This week, the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs held its semiannual conference in downtown Atlanta, GA. This is ‘Ground 0’ for practitioners, researchers and professors from all over the world to meet, learn, explore and discuss a myriad of relevant topics.

Members who have been returning for 100’s of lecture hours generally choose the advanced courses. For some, the conference has become a group of ~50 experienced and knowledgeable practitioners who meet to discuss ‘workups’, basic science, relevant research and treatment protocols for those who are most affected with ASD.

Notes and Observations
Day 1 – Tough Cases
I really enjoyed our lectures by the plain-speaking Dr. John Green, of Portland, OR. Dr. Green not only reviewed those who improved because of his medical expertise, but those who got better in spite of him, those who haven’t gotten better, those who got better but he can’t figure out why, and the most frustrating – patients who improve only to suffer frequent relapses.

Dr. Sid Baker, a pioneer of the biomedical movement, described his early medical experiences in Africa that morphed into his lifelong dedication to treating patients with ASD. He expressed his disappointment that so many conventional colleagues disagree with our practice.

Dr. Baker elucidated how he initiates care with new patients. He discussed increasingly resistant cases, covering topics from severe speech apraxia to the approach to children with injurious behaviors.

The first day was filled with the most frustrating and difficult cases you can imagine. Eminent practitioners Drs. James Neuenshwander, Michael Elice, and Julie Buckley challenged our diagnostic and therapeutic knowledge, attempting to navigate the complicated courses of those who improved and those who didn’t.

Day 2
Dr. Daniel Amen‘s morning lecture was entitled “3D Brain SPECT Imaging”. The takeaway message was that SPECT scans – technology – could/should/will become a mainstay for a multitude of CNS disorders. His manner and stories of research, technical evaluation, and clinical practice, were positively spellbinding and inspirational.

Dr. Theoharides presented his research and extensive knowledge about the important role of allergy in ASD. Dr. Theo continues to publish a mountain of monumental works, not only on the topics of autism and the role of mast cells, but treatments, as well.

Toxins were the subject of the afternoon’s lectures. We learned about the identification of substances in the environment that are dangerous, how they are measured, how damage is done, and the means to control and treat. For the skeptical reader, there was a plethora of supporting scientific evidence of the relationships to autism (and many other modern conditions).

As has become customary, Dr. Dan Rossignol rounded up the day with a roundup of all of the latest scientific research. Rapidly.

Day 3 – Advanced Clinical Cases
Severe behaviors and speech apraxia. For patients who are most resistant to conventional and alternative treatments, essential oils, acupuncture, and even worms were explored as possible solutions.

Throughout the afternoon, cases got even tougher! Lyme, Persistent Lyme, Non-Lyme Lyme, PANDAS, PANS, parasites… an increasing number of reasons to have signs and symptoms that are called autism. Such information extends our knowledge and leads to better diagnoses for our patients, and possibilities for treatment.

Dr. Green discussed biomarkers. Though these ‘labs’ are not specific to ASD, per se, this will become a necessary next step to document level of involvement and response to treatments.

A brand new treatment, repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation was presented by Dr. Arun Mukherjee. The jury is still out on this expensive intervention.

Conclusions
One important reason that I return to this meeting, is simply that I feel at home among like-thinking practitioners. Members don’t agree on every subject, but we are respectful and actually enjoy our practices.

In traditional medicine, conferences are basically show-and-tell affairs, where researchers report their data, previously published in medical journals. When doctors think outside the box, practitioners with diverse skills, who are scattered over the globe, discover improved results by networking in this fashion.

Patients, parents, and families can feel confident that progress is being made (slowly), as serious, dedicated doctors continue to try to unravel this modern mystery.

Finally, I am proud to report that, at this meeting, I was awarded Fellowship status in the Medical Academy of Pediatric Special Needs.

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