Biomedical Approach to Autism

We subscribe to the Autism Research Institute's (Defeat Autism Now!) biomedical approach to treating autism spectrum disorders.

We believe that autism encompasses a spectrum of disorders with multiple provoking stressors and multiple possible susceptibilities. Our approach is based on paying careful attention to the unique symptoms, history, examinations and data of each child. We offer a process a process of choosing various options for biomedical intervention.

Autism and related problems reflect dysfunction of the neural, metabolic, immune and/or digestive system in individuals genetically predisposed to such problems as sub-optimal nutrition, food intolerances, microbial overgrowth, metabolic abnormalities, immune dysregulation and reduced ability to eliminate toxins. People with autism spectrum disorders have difficulty processing sensory, perceptual, cognitive, biochemical and immunologic messages and have faulty mechanisms for regulating, organizing, expressing, processing and detoxifying various inputs.

We believe that a combination of environmental factors may interact with genetic predispositions that are due to variations in human genotype. Timing of the appropriate treatment is important because certain insults appear to occur at vulnerable times in human development when the brain's neuronal network connectivity is being established.

Appropriate treatment involves identifying and alleviating the problems causing symptoms in a particular individual, rather than attempting to suppress symptoms through the use of [psychoactive drugs. Our focus is on biomedical balance in the individual emphasizing two questions: Does he or she have a special unmet need that would advance healing if it were met. Does he or she have a special need to avoid or get rid of toxins, allergens or metabolic by-products?

The answers to these questions come by a careful sequential process in which the patient is recognized as the expert who, by his or her history, physical examinations, lab results and response to therapy, helps practitioners choose the best options for each diagnostic and therapeutic step. With our patients and their parents, we conduct collaborative conversations with an abiding respect for the intelligence and intuition of parents and their children. We involve families as full participants in the search for answers and recognize that the child is often listening, even when he or she appears inattentive.

We reject one-size-fits-all strategies while including the broad range of diagnostic and treatment modalities that are appropriate to each patient. We look for ways to support nature's strong impulse toward healing.

We also value relational, occupational, physical, speech, educational, and other external therapies, many of which become far more efficacious once underlying biomedical conditions are addressed. While our focus is on biomedical interventions, we look for opportunities to collaborate with our educational, behavioral, physical and speech therapy colleagues.

W draw information and inspiration from the fact that autistic children are treatable and curable by systematic means that address the need to restore dysregulated biochemical and immunological processes to the virtuous pathways from which they descend. We believe that autism is also preventable by paying greater attention to environmental issues and parental health.

We endorse Dr. Rimland's position of trying to disregard our egos and remebering that most of the important elements in our understanding of the treatment options for autistic individuals have come from listening to parents.

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