said: "I've been on internet forums where people discuss it and I recorded a woman talking about giving this to her children, the little boy was only three, and I managed to screen shot it and give it to the police."

"Not enough happens to these people, they get a stern warning and then they are back in the groups in a few days."

The support network she has created has been a positive place for parents to learn about having an autistic child.

She said: "I have had desperate parents that have thought about using it but have joined our group and decided not to.

"It is an honor to be nominated."

Miss Dalmayne has also written a book about living with autism that aim to educate parents with autistic children called 'It's an Autism thing. I'll help you understand it'.

She thinks that a misunderstanding of autism makes people attempt to cure it.

She said: "There's an idea that it's an illness or disease, but it's not."

Voting is open now and you can vote for Miss Dalmayne here.