Neuroinflammation & Oxidative Stress:
The ABC’s of Testing & Treatment

New research is focused on how oxidative stress and inflammation impacts the nervous system, resulting in some of the symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders. This lecture reviews research about the mechanisms of oxidative stress, how it may affect the human body, and testing that is currently available to assess it in each patient. Treatment using supplements, herbal and homeopathic medicines will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:

Successful Outcomes: How an Integrative
Treatment Plan Helps Your Child

Dr. Clack's lecture will outline, with the use of case studies, how to prepare to work with practitioners who are experienced with biomedical treatments. Potential pitfalls are covered as well as planning what to do and expect for the initial 2-4 years. Since he started working with children on the autism spectrum in 2001, Dr. Clack has noted some interesting trends in test results and recently published the results of this study. The presentation will include a review of the test results of 25 ASD children randomly chosen from his practice in southern Ontario. An overview of the tests most commonly found to yield significant findings will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• Parents and practitioners with learn insights to the interpretation of the results of biomedical testing.
• Parents and practitioners will learn to use testing to direct treatment and avoid stereotyped treatments which may not be necessary for every child.

This presentation will explore the history and medical effects of synthetic additives – in particular the artificial food colorings and petrochemical preservatives. 

Learning Objectives:

Providing our children’s bodies with a nourishing diet free of harmful ingredients is the first step to healing.   No one needs good nutrition more than a picky restrictive eater!  As a parent to two very picky eaters, I know it can be extremely challenging to make positive dietary changes.  You can do it!  We did, as do many other parents just like you!  This talk will focus on the aspects of a truly healthy diet and how you can build a nutrient dense nourishing diet for your children.   It will focus on cleaning up your family’s diets so it works for everyone and many tips and strategies to help you work on dietary changes one day at a time.  It will look at the various nutritional interventions currently being used for autism, the rationale behind them and why these dietary interventions could and will help your child.  Recommendations of many local resources, educational resources and books, tools, websites and helpful tips for success will be provided.  You will learn that as a parent you can have a huge impact on your child’s development and success and that food can truly heal.  .

Learning Objectives:

Unsure if you should consider biomedical approaches in treating autism?  Are you confused about where and how to get started?  Lori’s presentation is designed for those new to the biomedical approach and for those seeking an easy to understand overview of some of the most important biomedical treatments.  She will include an overview of the most important therapies that contributed to her son’s recovery including dietary intervention, applied behavioral analysis (ABA), yeast treatments, supplements therapy, chelation, and other alternative treatments that helped contribute to her son’s recovery.  This is a practical and parent friendly presentation that will inspire and give you hope.  Share in Daniel’s progress through his mother’s account, pictures and video segments. 

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a basic overview and understanding of each foundational biomedical therapy that is useful in treating autism.  The therapies discussed include diet, yeast and bacteria treatment, nutritional supplements, and detoxification.
• Identify the specific symptoms in children who may benefit from biomedical interventions and how these symptoms can be alleviated through each intervention.
• Gain a good understanding of how all the biomedical therapies work together - along with educational therapies  -  to offer hope for significant improvement and sometimes recovery.
• Obtain practical information on how to get started pursuing biomedical treatments for autism. 

Navigating the Maze of Nutritional
Supplements for Autism Spectrum Disorders  

Nutritional supplement therapy has become an integral component of biomedical treatments for autism.  DAN! Physicians are asking parents to give their children 6-20 different supplements each day.  Why is this necessary?  How do you know what is best for each child?  What is the best approach for starting nutritional supplementation? Lori Knowles, General Manager of New Beginnings Nutritionals addresses these questions while discussing the most important aspects of nutritional intervention in autism.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify and gain and in-depth understanding of the underlying causes of nutritional deficiencies in children with autism.
• Identify the foundational “basic” nutritional supplements that are commonly used for children with autism
• Gain a basic understanding of why and how these “basic” supplements can help improve many symptoms of autism.
• Identify the nutrients and ingredients in nutritional supplements that should not be given to children with autism.
• Identify specific nutritional supplements that may be useful for certain conditions including heavy metal toxicity, digestive disorders, intestinal dysbiosis, mood disorders, and others.

A Gut Feeling! The Importance of Digestion, Elimination
and Nutrient Absorption in Autism Spectrum Disorders

During this seminar we will go over the importance of bowel function and how it is directly related to neurological function.  We will discuss in detail how problems within the bowel can lead to autistic symptoms and aggravations.  We will go through the signs and symptoms to look for in the various problems within the bowel that could be contributing to autistic problems.  Then I will discuss testing available and what to look for.  Treatment options will be reviewed based on the test results, as well as other considerations for bowel function. 

The next area discussed will be on liver function and it’s importance to neurological health.  A brief overview of liver function and it’s importance in neurological function will be followed by testing and treatment options available.  I want to cover methylation, conjugation and other important liver enzyme actions that when not working will cause neurological problems including autism. 

Ideally we will also try to cover some of the initial causes of bowel and liver problems including infectious, vaccine damage, metals toxicity.

Learning Objectives:

• An overview of the symptoms, testing and treatments for bowel problems that contributes to autism.
• An overview of the symptoms, testing and treatment for liver problems that contribute to autism.
• An overview of some of the original causes of bowel and liver problems.

The talk covers Dr. William Shaw’s perspective on the metabolic causes of autism and developmental disorders. Genetic variations of the immune system, inborn errors of metabolism, or adverse reactions to immunizations lead to recurrent infections that are commonly treated with antibiotics. A yeast overgrowth of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract occurs following the elimination of the GI normal flora with antibiotic treatments. Yeast produce abnormal compounds called gliotoxins and other immunotoxins harmful to the immune system. Because the immune system is weakened, the child gets another infection and more antibiotics until a vicious cycle is established. The yeast produces a number of harmful effects on the child’s metabolic and neurological functioning, including impairing gastrointestinal functioning, production of excess oxalates, inhibiting energy production, and eliciting food allergies that may manifest as behavior disorders.   Discussion will include why high oxalate foods may contribute to negative effects including formation of crystals in tissues.

Learn about the most common metabolic causes of autism and developmental disorders: intestinal dysbiosis, cholesterol deficiency, food allergies, industrial pollution, heavy metals intoxication, mineral imbalances and high levels of oxalates. There will be a discussion on how IgG food allergies affect behavior and how to detect the most common allergens. Find out how the mechanism of opiate peptides affect the brain, their connection with allergies, and the importance of a gluten and casein-free diet.  During the presentation there will be a focus on the damaging effects of heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, aluminum and others, the mechanism of their effect on human development and ways to detect and treat high levels of these metals.  Learn about the correlation between low cholesterol and brain function.  Dr. Shaw will introduce the concept of cholesterol supplementation for certain patients,\ and review many other effective ways of correcting or reducing abnormalities with biomedical interventions.

Learning Objectives:

• Find out about the newest biomedical research developments.
• Treat ‘inborn errors of metabolism’.
• Learn about leaky gut syndrome.
• Treat food allergies using special dietary interventions including eliminating wheat and dairy.
• Find out why heavy metals play a role in autism and developmental disorders.
• Learn why the level of cholesterol is important for brain function.

Many new technologies have revealed significant new factors as causes of autistic spectrum disorders including genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, disciplines involved in mass screening of genes, proteins, and metabolic processes in humans. These technologies have already lead to significant new therapeutic trials for autistic spectrum disorders. In addition, a number of recent studies have implicated both environmental factors and genetic factors related to detoxification as critical in autistic spectrum disorders. One of the most promising discoveries has been the finding that the majority of individuals on the autistic spectrum are deficient in cholesterol and have abnormal amounts of cholesterol transport proteins. A recent article indicates that cholesterol supplementation should be considered in all cases of autistic spectrum disorder. Treatment of severe deficiency has lead to reductions of infections, improvements in sleep, social interactions, and growth. Behavior improvements include reduction in self-hurtful behavior, temper tantrums, aggressive behavior, and hyperactivity. Cholesterol is a critical factor in myelin production needed for brain growth and development, a cofactor in the brain development protein sonic hedgehog, a precursor of all steroid hormones and bile salts, and a critical factor in the function of serotonin and oxytocin receptors. Oxytocin, a hormone that stimulates social interaction and trust, has been found to be low in the blood of children with autism. Supplementation of oxytocin reduces autistic behaviors; combining cholesterol and oxytocin may be an especially effective treatment.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn why cholesterol is an essential nutrient necessary for growth, development, and normal behavior.
• Understand the evidence for abnormal cholesterol production and/or transport in different types of autism and treatments that are currently available.