recovery stories Archives - Epidemic Answers

More Than a Diagnosis: TBI, Cerebral Palsy and Dyslexia

We interviewed Emily Abbott and Jessica Burdg of the Who Is Carter Foundation and The Brain Possible project about the new book, More Than a Diagnosis. Instead of focusing on what your child can’t do, have you ever wondered what they could do? Emily and Jessica have connected with dozens of families who put blinders on to the noise of gloom and doom, of negative predictions or assumptions, of their children’s diagnoses such as: Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as concussions Cerebral palsy Autism Cystic fibrosis Dyslexia Spina bifida Down syndrome Epilepsy Rare genetic conditions PANS/PANDAS Through their work, they have discovered stories of hope of children with these conditions. Many of these parents looked outside the box of their children’s diagnoses and tried a variety of therapies that are typically not recommended by traditional, western-medicine doctors. However, by doing so, they have become empowered and informed by looking into non-traditional therapies such as: Orton-Gillingham multisensory phonics technique for children…

Environmental Medicine for Healing Children

We interviewed John Green MD about environmental medicine for healing children from chronic disorders such as autism and ADHD. Dr. Green has evaluated and treated more than 3,000 children with autism spectrum disorders from all over the world. In his work with autistic children, he looks at: Diet and nutrition Toxic load factors Allergies and sensitivities Hormones Psychological influences such as stress Find out the role that these factors play in your child’s autism or other chronic health disorder and what you can do about them by listening to this webinar. Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About John Green MD During the early years of his practice, Dr. Green trained in holistic medicine and environmental medicine, becoming a charter member of the American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) and obtaining board certification in environmental medicine. Since the beginning of his practice in 1975, he has…

Three Myths About Healing Diets

We interviewed Jess Sherman, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, about three myths about healing diets and how to focus on what really matters. You may have heard that changing your child’s diet can help them calm down, focus, learn better, sleep better and feel better. Maybe you’ve tried gluten-free or GAPS or Paleo, or maybe you’ve been scared away from this approach or aren’t sure if it’s worth it. In this webinar, holistic nutritionist and author Jess Sherman cleared the confusion and explained why food is such a powerful tool and how to avoid getting confused by contradictory information. Jess explained away the three most common misconceptions that discourage families from exploring food as a tool. She also helped us understand how to leverage four nutritional concepts to help kids self-regulate better. This webinar will be helpful to you if you are a parent or practitioner new to the idea of using food as a therapeutic tool or if you’ve been at…

Sick Buildings and Chronic Illness

We interviewed Alex Stadtner, President and Senior Consultant of Healthy Building Science, about sick buildings and chronic illness. A variety of factors make our indoor environment 2-5x more toxic than our outdoor environment. Given that many Americans spend as much as 90% of our lives indoors, it’s important to know how sick buildings contribute to chronic illnesses. Join us in this webinar as we learn how the following can negatively affect our health: Mold VOCs Dirty electricity EMFs Geopathic stress LEDs Cleaning products Smart meters Fluorescent lights Formaldehyde from plywood Flame-retardant furniture Asbestos Lead Mercury Microwave ovens PVC Radioactivity from granite and quartz Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Alex Stadtner BS MS Alex Stadtner started on the path of environmental work in college, where he attained a degree in Environmental Science & Environmental Policy. After college he worked for two years as a Sustainability…

Homeopathy for Healing

We interviewed Janine Burnham Ruth about homeopathy for healing. Understand, utilize and heal yourself, and your family, with homeopathy. In this webinar, you’ll learn: What homeopathy is, and is not How to discern if you should self-treat or hire a professional How to tell if the treatment of homeopathy, or ANY treatment you are using, is actually working to bring about true healing How to find which remedies work for what issues What is most important when choosing a specific homeopathic remedy How to dose When to switch to a new remedy When to stop taking remedies A brief discussion of other ways homeopathic remedies are used beside classical, and how remedies are made, will also be included in the webinar. This webinar can benefit those interested in: Learning about homeopathy Seeking natural and alternative solutions to concerns regarding well-being Understanding the difference between suppressing symptoms and true healing Self-empowerment for their and their family’s health Please note that you will…

Cultivating Resilience for Reversing Chronic Health Conditions

We interviewed Josie Nelson, founder of Integrative Health Strategies, program director of the Documenting Hope Project, and co-developer of the CHIRP™ study, about cultivating resilience for reversing chronic health conditions. Whether you’ve “been there, done that” with approaches to your child’s health condition or are just getting started, you won’t want to miss our conversation with Josie Nelson. We talked about: Removing obstacles to the healing process (and adding supports) What to do when expensive integrative care is out of reach Why we often overlook the fundamentals (and how to get back to them) Getting support from your child’s primary care provider (really) How to leverage other health practitioners (and when) Where to find the best clues (even when you’ve been there/done that) Taking a deeper dive into your child’s health history (and why that matters) Please note that you will be asked to enter your email address at the 30-minute mark to finish viewing the video. About Josie Nelson…

Change: Notice It, Adapt to It, Anticipate It, Go with It!

By Patricia S. Lemer, M.S. Bus., NCC Everything changes: winter to spring, summer to fall, youth to adolescence, health to illness. We expect, accept and adapt naturally to the irreversible cycles of the seasons and to aging. Changes from health to illness and illness to health are not so predictable and irreversible. We can benefit from fine-tuning our responses to these changes. How people deal with change is the basis for a profound, little book, “Who Moved My Cheese?”, given to me by my dear friend Diana Henry, OTR. Cheese, a metaphor for what we want in life, is elusive. As I read the book, I saw how its wisdom can help us attain our “cheese” — good health and function for our kids. Change Happens; Notice It Health changes appear first in those subtle differences in skin, digestion and behavior. Do those little bumps persist? Is elimination less regular? Are sleep patterns disturbed? In many children these early warning…

A New Model Offering Hope for Autism Recovery

Gail Szakacs, MD and Nancy O’Hara, MD offer us a new model offering hope for autism recovery in this article. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an increasingly common disorder characterized by impairment in social interaction and communication, as well as restricted repetitive and stereotyped behavior patterns. CDC data before 1990 reported approximately 3 cases per 10,000 children. The CDC now reports that the rate is 1 in 68 children. These alarming numbers signal a widespread epidemic and mandate a change in how we approach the evaluation and management of these children. The older model of ASD confines it to a brain disorder that is genetically determined and offers no treatment other than behavioral, speech, and occupational therapy. What Is Autism? The newer model suggests that ASD is a systemic disorder that affects the brain. There is a genetic predisposition with one or more environmental triggers that act as a tipping point into illness and result in whole body dysregulation characteristic…

Curious How Our “Evening of Inspiration” Went?

It was fabulous! The Harmonie Club is a beautiful venue, and it was a fantastic setting for our “Evening of Inspiration”, which benefited the making of our Canary Kids Film Project, in which we will be taking 14 children with a known diagnosis of autism, ADHD, asthma, atopic dermatitis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, mood disorders and type 2 diabetes and providing free healing and recovery services to them while we film them for 18 months. You can check out pictures of the event here and here. We honored Ken Cook of the Environmental Working Group, Deirdre Imus and Harvard pediatric neurologist Dr. Martha Herbert, author of “The Autism Revolution”, for their work in protecting the health of children. Dr. Herbert and Dr. Russell Jaffe will be heading up the film’s medical advisory board. Ken Cook wasn’t able to attend in person, but he made this thoughtful thank-you video for us that we are proud to share. Many members of the film’s…

NAET for ADHD and Autism

by Devi S. Nambudripad, DC, LAc, RN, PhD Alexander has dark circles under his eyes and a constant “cold.” After finishing off macaroni and cheese, he throws a temper tantrum when asked to hang up his jacket. He wants ice cream; his mother promises it after he finishes his homework. He throws his book at her. His doctor has diagnosed attention deficit disorder. Is that the problem, or is he allergic to milk products? Treatment for Allergies Conventional western medicine diagnoses allergies with skin tests and blood analysis. Treatment by desensitization, using injections of allergenic substances over extended periods of time, is effective in some cases. Drugs such as antihistamines and steroids can alleviate symptoms. The only sure and completely effective option is total avoidance of the substance. Abstinence, of course, does not correct the underlying problem. Furthermore, with substances such as grass, milk, and wheat, abstinence can be difficult to impossible. Years ago, I resolved to find a cure…