Oxidative stress in autism: A paradigm for effective treatment by Allen Lewis, MD

For many parents and professionals, three fundamental questions need to be answered: (1) What is autism? (2) How did this happen? (3) What can be done? Today the face of autism will affect almost 1% of all babies and, tragically, many parents are not informed that viable treatments for autism even exist. Treatment options exist for those who grasp that autism is a medical illness with a biologically impaired brain. The presence of oxidative stress and damage from free radicals in the brain and immune system of children with autism have been established. In fact, as oxidative stress is involved in the formation of Alzheimer's Disease, one could postulate that a similar set of genes would put one at risk for either. It is the timing of the oxidative insults that determines which will manifest, autism or Alzheimer's Disease. This lecture will touch on the role oxidative stress plays in better understanding and treating autism, as well as the role of applying the Pfeiffer Methodology in assessing a person with autism.

Allen Lewis, MD brings a high level of expertise and experience to his role as Medical Director of Pfeiffer Treatment Center. Dr. Lewis earned his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine, where he also completed a medical student research fellowship in the Department of Environmental Health. Dr. Lewis completed his residency in pediatrics at Primary Children's Medical Center and the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City, then served two years on the Pediatric Residency Education Committee. He was a clinical teaching preceptor for pediatric as well as family practice residents during his ten years in private general pediatric practice in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Billings, Montana, before joining PTC in 2003. Dr. Lewis is board certified in pediatrics.