Autism facts
- Autism is characterized by impaired development in social interaction, communication, and behavior.
- The degree of autism varies from mild to severe.
- Severely afflicted patients can appear to have a profound intellectual disability. Research tends to continue to refute the idea that immunizations cause autism.
- The cause of autism is unknown.
- The optimal treatment of autism involves an educational or vocational program that is suited to the developmental level of the child or adult, respectively.
- It is important for the unique medical and mental-health needs of people with autism to be addressed in order to optimized both their life expectancy and quality of life.
What is autism?
Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impaired development in communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism afflicts one out of every 100 to 166 children and it affects the lives of many children and their families. It tends to affect about five boys to every one girl. Autism is classified as a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), a category of disorders that is often described interchangeably with the broad spectrum of developmental disorders affecting young children and adults called the autistic spectrum disorders (ASD). The range of these disorders varies from severely impaired individuals with autism to other individuals who have abnormalities of social interaction but normal intelligence--Asperger's syndrome. The ways in which autism is exhibited can differ greatly. Additionally, autism can be found in association with other disorders such as mental retardation and certain medical conditions. The degree of autism can range from mild to severe. Mildly affected individuals may appear very close to normal. Severely afflicted individuals may have an extreme intellectual disability and unable to function in almost any setting.
In the past, autism has been confused with childhood schizophrenia or childhood psychosis, and may have been misunderstood as schizotypal personality disorder in some adults. As additional research information about autism becomes available, the scope and definition of the condition continues to become more refined. Some of the past confusion about the disorder has been resolved.
What are the symptoms and signs of autism?
The current Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition, Treatment Revision (DSM-IV-TR) identifies three features that are associated with autism:
- impairment in social interaction,
- communication, and
- behavior.
Impairment in social interaction
Individuals with autism fail to develop normal personal interactions in virtually every setting. This means that affected persons fail to form the normal social contacts that are such an important part of human development. This impairment may be so severe that it even affects the bonding between a mother and an infant. It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, many, if not most, persons with this disorder are capable of showing affection, demonstrating affection bonding with their mothers or other caregivers. However, the ways in which individuals with autism demonstrate affection and bonding may differ greatly from the ways in which others do so. Their limited socialization may erroneously lead parents and pediatricians away from considering the diagnosis of autism.
As the child develops, interaction with others continues to be abnormal. Affected behaviors can include eye contact, facial expressions, and body postures. There is usually an inability to develop normal peer and sibling relationships and the child often seems isolated. There may be little or no joy or interest in normal age-appropriate activities. Affected children or adults do not seek out peers for play or other social interactions. In severe cases, they may not even be aware of the presence of other individuals.
First Steps
At integra Medical Center, our main concern is that you are convinced that our Stem Cell Therapy is the best option to treat your condition. That is why, before scheduling your appointment, we will need you to complete the following steps:- Fill-out the Patient History Form
- Read the documentation that we have on our website or the files we send to your e-mail.
- Send the Patient History Form back to us.
- Schedule your complimentary call with Dr. Gonzalez.
Talk to Dr. Gonzalez
We want you to get all your questions answered before deciding on receiving our Stem Cell Therapy. That's why we want you to be well documented and write down your questions before the call. Also, we recommend researching other providers and clinics so you know that your are going to get the best treatment at the most affordable price.At this time the doctor will let you know the exact cost of the therapy based on your condition and information you provided in the Patient History Form.
Scheduling your Appointment
Once you decide IMC's Stem Cell Therapy is the best treatment for your condition, your Patient Advocate will schedule a tentative date for your treatment. Appointment dates will become final when the initial deposit is received, which is usually 30% of the full treatment cost. The remaining balance can be transferred no later than 2 days before your appointment date.Travel Arrangements
Your Patient Advocate will be there to assist you with any questions you may have regarding air travel, lodging, ground transportation and even tourist attractions near the clinic. Usually, patients choose to stay in one of the Rio Grande Valley's major cities, such as McAllen, Weslaco or Donna.
Depending on the treatment package that you choose, your stay and ground transportation may be included with the cost of therapy, so all you have to worry about is air transportation. Be sure to ask your Patient Advocate what's included in your package.
IMC's Stem Cell Therapy Protocol
This method is the result of many years of experience. It has been very effective in making a powerful impact on the conditions we work on at Integra Medical Center. The steps of the protocol are as follows:The whole process takes about 2 hours to complete and after the final evaluation the patient is released and can return to their hotel. Some patients even return to their homes on that same day and back to work the very next day!
Stem cell treatments provided by Integra Medical Center occur in Mexico and hence are outside the boundaries of the U.S. and therefore are not currently approved by the FDA.
While the stem cell debate continues, Integra Medical Center is working towards documenting scientific proof so that we may be able to conduct treatments within the U.S., but at this point in time, our patients must come to us.
Be warned, stem cell treatments are not a cure for any condition, disease or injury. The information contained in this IMC's written materials should not be considered medical advice. It is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only.
