Posts Tagged ‘Autism’

Wednesday, August 3, 2011. I am so happy and grateful that there are parents of children with autism who reject the genetic-cause explanation. Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride is such a one. ~ Doc Meek [Dr Natasha’s website is: http://www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com/]

Saturday, August 14, 2010. Today I am overwhelmingly grateful for Dr. Toril Jelter, a pediatrician who is intensely focused on the improving the health and minds of our children. This is what THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE has been advocating for years. – Doc Meek

Dr. Toril Jelter’s website is: http://www.drjelter.com

Biomedical Evaluation and Treatment of Autistic children

Today evidence-based medicine shows that:

• Autism is a medical disease, not a psychological disorder.
• Autism affects other body organ systems besides the brain.
• Autism is Treatable; Children Are Recovering

From Dr. Bryan Jepson’s book “Changing the Course of Autism”

“Biomedical treatments help the majority of children with autism, particularly if started early. The cornerstones of this treatment are dietary changes, supplementation and detoxification. Addressing medical issues and pursuing therapies simultaneously offers autistic children the best long-term outcome.”

Has your child recently been diagnosed with autism?

If so, you have probably combed every corner of the internet, literature and magazines for information about autism and available treatments. While medical science has so far not discovered a cure for this complex disease, there are fortunately many things you can do to halt its progression and in some cases even reverse its course. Until recently autism was considered to be a genetic disorder which caused a life-long developmental disability. That is changing. Today scientists realize that in most cases it is a complex interaction between genes and the environment. Understanding this is critical to treating your child.

Biographical Information

Dr. Toril Jelter is a board certified pediatrician specializing in medical and environmental aspects of autism. She received her medical degree from the University of Oslo, Norway graduating with honors in 1985. Dr. Jelter’s pediatric training was at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She is affiliated with John Muir Medical Center and has received a physician recognition award for continuing medical education.

Dr. Jelter has participated in Defeat Autism Now Training and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“My goal is to improve overall function for each child in the safest, fastest and most affordable manner possible” Dr. Jelter

Contact Information

Toril H. Jelter MD FAAP
37 Quail Ct. Suite 201
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

Call anytime!
phone: (925) 788 8904
fax: (925) 947 1075

Mailing Address:
1250-I Newell Ave. PMB 148
Walnut Creek, CA 94596

At this time, we do not accept insurance or medicare. We provide a receipt that you may submit to your insurance. Most insurance companies will reimburse at least partially for medical diagnosis. 2% of all proceeds are donated to autism research.

email: drjelter@gmail.com

see also: www.autism.com – The website for the Autism Research Institute ……………………………………….

Thank you, Dr. Jelter!

Doc Meek, Saturday, August 14, 2010, at Nose Hill Public Library in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA

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J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095

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Thursday, August 12, 2010. Today I am grateful that I have had more than thirty (30) years of great experience with almost all aspects of education and learning. They call me the “the brain guy.” – Doc Meek

People are always asking me questions about teaching, learning, and how the brain operates. And how the school systems operate.

I am delighted to answer any and all questions! 😮

So this is an open invitation to all of you who are parents, teachers, students, or educational administrators:

“Ask me anything”

I learned that phrase from my internet mentor, Connie Ragen Green. She teaches people how to be a business success on the internet, like she is. She is a great teacher/learner. Kind, considerate, and patiently able to explain answers to all questions, including the “dumb questions” people are almost afraid to ask. That’s Connie.

“There are no dumb questions, ” Connie says, and she practices what she preaches. And she keeps learning. She never stops learning. I think that is one reason she is such a good teacher. She is a good student as well. Thank you Connie! I am grateful for your example.

Same invitation from Doc: “Ask me anything.”

“Ask me anything about education, training, the brain, the mind, behavior, emotion, teaching, teacher training, student learning problems, and so on.”

I have had extensive training and experience with almost all aspects of education and learning, including the administrative and financial aspects. (See my Qualifications Brief by clicking on the date of July 15, 2010, on the calendar on the right-hand side of the screen when you first visit THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE blog at

https://docmeek.com

There is almost nothing about education, learning or the brain that you can ask me, about which I have not had some degree of familiarity.

You can ask me with confidence and I will respond with both knowlege and compassion. If I don’t know the answer I will find it for you.

And even a little humor may go a long way, eh?

Years ago, a Calgary magazine reported:

“Dr. Meek brings a unique blend of warmth, intelligence and humor to everything he does.” Thank you, Calgary!

If you have any questions or comments, just click on the little blue word “comments” at the bottom right-hand side of this article, and a form will appear that you can use to ask any question you wish.

Doc Meek, Thursday, August 12, 2010, at Nose Hill Public Library in Calgary, Alberta, CANADA.

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J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095

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Monday, July 26, 2010

Photo of statue at Carmen B. Pingree Center for Children with Autism, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA:  http://www.carmenbpingree.com/

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I am very grateful to Dr. Ruth Buczynski, the president and co-founder of NICABM, for our guest article today. NICABM is the acronym for National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine.

Autism – just the word causes panic in parents everywhere.

When I was growing up, polio had a similar effect.  But the vaccine for polio has been found, while work on the prevention and treatment autism is still continuing feverously.

To the horror of families with an autistic child, the scientific community can offer little in the way of reassurances.

The main reason for this stems from the lack of agreement over the causes of the disorder.  And without knowing the causes, it’s pretty difficult to design treatments.

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Without knowing the causes, it’s pretty difficult to design treatments

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We can not even agree on figures for autism.  With the change in classification of autistic symptoms, has the number of autism cases increased or held the same?

The scientific world is rife with theories, many of which were presented in the latest issue of Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis out of Warsaw, Poland.

This journal has never before been on my radar, but they decided to dedicate a whole issue of the journal to the autism debate and so caught my attention.

And what are the theories that are currently being brandished around?

Well, genetics and immune deficiency problems are at the top of many experts’ causal list.

New research represented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) by Ning Lei, PhD from Princeton University linked the newly discovered mutation of four genes with autism.

One of the new genes identified was neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2). NCAM2 is expressed in the hippocampus of the human brain — a region previously associated with autism.

One of the interesting things about this study is that Dr. Lei found that NCABM2 mutations were also common in the family members of autistic children, though these family members had no autism themselves.

The idea then is that other possible factors, including environmental toxins, have to come into play in order to for autism to develop.

The role of environmental toxins in the etiology of autism is as hotly debated as any of the other theoretical causes.

For many in the health field, the pervasiveness of environmental toxins in other disorders does make one question its role in autism.

Environmental toxins are disturbing for one reason because they have the ability to mask the detection of other conditions, such as hypothyroidism.

According to Mark Starr, MD, these toxins can disguise the levels of thyroid hormone in the body, making it nearly impossible to diagnose.

Because the thyroid is necessary for maintaining health, it is critical for it to function properly.

To learn more about how environmental toxins are masking thyroid malfunction, and how thyroid malfunction can be treated, tune in this coming Wednesday to NICABM’s free teleseminar series: Clinical Applications of Mind-Body Medicine: New Thinking about Stress and the Remarkable Power of Psychoneuroimmunology.

It’s free, you just have to sign up.

In the meantime, I welcome your thoughts on the causes of autism.

Do you know of someone who has been diagnosed with autism and whose story would be helpful to the larger debate about the causes and treatments of the disorder?

Please share your thoughts and opinions below [click on the little blue word “comments”] ……………………………………………………………………………….

Thank you, Dr. Ruth!

Blessings, Doc Meek, Monday, July 26, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA

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J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095

Bud’s Grade 5 class, in disguise; photo from: http://momnos.blogspot.com/ …………………………………………………………………………………………….

I am grateful for this guest article I am borrowing again today, Friday, July 23, 2010. This is Part III of a 3-Part series about Bud, a 10-year-old with learning differences.

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If you missed Part I or Part II of Bud’s Mom’s poignant story, you can click on the titles below to read them now:

Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part I of III)

Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part II of III)

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Bud, who has been labeled autistic, has been placed in a regular Grade 5 classroom. His Mom’s brilliant interactive discussion with the kids in his class (with Bud absent of course) is detailed here.

This is the best description of autism I have read anywhere

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Thanks Mom! We are grateful for your creativity, your courage, and your willingness to share!

Excerpt from: http://momnos.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-being-hair-dryer-kid-in-toaster.html

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What is autism? (Part III of III)

{If you missed Part I or Part II of this Mom’s poignant story, you can click on the titles below to read them now}

Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part I of III)

Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part II of III)

Bud’s Mom is interacting with Bud’s classmates at school:

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“But, remember how there were some things that the hair-dryer brains could do better than the toaster brains? There are ALSO things that Bud’s brain is really GOOD at doing. There are things that HIS brain can do better than a lot of our brains can do.

“I bet you can guess what some of those things are. Can you?”

Hands flew up all over the room, and without my prompting, they recreated the list I had written in the notes in front of me.

“He’s really great on the computer. He’s better at it than LOTS of people.”

“He has great hearing.”

“He can remember lots of lots of things.”

“He can remember all the words to TV shows.”

“And he can remember the words to songs.”

“He is very musical.”

“He’s a great speller, too,” I added. “Once he learns a word, he usually remembers how to spell it.”

“If I had a brain like that,” said Nathan. “I’d read the whole dictionary and learn all the words.”

“That would be a great thing to do,” I said. “And it reminds me that Bud is also a really good reader.”

Molly raised her hand. “And he has a great sense of humor, too.”

“He does have a great sense of humor,” I said. “And that’s one of the ways that his brain is a lot like other people’s. What are some of the other ways that Bud is just like everyone else?”

Again, the hands flew up.

“He can see just like everyone else.”

“He looks just like everyone else.”

“He’s human.”

“Yes! He’s human – which means that he has all the same feelings that everyone else does. And he loves the people in his life. And he likes to play and have fun. He likes to laugh, he likes to swim, he likes to eat pizza. In lots of ways, Bud is just a regular kid.”

I looked around the room at the smiling faces of Bud’s classmates – his friends, with their toaster-brains firing.

Photos by Bud, from:  http://momnos.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-being-hair-dryer-kid-in-toaster.html

I posted a comment on this Mom’s blogsite:

Doc Meek said…

Does anybody know the tune for “A hairdryer kid in a toaster-brained world?” I predict that, like “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” this Mom’s “Hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world,” will go down in history. I’ve been helping kids mitigate learning and attentional problems for over thirty years now, and it is an axiom with me that “Mother knows best.” This Mom makes that point sharper than a surgical needle, right? – Doc Meek, Learning Consultant, May 7, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

May 07, 2010 11:38 AM

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Doc Meek, Friday, July 23, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA ————————————————

J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

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For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

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THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
1. P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1, CANADA
2. Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa, TONGA
3. 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA

Bud’s Grade 5 class, in disguise; photo from: http://momnos.blogspot.com/ …………………………………………………………………………………………….

I am grateful for this guest article I am borrowing today, Thursday, July 22, 2010. This is Part II of a 3-Part series about Bud, a 10-year-old with learning differences.

.

If you missed Part I of Bud’s Mom’s poignant story, you can click on the title below to read it now: Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part I of III)

.

Bud, who has been labeled autistic, has been placed in a regular Grade 5 classroom. His Mom’s brilliant interactive discussion with the kids in his class (with Bud absent of course) is detailed here.

This is the best description of autism I have read anywhere

Thanks Mom! We are grateful for your creativity, your courage, and your willingness to share!

.

Excerpt from: http://momnos.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-being-hair-dryer-kid-in-toaster.html

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What is autism? (Part II of III)

{If you missed Part I of this Mom’s poignant story, you can click on the title to read it now} Autism: “A hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world” (Part I of III)

Bud’s Mom is interacting with Bud’s classmates at school:

“So, in our pretend world, even though Bud has a perfectly wonderful hair dryer brain, it’s going to be hard for him, because we toaster-brained people have decided that the most important thing that people do in our world is make toast. And Bud probably can make toast with his hair dryer, right? But he is going to have to work a lot harder to make toast with his hair-dryer brain than we will with our toaster brains. It will probably take him a lot longer to make his toast. And no matter how hard he works, his hair-dryer toast will probably always look different from our toaster toast.”

The room filled with murmurs of understanding.

“But, on the other hand – think about THIS! When we toaster-brain people have wet hair? We are REALLY going to hope that Bud and his hair-dryer brain are around.”

Nathan piped in. “Because we could get ZAPPED if we tried to use our toasters!”

“Exactly,” I continued. “And the same thing is true in the real world with our real brains, that are made of tissue and neurons and grey matter and, uh…”

“And important stuff,” offered Travis.

“Yeah, and important stuff,” I said. “Because for most of us, when that important stuff gets put together, we have a certain type of brain. And we have created a society that says the most important things are the things that most of our brains are really good at – things like:

“Talking and communicating with people;

“Making friends and spending time with people;

“Doing lots of different kinds of things, having lots of different kinds of interests, and trying new things.

“Because our brains are really GOOD at those things, we try to spend most of our time doing them. But those are all things that, because of his autism, Bud’s brain has a really hard time doing.

“Language is difficult for him and he doesn’t talk the same way as other people.

“Being social and knowing how to interact with people is difficult.

“Changing his routine and trying new things is difficult.”

The classroom resonated with affirmation. Bud’s classmates knew exactly what I was talking about. They knew, without me explaining any further, what kinds of behaviors I was talking about. I could see the understanding in their faces.

Photos by Bud, from:  http://momnos.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-being-hair-dryer-kid-in-toaster.html

I posted a comment on this Mom’s blogsite:

Doc Meek said…

Does anybody know the tune for “A hairdryer kid in a toaster-brained world?” I predict that, like “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” this Mom’s “Hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world,” will go down in history. I’ve been helping kids mitigate learning and attentional problems for over thirty years now, and it is an axiom with me that “Mother knows best.” This Mom makes that point sharper than a surgical needle, right? – Doc Meek, Learning Consultant, May 7, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

May 07, 2010 11:38 AM

Blessings, Doc Meek, Thursday, July 22, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA ——————————-

J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
1. P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1, CANADA
2. Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa, TONGA
3. 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095, USA

Bud’s Grade 5 class, in disguise; photo from: http://momnos.blogspot.com/ …………………………………………………………………………………………….

I am grateful for this guest article I borrowed today, Wed, July 21, 2010. This is Part I of a 3-Part series about Bud, a 10-year-old with learning differences.

Bud, who has been labeled autistic, has been placed in a regular Grade 5 classroom. His Mom’s brilliant interactive discussion with the kids in his class (with Bud absent of course) is detailed here.

This is the best description of autism I have read anywhere

Thanks Mom! We are grateful for your creativity, your courage, and your willingness to share!

What is autism? (Part I of III)

Bud’s Mom is interacting with Bud’s classmates at school (with Bud absent):

“Now, we all know that your brain is a machine that’s made of tissue and neurons and nerve cells. But let’s pretend it was a more simple machine. Let’s pretend your brain wasn’t made of tissue and neurons and nerve cells, but instead, it was made of metal and plastic and electrical wires. And let’s pretend that when you put that metal and plastic and electrical wire together, it turned into a toaster.”

Here, the class laughed – the good kind of laughter. I carried on. They were with me.

“And let’s pretend that MOST of us had toaster brains. Some of us might make white toast and some wheat toast or rye toast, and some of us might make light toast and some of us dark toast. Some of us might only toast bagels, and sometimes we might even burn the toast, but for the most part, all of our brains would be able to do the same thing: make toast.

“Now, think about the pretend world that we have just created. In our world, MOST people have toaster brains. So, when we make the rules for our world and decide how we want to spend our time, what do you think we’ll decide is the MOST important thing a person can do?”

Nora raised her hand. “Always try hard and do our very best?”

“Yes!” I said. “And WHEN we do our very best, we will be doing a great job making…”

“Toast!” they responded in unison.

“Yes! Because we have brains that are really GOOD at making toast – so we will want to have a world where it’s REALLY important and REALLY valuable to make toast. Right?”

Heads nodded around the room.

“Now let’s pretend that Bud’s brain is ALSO made of metal and plastic and electrical wires, just like our brains, except that when HIS metal and plastic and electrical wires get put together, they turn into a totally different kind of machine. Instead of being a TOASTER, Bud’s metal and plastic and electrical wires turn into a HAIR DRYER.”

I swear, I heard gasps.

“Now, there’s nothing WRONG with a hair dryer, right? Hair dryers are great! There are some things that hair dryers are really good for. There are some things that a hair dryer can do even BETTER than a toaster. But it is REALLY, REALLY hard to make toast with a hair dryer.”

They laughed again, and nodded, and totally, completely got it.  …………………………………………………………………………………………

So did I!

I will publish the continuation of this welcome guest article in the next post (July 22, 2010);  this article is an excerpt from Bud’s Mom’s blogsite: http://momnos.blogspot.com/2010/03/on-being-hair-dryer-kid-in-toaster.html

I posted a comment on this Mom’s blogsite:

Doc Meek said…

Does anybody know the tune for “A hairdryer kid in a toaster-brained world?” I predict that, like “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer,” this Mom’s “Hair-dryer kid in a toaster-brained world,” will go down in history. I’ve been helping kids mitigate learning and attentional problems for over thirty years now, and it is an axiom with me that “Mother knows best.” This Mom makes that point sharper than a surgical needle, right? – Doc Meek, Learning Consultant, May 7, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

May 07, 2010 11:38 AM ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Blessings, Doc Meek, Wed, July 21, 2010, at South Jordan, Utah, USA ——————————-

J. Collins Meek, Ph.D. (Doc Meek)
“What if you are smarter than you think?”
Learning Specialist https://docmeek.com

For brain health, ensure heart health (short video):
http://www.amiraclemolecule.com/themeekteam
More on heart health http://www.themeekteam.info
Ph (801) 971-1812 (Jeannette); Fax [801] 282-6026

THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE, INC.
1. CANADA: P.O. Box 3105, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2T1
2. TONGA: Mele Taumoepeau, P.O. Box 60, Nuku’alofa
3. USA: 3688 W 9800 S, #138, South Jordan, UT 84095

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), or 100% oxygen supplied under varying pressures in a tightly-sealed compression chamber, has proven to be an astounding help for a host of brain problems. Side effects are minimal to non-existent. You would think the mainstream medical community would quickly make it a solid adjunct to whatever else they are doing for the healing of toxin-damaged or older brains. In reality, other countries are far ahead of North America in this regard.

Horizontal lie-down HBOT one-person compression chamber; photo from www.adventisthealthnw.com/HM-HBOT.asp

Sit-up HBOT one-person compression chambers at Canadian Hyperbarics, at the General Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA; Link to Canadian Hyperbarics website:  http://www.canadianhyperbarics.com

Photo by Director Gordon Ward, Director, Canadian Hyperbarics, http://www.canadianhyperbarics.com

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Despite the wide array of problems for which HBOT is effective, our Canadian and US society has managed to keep this valuable and life-saving therapy in an ongoing controversial turmoil for decades. This may be because it appears to be expensive, and governments are fearful of incurring very large costs if large numbers of people realized how useful and effective it is.

In reality, the costs of HBOT pale in comparison with the huge costs associated with the ongoing and very expensive conventional treatments for heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, diabetes, MS, etc.

Part of the problem may simply be that the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (who devised the hodgepodge and limited list of conditions which government and insurance-approved facilities generally use to prevent access to this priceless therapy) is an ultra-conservative organization not prone to real leadership in HBOT.

Thank heaven for the private freestanding clinics that know that hyperbarics will heal a host of brain problems and other problems, and that provide genuine and much-needed leadership in HBOT.

One such is Canadian Hyperbarics at the General Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA. They will help anyone who is up against the barriers of the highly-limited treatment provided by government or insurance-funded HBOT.

The Director of Canadian Hyperbarics is Gordon Ward, a personable and internationally-known expert in the HBOT field. Humorous and self-effacing, Mr. Ward has unfortunately often been obliged by forced circumstances to reluctantly demonstrate greater knowledge and expertise than many government or insurance-funded facilities staffed with hyperbaric physicians. More about Canadian Hyperbarics in future posts.

For more information about Canadian Hyperbarics and HBOT, please copy and paste the following URL into your computer’s browser line, the line you use when you want to get to a specific website on the internet:

http://canadianhyperbarics.com/index.html

Mitigation of  neurological problems, including memory problems

There are more than 75 million “baby boomers” in the United States, and millions more in Canada, who could use HBOT to ward off memory problems as they age, and this would require a huge outlay of public funds if HBOT were approved for this purpose:

WIKIPEDIA – The Free Encyclopedia, graphed the “baby boomer” cohort:

United States birth rate (births per 1000 population). The blue segment is the postwar baby boom.

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I am familiar with the mitigating effects of HBOT on neurodegenerative problems, Cerebral Palsy, LD (Learning Disabilities), ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), Autism, and a host of other brain problems and potential brain problems.

Governments typically only recognize the effectiveness of HBOT for a short list of ailments, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, necrotizing tissue (“flesh-eating disease”), near drowning, decompression sickness (“the bends” to divers), crush injury, burns, exceptional blood loss (severe anemia), advanced wound care including diabetic wound care, and so on. It is a very narrow and short list of 13 conditions created by UHMS (Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society) and adopted by governments and insurance companies for treatments for reimbursement purposes. This protects governments and insurance companies from the large costs that would be incurred if all of the ailments that can be treated effectively were appropriately approved for coverage.

It must be said here that many countries in other parts of the world are far ahead of the United States and Canada when it comes to proper utilization of HBOT for a wide variety of conditions. For one thing, they have far more HBOT compression chambers than is the case in the US and Canada. Some countries even have mobile HBOT chambers for emergency use.

The prevailing philosophy in many countries worldwide  is to increase immediate access to a HBOT chamber in the case of heart attack and brain attack (stroke), as it has been proven beyond all reasonable doubt that immediate HBOT treatment makes a huge difference to outcomes for the victims of these common problems. HBOT is, literally, life-saving. More, it vastly increases the future quality of life of those it saves. And those it prevents from having serious brain problems.

To your brain health!

Doc Meek, May 8, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S.  If you wish to pursue this topic of HBOT further, Kathy Summers has written a top-notch article.

Thank you, Kathy! LINK: http://www.healthwriting.com/health/hbot/

Photo of statue at Carmen B. Pingree Center for Children with Autism: http://www.carmenbpingree.com/

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Toxic Exposure Disguised as Autism

Many people believe that autism is a “genetic” malady that is permanent and incurable.

This may not be so for all autistic children.

I am familiar with cases where the child labeled autistic was given, not a thorough psychological assessment, rather a thorough physical, biological and chemical screening utilizing non-routine highly specialized testing. The result of such testing revealed the presence of toxic chemicals dangerous to brain health. These chemicals were not detectable by normal blood and urine testing and so were missed in the ordinary course of events.

The reason for this is that some toxic materials are sequestered in tissues, fats, bones, organs and muscles throughout the body and are not circulating in the bloodstream (unless there has been immediately recent exposure). Since they are not detectable by the regular blood and urine tests, everyone is fooled into thinking there are no toxins that would hurt the child’s brain.

Instead of immediately “detoxifying” the child, which can hurt the child even worse as the toxic materials come out of sequestration and into the bloodstream again, there needs to be a very careful pathway to healing followed.

Careful steps that can lead to better brain health

First the child needs to be drenched with nutrients and micro-nutrients that are essential for body and brain health. This provides the ammunition necessary for the coming battle of detoxification.

Simultaneously, if there are current toxic exposures that were originally being allowed out of lack of knowledge, these must be rigorously identified, and further exposures stopped or minimized as much as is humanly possible.

Finally, with the above two vital steps accomplished, can begin very careful and very slow and safe detoxification. Safe means finding a means to remove the toxins without using methods that further damage the child, and further impair brain health. It is not always easy to find such safe methods, as this is a relatively new field and great care must be exercised.

As the above steps are brought into play, the body’s incredible intrinsic power to heal begins to engage, slowly at first. Then with increasing strength, the miracle of returning health is slowly brought into play.

We are not talking about just mitigation here. We are talking about the body’s ability to return to normality when conditions are right for it to do so. Having a child return from the seeming prison of autism is amazing and astounding. Any mother who has witnessed this would say that “miraculous” is not too strong a word.

Even though the mother and the professionals involved know that the best of the best science has been the tool for the miracle, it still seems miraculous for a child to return from a world of disconnection to the world of here and now.

Autism can be a multi-factor problem

I am not saying that every child labeled autistic will return to normal if that child is given vital micro-nutrients, is screened in specialized ways for toxins, is detoxified safely, and is kept from future toxic exposures as much as is humanly possible.

I am saying that all children, autistic or otherwise, must be afforded this window of tremendous opportunity, and must not be denied this great gift simply because of  parental or professional disbelief, lack of knowledge or prejudice.

I am saying that all children, autistic or not, greatly benefit when they are given needed nutrients and micro-nutrients, are allowed to have brain-damaging toxins safely removed, and are protected from future toxic exposures.

Even if the child does not return to perfect normality, the child is much better off when given needed nutrients, and is not burdened with the toxic residues of our chemicalized world.

There are other supportive therapies, adjunctive to the above, that also help restore children to better functionality. Of which, more later.

To the greater health of our children!

Doc Meek, May 7, 2010; at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S. One relatively recent study of “healthy” newborns revealed that more than 200 industrial toxins were resident in them at birth. This is shocking to say the least. And this was counting only the chemicals being tested. There were doubtless more chemicals for which there was no testing done.

I know a highly qualified MD who works with children who have been labeled ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). He affirms in his writings, and in his private practice, that the only effective method for treating ADD and ADHD is the use of pharmaceuticals. Many school personnel agree with his opinion.

Image courtesy of:  http://www.mychildourfuture.org

Since pharmaceuticals are all that he uses, and about 65% of his patients receive almost immediate help in the form of better attention and focus in the classroom, short-term, he feels he is right. So do the school personnel.

Are drugs really the only answer?

Let’s take a second look.

The help that drugs can provide to children labeled ADD or ADHD can be a “quick start” for some children if that is what you are after.

Long-term, the effects are seriously problematic if steps are not taken to capitalize on the “quick start” by also empowering these drugged children with personal strategies that will help them know they can develop self-managing patterns of behavior and thinking, pill or no pill.

I have been working with children labeled ADD, ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and other attentional and learning problems for over 30 years, and I have always had success with children and parents who follow a multi-factor approach, and whose ultimate goal is permanent self-management (pill or no pill):

(1) If the child has not yet been drugged, we show her or him that s/he has the power to beat the “squirmies” for example. Or whatever else the presenting problem is.

(2) We also look at numerous confounding factors, all the way from nutritional deficiencies/needs through to allergies and toxic exposures, many of which are disguised as ADD, ADHD, ODD, Autism, etc.

(3) We engage the child at the level of taking responsibility for self-management and self-improvement, one baby step at a time.

(4) Progress not perfection.

(5) We show parents innovative ways to work with their child to avoid the “never-ending battle of wills.”

(6) “A pill for every ill” is not necessarily the only answer.

(7) If the child is already drugged, we work with the child and the parents to develop personal self-management strategies such that dosages may be reduced or even eliminated.

(8) Learning problems that have been transformed by labeling into seemingly intractable diseases are not as easy to treat as learning problems that are maintained at the level of personal problems to which personal solutions can be discovered with imagination and good will.

(9) It’s a great day when a child learns and knows: “Hey, I can do it!”

To hope and work and self-determination, and more than one single answer,

Doc Meek, May 6, 2010

At Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA; not at South Jordan, Utah, USA