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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, November 8, 2012 · 14 Taking the `natural' approach to autism Continued from page 1 clues to autism; High-tech tools created to study autism; Little evidence supports medical treatment options for adolescents with autism and Children with autism experience interrelated health issues" offer hope, advice and opinions. There are new studies and choices every day. Play-based and natural therapies, new apps or the latest tech-gadgets -- the options are limitless. A biological issue? Dr. Sonya Doherty, a licensed and board certified naturopathic doctor who specializes in neuro-developmental disorders including autism, has zeroed in on her patients' biochemistry and metabolic function to develop treatment modalities. "What I believe, and what research is now supporting, is that autism is indeed a biological issue," said Doherty, who operates her practice at Burlington's The Natural Care Clinic. Her biomedical treatments, which are partly covered by extended health benefits, have proven extremely successful among high- and low-functioning youth on the spectrum, targeting underlying impairments in physiology. "If you can identify it, you can help them improve their quality of life and their developmental functioning," she said. There are many schools of thought on autism therapies and Doherty readily concedes her approach is far from mainstream, but effective nonetheless. Just ask Ana Bejarano, a Milton mom of two boys, one with autism and another with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a condition that causes delays in development, socialization and communication. She turned to The Natural Care Clinic after numerous attempts to personally address ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog Getting a Jump-Start: Seven-year-old Jack Rowe of Burlington has thrived on a gluten and dairy-free diet. Within a month of trying his new diet, Jack, said his family, had increased his vocabulary and a few months after that began establishing eye contact with others. Jack's mom Lizanne Rowe agreed to be interviewed for The Oakville Beaver's four-part series Navigating Through The Fog. Early warning signs On an interminable wait list for access to publicly-funded behavioural therapy, Bejarano was desperate for help for Lucas and his younger brother, Adrian, who was starting to exhibit some early warning signs. In addition to his erratic behaviour, Lucas was suffering from bloody stools and chronic gastro-intestinal issues ­ symptoms reflecting a relatively new finding that links the brain's development and problems with the gut. "Up to 85 per cent of children with autism have digestive problems, severe constipation, severe diarrhea, even mucus and blood," said Doherty. Medical professionals often dismiss the digestive problems experienced by children her children's behaviour and sensory issues as she and her husband did not have the financial means to fund intensive behavioural intervention (IBI), a series of therapies that can cost families tens of thousands of dollars annually. Despite her efforts to implement a rigorous program in her home, she watched as her eldest son, Lucas, spiralled out of control. "He was getting worse by the minute," she said. Lucas, who was three and a half at the time, was staring into space, barely slept and engaged in very rigid types of play. At times, he became aggressive, throwing objects in Bejarano's path. "I felt like I was a prisoner of autism," she said. "It's like I'm drowning and I can't reach my son." on the spectrum as part and parcel of the disorder. "I hear this a lot and it's just devastating," said the naturopathic doctor. Doherty's non-conventional approach to using the body's physiology as a roadmap to treating symptoms of autism is gaining popularity among families. But the process of replenishing the body of nutrients and vitamins, as well as eliminating items from one's diet, is no child's play. For Bejarano's boys, Doherty recommended a gluten- and dairy-free diet, a healthy dose of natural supplements and regular methyl B12 injections. Altering Lucas's diet "was the most difficult thing I have ever done," said the Milton mom. The pre-schooler was a fussy eater, so much so that his diet consisted of only 11 items, including gallons of milk and spoonsSee Parents page 15 Parents turn to naturopathy for answers By Catherine O'Hara METROLAND WEST MEDIA GROUP The autism paradigm is shifting. What was once referred to as childhood schizophrenia and infantile autism, medical professionals are starting to take a different approach to understanding autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neuro-developmental disorder that impedes a person's progress, communication and socialization skills. "It is a really interesting time for autism," said The Natural Care Clinic's Dr. Sonya Doherty, a licensed and board certified naturopathic doctor in Burlington. The local professional works directly with families caught in autism's fog by implementing biomedical therapies that aim, she says, to replenish the body's metabolic function and biochemistry. Medical research, through this different lens, is gaining momentum, according to Doherty -- so much so that the world's leading researchers "are kind of banging on the biomedical bell saying, `This is biological, this is treatable,'" she said. At its foundation, the non-conventional approach to treating ASD looks at the body's methylation, a key process in human development that see babies grow from only a few cells, explained Doherty. Impairment in this important cycle, however, can adversely affect the production of neurotransmitters and chemicals in the brain, impacting development. See Biomedical page 15 MEET THE EDITORIAL TEAM: Metroland Media Group's Halton Division editorial staffers, from left, Catherine O'Hara, Eric Riehl and Julie Slack, are the talent behind the four-part series Navigating Through the Fog.