Research Results
The Documenting Hope Project is a multi-year research program involving at least two IRB-approved studies. We opened enrollment for our first research study, the CHIRP(TM) Study, in 2018 and continue to enroll participants. Our second study, the FLIGHT(TM) Study opens for enrollment in 2021. As we continue to collect and analyze data we will share new and relevant findings with our community. Be sure to sign up to get the latest findings and research opportunities delivered right to your inbox.
Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurvedic medicine, often simply called Ayurveda, is one of the world’s oldest whole-body healing modalities. Its roots stretch back over 3,000 years to India, and today, it is enjoying a worldwide resurgence among those seeking a more balanced, integrative approach...
Naturopathic Medicine
What Is Naturopathic Medicine? Naturopathic medicine is a unique and holistic approach to healthcare that blends the rigors of scientific research with the art and wisdom of natural healing. At its core, naturopathic medicine is about treating the whole person—mind,...
Low-to-No-Cost Detoxification Strategies
In today’s world, our bodies are exposed to a constant stream of toxins from food, air, water, and even household products. Detoxification, or detox, is the process of helping your body eliminate these harmful substances along with the body’s own internally generated...
Traditional Chinese Medicine
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient holistic health system that has been practiced for thousands of years. Rooted in Taoist philosophy and observations of nature, TCM encompasses a variety of practices designed to...
Mold, Mycotoxin and Biotoxin Illness Main Info Page
What Is Mold, Mycotoxin and Biotoxin Illness? Mold, mycotoxin, and biotoxin illnesses encompass a range of health conditions triggered by exposure to environmental toxins. Directly or indirectly, these toxins can severely impact the body's biological systems, leading...
Myofunctional Therapy Main Info Page
What Is Myofunctional Therapy? Myofunctional therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention aimed at correcting improper functioning of the face, mouth, and tongue. By retraining these crucial muscles, myofunctional therapy addresses a wide array of conditions that, if...
Low-Oxalate Diet Main Info Page
What Are Oxalates? Oxalates are molecules found in food that join with calcium to create crystallized “stones” in the body that then contribute to inflammation and pain. These crystals are created when fungi such as yeast or molds, and/or foods high in oxalate, sugar,...
What Is Autism, Really?
Autism is a term that is reasonably new in the modern lexicon. While the term autism was first coined in 1912, a neurological presentation that has similar characteristics to what we call autism has likely been around for a very long time in human history. However,...
Paleo/Primal Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Paleo/Primal Diet? The Paleo/primal diet is a gut-healing diet that is used to heal symptoms of gastrointestinal, autoimmune, neurological, metabolic and mood disorders as well as most chronic health conditions. The Paleo diet removes all processed foods,...
Low-Glutamate Diet Main Info Page
One mom in California, biochemist Katherine Reid PhD, used her science-based knowledge to create a low-glutamate diet that stabilizes protein and eliminates all inflammatory foods that were excitatory for her daughter with autism. The diet is called the Reduced...
Optimizing Blood Sugar
Effects of Unbalanced Blood Sugar Unbalanced blood sugar places a real strain on the adrenal glands and the body's resources because, unless one is in a state of ketosis, the body runs on sugar - glucose - that's circulating in the blood. If there's too much...
Chronic Inflammation: A Key Driver of Chronic Health Conditions
What Is Chronic Inflammation? Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of chronic health conditions, whether it's a neurodevelopmental disorder like autism or ADHD, an autoimmune disorder, a mood disorder, diabetes, allergies, asthma, gastrointestinal disorder, heart...
Feingold Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Feingold Diet? The Feingold diet can improve physical reactions and behavioral changes that happen after your child eats certain foods or food additives. Your child’s behavior and learning ability may be impaired by certain chemicals such as artificial...
GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) Main Info Page
What Is the GAPS Diet? The GAPS diet is a dietary solution to a healthier brain and improved immune activity within the body. It is often used by parents to control symptoms of autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders within their child. Many families with...
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Main Info Page
What Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome? Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) features inappropriate mast cell activation, causing not only typical symptoms of allergy but also a host of other symptoms across multiple organ systems. MCAS drives chronic multi-system...
Seizures Main Info Page
What Are Seizures? Seizures can be a co-morbid condition associated with a disability such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or mitochondrial dysfunction, although they also occur in children without any of these conditions. The brain has thousands of neurons,...
Tongue Tie Main Info Page
What Is Tongue Tie? Tongue tie, or Tethered Oral Tissue (TOT), also medically known as ankyloglossia, is commonly overlooked and often misdiagnosed. Lingual frenulum is a condition found in babies at birth where a band of tissue at the end of the bottom of the tongue...
Magnesium: The Super-Mineral
In this blog post, Kelly Dorfman teaches us about the importance of magnesium, symptoms of deficiency and how to correct it. Benefits of Magnesium Magnesium is perhaps one of the most necessary minerals for healing and recovery. Here's a short list of its benefits; it...
Vitamin D Deficiency
In this blog post, Kelly Dorfman explains why vitamin D is so helpful to the immune system and neuroimmune conditions such as autism. Increasing amounts of research (see Sources & References, below) point to a vitamin D deficiency as being linked to autism, ADHD,...
Craniosacral Therapy
What Is Craniosacral Therapy? John Upledger DO, founder of the Upledger Institute, developed craniosacral therapy (CST), which is a very gentle, relaxing and hands-on intervention that can help with many physical and emotional issues. Chiropractors, osteopathic...
Birth Trauma and Developmental Delays
A History of Birth Trauma In at least 80% of children with developmental delays, including attention deficits, Sensory Processing Disorder and autism, there is a history of birth trauma. In each diagnosis, there are manifestations of various aspects of cerebral...
Developmental Delays Main Info Page
What Are Developmental Delays? Does your child have developmental delays? Typical delays are: Not rolling over on time Not sitting up unsupported on time Not crawling on time Not walking on time Speech and language delays Skipping a phase (such as not crawling) Never...
Dyspraxia and Apraxia Main Info Page
What Are Dyspraxia and Apraxia? Dyspraxia is the partial loss of the ability to coordinate and perform skilled purposeful movements. Apraxia is the complete loss of this ability. Dyspraxia and apraxia together are called Global Apraxia. The root word “praxia” means...
PANS PANDAS Main Info Page
What Is PANS PANDAS? PANS PANDAS are newer diagnoses that your child's pediatrician or psychiatrist may not be aware of. They are disorders that are loosely defined as a sudden onset of acute anxiety and mood variability accompanied by OCD (Obsessive Compulsive...
Mitochondrial Dysfunction Main Info Page
Symptoms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction The following symptoms may indicate that your child has mitochondrial dysfunction or a problem in energy production: Large motor delays Failure to thrive, growth delays Low muscle tone Extreme fatigue Inability to regulate...
Lyme Disease Main Info Page
What Is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness infectious disease transmitted to humans by a black-legged deer tick; these ticks may carry up to twenty diseases. It was first reported in 1975 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut in the United States....
Emotional, Behavioral and Mood Symptoms Main Info Page
Children are increasingly being prescribed pharmaceutical medication to help them deal with emotional and behavioral problems as well as mood symptoms. What Types of Emotional, Behavioral and Mood Symptoms Are Commonly Seen in Our Kids? Depression: May be exhibited as...
Sleep Issues Main Info Page
If a child has sleep issues, then he or she is not getting restorative sleep that is crucial for brain development and good health. Sleep is a restorative state in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes are closed, the postural muscles are relaxed,...
Vision Therapy
What Is Vision Therapy? Vision therapy is very often overlooked in children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder or learning disabilities. Too often parents just assume that particular behaviors or symptoms their child displays are related...
Reflex Integration
Svetlana Masgutova PhD, renowned reflex integration specialist, describes a reflex as an "automatic response of the nervous system as a result of a trigger from a stimulus", (i.e., touch, movement, etc.) Her life’s work is the Masgutova Method of Neuro-Sensory-Motor...
Auditory Therapy
What Is Auditory Therapy? There are a few different types of auditory therapy that can retrain the brain to help normalize hearing, senses and brain processing. These approaches can help improve: Auditory processing Sensory processing Speech Language Focus...
Chiropractic Care
What Do Chiropractors Do? Healthy lifestyle, wise dietary choices and nutritional supplementation cannot replace the body’s need for structural work such as chiropractic care. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) are practitioners that can provide holistic care. Chiropractors...
Osteopathy
What Is Osteopathy? Osteopathy is a very unique philosophy of healing and medical care that incorporates the treatment of the fascia, bones, muscles and joints using techniques like physical manipulation and massage. Many osteopathic physicians (Doctor of Osteopathy...
Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy
What Is Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy? If your child has sensory processing difficulties, then you may want sensory integration occupational therapy. Traditional occupational therapy offered in the school system will typically only help your child improve...
Food Sensitivities and Intolerances Main Info Page
Common Symptoms of Food Sensitivities and Intolerances Many children today experience food sensitivities and intolerances that are known to have adverse effects on their mood and behaviors. Unfortunately, when parents see unwanted behaviors, depression or mood swings...
Total Load Theory
What Is Total Load Theory? Total load theory is a conceptual framework used to understand the synergistic and cumulative impact of many environmental and lifestyle stressors on an individual’s health. It posits that each individual stressor adds to the total “load” a...
Autism Spectrum Disorder Main Info Page
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by impairments in sensory, language, social, emotional and behavior areas. It is a “spectrum disorder,” with manifestations ranging from mild to severe. What Your...
Hypotonia and Hypertonia Main Info Page
What Are Hypotonia and Hypertonia? Children with muscle tone disorders usually have either hypotonia or hypertonia. Hypotonia, which means low muscle tone, causes increased flexibility and looseness of the muscles. Hypertonia, which means high or too much muscle tone,...
Retained Reflexes Main Info Page
What Are Retained Reflexes? We all have reflex reactions to certain stimuli without even consciously thinking and an automatic motor response occurs such as blinking when something flies towards your eyes, or sneezing or coughing. When a baby is born, primary reflexes...
Sensory Processing Disorder Main Info Page
What Is Sensory Processing Disorder? Children with sensory processing disorder issues have great difficulty processing and acting upon information received through their senses. Have you ever seen a child who appears to be “out of sync” with how they interact with...
Learning Disabilities Main Info Page
What Is a Learning Disability? A learning disability may come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the child. It is not always easy to identify a learning disability in a child, but the time for concern would be if your child consistently struggles over and...
Gastrointestinal Disorders Main Info Page
What Are Gastrointestinal Disorders? Living with gastrointestinal disorders is very painful and distressful for children and heartbreaking for parents, especially when a child has limited language to express how they feel. One thing is certain: the faces of children...
Diabetes and Obesity Main Info Page
What Are Obesity and Diabetes? Michelle Obama, in her capacity as First Lady, launched her “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010 in hopes of bringing awareness as well as solutions to the American silent epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. The reality is that...
Environmental Toxicity
Today we live in a world of full of environmental toxicity and potential toxic exposures. Every inch of the planet has been exposed to some human tampering that has affected the air, water, soil, climate, food supply, homes, and businesses. There is no doubt that...
Allergies Main Info Page
What Are Allergies? Allergies are reactions to foreign substances by the immune system. The body’s defense system responds to foreign invaders or pathogens and this response triggers some form of immediate reaction in the body. Children today experience allergies at a...
Common Genetic Variations
Common genetic variations may be one of the reasons why some children survive an overload of environmental toxicity, whereas others suffer from an array of chronic illnesses ranging from autism to asthma to juvenile diabetes. There are many contributing factors...
Chronic Infections Main Info Page
What Are Chronic Infections? Chronic infections, such as repeated ear, sinus and bladder infections, as well as Strep, croup and E. coli are common today. The following conditions indicate a prolonged or persistent invasion of the body by these and other pathogens,...
Homotoxicology
Are You Raising a Very Sensitive Child? Some children, especially those on the autism spectrum, are particularly sensitive to detoxification protocols due to the “herxheimer” or “healing” reactions they experience after treatment. The greater the "toxic overload" of...
Autoimmune Disorders Main Info Page
What Are Autoimmune Disorders? Autoimmune disorders are inflammatory conditions in which antibodies, protein molecules produced by the body's immune system, attack and destroy healthy body tissue. Doctors recognize more than 100 types of autoimmune disorders,...
Homeopathy Main Info Page
What Is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is energy medicine made from a diluted and succussed (shaken vigorously) tincture of a natural substance. Substances used are flowers, plants, minerals, healthy tissue, animal venom, even diseases. After the tincture is created, it is...
Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD and ADHD) Main Info Page
What Is Attention Deficit Disorder? Attention deficit disorder is a behavioral condition defined by specific subjective criteria in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-V). This book describes three...
Speech and Language Issues Main Info Page
What Are Speech and Language Issues? Speech and language issues are common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and learning disabilities. Speech Speech is the mechanical means of the oral motor mechanism to...
Detoxification for Children
Detoxification is a critical process for maintaining optimal health. The human body is exposed to various toxins daily from environmental toxins, internal waste products, and even from certain organisms living within us. Efficient elimination of these toxins is...
Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet? The gluten free casein free diet can help children with autism, ADHD, SPD as well as those with asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and mood disorders improve their symptoms. Originally, Lisa Lewis dug into diet...
Specific Carbohydrate Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet? The Specific Carbohydrate Diet may help children with autism, ADHD, asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and more because many of them have gut problems, food sensitivities, poor digestion and/or malabsorption. A...
Nutritional Deficiencies
Most children with chronic illness diagnoses or symptoms are known to have nutritional deficiencies. This does not mean that they are not eating or that they are starving, rather, it means that their bodies are either: a) Not getting the proper nutrition they need due...
Failure to Thrive Main Info Page
A seemingly normal baby who refuses to eat, doesn’t grow and has been tested for everything with no apparent results may have failure to thrive. There are many medical and psychosocial reasons for failure to thrive, but there are also many factors that may not be so...
Colic Main Info Page
What Is Colic? Nothing can be more nerve wracking for parents than a baby with colic. At first babies may seem like they are fussing; however, when babies five months old or less cry intensely and uncontrollably for more than three consecutive hours for at least 3...
Constipation and Diarrhea Main Info Page
What Are Constipation and Diarrhea? Constipation is one of the most pressing concerns of parents today with all children no matter what the diagnosis or condition. Chronic diarrhea can often be the flip side to chronic constipation because the bowels may be so...
Gut Dysbiosis
The Gut – Teaming with Life The gastrointestinal system – or gut - refers to the long hollow tube that stretches from the tip of your tongue right down to your rectum. It is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria and yeast, essential to the most basic...
Speech, Language, and Communication Therapies for Autism
Speech, language, and communication support are essential components of care for many individuals with autism. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide assessment and ongoing diagnostic treatment to address a wide range of communication differences and needs, from...
Functional Medicine: A Modern Root-Cause Approach to Health and Wellness
What Is Functional Medicine? Functional medicine is a whole-body, systems-based, personalized approach to healthcare that aims to identify and address root causes of illness rather than just treating symptoms. It integrates the best of modern science with holistic,...
Gemmotherapy
What Is Gemmotherapy? Gemmotherapy uses plant stem cells to assist the body’s innate healing processes gently yet powerfully. It is a type of herbal medicine that uses plant buds, germinating seeds, saps, shoots, growing tips of roots and young barks because they...
Autism and Picky Eating
What Distinguishes Developmentally Appropriate Picky Eating from Pediatric Feeding Disorders? Every parent knows that mealtimes with young children can present challenges. Refusals to eat certain foods, complaints about textures, and demands for favorite meals are...
Electrodermal Screening (EAV – ElectroAcupuncture According to Voll)
We all get sick at one time or another, and when that happens your doctor will most likely write a prescription and send you to the lab for a blood draw to see if there is anything abnormal going on with your blood. Although blood tests are necessary for diagnostic...
How Sulforaphane from Broccoli Sprouts Can Reduce Autism Symptoms
What Is Sulforaphane? Sulforaphane, a natural substance found in broccoli sprouts, continues to generate interest in the scientific and integrative-medicine communities for its ability to improve symptoms of autism, at least in some children. Sulforaphane is a natural...
Intentional Consciousness or Quantum-Based Healing
What Are Intentional Consciousness or Quantum-Based Healing Approaches? Intentional consciousness or quantum-based healing approaches use focused awareness, intention, and energy to activate the body’s natural capacity for healing and transformation. By cultivating...
Intangible Stressors Can Block Healing
What Are Intangible Stressors? When we talk about the "total load of stressors", we often think about tangible things that contribute to a toxic body burden such as chemicals, heavy metals, and infections. However, the total load also includes stressors that are...
Understanding Nervous System Dysregulation in Autism
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) To truly understand what’s happening in the bodies and brains of children with autism, it helps to start with the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the system that silently manages our involuntary functions like heart rate, breathing,...
Ayurvedic Medicine
Ayurvedic medicine, often simply called Ayurveda, is one of the world’s oldest whole-body healing modalities. Its roots stretch back over 3,000 years to India, and today, it is enjoying a worldwide resurgence among those seeking a more balanced, integrative approach...
Naturopathic Medicine
What Is Naturopathic Medicine? Naturopathic medicine is a unique and holistic approach to healthcare that blends the rigors of scientific research with the art and wisdom of natural healing. At its core, naturopathic medicine is about treating the whole person—mind,...
Low-to-No-Cost Detoxification Strategies
In today’s world, our bodies are exposed to a constant stream of toxins from food, air, water, and even household products. Detoxification, or detox, is the process of helping your body eliminate these harmful substances along with the body’s own internally generated...
Traditional Chinese Medicine
What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient holistic health system that has been practiced for thousands of years. Rooted in Taoist philosophy and observations of nature, TCM encompasses a variety of practices designed to...
Mold, Mycotoxin and Biotoxin Illness Main Info Page
What Is Mold, Mycotoxin and Biotoxin Illness? Mold, mycotoxin, and biotoxin illnesses encompass a range of health conditions triggered by exposure to environmental toxins. Directly or indirectly, these toxins can severely impact the body's biological systems, leading...
Myofunctional Therapy Main Info Page
What Is Myofunctional Therapy? Myofunctional therapy is a form of therapeutic intervention aimed at correcting improper functioning of the face, mouth, and tongue. By retraining these crucial muscles, myofunctional therapy addresses a wide array of conditions that, if...
Low-Oxalate Diet Main Info Page
What Are Oxalates? Oxalates are molecules found in food that join with calcium to create crystallized “stones” in the body that then contribute to inflammation and pain. These crystals are created when fungi such as yeast or molds, and/or foods high in oxalate, sugar,...
What Is Autism, Really?
Autism is a term that is reasonably new in the modern lexicon. While the term autism was first coined in 1912, a neurological presentation that has similar characteristics to what we call autism has likely been around for a very long time in human history. However,...
Paleo/Primal Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Paleo/Primal Diet? The Paleo/primal diet is a gut-healing diet that is used to heal symptoms of gastrointestinal, autoimmune, neurological, metabolic and mood disorders as well as most chronic health conditions. The Paleo diet removes all processed foods,...
Low-Glutamate Diet Main Info Page
One mom in California, biochemist Katherine Reid PhD, used her science-based knowledge to create a low-glutamate diet that stabilizes protein and eliminates all inflammatory foods that were excitatory for her daughter with autism. The diet is called the Reduced...
Optimizing Blood Sugar
Effects of Unbalanced Blood Sugar Unbalanced blood sugar places a real strain on the adrenal glands and the body's resources because, unless one is in a state of ketosis, the body runs on sugar - glucose - that's circulating in the blood. If there's too much...
Chronic Inflammation: A Key Driver of Chronic Health Conditions
What Is Chronic Inflammation? Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of chronic health conditions, whether it's a neurodevelopmental disorder like autism or ADHD, an autoimmune disorder, a mood disorder, diabetes, allergies, asthma, gastrointestinal disorder, heart...
Feingold Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Feingold Diet? The Feingold diet can improve physical reactions and behavioral changes that happen after your child eats certain foods or food additives. Your child’s behavior and learning ability may be impaired by certain chemicals such as artificial...
GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) Main Info Page
What Is the GAPS Diet? The GAPS diet is a dietary solution to a healthier brain and improved immune activity within the body. It is often used by parents to control symptoms of autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders within their child. Many families with...
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Main Info Page
What Is Mast Cell Activation Syndrome? Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) features inappropriate mast cell activation, causing not only typical symptoms of allergy but also a host of other symptoms across multiple organ systems. MCAS drives chronic multi-system...
Seizures Main Info Page
What Are Seizures? Seizures can be a co-morbid condition associated with a disability such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or mitochondrial dysfunction, although they also occur in children without any of these conditions. The brain has thousands of neurons,...
Tongue Tie Main Info Page
What Is Tongue Tie? Tongue tie, or Tethered Oral Tissue (TOT), also medically known as ankyloglossia, is commonly overlooked and often misdiagnosed. Lingual frenulum is a condition found in babies at birth where a band of tissue at the end of the bottom of the tongue...
Magnesium: The Super-Mineral
In this blog post, Kelly Dorfman teaches us about the importance of magnesium, symptoms of deficiency and how to correct it. Benefits of Magnesium Magnesium is perhaps one of the most necessary minerals for healing and recovery. Here's a short list of its benefits; it...
Vitamin D Deficiency
In this blog post, Kelly Dorfman explains why vitamin D is so helpful to the immune system and neuroimmune conditions such as autism. Increasing amounts of research (see Sources & References, below) point to a vitamin D deficiency as being linked to autism, ADHD,...
Craniosacral Therapy
What Is Craniosacral Therapy? John Upledger DO, founder of the Upledger Institute, developed craniosacral therapy (CST), which is a very gentle, relaxing and hands-on intervention that can help with many physical and emotional issues. Chiropractors, osteopathic...
Birth Trauma and Developmental Delays
A History of Birth Trauma In at least 80% of children with developmental delays, including attention deficits, Sensory Processing Disorder and autism, there is a history of birth trauma. In each diagnosis, there are manifestations of various aspects of cerebral...
Developmental Delays Main Info Page
What Are Developmental Delays? Does your child have developmental delays? Typical delays are: Not rolling over on time Not sitting up unsupported on time Not crawling on time Not walking on time Speech and language delays Skipping a phase (such as not crawling) Never...
Dyspraxia and Apraxia Main Info Page
What Are Dyspraxia and Apraxia? Dyspraxia is the partial loss of the ability to coordinate and perform skilled purposeful movements. Apraxia is the complete loss of this ability. Dyspraxia and apraxia together are called Global Apraxia. The root word “praxia” means...
PANS PANDAS Main Info Page
What Is PANS PANDAS? PANS PANDAS are newer diagnoses that your child's pediatrician or psychiatrist may not be aware of. They are disorders that are loosely defined as a sudden onset of acute anxiety and mood variability accompanied by OCD (Obsessive Compulsive...
Mitochondrial Dysfunction Main Info Page
Symptoms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction The following symptoms may indicate that your child has mitochondrial dysfunction or a problem in energy production: Large motor delays Failure to thrive, growth delays Low muscle tone Extreme fatigue Inability to regulate...
Lyme Disease Main Info Page
What Is Lyme Disease? Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness infectious disease transmitted to humans by a black-legged deer tick; these ticks may carry up to twenty diseases. It was first reported in 1975 in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut in the United States....
Emotional, Behavioral and Mood Symptoms Main Info Page
Children are increasingly being prescribed pharmaceutical medication to help them deal with emotional and behavioral problems as well as mood symptoms. What Types of Emotional, Behavioral and Mood Symptoms Are Commonly Seen in Our Kids? Depression: May be exhibited as...
Sleep Issues Main Info Page
If a child has sleep issues, then he or she is not getting restorative sleep that is crucial for brain development and good health. Sleep is a restorative state in which the nervous system is relatively inactive, the eyes are closed, the postural muscles are relaxed,...
Vision Therapy
What Is Vision Therapy? Vision therapy is very often overlooked in children with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder or learning disabilities. Too often parents just assume that particular behaviors or symptoms their child displays are related...
Reflex Integration
Svetlana Masgutova PhD, renowned reflex integration specialist, describes a reflex as an "automatic response of the nervous system as a result of a trigger from a stimulus", (i.e., touch, movement, etc.) Her life’s work is the Masgutova Method of Neuro-Sensory-Motor...
Auditory Therapy
What Is Auditory Therapy? There are a few different types of auditory therapy that can retrain the brain to help normalize hearing, senses and brain processing. These approaches can help improve: Auditory processing Sensory processing Speech Language Focus...
Chiropractic Care
What Do Chiropractors Do? Healthy lifestyle, wise dietary choices and nutritional supplementation cannot replace the body’s need for structural work such as chiropractic care. Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) are practitioners that can provide holistic care. Chiropractors...
Osteopathy
What Is Osteopathy? Osteopathy is a very unique philosophy of healing and medical care that incorporates the treatment of the fascia, bones, muscles and joints using techniques like physical manipulation and massage. Many osteopathic physicians (Doctor of Osteopathy...
Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy
What Is Sensory Integration Occupational Therapy? If your child has sensory processing difficulties, then you may want sensory integration occupational therapy. Traditional occupational therapy offered in the school system will typically only help your child improve...
Food Sensitivities and Intolerances Main Info Page
Common Symptoms of Food Sensitivities and Intolerances Many children today experience food sensitivities and intolerances that are known to have adverse effects on their mood and behaviors. Unfortunately, when parents see unwanted behaviors, depression or mood swings...
Total Load Theory
What Is Total Load Theory? Total load theory is a conceptual framework used to understand the synergistic and cumulative impact of many environmental and lifestyle stressors on an individual’s health. It posits that each individual stressor adds to the total “load” a...
Autism Spectrum Disorder Main Info Page
What Is Autism Spectrum Disorder? Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder characterized by impairments in sensory, language, social, emotional and behavior areas. It is a “spectrum disorder,” with manifestations ranging from mild to severe. What Your...
Hypotonia and Hypertonia Main Info Page
What Are Hypotonia and Hypertonia? Children with muscle tone disorders usually have either hypotonia or hypertonia. Hypotonia, which means low muscle tone, causes increased flexibility and looseness of the muscles. Hypertonia, which means high or too much muscle tone,...
Retained Reflexes Main Info Page
What Are Retained Reflexes? We all have reflex reactions to certain stimuli without even consciously thinking and an automatic motor response occurs such as blinking when something flies towards your eyes, or sneezing or coughing. When a baby is born, primary reflexes...
Sensory Processing Disorder Main Info Page
What Is Sensory Processing Disorder? Children with sensory processing disorder issues have great difficulty processing and acting upon information received through their senses. Have you ever seen a child who appears to be “out of sync” with how they interact with...
Learning Disabilities Main Info Page
What Is a Learning Disability? A learning disability may come in many different shapes and sizes depending on the child. It is not always easy to identify a learning disability in a child, but the time for concern would be if your child consistently struggles over and...
Gastrointestinal Disorders Main Info Page
What Are Gastrointestinal Disorders? Living with gastrointestinal disorders is very painful and distressful for children and heartbreaking for parents, especially when a child has limited language to express how they feel. One thing is certain: the faces of children...
Diabetes and Obesity Main Info Page
What Are Obesity and Diabetes? Michelle Obama, in her capacity as First Lady, launched her “Let’s Move” campaign in 2010 in hopes of bringing awareness as well as solutions to the American silent epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes. The reality is that...
Environmental Toxicity
Today we live in a world of full of environmental toxicity and potential toxic exposures. Every inch of the planet has been exposed to some human tampering that has affected the air, water, soil, climate, food supply, homes, and businesses. There is no doubt that...
Allergies Main Info Page
What Are Allergies? Allergies are reactions to foreign substances by the immune system. The body’s defense system responds to foreign invaders or pathogens and this response triggers some form of immediate reaction in the body. Children today experience allergies at a...
Common Genetic Variations
Common genetic variations may be one of the reasons why some children survive an overload of environmental toxicity, whereas others suffer from an array of chronic illnesses ranging from autism to asthma to juvenile diabetes. There are many contributing factors...
Chronic Infections Main Info Page
What Are Chronic Infections? Chronic infections, such as repeated ear, sinus and bladder infections, as well as Strep, croup and E. coli are common today. The following conditions indicate a prolonged or persistent invasion of the body by these and other pathogens,...
Homotoxicology
Are You Raising a Very Sensitive Child? Some children, especially those on the autism spectrum, are particularly sensitive to detoxification protocols due to the “herxheimer” or “healing” reactions they experience after treatment. The greater the "toxic overload" of...
Autoimmune Disorders Main Info Page
What Are Autoimmune Disorders? Autoimmune disorders are inflammatory conditions in which antibodies, protein molecules produced by the body's immune system, attack and destroy healthy body tissue. Doctors recognize more than 100 types of autoimmune disorders,...
Homeopathy Main Info Page
What Is Homeopathy? Homeopathy is energy medicine made from a diluted and succussed (shaken vigorously) tincture of a natural substance. Substances used are flowers, plants, minerals, healthy tissue, animal venom, even diseases. After the tincture is created, it is...
Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD and ADHD) Main Info Page
What Is Attention Deficit Disorder? Attention deficit disorder is a behavioral condition defined by specific subjective criteria in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-V). This book describes three...
Speech and Language Issues Main Info Page
What Are Speech and Language Issues? Speech and language issues are common in children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder and learning disabilities. Speech Speech is the mechanical means of the oral motor mechanism to...
Detoxification for Children
Detoxification is a critical process for maintaining optimal health. The human body is exposed to various toxins daily from environmental toxins, internal waste products, and even from certain organisms living within us. Efficient elimination of these toxins is...
Gluten-Free Casein-Free Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Gluten-Free, Casein-Free Diet? The gluten free casein free diet can help children with autism, ADHD, SPD as well as those with asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and mood disorders improve their symptoms. Originally, Lisa Lewis dug into diet...
Specific Carbohydrate Diet Main Info Page
What Is the Specific Carbohydrate Diet? The Specific Carbohydrate Diet may help children with autism, ADHD, asthma, allergies, autoimmune disorders and more because many of them have gut problems, food sensitivities, poor digestion and/or malabsorption. A...
Nutritional Deficiencies
Most children with chronic illness diagnoses or symptoms are known to have nutritional deficiencies. This does not mean that they are not eating or that they are starving, rather, it means that their bodies are either: a) Not getting the proper nutrition they need due...
Failure to Thrive Main Info Page
A seemingly normal baby who refuses to eat, doesn’t grow and has been tested for everything with no apparent results may have failure to thrive. There are many medical and psychosocial reasons for failure to thrive, but there are also many factors that may not be so...
Colic Main Info Page
What Is Colic? Nothing can be more nerve wracking for parents than a baby with colic. At first babies may seem like they are fussing; however, when babies five months old or less cry intensely and uncontrollably for more than three consecutive hours for at least 3...
Constipation and Diarrhea Main Info Page
What Are Constipation and Diarrhea? Constipation is one of the most pressing concerns of parents today with all children no matter what the diagnosis or condition. Chronic diarrhea can often be the flip side to chronic constipation because the bowels may be so...
Gut Dysbiosis
The Gut – Teaming with Life The gastrointestinal system – or gut - refers to the long hollow tube that stretches from the tip of your tongue right down to your rectum. It is home to trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria and yeast, essential to the most basic...
Speech, Language, and Communication Therapies for Autism
Speech, language, and communication support are essential components of care for many individuals with autism. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide assessment and ongoing diagnostic treatment to address a wide range of communication differences and needs, from...
Functional Medicine: A Modern Root-Cause Approach to Health and Wellness
What Is Functional Medicine? Functional medicine is a whole-body, systems-based, personalized approach to healthcare that aims to identify and address root causes of illness rather than just treating symptoms. It integrates the best of modern science with holistic,...
Gemmotherapy
What Is Gemmotherapy? Gemmotherapy uses plant stem cells to assist the body’s innate healing processes gently yet powerfully. It is a type of herbal medicine that uses plant buds, germinating seeds, saps, shoots, growing tips of roots and young barks because they...
Autism and Picky Eating
What Distinguishes Developmentally Appropriate Picky Eating from Pediatric Feeding Disorders? Every parent knows that mealtimes with young children can present challenges. Refusals to eat certain foods, complaints about textures, and demands for favorite meals are...
Electrodermal Screening (EAV – ElectroAcupuncture According to Voll)
We all get sick at one time or another, and when that happens your doctor will most likely write a prescription and send you to the lab for a blood draw to see if there is anything abnormal going on with your blood. Although blood tests are necessary for diagnostic...
How Sulforaphane from Broccoli Sprouts Can Reduce Autism Symptoms
What Is Sulforaphane? Sulforaphane, a natural substance found in broccoli sprouts, continues to generate interest in the scientific and integrative-medicine communities for its ability to improve symptoms of autism, at least in some children. Sulforaphane is a natural...
Intentional Consciousness or Quantum-Based Healing
What Are Intentional Consciousness or Quantum-Based Healing Approaches? Intentional consciousness or quantum-based healing approaches use focused awareness, intention, and energy to activate the body’s natural capacity for healing and transformation. By cultivating...
Intangible Stressors Can Block Healing
What Are Intangible Stressors? When we talk about the "total load of stressors", we often think about tangible things that contribute to a toxic body burden such as chemicals, heavy metals, and infections. However, the total load also includes stressors that are...
Understanding Nervous System Dysregulation in Autism
The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) To truly understand what’s happening in the bodies and brains of children with autism, it helps to start with the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the system that silently manages our involuntary functions like heart rate, breathing,...