During my second year residency training at the University of Missouri, my son, at 4 years old was diagnosed with autism. It was very devastating to me and my wife. And our lives changed dramatically after that.

I continued with my fellowship training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. I was very much interested in microorganisms (germs or bugs) that cause infection and disrupt the immune system. Every chance I could, I would go up to the Neurology Department and discuss the autism-microorganism-immune-system connection with a leading autism researcher.

When I started working as a physician, I was offered a job in the midwest so I brought my family from California to Ohio. The changes brought by a new environment significantly affected my son. The very first week we were there, he started regressing. At first, we thought, maybe once he gets adjusted to the new place, he’ll be able to get back to his old self.

We were wrong!

As the weeks went by, his sentences were reduced to phrases, phrases into words. Most of the time, words were replaced by violent tantrums—at least, 8 or more per day.

This nightmare was even compounded by an accident he sustained in school while he was having a “fit.” He broke his right leg and he was placed in a cast for two months. During that time. the violence became more frequent and was no longer directed at himself but towards other people too, including his little brother.

Being a staunch proponent of mainstream medicine, I sought the assistance of a psychiatrist, an E.R. physician, a pediatrician, a pediatric urologist, and a pediatric gastroenterologist. Although my medical colleagues did their best to help him, the best they could offer was a psychotropic medication that was supposed to quell his violence.

Unfortunately, just the second day of being on it, he broke into rashes. Big ones! So he was given another medication but this new one practically made him appear like a “zombie,” as my wife put it. He was spaced out and could not even answer simple questions like, “What’s your name?” or “How are you?” He also would get very anxious just by the thought of going to school.

That was the point when my wife started putting pressure on me to look for alternatives. At that juncture, we have realized that we have ran out of options, and in order to “get our son back,” we needed to look beyond what traditional medicine could provide.

I started looking at the biomedical approach to helping kids in the spectrum. I attended the American Medical Autism Board conference in Michigan and also brought my son to a Defeat Autism Now (DAN) doctor in Cleveland. Furthermore, I sought the help of a peditric gastroenterologist from Thoughtful House in Austin for my child's gastrointestinal issues. In addition, I started attending DAN conferences where I was able to broaden my knowledge and skills in diagnosing, treating, and helping families deal with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). During these training and conferences I was able to network with fellow physician-parents, researchers, compounding pharmacies, specialty laboratories, authors, and manufacturers who make products for these patient group.

Several months after being on placed on a GFCF diet, melatonin, injectable methyl B12, ASD-specific multivitamins, and hyperbaric oxygen treatment, my son has improved so much in terms of speech (both enunciation and content), behavior,  and overall well-being. He still has a ways to go but coming from the abyss of regression, those were undoubtedly significant , significant changes. Most of all, he has become a happy boy and that is the most valuable outcome parents would definitely want to see in their child.

It is for this reason I would like to share my knowledge as a physician and my experience as a parent to make a significant change in the lives of these kids as well as in the lives of family members who take care of them.

Call for an appointment

Victor S. Flauta, M.D.
6319 N Fresno St, Suite 105
Fresno, CA 93710
(559) 439-5950 or (209)338-4730
info@spectrumdoc.com