New England School of Homeopathy

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Drs. Amy Rothenberg & Paul Herscu have worked with many patients diagnosed with autism, from those with what was formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome to those who are profoundly impacted. They have also taught other physicians on the topic since the late 1980s.

Most every patient has made improvement, some subtle, others dramatic. A handful have had their diagnoses later even questioned. They have seen previously mute children begin to speak and those who do not make eye contact begin to. They have seen many children and adults be better able to learn and interact in social settings, and have watched families begin to enjoy some peaceful times. There is occasional lack of success, like everyone who works with this patient population, yet they do seem to help most of these patients & their families who they have had the privilege to work with.

To be clear, while the diagnosis of ASD is easy to make, its cause is still elusive. For example, while some of these children are reported to have developed their symptoms after being vaccinated, others were never vaccinated in the first place. They have worked with numerous families where more than one person was diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. There may be many routes to autism, many we do not yet know, though we do see associations with certain exposures.

While the diagnosis of ASD is characterized by three core features, those being deficits in social interactions, communication issues and restricted/repetitive behaviors, most patients also have other associated complaints. When taking the case of a patient with autism, it is important to focus on what is most limiting to the patient at that time. For some, it will be inability to connect with other people, for others, it will be violent outbursts or difficulty in learning self-help skills. It is essential (as it is with any patient) to try to understand what drives the patient’s behaviors and what makes symptoms better or worse. We cannot find the appropriate remedy based solely on the common, everyday symptoms of the diagnosis, but rather on how this patient uniquely manifests this pathology.

Most all of their autistic patients are undergoing other treatments at the same time, from behavioral to nutritional to pharmacological agents and everything in between-and homeopathy does not appear to interfere with those treatments.

Please see links below for additional information:

Homeopathy and the Challenged Child

The Homeopathic Treatment of Autism:
article by Dr. Rothenberg from the March-April 2004 issue of the Autism Asperger’s Digest

The Map Of Hierarchy And A Case Of Autism
by Dr. Amy Rothenberg

Homeopathy And Autism
Report on a presentation by Paul Herscu, ND, DHANP, MPH
NCH Annual Conference, April 2001 – Boston, MA

Carrying a Patient Over Time with Amy Rothenberg ND, DHANP and Paul Herscu ND, MPH, DHANP. Join Drs. Rothenberg & Herscu for a one hour webinar discussing the case over time of a 4 year old boy with ASD (autism spectrum disorder), looking also in-depth at the Map of Hierarchy and the treatment of ASD.

Available to Purchase from NESH: The Homeopathic Treatment of Autism: Putting the Pieces Together 80 Minute DVD, by Paul Herscu, ND MPH

Our apologies, this link is no longer available on World Talk Radio: Homeopathy’s Hope for Autism: A Conversation with Dr. Amy Rothenberg – April 2011
Interview on World Talk Radio: Natural Solutions w/ host(s) Shawn Palmer, N.D.
Autism Spectrum Disorders affect 1 in 110 children in the U.S. This is a condition that can leave parents feeling hopeless and frustrated with few treatment options. Homeopathy is a unique form of medicine that can offer hope for treating autism. Listen in to hear her discuss what homeopathy offers patients with autism.

Clinical Trials:

One of the major focuses for Dr Herscu’s work has been to better articulate which intervention is best suited for which individual person — the right intervention, at the right dose, at the right time, for the right duration, for the right person! All people with the same diagnosis are not the same. Treating a group of patients with the same diagnosis, or designing clinical trials based on a one word diagnosis, will fall short if participants are treated all the same. The following example of that work, published in the main journal of psychiatry in autism, reflects this reality.

The SOFIA Study: Negative Multi-center Study of Low Dose Fluoxetine on Repetitive Behaviors in Children and Adolescents with Autistic Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders – July 2019

See The World – An At Home Learning and Reading Program:

We have found that many people diagnosed with ASD have a learning disability alongside the ASD and that these learning challenges are modifiable, at home, with some simple training. This program is well suited for those diagnosed with mild ASD, as opposed to those with severe ASD. Please click here to read more about this program.

Additional Resources:

Accommodations for Students with Autism
https://www.justgreatlawyers.com/students-with-autism

Guide to Better Sleep for Kids with Autism
https://www.sleepjunkie.org/autism-and-sleep

Autism Resource Center
https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/resource_centers/autism_resource_center/home.aspx

Creating an Autism Friendly Home
https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/sensory-friendly-home-modifications-autism-sensory-processing-disorder

Planning a Move with Autism
https://www.yourstoragefinder.com/moving-with-autism

30 Ways to Celebrate Autism Awareness Month
https://praacticalaac.org/praactical/30-ways-to-celebrate-autism-awareness-month/

Autism and Travel
https://www.thezebra.com/traveling-autism/

Guide to Sensory Overload and How to Make Living with it a Little Easier
https://householdquotes.co.uk/sensory-overload/