Michala Riggle

Autism Light #345 is Michala Riggle. 

Michala Riggle is a 17 year old from Louisville, Kentucky. Her younger brother Evan has autism. After seeing Evan benefit from receiving IV infusions of an amino acid called Glutathione at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, she started Beading to Beat Autism in order to raise funds for a study including 50 other children with autism. Michala Riggle is an Autism Light because of her amazing ability to raise money for autism research in honor of her brother Evan.

Michala and her borther Evan

National Media: The following are video clips from when Michala appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show and Good Morning America in 2011 to share about her autism fundraising.



Fundraising Initiatives:  Michala Riggle created Beading to Beat Autism in order to raise funds for autism research at Kosair Children's Hospital in Lousiville, Kentucky. Michala started fundraising in 2007 at age 10 and in 5 years she raised over half a million dollars for autism research, more than doubling her goal of $200,000 (WDRB.com, August 13, 2012).

Michala Riggle Beat Autism Foundation: Michala has created a private 501c3 foundation called The Michala Riggle Beat Autism Foundation, Inc. According to her Facebook page her goal is to "build the most comprehensive, autism research and treatment center in the world and eradicate autism forever (Facebook Page of Beading to Beat Autism)!"

The following is the fundraising video that Michala Riggle has on her website in her current project called CAMPAIGN 7 that has a goal to raise $300 million in funds to build an autism research and treatment center in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.



Motto: Michala's response when people doubt that she can raise the amount of money she has for her goal is, "If you go into a game thinking you're gonna lose, it's game over-you've lost-YOU GOTTA BELIEVE!!! (Michala Riggle as quoted on Beading to Beat Autism Website)."

Awards/Honors: Michala has received the following awards and honors according to the Facebook Page of Beading to Beat Autism.  These are just a few that have been received.

1. "Kentuckian of the Year" by Kentucky Monthly Magazine (2008)
2. Build-A-Bear Huggable Hero (2008)
3. Kohl's Kid Who Cares Regional Winner
4. Youth in Philanthropy Award by Kosair Children's Hospital Foundation
5. Chosen as a child hero in The My Hero Project (Young Heroes) (2011)

Social Media: You can follow Michala Riggle's efforts on the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page of Beading to Beat Autism
• Twitter @Bead2BeatAutism
• Twitter @MichalaRiggle
• YouTube Channel for Beading to Beat Autism

Make a Donation: Visit Michala's website at www.beadingtobeatautism.org for information on how to donate to her foundation.

Special thanks to Michala Riggle for the tremendous amount of fundraising she has done through Beading to Beat Autism. She is commended for having the courage and the tenacity to undertake a big goal to create a center for autism research in Louisville. We are believing with Michala that she will reach her goal. Autism Light looks forward to hearing exciting news of Michala's accomplishments in the years ahead.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos in this post are used with permission of Emlyn Riggle.

Kenneth Bock

Autism Light #307 is Dr. Kenneth Bock.

Dr. Kenneth Bock is a physician who lives in Bearsville, New York. He and his wife have two children. Dr. Kenneth Bock is an expert on using a variety of alternative medicine approaches to treat individuals who have autism, and he is a leading clinician, author, and conference speaker. Dr. Kenneth Bock is an Autism Light for his leadership in the alternative medical treatment of autism, a lifelong passion that has produced positive results for some individuals in the autism community.

Physician: Dr. Kenneth Bock has a doctor's office in Dutchess County, New York called Bock Integrative Medicine. He has been treating patients with autism for over 25 years.

Education: Bock Integrative Medicine's website gives this introduction to the background of Dr. Kenneth Bock (Read More at the About the Practice Section of the Bock Integrative Medicine Website).

Kenneth A. Bock, M.D., graduated Summa Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1973 and went on to receive his M.D. degree with Honor from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1979. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine, a Certified Clinical Nutrition Specialist and served as a clinical instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at Albany Medical College for fifteen years. Dr. Bock is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Practice, the American College of Nutrition, and the American College for Advancement in Medicine, of which he is a former President. He is also a faculty member of the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM).

Here is a video on one Tracy and Charlie Fox's experience with Dr. Kenneth Bock helping their son Ethan who has autism. Other video's featuring Dr. Bock are available at the video section of the Bock Integrative Medicine Website.



Author: Dr. Kenneth Bock has authored several groundbreaking books on the biomedical treatment for autism and other disorders. Here are four of the books he has co-authored.

• Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders (2007)
• The Road to Immunity: How to Survive and Thrive in a Toxic World (1997)
• Natural Relief for Your Child's Asthma (1999)
• The Germ Survival Guide (2003)

Healing the New Childhood Epidemics has earned Dr. Kenneth Bock international acclaim for it's importance to biomedical treatment of autism and 3 other childhood diseases.

Ralph Zuranski of Healthy Doctors nominated Dr. Kenneth Bock for the Healthy Doctors Health Heroes Hall of Fame in September, 2013. Here is a presentation that Dr. Bock gave for Healthy Doctors.

Autism Conference Speaker:  Dr. Kenneth Bock has been a speaker at Autism One Conferences. A Powerpoint is online of his 2009 presentation at the Autism One Conference called Healing the Childhood Epidemics Through Biomedical Treatments and Interventions. There is also a video of his 2010 Autism One presentation online.

More information on Dr. Kenneth Bock is available in an introduction to his background on his website Bock Integrative Medicine.

 

Special thanks to Dr. Kenneth Bock for the difference he has made in the lives of thousands of families with autism through his work in biomedical treatment for autism spectrum disorders. This post will also be linked to the Autism Light Medical Page.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Bryan Jepson

Autism Light #277 is Dr. Bryan Jepson.

Dr. Bryan L. Jepson, M.D. is a physician, researcher, author, and internationally known speaker. Dr Bryan Jepson resides in the Austin, Texas area. Trained as a board certified Emergency Physician, the passion and focus of his career turned significantly toward understanding the biomedical treatments for autism after his second son Aaron was diagnosed with autism in 2001. Dr. Bryan Jepson is an Autism Light for being an autism father and for the way in which his work over the years has helped those dealing with autism.

Family:  Dr. Bryan Jepson is married to Laurie Jepson. The couple has four children. Their second child Aaron has autism. In 2008 they adopted an older 7 year old boy named Austin from the foster care system who has autism (Source).

Education: Dr. Bryan Jepson graduated from the University of Utah Medical School in 1995. He completed his emergency medicine residency in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1998.

Experience: Dr. Bryan Jepson has experience as an emergency physician and medical director and has been integral in helping start clinics in Utah and Texas.

• In 2002, Dr. Bryan Jepson and his wife Laurie founded the Children's Biomedical Center of Utah. 
• Dr. Bryan Jepson worked full-time as as an emergency physician until 2006.
• In 2006, Dr. Bryan Jepson helped start The Thoughtful House Center for Children (now known as the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development) in Austin, Texas. He was a medical director, researcher and treated patients when he was a member of the team there from 2006 till about 2011. 
• He returned to being an emergency physician after he concluded his time at the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development.
• Dr. Bryan Jepson is currently serving as the medical director of Integrative Sports and Wellness Medical Center in Austin, Texas.

The following is a video of Dr. Bryan Jepson briefly sharing his background.



Changing the Course of Autism: Dr. Bryan Jepson authored the book Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Professionals, which was published in 2007. Medical Veritas 4 (2007) reviewed the book and said, "The book reviews the history of autism through its evolution from a purely psychiatric disease model to the current cutting edge biomedical understandings and treatment approaches. Emerging science is cited as to the epigenetic phenomena causing this increasingly prevalent disorder. The text acts as a roadmap for healthcare professionals and parents attempting to understand the intertwined gastrointenstinal, immunological, and neurological issues that are shrouded by an underlying corruption of detoxification systems in these children (Source)." The forward to the book was written by Katie Wright, daughter of the founders of Autism Speaks.

Here is a video of Dr. Jepson discussing his book Changing the Course of Autism.

   

Autism Organizations: Dr. Bryan Jepson is a member of the Treatment Advisory Board at Autism Speaks. He has also served as a "clinical advisor to Autism Research Institute and co-coordinator of their clinician training seminars (Source)."

Conference Speaker: Dr. Bryan Jepson was a frequent speaker autism related medical conferences.

• In 2006, Dr. Bryan Jepson presented  at the National Autism Association Conference. His presentation is online and was called Autism: The Evolution of a Disease.
• The Autism One Website uploaded in 2010 a full length presentation by Dr. Bryan Jepson called Treating Autism: Understanding Biomedical Treatment Options that one can listen to free of charge.

Hobbies: Exercise is one of Dr. Bryan Jepson's hobbies. "He has completed in amateur bike races, running races and triathlons for the last 10 years (Source)."

Special thanks to Dr. Bryan Jepson for the difference he has made in the lives of thousands of families with autism through his work with research into biomedical treatment options. This post will also be linked to the Autism Light Medical Page.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Patrick Elliott

Autism Light #109 is Dr. Patrick Elliott.

Dr. Patrick Elliott is from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Dr. Patrick Elliot is an accomplished physician and a parent of twin sons who both have autism. Dr. Patrick Elliott is an Autism Light because he has been a mentor to parents and physicians on the biomedical treatment of autism and has been dedicated to making the hyperbaric treatment option available to more families in the Philadelphia area.

Dr. Patrick Elliot is an osteopathic surgeon who performs general and vascular surgery at the Crozer Chester Medical Center in Upland, Pennsylvania. He also served previously in the United States Army as a Commander and surgeon, having provided medical care near overseas military engagements.

Dr. Patrick Elliott was inspired to look for alternative treatments because his twin sons have autism.  Dr. Patrick Elliott said, "I always say that I got into alternative medicine with our children because there was no alternative (Source)."

Maiken Scott wrote an article on Dr. Patrick Elliott and his biomedical treatment with autism. In the Why News Article he says: "Convinced that hyperbaric oxygen treatments, or H-BOT for short, helped his sons tremendously, Elliott decided to pursue this approach professionally.  He says it is no replacement for behavioral therapies such as Applied Behavioral Analysis and speech therapy, but makes an effective addition (Source)."

Besides being a surgeon, Dr. Patrick Elliot is also the Medical Director for the Hyperbaric Therapy USA - Center of Excellence in Newton Square, Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. There is an office of Hyperbaric Therapy USA on Stanten Island, New York as well.

Hyperbaric Therapy: According to the website of Hyperbaric Therapy USA, "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a cutting edge medical treatment that delivers 100% oxygen to a person within a pressurized chamber, aiding in the recovery from a wide range of conditions, injuries, and illnesses." More information on HBOT is available at a Wikipedia page on the subject.

In 2011 the Hyperbaric Therapy USA - Center of Excellence opened an Autism Treatment Center to help treat autism. In addition to Hyperbaric Therapy, Dr. Elliott recommends a biomedical protocal that includes a gluten and casein free diet, glutathione, and B vitamins.

Because of therapy and biomedical treatment Dr. Elliott's sons are improving and one of his sons even proclaimed to his Dad that he didn't have autism anymore and is currently mainstreamed in school. Age of Autism featured Dr. Elliott's family in one of their recovery stories (Link Source).

In an article on Dr. Elliott written by Patti Mengers of the DelCo Times, Dr. Elliott says, "None of these alternative interventions are cure-alls for autism. There is no magic bullet, but I have found that many of these interventions help many children, including my own. My children improved significantly, more than they would with just behavioral and speech therapy (Source)."

Conference Speaker: Dr. Patrick Elliott is a presenter at autism conferences. He has been involved especially in the American Medical Autism Board conferences.

Special thanks to Dr. Patrick Elliott for helping people with autism. Your knowledge on biomedical treatment options is a treasured light to the autism community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Natasha Campbell-McBride

Autism Light #101 is Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is a physician from Cambridge, England in the United Kingdom. She was born in Russia and has a son with autism. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is an Autism Light because of her devotion to treating patients with autism and her development of the groundbreaking GAPS protocol.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride began her career as a medical doctor in Russia and initially served as a neurosurgeon. She then moved to the United Kingdom to practice medicine. She has the Master of Medical Sciences in Neurology and the Master of Medical Sciences in Human Nutrition. This is a applicable combination for the help she brings to autism treatment.

Origin of GAPS: Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride was led to research alternative medicine for possible causes of autism when her firstborn son developed autism and she did not find any answers in the medical community. As a result of her research findings, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride developed GAPS which stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome. She believes her son was helped tremendously through treating his GAPS and she explains that he is able to live a typical and healthy life today. The following is a video where Dr. Nathasha Campbell-McBride explains the importance of GAPS in an interview for the Mind Foundation.

GAPS Protocol: According to Dr. Campbell-McBride's website, "Thousands of people around the world follow the highly successful GAPS Nutritional Protocol to help themselves and their families." The Full GAPS Diet is available online. Food Supplements and Detoxification is also part of the program.

Author:  Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride is the author of two books related to her work.

1. In 2004 she wrote the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome. An Second edition of the book was published in 2010. Gut and Psychology Syndrome is available on Amazon.com at this link.  
2. In 2007 she wrote the book Put Your Heart in Your Mouth which is available at this website. 

Dr. Joseph Mercola Interview: Here is Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride being interviewed by Dr. Joseph Mercola about her interesting background, the GAPS protocol, and her theory on the "epidemic" of autism cases. This is part one of the interview and the entire interview is available online at the Mercola.com Archives.

Websites: There are some very helpful Websites that explain the GAPS Diet and the work of Dr. Campbell-McBride.

• www.doctor-natasha.com (Official Website of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride)
• www.gaps.me
• http://gapsdiet.com
• www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com

Social Media: You can follow Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride at the following social media areas.

• Facebook

Special thanks to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride for bringing light to the concept that gut problems may be related to autism. You are making a difference.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Dr. Bernard Rimland

Autism Light #90 is Dr. Bernard Rimland.

 

Dr. Bernard Rimland passed away on November 21, 2006. He lived most of his life in San Diego, California. Dr. Rimland was a parent of a child with autism and was one of autism's great heroes of the 20th century. Dr. Bernard Rimland is being named an Autism Light posthumously on this the 5th anniversary of his death. He will also be the third individual to be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll.  Dr. Bernard Rimland is an Autism Light because of his contribution to autism through his prolific writing, leadership, speaking, and relentless research. He was specifically a leader in promoting the benefits of biomedical treatments for autism.

Family: Dr. Bernard Rimland was survived by his wife Gloria, and three children (Mark, Paul, and Helen Landalf). Mark Rimland is his oldest son who had one of the earliest diagnosis of early infantile autism and his condition inspired Dr. Bernard Rimland's work with autism.

Katie Burns wrote this documentary on the far reaching effects of Dr. Bernard Rimland's work, particularly as he challenged Bettelheim's theory of Refrigerator Moms causing autism and changed the approach to autism forever.

Leader of Autism Organizations:  Dr. Bernard Rimland was the founder of the Autism Society of America, and he also served as the Executive Director of the Autism Research Institute. Both of these organizations continue to play an important role in the autism community.  On September 28, 2011 Dr. Stephen M. Edelson was named an Autism Light for his work in succeeding Dr. Bernard Rimland as Executive Director of the Autism Research Institute.

Author: Dr. Bernard Rimland was a prolific writer and penned the following books.

• Infantile Autism (1964)
• Modern Therapies (1976)
• Biological Treatments for Autism and PDD (1998)
• Tired - so Tired!: And the "Yeast Connection" (2001)
• Vaccines, Autism and Childhood Disorders (2003)
• Treating Autism (2003) - Written with Dr. Stephen M. Edelson
• Recovering Autistic Children (2006) Second Edition

Quote: One of Dr. Rimland's famous quotes is the following statement.  For years we have heard the experts say that autism is a lifelong disability,...This simply is not true anymore (Source).

Hollywood:  Dr. Bernard Rimland served as a consultant to the 1998 movie Rain Man.  He helped Dustin Hoffman clarify the traits of autism. See http://www.drbilllong.com/Autism/Rainman.html for more information on that role.


You can find out additional information on Dr. Bernard Rimland at the following websites.

• Tributes to Dr. Rimland at Autism Research Institute Website
• Tribute from Autism Society of America
• Tribute on Adventures in Autism Blog
• Wikipedia Page
• New York Times Obituary

Special thanks to Dr. Bernard Rimland for being an Autism Light. Your work was not in vain and its impact continues to this day by those in the autism community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The Photo in this post was given for this purpose by a representative of the Autism Research Institute.

Timothy Welsh

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Autism Light Classic
Updated on April 10, 2012. 

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Autism Light #81 is Timothy Welsh.

Tim Welsh Works With His Son Tanner

Timothy Welsh is from Catlin, Illinois. His teenage son Tanner has autism. Timothy Welsh has survived two heart attacks and today thrives as an autism parent advocate and co-founder and Executive Director of the new organization called AutismAid. Timothy Welsh is an Autism Light because of his influential advocacy for the needs of families dealing with autism. His outreach on social media and expertise in diverse subjects impacting autism families helps him share light on autism to the world on a regular basis. Timothy Welsh himself has high functioning Aspergers.

Twitter:  Timothy Welsh's handle on Twitter is @TannersDad.  He chose the handle in honor of his son Tanner who has autism. The last words Timothy Welsh remembers Tanner saying before he withdrew into the nonverbal world of autism were, "My name is Tanner!  My name is Tanner!" At the time this story was updated Timothy Welsh had posted 72,500 tweets on Twitter. A Few days after this post was originally published he passed 10,000 followers on Twitter. The following YouTube video is a 45 minute interview that David Kaufer did with Timothy Welsh for his YouTube series called "Behind the Tweets". It is a very helpful interview to understand today's autism light.

Autism Aid: Tim continues his mission to build unity in the community #UWAC, provide a base line safety net for families and end discrimination. In partnership with Successful BusinessMan Lawrence "Larry" Goldfarb (Father of a 14 year old with Autism), they are proud to introduce AutismAid. They will be working with Corporations to fund critical need projects in the Autism community through the most effective and efficient service orientated regional non profits. Their goal is to lead by example ending politics, returning the most to communities for direct local service and Paying it forward. Tim says it is very important that families, friends, and relatives stand up and be counted. He asks that we encourage everyone go to the facebook page and like share and nominate your Local Service provider for grants. The website for Autism Aid is www.autismaid.org, and Facebook page is www.facebook/AutismAid. For more information on AutismAid contact Tim Welsh at the email of RealTannersDad@Gmail.com. Timothy Welsh was interviewed by Craig Evans of Autism Hangout about his new role as Executive Director of Autism Aid.  Craig Evans was Autism Light #178.  Here is the video of that interview. Generation Rescue: Timothy Welsh is a blogger for Generation Rescue. One of his blog posts for Generation Rescue that tells more about his story was called "An Ordinary Family".  Timothy Welsh is also a "Rescue Angel" for Generation Rescue which is the designation for a family that has seen an improvement in the life of someone with autism due to biomedical intervention.  Part of Timothy Welsh's biomedical plan for his son Tanner includes a gluten and casein free diet, vitamins, and the use of Methyl B12 cream.

Board of Directors: Timothy Welsh serves on the Board of Directors of the following important Autism organizations.

• Autism Society of Illinois: Timothy Welsh is on the borad of directors of the Autism Society of Illinois. This is one of the most respected state chapters of the National Autism Society of America organization.
• Mason Allen Medlam Foundation: Timothy Welsh serves on the board of directors of the Mason Allen Medlam Foundation.  Safety for those with autism is one of Timothy Welsh's passions.

Social Media: You can connect with Timothy Welsh at the following social media areas. He is likely to interact with you if you engage him in conversation.

• Facebook
• Google+
• Twitter @TannersDad

Speaker: Timothy Welsh also is a conference speaker.  One of his sessions at a past Autism One conference is available at this link. 

Special thanks for Timothy Welsh for being an Autism Light and being tireless in advocacy for autism.  Timothy Welsh is truly an example of how one parent can make a difference for autism through the world of social media.  

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.  

Photos: The Photos in this post are used with the permission of Timothy Welsh.

Joseph Borio

Autism Light #70 is Dr. Joseph Borio. 

Dr. Joseph Borio is from Cicero, New York. He has operated the Borio Chiropractic Health Center for the past 20 years. Dr. Joseph Borio is an Autism Light because his chiropractic practice is helping making a difference in the lives of individuals with autism.

Research on Autism and Chiropractic: Dr. Joseph Borio is being chosen as the first representative of a growing community of chiropractors that are providing a special help for those with autism. Evidence of this is found in the number of different chiropractic practices that have chosen to put a link on their Website to this news story on YouTube of Dr. Joseph Borio's success with a boy with autism.

Dr. Frank M. Painter has compiled research on autism and chiropractic care that is available online at this link. This research may be helpful to further understand the reasons that some chiropractors are making a difference with some patients with autism.

Treating Autistic Patients:  Dr. Joseph Borio's practice at the Borio Chiropractic Health Center in Cicero, New York targets a diverse group of patients, which includes children with autism.  In 2008 a new story was written about Dr. Joseph Borio's positive involvement with treating autism.  The article and a crisper version of the above YouTube video is available at this link.

Dr. Joseph Borio explains the way treatment works for autism in this way.  "When you adjust the spine, you actually stimulate certain parts of the brain and actually turn some of those switches on (Source)."  In addition to regular chiropractic adjustments, Dr. Borio's treatment plan for children with autism includes biomedical procedures such as eliminating wheat and dairy from the diet and using volcanic ash to detoxify. Dr. Joseph Borio is also concerned about the effects of the use of vaccines and medication in children.

Consulting:  Dr. Joseph Borio also operates a consulting program for chiropractors.  His consulting practice is known as Chiropassion Consulting.  This program is allowing Dr. Joseph Borio to coach other Chiropractors.

Social Media:  You can find Dr. Joseph Borio on the following social media.

• Facebook

To find out more about Dr. Joseph Borio visit his biography at his Website. Special thanks to Dr. Joseph Borio for including the condition of autism in your chiropractic treatment program. To read about other Chiropractors featured on Autism Light use the Chiropractor label.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

Dr. James Adams

Autism Light #64 is Dr. James Adams.

Dr. James B. Adams, Ph.D. is from Phoenix, Arizona. He has a long tenure of serving as a professor of chemistry at Arizona State University and he is currently a President's Professor and the Director of the Autism/Asperger's Research Program at Arizona State University, where he is responsible for ASU's cutting edge autism research. His research has focused on the biological causes of treatments of autism. He went in this direction after his daughter Kim was diagnosed with autism in 1994.

Nightline Presentation:  The following is a portion of a Nightline special on Dr. Adams' story.

Specific Research: 

I asked Dr. James Adams if there are three things that people who have a loved one with autism would find helpful related to his research.  He noted research has found that these three treatments are helpful to many children or adults with autism.

1. Vitamin/mineral supplements. Dr. James Adams indicated that he considers his most important research study to be the one called the "Nutritonal and metabolic status of children with autism vs. neurotypical children, and the association of autism severity."  This was published in 2011 and is critical to understanding the role that vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids have in individuals with autism. The study found statistically significant nutritional deficiency in people with autism. It has important implications for the utilization of a dietary plan for treating people with autism.
2. DMSA therapy to remove toxic materials. In 2009 Dr. James Adams did a study related to the safety of oral DMSA therapy which is available online at this link. 
3. Seizure treatments. In 2011 Dr. James Adams completed a study on various traditional and non-traditional seizure treatments which is available online at this link. The research can help with selecting a treatment for seizures for people on the autism spectrum. 

Autism/Asperger's Research Program at ASU:  Dr. James Adams is the director of the Autism/Asperger's Research Program at Arizona State University.  The AARP at Arizona State University says their "focus is primarily on biomedical issues, including nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal toxicity, and bacterial/yeast overgrowth in the gut."

Autism Society of America: Since 2000, Dr. Adams has served as the President of the Autism Society of America's Greater Phoenix Chapter. In 2007, Dr. James Adams received the Evening of Champions Award from the national Autism Society of America. The award was given for research and service to autism.

Autism Research Institute: Dr. James Adams has been involved in the Autism Research Institute as a board member from 2007-2009.  He is also currently the co-chair of the Science Advisory Council of the Autism Research Institute. Dr. James Adams has presented science workshops at Autism Research Institute Conferences, including the one October 13-16, 2011 in LasVegas, Nevada.

Dr. James Adams is an Autism Light because his scientific research on the causes and treatments of autism is very helpful to the biomedical area of the autism community. For more information on Dr. James Adams view his full resume available at this link at the website for the Autism/Asperger's Research Program at Arizona State University.

Special thanks to Dr. James Adams for being dedicated to conducting priceless research on autism.  Your time and findings are providing the opportunities for new insights into treating autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

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Photo: Photo in this post used with permission of Dr. James Adams.

This Autism Light post went into syndication at Autisable.

Phillip Demio

Autism Light #47 is Dr. Phillip Demio.

Dr. Phillip C. Demio is a biomedical doctor who serves as the Medical Director at the Whole Health and Wellness Centers in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, but his influence is also felt nationally through his leadership of the American Medical Autism Board. Dr. Phillip Demio and his wife Joy have a son named Daniel who has autism. Dr. Phillip Demio is an Autism Light because his biomedical treatments for autism are helping improve the quality of life for his patients and he is a leading physician treating patients with autism.

American Medical Autism Board: Dr. Phillip Demio is the founder, Executive Director and Chair of the American Medical Autism Board(AMAB). According to it's website, the AMAB is the "first organization to board certify physicians for autism treatment."

US Autism and Asperger Association: Dr. Phillip Demio serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the US Autism and Asperger Association (Source). In 2012 he received the Chairman Award of the US Autism and Asperger Association.

National Presentations:  Dr. Phillip Demio gives presentations at national organizations and meetings. The following is a portion of a presentation Dr. Phillp Demio gave called "Redefining Autism".

Practice:  Dr. Phillip Demio has been a physician for over 20 years.  He operates two clinics.  One is in the Cleveland, Ohio area and the other is in the Columbus, Ohio area. Information on his practice is available at his website at www.drdemio.com.  Here is a news story that has been done in the past on Dr. Demio's work with autism patients.

Treatments used by Dr. Phillip Demio address comprehensive needs of patients and include;

• Brain
• Gastrointestinal
• Immune system
• Metabolic/hormonal
• Detoxification/chelation
• Supplements
• Compounding pharmacist
• Special diets and nutrition

His practice also uses other cutting edge treatments such as a hyperbaric medicine.

Autism One Award: Dr. Phillip Demio received the Most Inspirational Doctor Award at Autism One's First Annual Gala & Awards Ceremonies in Chicago in May, 2011.  This is the highest award for a medical doctor. When receiving the award Dr. Phillip Demio said, "The patients and the families have the hardest job and greatest challenges. It is a privilege for me to be the physician helping them on their biomedical journey."

A more detailed biography of Dr. Phillip Demio is available at his Website.

Thank you Dr. Phillip Demio for being an Autism Light. His biomedical interventions are helping some individuals with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 


This post went into syndication on Autisable.

David Humphrey

Autism Light #21 is David Humphrey
Update: This post was updated on October 14, 2011.

David Humphrey is the President of Kirkman Labs, located in Lake Oswego, Oregon. David Humphrey is an Autism Light because of his leadership in guiding Kirkman Labs to create quality tested products that change lives and serve the autism community in new and innovative ways.

On June 25, 2011, Humphrey received the first ever "Champions of Autism" (A.K.A. "Hero of Autism") Award from Northwest Autism Foundation. A press release on that honor is found at this Webpage.

After reflecting on the award David Humphrey said:

"I’m honored to be the first recipient of the foundation’s Hero of Autism award. But really, it’s the kids and the families of the kids with autism that are the real heroes. They are the reason why we all do as much as we can.”

Kirkman Labs was started in 1949 and is a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Oregon that specializes in nutritional supplements for individuals with special dietary needs, including autism.

David Humphrey is a leader in a number of advocacy organizations and is a member of the Health Advisory Board of The Autism Society.  Special thanks to David Humphrey for making a difference for those with autism.


Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

Jacob Teitelbaum

Autism Light #6 is Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum.

Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum is the Medical Director of the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Centers, Inc. His office is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland.  Known for his adept use of natural cures, he is the author of several books, including From Fatigued to Fantastic. He also is the creator of the popular and free smartphone app called Cures A-Z (formerly Natural Cures).  We have designated Dr. Teitelbaum as an Autism Light because Autism is a category on his Natural Cures A-Z app and he has some helpful research related to autism.

Recently he has noted the remarkable research about a possible connection between Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Autism.  Dr. Teitelbaum writes that,

Autism can have many triggers and causes, and also has a genetic component. Current research suggests that it is related to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia as well as hyperactivity, sharing in the causes and underlying biochemical changes.

We salute Dr. Teitelbaum for being an Autism Light. For more information about the work of Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum consult his website at www.endfatigue.com.

Social Media: You can follow the work of Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum on his Facebook page.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.