Autism: More Treatable Than Thought?

(CBS)  The number of children diagnosed with autism, ADHD, asthma or allergies has been skyrocketing in recent years, and they may all be connected, according to Dr. Kenneth Bock.

He and writer Cameron Stauth contend that environmental factors and nutritional deficiencies trigger the conditions in kids who are genetically predisposed to them, and intervention can be effective in treating those youngsters, intervention involving "detoxifying" them and changing their diets, among other things.

They've penned a book called "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies: The Groundbreaking Program for the 4-A Disorders," in which they describe Bock's approach, and the results he's been getting at a facility he heads, results some consider quite impressive.

Bock is co-founder and co-director of the Rhinebeck Health Center and the Center for Progressive Medicine, and a clinical instructor in family medicine at the Albany Medical College.

Bock notes that he may be the first doctor to put the four conditions together.

On The Early Show Monday, Bock and co-anchor Harry Smith focused on Bock's work with autistic kids.

To see the segment,

click here

.

To read an excerpt of "Healing the New Childhood Epidemics,"click here.

There's a 36-minute documentary on Bock's work with autistic children, and it is available by clicking here. The documentary was done by an independent party.

For much more on autism, go to the Web site of the Autism Society of America, by clicking here.

[butchgerry]

Excellent story regarding new and effective treatments to cure autism. My grandson is 3 1/2 and has mild autism. Recently my wife and I visited my grandson's school to observe him in class via a one way mirror and although I am appreciative of the training they provide I was shocked to hear the priciple lecture us that the new treatments do not work and are a waste of time. My research via the internet has been very revealing from Baby Bumble Bee videos that increased my grandson,s vocabulary from five words to several hundred in just a few months. In June we will start him in AIT training and then in August working with another Doctor whose practice mirrors Dr Bock,s. I found a lot of Doctor's and technicians who took advantage of people who are frantic for any hope at any price but I've found people who provide excellent services at reasonable prices. I found them by emailing and contacting various parent's whose children where healed or vastly improved. I also contacted these doctors and technicians and ask about the services provided and the cost of these treatments, some of these people are a little scary. I am convinced my grandson can be healed but if I,m wrong I'll know I did everything possible to help him. The old school has let these children down and doomed many to a life of barely functioning abilities. They need to open thier minds to new ideas and concepts and stop protecting a system that doesn't work very well.

[mpoy-2009]

Thank you CBS and Dr. Bock!! I am a parent of a 7-year old with PDD-NOS that has received treatment from an MD for years with wonderful success. These children are sick and suffering and need medical attention. The doctors, like Dr. Bock, are not being risky, they are giving us the help these children desperately need. These are not behaviors, they are symptoms. My son is in a regular-ed first grade (with support) and he was completely non-verbal at age three with no academic skills whatsoever. The medical care he's been given, along with various therapies have made all the difference in his life. Please keep airing more information like this. This epidemic must be stopped.

[momof3b]

Thank you CBS for showing the segment with Dr Bock. I have been treated by Dr. Bock for 6 months now and he has really helped me. I have three boys on the Autism Spectrum with numerous allergies and asthma and we are using Dr. Bock's protocol with great success.
Thank You,
Momof3b

Thank you, CBS! It is time to get the word out that there is hope for curing autism through biomedical means. My grandson has healed so very much by adhering to the GF/CF diet with detox supplements and digestive support. Success is the best proof. I cannot understand AMA docs who refuse to open their eyes. I am thankful for these pioneers in medicine who are more concerned about healing these children than the politics of medicine and pharmaceutical companies. Great healers these docs are! And thank you, CBS for having the courage to air a different side to the treatment of autism. Most programs have been all the same traditional information that simply does not work.

[apple_m]

We started off just treating gut problems with no expectation of cure or recovery. just by removing milk from out sons diet there were dramatic behavioral changes.
The GF/CF diet is the cornerstone of BIOMED treatment. if your autistic child has persistent gut problems it will help.. just type autism diet into google and you will see the extent of just this one treatment.
you don't need a DAN doctor the information and support is out there you just need to look for it.
well done to all the parents.

[tassie_at]

I agree with Dr. Bock, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. I have a son with ADD, allergies, and temporal lobe epilepsy. They are all related (4 As) and are caused by environment (diet, trauma, emotional, etc) and structual. My son has both, a pesticide exposure at 2 yrs and a head injury at 10 yrs. He controls it with a high fat, high protien, low carb diet, ammino acids, minerals and vitamins. he has to maintain a regemented schedule, and cranial sacral therapy.

What is scary is that these problems have doubled every year for the last 50 yrs, since we added pesticides and hormones to our food and started vaccinations with ingredients that were banned for animals and eyedrops.

We need to protect our children from this abuse and provide them with a safe envirnment.

A concerned mother

[fat_gator]

I'm sorry but I find this report somewhat disturbing. There is entirely too much controversy over treatment methods for autism. Some parents are desperate to find answers and will try anything.

I am the mother of 3 sons that fall within the spectrum of autism disorders. I just want to urge parents to use caution when deciding on a plan for treatment. Children are precious no matter what issues they may be living with. Some compassion, patience and acceptence of differences can go a long way.

Peace be with you.

[zoppid]

Thank you for having Dr. Bock on CBS. I was told my Son had minor developmental delays when he first entered Elementary School and just needed some extra help. After a School assessment; He was diagnosed with PDD/ADHD/Autistic Spectrum Disorder shortly after that. Then, four years later he received an additional diagnosis of mild/moderate mental retardation after being given a four hour I.Q tests and other tests which I questioned the validity of. We were told before a formal diagnosis was even made that our Son would probably never go to college and to "grieve" and that we should be thankful for all the "extra services" he would qualify for with the additional diagnosis. I told my Sons' Doctor, we do not intend to "grieve"; we intend to "fight" whatever afflictions my son may have and home-school him if necessary. Thank you CBS and thank you Dr. Bock for giving us real HOPE for our Son and for his future. God bless.

[gaye5]

TheOrigProbe, some children died of whooping cough and polio which was terrible but now we have children dying of cancers at a terrible rate..asthma is killing kids like never before..
All through out history we have had epidemics they come and they go, people die, and some dont..
Try looking at "The pharmaceutical drug racket", or drs against immunisation, and many others..

TheOrigProbe, I cant for the life of me see what the anti immunisation groups have to gain from trying to warn the world as to the poisons that are pumped into our children, they do NOT get any money from anywhere... on the other hand the drug companies get trillions when they immunise, and then more trillions from the drugs in trying to undo the damage that some of the toxins do to the babies either just after immunisations or at later stages... when I was nursing, we did not have the hundreds of children dying from cancers, asthma, etc...
I knew all the positives that we are taught from the pharmaceutical companies, and I also pushed Immunisation, but I took a real interest in the ingredients in immunisations after my granddaughter stopped breathing in my arms some hrs after her immunisation, and again a few times over the next couple of weeks, luckily as a nurse I knew what to do... If she had of been in her bed when she stopped breathing she would just have been counted as yet another cot death..

[twinsmom02]

Dr. Bock has helped my twins make incredible gains. If all parents of children on the spectrum would just acknowledge that our children are treatable and it takes more than just therapy I think we could win this fight. The changes in my baby boys with each and every intervention from Dr. Bock were such gifts, this man should be respected and treated as the healer he is. Thank you to CBS for having him on, you are doing a service to our children. Thank you Dr. Bock, and your book is absolutely incredible!!