I’ll be honest: I drank the Kool-Aid.  When my son Jay was born, he had petechiae—tiny red spots on his skin—linked to the use of Pitocin during labor. Later, he was diagnosed with an auditory processing delay. My younger son, Noah, was conceived while I was taking medicine for a deer tick bite. He was eventually diagnosed with PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified) with an immunological origin.  At that time PDD-NOS was separate from severe autism. 

 Both of my boys went through several ear tube (myringotomy) surgeries.  They were prescribed Augmentin regularly to help reduce neuroinflammation and fight sinus infections. Like many kids, they swam, jumped on the trampoline, roller skated, and even bowled—with some help.  Then came a turning point. Dr. Rosario Trifiletti uncovered immune system (immunoglobulin) challenges in my sons. He customizes the treatment plan for each patient and is focused on curing patients of the diagnostic criteria for autistic-like traits.  His work changed everything: my 12-year-old son Noah—once nonverbal—began to speak audibly for the first time.  His treatment plan required an additional dose of IVIG every six weeks. Jay and Noah were prescribed two completely different treatment plans but the both began with a regiment of Prednisone. Delays can lead to rapid weight gain and as Nika C. Beamon explained she gained almost 100 lbs in less than a year.  

As a mom I worked with an otolaryngologist neurologist, gastrologist, physical therapist, speech pathologist,  occupational therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, chiropractor, audiologist, allergist, immunologist, thoracic surgeon, podiatrist, and more.  You have to  understand all of the specialty areas to effectively piece together the pieces of the puzzle and craft the most effective treatment plan.  

This is why Tom Stoltman, the 3-time World Strongest Man said no one knew him better than his mother.  This is also also exemplified in the trajectory of Thomas Alva Edison's life once his mother began to teach him.  My work with a variety of pediatric specialists led to my position in the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Developments Clinical Trials Department.

But there was a problem. We moved where most physicians weren’t familiar with PDD-NOS, symptom variations, contextual research, the various causes of autistic-like traits or the immunotherapy my sons were receiving. Genetics and psychosis are not the only cause of autistic -like traits.  Instead, they refused to accept the objective data reports from Dr. Trifiletti and  labeled both boys as autistic. No local medical support for immunological research just opposition so I  embraced and promoted this diagnosis at first—until I quickly saw the fallout. Socialization declined. Rage increased. It was a painful reminder of what happens when symptoms are oversimplified.

During a conversation with Marla (a speech pathologist for 30 years) and Tivon (a youth program organizer and mentor for 15 years) , we talked about rage in students and how critical it is to understand the context behind behaviors.  https://youtu.be/5R_s4Vyy7AE       That’s something I love to do—dig deeper to find the “why.” I get that curiosity from my dad.

Here’s the truth: If I can fall victim to overgeneralizations, anyone can.

• There are over 450 psychological diagnoses listed in the DSM.
   
• There are over 600 neurological conditions—some of which overlap with psychology.
   
• There are over 300 immunodeficiencies, and some of them can mirror symptoms of psychosis.
   

Yet, when a student shows social or behavioral challenges, they often get placed under fewer than 10 common diagnoses. That’s a dangerous shortcut.

The bottom line? Accurate diagnosis matters. Without it, kids don’t get the most effective treatment plans—and sometimes, they’re harmed instead of helped.