Anju Usman Singh, MD, FAAFP, ABIHM, FMAPs, Hom-C

Dr. Anju Usman Singh is director and owner of True Health Medical Center and Pure Compounding Pharmacy in Naperville, Illinois. She also is the Chief Science Officer for True Healing Naturals. She specializes in biomedical interventions for children with ADD, Autism, PANDAS/PANS, Down Syndrome and related disorders. She has been involved in research regarding copper/zinc imbalances metallothionein dysfunction, biofilm related infections and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. She serves on the board for The Neuroimmune Foundation, and the medical advisory boards for TACA (The Autism Community in Action) and Autism Hope Alliance, as well as faculty for MAPs (Medical Academy for Pediatric Special Needs). Dr. Usman Singh received her medical degree from Indiana University and completed a residency in Family Practice at Cook County Hospital, in Chicago, Illinois. She is board certified in Family Practice and Integrative and Holistic Medicine (ABIHM), and holds a certification in Homeopathy.

Gut Brain Stability

By Dr. Anju Usman-Singh

The gut is the second brain. Improving gut health is becoming the cornerstone of improving brain health. The importance of absorption, digestion, the gut microbiome, vagus nerve function, SIBO/SIFO and motility seem to play a huge role in neurological health. In my experience, supporting the gut health through diet, exercise, nutrients and clean up protocols, such as biofilm protocols, motility enhancing agents, and binders can help support improved gut brain stability.

Biochemical Foundation of Integrative Pediatrics

By Dr. James Neuenschwander

Psychiatry has held a unique position in medicine. It appears to be the only discipline in medicine where the diagnosis is made purely on answers to questions with little thought to the biochemical causes of those disorders. This principle has held true with autism: the diagnosis is based on observation of behaviors with no other testing.  Unfortunately, there are a large number of biochemical abnormalities that have been associated with autism (like many psychiatric disorders).  Addressing these abnormalities can improve outcomes with more traditional therapies (like ABA).  In this presentation, I will review the biochemistry of autism and how this differs from neurotypical children.  Looking at areas of mitochondrial function, toxicity, neuro-inflammation, gut dysbiosis, imbalanced brain signaling, methylation and sulfation disorders, and immune dysfunction, I will review the biochemistry behind all of these issues.  At the end of this presentation, practitioners should be aware that autism is not a random, psychiatric event; it is a web of biochemical imbalances, many of which can be treated.

James Neuenschwander, M.D. (a.k.a. Dr. Neu) has been practicing integrative medicine since 1988. He is the owner of Bio Energy Medical Center, a multidisciplinary, integrative medical practice with the philosophy of treating illness at its source using whatever tools are available.

Dr. Neu is a graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and is board certified in Emergency Medicine, Integrative and Holistic Medicine, as well as Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. In addition, he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) as well as holds a certification in chelation therapy. He is a member of A4M, ACAM, and ILADS. He has been a DAN! Practitioner since 2007, a member of MAPS since its founding, and a MAPS fellow since 2014.

Seizures & Mito Disorders

By Dr. Richard Frye

Both seizures and mitochondrial disorders affect a significant number of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Epilepsy and seizure-like activity in the brain appears to be associated with more severe autism and are associated with other medical abnormalities. Research studies suggest that specific treatments may be effective for the treatment of seizures and seizure-like activity in children with ASD and some studies suggest that such treatments may improve ASD symptoms. About 5% of children with ASD can be diagnosed with classic mitochondrial while mitochondrial dysfunction may affect as much as 80% of children with ASD.  Recent research has identified unique types of mitochondrial dysfunction that might be associated with environmental exposures and neurodevelopmental regression. Several treatments that target mitochondria appear to have evidence for use in children with ASD, including cofactors such as L-Carnitine, and the ketogenic diet. Mitochondrial dysfunction overlaps with seizures and epilepsy and some of the same treatments can be effective for both disorders. This talk will provide an overview of seizures and mitochondrial disorders in ASD with a focus on treatment.

Dr. Richard Frye, MD, PhD. is a Child Neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental and neurometabolic disorders. He received an MD and PhD in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University and completed his Child Neurology Residency and Fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Learning Disabilities at Harvard University/Children’s Hospital Boston. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, and serves on several editorial boards. He has conducted several clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of safe and novel treatments that target underlying physiological abnormalities in children with ASD. He is the Chief of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

HBOT & Healing for Multiple Ailments in ASD

By Dr. Jason Sonners

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used for treating chronic illness in children for years. This lecture will cover one girl's journey using Hbot while also discussing how Hbot can help with chronic illness in children and young adults with Autism , CP, Mitochondrial disorders, GI disorders and more. He will cover how decreasing inflammation through the use of Hbot can change the body's way of healing these conditions.

Harnessing the Healing Power of Oxygen​: Evidence Based Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for ​Autism​

By Dr. Jason Sonners

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been used for a treating chronic illness for children for years. This lecture will cover one girls journey using Hbot while also discussing how Hbot can help with chronic illness in children and young adults with Autism , CP, Mitochondrial disorders, GI disorders and more. He will cover how decreasing inflammation through the use of Hbot can change the body's way of healing these conditions.

Dr. Jason Sonners has always been fascinated by the machinery of the human frame and strives to learn everything and anything he can that might help even one of his patients. Always working to integrate new knowledge and practical experience, in addition to his Doctor of Chiropractic, Jason earned his Diplomate of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition (DCBCN) and his Diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology (DIBAK). He is one of only 250 professionals in the world with this distinction.

Dr. Sonners utilizes his combined training in various modalities to create comprehensive programs and help patients achieve their health goals. His patients are dealing with, among other conditions, a variety of autoimmune and neurological conditions, allergies, autism and cancer. He combines Chiropractic, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Nutrition, Exercise, Detoxification programs and more to naturally support patients and guide them through their health challenges.

Allergies, Asthma & MCAS

By Dr. Michael Elice

Dr Elice will discuss the underlying causes of these common pediatric disorders, how to recognize the symptoms, do appropriate testing and recommend treatment options.

Demystifying PANS/PANDAS: A Functional Medicine Guide on Basal Ganglia Encephalitis

By Dr. Nancy O'Hara

PANS & PANDAS are complex autoimmune diseases that require a multi-system approach. PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep) involves antibodies from a strep infection reacting with brain tissue (specifically the basal ganglia in the brain) and triggering an abrupt onset of immune dysregulation and movement, learning and behavioral problems including OCD, anxiety and tics. With PANS (Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome), other infectious etiologies besides strep (yeast, viruses, other bacteria, parasites), toxic exposures, and metabolic abnormalities are among other potential triggers for the immune dysregulation resulting in an abnormal autoimmune reaction and negative behavior, physical, and cognitive changes. POTS or Dysautonomia can often be associated with these autoimmune disorders and also needs to be assessed and treated appropriately. Dr. O’Hara will discuss the latest research in the assessment and treatment of these devastating but recoverable illnesses. Participants will learn the research-based functional medicine approach to the care, diagnosis and treatment of these children.

• The participant will be able to understand the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of PANS, PANDAS and Basal Ganglia Encephalitis

• The participant will be able to differentiate causes of anxiety, OCD and tics, as it relates to autoimmune encephalitis.

• The participant will be able to define the triad of treatments for PANS and PANDAS.

Nancy H. O’Hara, MD, MPH, FAAP

Dr. Nancy O’Hara is a board certified Pediatrician. Prior to her medical career, Dr. O’Hara taught children with autism. She graduated with highest honors from Bryn Mawr College and as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She earned a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh. After residency, chief residency and general pediatric fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. O’ Hara entered general private practice in 1993, and in 1998 began her consultative, integrative practice solely for children with special needs. Since 1999 she has dedicated her functional medicine practice to the integrative and holistic care of children with chronic illness and neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, PANDAS/PANS, OCD, Lyme and ASD.

She is also a leader in the training of clinicians, both in the United States and abroad. Dr. O’Hara has written a comprehensive guidebook, “Demystifying PANS / PANDAS: A Functional Medicine Desktop Reference on Basal Ganglia Encephalitis”, which will be available in Summer 2022 with pre-orders available in May 2022.

Dr. Boles is a Medical Geneticist with expertise in mitochondrial and other metabolic disorders. He completed medical school at UCLA, a pediatric residency at Harbor-UCLA, and a genetics fellowship at Yale. He received board certifications in Pediatrics, Clinical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics. For over two decades, Dr. Boles’ clinical and research focus has been on sequence changes in genes involved in energy metabolism, and more recently ion channels, and their effects on the development of common functional disorders. Examples include autism, pain syndromes, cyclic vomiting, bowel dysmotility, dysautonomia, depression, and SIDS. Dr. Boles practices the “bedside to bench to bedside” model of a physician-scientist, combining an active clinical practice with basic research into the underlying genetic predispositions leading to the same conditions. He has over 70 published papers, mostly in mitochondrial medicine.

Dr. David Dornfeld has been preventing and reversing illness at Family Wellness Center in Middletown, NJ, for 36 +years, while focusing towards "environmental medicine concerns" and how to repair those exposure related insults.

Throughout this time, he has developed a special interest in working with children with autism spectrum disorders since 2005, and encompasses many aspects of family medicine, osteopathic spinal manipulation, chelation therapy, IV infusions therapy, and hyperbaric therapies to help many improve.

He received his medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Maine and completed his residencies in Ohio and Colorado in 1986. He is board certified in family medicine (ACOFP) and board certified in anti-aging medicine by the International Society of Anti-Aging medicine in 2000. Dr. Dornfeld has been a member of ACAM, the American College for the Advancement in Medicine since 1994 and became double certified in chelation therapy through his training. He completed his Fellowship from MAPS (Medical Academy of Pediatric Special needs) in 2013, and helps train many professionals and parents in safe hyperbaric therapies, chelation therapies, Lyme related disorders (ILADS trained) and preventive medicine, both nationally and internationally.

Recently, Dr. Dornfeld was the only US physician asked to participate in an autism summit in Cairo, Egypt, expanding his guidance to help physicians in the Middle East combat the issues associated with recovering children and adults with autism.

Addressing Genomic Variants for ASD Through Diet, Lifestyle and Supplements

By Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen

In this talk Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen will share case studies from her practice and the recently published proof of concept paper "Genomics as a Clinical Decision Support Tool" shows that outcomes in children with ASD can be improved by addressing common genetic variants.

Dr. Sharon Hausman-Cohen, Co-Founder, Chief Science Officer, and Medical Director of IntellxxDNA, has been using genomics for over a decade to deliver personalized medicine and help her patients achieve optimal health and wellness. As a researcher and clinician advocate, she recognized that information inaccuracies and complexity were barriers to entry for many. She saw the need for an easy-to-use, accurate, science-based genomics interpretation tool for clinicians, and began to develop what is now IntellxxDNA™. In addition to being a well-regarded doctor and researcher, Dr. Hausman-Cohen is a sought after speaker and educator on genomics, personalized medicine and integrative medicine. Dr. Hausman-Cohen received both her master’s and medical degrees from Harvard Medical School. Board-certified in Family Medicine, she is a Fellow of the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine, possessing additional board certification in Integrative Medicine through the American Board of Physician Specialties. She has been practicing Full Spectrum Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine for more than 20 years.