The First Warrior Parent
More than 5 decades ago, Dr. Bernard Rimland observed his son’s unusual development, and was determined to understand the cause and treatment of a rare condition called autism. So began a more modern view of the condition, which addressed the tide of children who began appearing with similar challenges. His work started a movement that has ultimately morphed into The Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs.

At that time, the predominant cause of autism, promulgated by self-taught psychologist and media darling, Bruno Bettleheim, was the ‘refrigeratory mom’ theory. His experiences in Nazi concentration camps led him to believe that a lack of love in their environment could cause a child to turn off the road to typical human development. Dr. Rimland said, “No way,” and along with other like-minded professionals created biomedical workups with useful interventions.

It took another three decades until Jenny McCarthy popularized that viewpoint, with her outspoken experiences, fighting the medical profession to get proper care for her son. What progress has science made since that battle? Only a few brave professional parent practitioners, such as Drs. Dan Rossignol, Julie Buckley, Anju Usman and Nancy O’Hara, have taken up the slack.

Advancing the Combat
So, in that vacuum has arisen a number of other parent warriors. These are intelligent, dedicated, caring individuals, who have researched the data and applied various treatments to their children, often, trying it out on themselves first. They have observed various amounts of success, depending on their child’s specific difficulties. Some achieve remarkable results, and wish to pay it forward.

One day recently, I got into an interesting email discussion about Transcranial, Red/Near-Infrared Light-Emitting Diode Therapy. That determined Dad found a difference in his own clarity by moving the light from front to back. Wasn’t that OK to try on his child?

Just a few hours later, I had a conversation with a Mom who has been witnessing positive results using Ionized water. Her child was making significant progress, and this generous lady wanted to offer the product – for free – to other parents. “We can help so many more!”

One father has observed improvement with a particular form of Acai berry. Other parents have found good results with MMS, CBD, THC+CBD, Sauna, and Essential Oils, among other treatments.

Few Victors, So Far
I was telling this story to an experienced Mom, and she declared, “See how desperate we are!” Those who vilify Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s heresy over the possible danger of some childhood vaccination protocols ought to consider Dr. Leo Kanner’s role 80 years ago, which established a misguided psychological point of view.

Modern medicine has implicated genetic problems, but doctors fail to order appropriate testing; brain abnormalities, without getting diagnostic labs; and environmental factors, yet there exists little research to establish therapeutic strategies.

New Strategies
The reality is that, both professionals and parents, are experimenting on the children. Without proper studies we cannot know eventual outcomes, of even the most ‘benign’ interventions. We are now learning about conditions that are not only carried from one generation to the next, but 2 generations away. Real science takes time.

A common factor among many of the treatments that I encounter is some form of gut adjustment. Many of the specific supplements help while they are being administered and do not appear to be toxic. However, much of the research has been documented only in other species or conditions, and requires additional scrutiny.

Advice to Medics
Parents, who see progress in their own child, then in others, simply want to guide more families in the same boat. But, you are all NOT in the same boat. Some kids are older or younger, some girls or boys, others with metabolic, genetic, immunologic, gut conditions and various combinations that are different from child to child. SAFE is not SAFE for all, as we have learned from the vaccination dogma.

Even those strategies that work may require additional patient evaluation and testing. If a parent sees untoward effects, watch closely for such important signs, such as dehydration or an extensive rash. By discussing these interventions with a functional doctor, a child stands the best chance for advancement.

‘Alternative medicine’ strives to be inclusive, but the response by professionals to adopt non-conventional strategies may take a bit longer to take hold, as evidence becomes more clear. We are fighting on the same side.

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