Information On Autism
(See Disclaimer)

Impossible Cure has become an important book for the autism community because it includes a chapter about the homeopathic cure of Amy's son Max from autism. Because many parents contact us to obtain information about the treatment of their autistic children, we have created this page to provide our opinions, pointers to referral information, and more links to pursue.

If you are interested in pursuing homeopathic treatment for your child, we strongly advise that you begin by reading Impossible Cure. It will answer most of your questions and you will know exactly what to expect.

Another important resource for parents is Amy's radio show, "There's Hope with Homeopathy". This show is archived for later listening and supplies an excellent short course on homeopathy with a special focus on autism. The show is aired on Autism One Radio the third Friday of each month at 2pm EST. Amy also has an annotated archive of past shows.

You can also find more links to information about homeopathy and homeopathic products HERE .

For those interested in research studies about homeopathy and autism, a new one has recently appeared: Research paper on the homeopathic treatment of autism.

Another wonderful site about the cure of an autistic boy with homeopathy can be found at www.recoveredfromautism.com. This family is one among many who has been guided by Impossible Cure in their journey.

An excellent site with two very interesting papers about autism treatment (with cases) is www.homeopathy4autism.com.

Two films are in the works about the treatment of autism using homeopathy. Please visit these sites and lend the filmmakers your financial support!
From Within, Without (Blind Dog Films, Laurel Chiten)
Saving A Lost Generation (Carol Boyce)

A new open yahoogroup has recently been formed for parents of special needs children to find out more about homeopathy and discuss among themselves. As it grows, homeopaths will also join the group. It is Homeopathy-And-SN.

Finally, please remember to post your successful cure stories to the Cure Stories Data Base on this site. You story can help other children by convincing parents to give homeopathy a try! Even a paragraph or two can do wonders.

On the same subject, join the fight to protect your access to homeopathy. Visit the Homeopathy Worked for Me campaign site.

On this page:

Please be aware that this page is not intended as medical advice. It is not a replacement for good medical diagnosis and treatment by a licensed physician or for care by certified health-care practitioners. Homeopathic treatment should always be pursued under the supervision of a licensed physician and a certified homeopath. (See Disclaimer)

Homeopathic Treatment of Autism

Homeopathy isn't a "take this for that" medicine. Ten different autistic children might be prescribed ten different remedies. Choice of remedy depends on a child's individual characteristics. However, there are some remedies that are more commonly used than others to treat children in this community.

Autism, unfortunately, is a very serious condition and is not an easy cure. For example, while ADD (ADHD) has an 70% cure rate in many homeopathic practices, autism is much more difficult. However there are definitely many cases of homeopathic autism cures besides Max's. Although complete cures cannot be expected in most cases, the homeopath who treated Max (John Melnychuk -- see below) and many other homeopaths who treat autistic children are seeing significant progress in a majority of cases. If treatment begins early -- especially before age 5 -- there is room for great hope! Even later treatment can find success. But you must have commitment and view treatment as a long term process that will take months and years, not days or weeks.

Note that by "cure," we mean cure without the ongoing need for a heavily restricted diet, therapies, etc. -- i.e. complete recovery, not just functioning better. If you met Max today (at age 15) you would never suspect he had been autistic. He attends regular school at age level, is an excellent student who gets all A's and B's, and is outgoing, friendly, and popular socially. He no longer has any food sensitivities. He still sees his homeopath once or twice a year and takes occasional remedies. But even in Max's case, it took two years of treatment until he was testing at age level and another four or five years until we felt he no longer had any vestiges of autism. So cure is possible, but it requires commitment on your part.

Because autism is difficult to treat, we recommend that you seek out a very experienced classical homeopath (one remedy at a time, no mixtures) and stick with it for at least a year. Do not try to treat your child yourself. If you read Impossible Cure you will learn what classical homeopathic treatment is all about and how to discern if a particular practitioner is classical. Ideally, select a practitioner whose entire practice is devoted to homeopathy.

Many people have inquired about homeopathic "detox" treatments or "sequential therapy" approaches to homeopathy. These kinds of therapies have been successful in some cases. However, such protocols are sometimes implemented in ways that can be drastic and harsh. My own preference and recommendation is to find a well-trained and open-minded classical homeopath instead. Not all practitioners who use nonstandard homeopathic protocols have thorough training. Be sure that you check practitioner qualifications and training in homeopathy. A practitioner who treats autistic children should have at least four years of training in homeopathy and preferably several more years of clinical experience. Ask for patient references.

In our view and experience, properly and individually selected remedies can naturally detox the body in a gradual and natural way. Predetermined protocols that are not tailored to the specific symptoms being exhibited by a child can sometimes be misguided, given the acute sensitivity of autistic children.

As far as sequential therapy goes, it can be used in beneficial ways in the hands of a skilled practitioner. In our view, this approach should be applied in a way that is guided by the presenting symptoms of the child -- which is, after all, the very foundation of the homeopathic approach. The way sequential therapy works is, based on the history of symptoms of a case, a remedy is given to address each "event", in reverse order. The remedies chosen are often based on an idea of "specifics" (see page 157 in Impossible Cure). So you'll get one remedy to treat this vaccine, then a month later another remedy to treat the previous vaccine, etc. Sometimes this approach is applied in a very routine way rather than being based on the actual symptoms being presented by the patient at the given time.

Please be aware that many classical homeopaths will use variants of detox and sequentialist approaches if they need to. For example, if treatment is not progressing using the indicated remedies, a vaccine in potency might be used to unblock a case. Similarly, classical homeopaths will use nosodes as remedies when they are indicated. So don't worry that a classical homeopath won't use "detox" or "sequential" techniques if they need to. They just won't do it in a routine way, which (in our view) is very wise. Each case must be treated individually. This is our opinion, based on our experience as well as reports from other parents.

Please also remember that it usually takes a practitioner time to find a good remedy and dosing regimen -- sometimes months of trial and error. In Max's case, there was slow and steady improvement throughout, but that's unusual. It's really a long term process -- but well worth it! Your child's life is at stake -- and your own life as well. Once you begin to see improvement, you will have an easier time sticking with it. Try to be patient. Autism cures are usually slow -- but slow and steady wins the race. If you have no success over a period of time with a particular homeopath, try another. Successful homeopathic treatment, unfortunately, depends on the ability of the practitioner to successfully find the right remedy for your child. See referral information below.

Don't give up hope for recovery.

So many parents with autistic kids become despondent and don't believe their kid can recover. This really works against them. Don't give in to despair. Try as hard as you can to be loving, accepting, but confident that full recovery is possible. In addition, try not to become accommodated to or invested in your child's illness. Don't try to convince yourself that your child is just fine as an autistic person; they will be much better off if they aren't autistic! Striking a balance between love and acceptance of your child and confidence in their improvement can sometimes be difficult, but you can achieve it. Moreover, don't be afraid of potential disappointment. What's worse, experiencing disappointments or never trying at all? You owe it to your child to not let your own fears get in the way.

The sooner you seek treatment the better.

In a way, autistic children "leave" us and the further away they get, the harder it is to bring them back. Besides, as the brain grows and matures, it becomes more set in its ways. When allopathic drugging comes into play, the situation becomes even more difficult. Ideally, you should treat before age 5 or 6. However, even older autistic children can manifest significant improvement that will improve their quality of life.

Give the issue of vaccination serious thought.

There's been a huge rise in autism in the USA over the past twenty years -- from about 1/10,000 to 1/150 -- and the most suspected culprit (at least within the autism community) is vaccination damage. Some believe it is the mercury in the vaccines. Some believe it is the vaccines themselves -- the most suspected ones are the MMR and DPT. If your child experienced convulsions, fever, and shrieking before the onset of autism, DPT is highly suspect. If the onset was more insidious, especially if accompanied by gut problems, MMR is more likely. The Hepatitis B vaccine is also suspected by some parents. Whatever the reason, many believe that vaccines are the cause of 99% of the cases of autism and the reason for the dramatic rise over the past 20 years. The vaccinations trigger autism as a kind of auto-immune disorder. More children are experiencing other kinds of auto-immune diseases as well -- diabetes, severe allergies, etc. The vaccination trigger for autism may be one reason that homeopathy is successful, because it has a good track record in correcting vaccination damage.

Pay attention to potential food allergens.

Many autistic children improve significantly if they adhere to dietary restrictions. It is likely that the vaccinations have triggered severe food allergies in these children that affect their brain, resulting in autism. Eliminating the allergens can unburden their systems and provide relief, though usually not a cure. Homeopathic treatment can then go in and, over time, remove the allergic tendency altogether. However, as this can take a number of years, it is best to remove foods from the diet that are aggravating your child's condition. As homeopathic treatment creates improvement, you can slowly introduce foods back in.

One of the most implicated problem foods is milk -- especially cow's milk. A study at the University of Florida on the effects of milk protein on the brain found that eliminating dairy helped something like 95% of autistic and psychotic kids! Goat milk is not as bad (it contains less milk proteins), but try to cut out all cow milk and dairy in general. Some people also believe that pasteurization is the culprit and advocate using raw milk instead.

Other common food allergens are wheat and gluten. You might also experiment with eliminating corn (why add genetically engineered foods into the problem?) and avoid food colorings as much as possible.

Try to keep things constant when you embark upon homeopathy.

Most homeopaths will request that you not add in or remove other treatments in the initial stages of homeopathic treatment. In this way, the homeopath can assess the effects of a remedy on your child. If you change many things at the same time, it is hard to assess what is achieving what effect.

Other Therapies

Besides food elimination, there are many other therapies being recommend for autistic children. In our experience, none of these are likely to cure autism, but many can greatly improve your child's condition. Some of these treatments may interfere with homeopathic treatment; you might wish to try them before homeopathic treatment or to forego them until you give homeopathy a thorough try. Others are highly complementary and work synergistically with homeopathy. We are not experts in any of these treatments besides homeopathy. So the following should be taken as our opinion rather than as gospel.

Traditional Hands-On Osteopathic Treatment (or Cranio/Sacral Therapy).

Osteopathic manipulation is very gentle and was very helpful in Max's case. It works very synergistically with homeopathic treatment. Make sure the practitioner you select is very experienced in this kind of treatment -- not simply a massage practitioner who has taken a course on cranial-sacral treatment. Ideally, find a certified D.O who only does hands-on work, not conventional medicine.

Energy Healing -- Reiki, Prayer, etc.

These kinds of treatments, if performed by yourself or a knowledgeable practitioner, can be very helpful and can boost the effects of homeopathic treatment.

Chelation

The goal of chelation therapies is to remove toxic metals such as mercury from the body. While these treatments can have striking results, they are sometimes short-lived. They can also be very harsh in their effects, and they may interfere with homeopathic treatment. Be aware that successful homeopathic treatment can also effectively, though often slowly, chelate harmful metals from the body. However, there are some cases where some form of chelation may be necessary.

Supplements

A variety of supplements are often recommended for autistic children -- e.g., Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C, DMG, Magnesium, Omega-3 fats, and others. We are not experts on these supplements, but many have reported significant improvements when using them. If you use them, you should do so under the guidance of a practitioner. They will probably not interfere with homeopathic treatment. You should discuss the issue with your homeopath. (Max did not use any nutritional supplements.)

Behavioral, Auditory, Occupational, Language and other Therapies

These kinds of therapies are very helpful in helping autistic children learn to communicate with and navigate within their world. While these therapies may provide only limited help without homeopathic treatment, with homeopathic treatment, a child will benefit much more greatly from them and truly begin to blossom. If you pursue homeopathic treatment, you should continue such programs until they are no longer necessary.

Emotional Freedom Technique

This is an amazing non-invasive therapy that could be a huge boon to both parents and children. I think it might prove especially effective for verbal ASD children who struggle with frustration and tantrums. It can be easily learned in one or two sessions and self-administered or administered by a parent in any context. It often provides almost immediate emotional relief. EFT blends gentle tapping on certain acupuncture points with affirmations of a particular form. To learn more and to find a practitioner, go to the Emotional Freedom Technique site.

Referrals to Practitioners

Below are some on-line sites that provide referral information. If you cannot find a practitioner in your area, you might consider travelling. Some practitioners will also provide treatments remotely, via phone and exchange of videotapes of your child. While this is not ideal, in some cases it works. It is strongly advised that you try to visit your practitioner in person at least for a first appointment. Ideally, your practitioner should see your child on a regular basis. Please note that having an MD does not necessarily make a practitioner a good homeopath. The most important thing to look for is homeopathic certification -- e.g. the letters CCH, RSHom(NA), DHANP, or DHt.

Classical homeopaths who I know have been successful in treating autistic children (in alphabetical order):

Miranda Castro, FSHom, CCH
Gainesville and Boca Raton, Florida
352-505-8545
www.mirandacastro.com

Pat Deacon, RSHom (NA), HMC
242 Cambridge Street North
Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 7B2, CANADA
613-608-8484
patdeaconhomeopathy@gmail.com
www.patdeacon.com

Dr. Luc De Schepper, MD, PhD, DI Hom., CHom., Lic.Ac
15247 W. Sunset Blvd, Suite 202
Pacific Palisades , CA 90272
310-573-2020
www.drluc.com

Pierre Fontaine RSHom(NA), CCH
New York City Office: 315 W 57th St., Suite 308, New York, NY 10019
Long Island Office (Fridays only): 194 Deer Park Ave., Babylon Village, NY 11702
Queens Office: 98-15 74th Ave., Forest Hills, NY 11375
212-334-7360
Pierre@homeopathicservices.com
www.homeopathicservices.com

Nancy Frederick RSHom(NA), CCH
237 Oxford Street, Suite 22
Portland, Maine 04101
207-774-4244
nancyrshom@yahoo.com

Yolande Grill HMA, RSHom(NA)
Desert Institute of Classical Homeopathy
2001 Camelback Road Suite 150
Phoenix, AZ 85015
480-488-6114
y.grill@att.net
www.chiaz.com

Paul Herscu ND DHANP
Amy Rothenberg ND DHANP
115 Elm Street, Suite 210
Enfield, CT 06082
860-763-1225

Julie Insley, LRT, CCH, RSHom(NA)
Certified Classical Homeopath
Licensed Recreation Therapist
Homeopathic Consultants
3215 Guess Road, Suite 212
Durham NC 27705
(919) 479-1514
jjinsley@mindspring.com

Louis Klein RSHom(NA), CCH
RR 1, F-31
Bowen Island, British Columbia V0N1G0
604-947-0757
lklein@homeopathycourses.com

Ian R. Luepker ND, DHANP
1607 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, Oregon 97520
541-482-2824
iluepker@earthlink.net
www.maddronahomeopathy.com

John Melnychuk, CCH, RSHom(NA)
3707 Lindero Dr.
Palo Alto, CA 94306
650-213-8380
jmelnychuk@sbcglobal.net
www.paloaltohomeopathy.com

Deborah Olenev, CCH, RSHom(NA)
59 Paul Ave.
Mountain View, CA 94041
650-569-6219
www.homeopathyforhealth.net

Dr. M. A. Rajalakshmi, BHMS, MS
Homoeopathic Physician & Psychotherapist
#1080, 12th Main, West of Chord Road, 2nd Stage
Bangalore 560086, India
Phone number: +91-80-23495782
Mobile number: +91-9449163350
Email: dr_raji@rediffmail.com or homeodr.raji@gmail.com
Website: Anjana Homeocare
Click here for a research paper by Dr. Rajalakshmi on the homeopathic treatment of autism.

Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman ND DHANP
Robert Ullman ND DHANP
The Northwest Center for Homeopathic Medicine
131 3rd Ave.
Edmonds, Washington 98020
425-774-5599
ruandjr@whidbey.com
www.healthyhomeopathy.com

Fran Sheffield
26 Corona Lane
Glenning Valley NSW 2261
AUSTRALIA
02 4388 3739
info@homeopathyplus.com.au
www.homeopathyplus.com.au

Sadhna Thakkar, RSHom(NA) CCH
166 N. Moorpark Road, Suite 206
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Tel: 805-496-0940; Fax: 805-241-0258
sadhnathakkar@earthlink.net
www.homeopathyhealthcare.com

Steve Waldstein RSHom(NA) CCH PCH
Aviva Waldstein RSHom(NA) CCH
Classical Homeopathy, Inc.
2600 S Parker Road #1-313
Aurora, CO 80014
Tel: 303-338-1776
steve@homeopathy-cures.com
www.homeopathy-cures.com

Sally Williams RSHom(NA), CCH
Healing Arts Association
288 Linwood Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209
716-886-2200
sawrshom@msn.com

Joy Wilson RSHom(NA), CCH
Texas Institute for Homeopathy
1406 Brookstone
San Antonio TX 78248-1425
210-492-3162
texashomeopathy@aol.com
www.TexasHomeopathy.com

Practitioners of Sequential Homeopathy who I know have had success.

Cindy L. Griffin DSH-P, HD(Rhom), DIHom
Lindyl Lanham DSH-P, HD(RHom)
7670 Woodway Drive, Suite 340
Houston, Texas 77063
713-572-0343
www.HomeopathyHouston.com


Autism Links

There is an unbelievable amount of information on the web about autism. Here are just a handful of suggestions.