Autism Treatment and the Biomedical Approach - Patience and Perseverance Is Critical For Long-Term S

Biomedicine for autism at its roots is a medical approach for treating autism. It is more than just using psychiatric drugs or behavioral therapy. It is the understanding that for most individuals on the autism-spectrum there are underlying medical problems such as intestinal problems, nutritional deficiencies, food allergies, biochemical imbalances and more that contribute directly to their autistic condition.

The implementation of biomedical therapies for individuals with an autism-spectrum disorder is a process of both investigation and patience. The investigative part is determining effectiveness of a therapy versus another.  The patience aspect is critical because certain therapies act more quickly than others, and learning to track progress overtime both on a physical and cognitive level is critical. For example, Methyl-B12 therapy (also called Methylcobolamin or MB12) can act very quickly with positive benefits seen in 4 to 6 weeks – in some cases within days. Examples are improved attention, better eye contact and more appropriate speech.  On the other hand, a treatment like Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – although it can be extremely beneficial – may takeseveral months before positive changes such as better language, more appropriate behavior, and improved immune function are appreciated. In order to implement biomedical autism treatments you have be open-minded and willing to explore new remedies such as dietary changes, supplement therapy, methylation support (through the use of Methyl-B12), detoxification, etc. with your child, and be tenacious in tracking positive and/or negative changes to best ascertain which remedies help the most and which ones are ineffective. 

This process of biomedical intervention is not always easy.  However, overtime many parents look back at the biomedical approach they have done and know that positive changes have happened. Perhaps their child has more appropriate language, better awareness of their environment and is more engaged socially with family members. Also, a child’s behavior has improved with less self-stimulation, less irritability or complete lack of aggression.  Obviously, these are very desirable outcomes.
As a parent implementing biomedical therapies you need to be cognizant of the fact that overtime biomedical therapies will overlap and you will be doing multiple therapies at once. You may reach a point where you’re not quite sure what is working and what is not working. This is a natural trend in any health program and in most situations is unavoidable.  At some point, many parents will start to back away from various treatments such as reducing supplements or allowing for periodic gluten and/or milk consumption, etc. to see if any adverse reactions occur. Every person is different and some individuals who have benefitted greatly by biomedical intervention early on are able to handle less rigid programs overtime without losing the positive gains that were made originally.

Biomedicine for autism and learning the various autism treatments takes research and commitment, but the outcomes can be tremendous. Each person’s reaction to biomedical intervention is very individualized. It is not uncommon to expect a few years of consistent and overlapping treatments to be in place before many individuals can have their programs modified. However, know that as a parent or caregiver of someone on the autism-spectrum the biomedical approach to autism is replete with hope and potential for improved health of your loved one.