![]() ![]() There also are no FDA-approved medications that improve the core symptoms of autism. ![]() An estimated one in every 68 children in America has some form of autism spectrum disorder, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ībout 30% never learn to speak, and many children even with early behavioral interventions still struggle to adapt. We’re just thankful for what changes have happened.”Īutistic girl and tutor on therapy in the park Anna Reznikov/ShutterstockĪutism study shows benefits when parents get involvedīoth saw a great need for medical advances to help treat children with autism. Her mother adds, “She got better, and we’re just thankful for that – whether it be the stem cells or not. It’s pushed her to do things she normally wouldn’t do.” “But again, I think it’s supercharged her learning curve. You still see some of the small idiosyncrasies that she does have,” says her father, Wade Gregory. “We will say we don’t think it’s cured her. Instead of shunning hugs, she now welcomes an embrace. Her father’s favorite adjustment is her newfound affection. But they do know that their daughter’s transformation appeared to begin about six months after her transfusion in January 2015 and has continued ever since. Those are questions the Gregorys still ask. Why parents donated their son's brain for autism researchĪre Gracie’s changes a result of the cord blood transfusion stimulating her brain? Or did her brain just mature as she got older? Could it be that her parents were subconsciously determined to magnify her improvements, given all their family had been through? Michael Bolen, died at age 14 from seizure complications on April 16, 2016. She’d been in various specialized school programs, and nothing was the proper fit. She’s even begun attending a “regular” school and thriving there, something her parents never thought possible. On a scale of 1 to 10, they rate her improvement around an 8 or 9 it’s been that dramatic. After her participation in the study, that figure has been reduced to a mere 10%. Gracie, then 5, was on the mild to moderate autism scale, but her parents say the disorder consumed about 75% of their daily routine. “It was horrible to try to get her to sit there,” her mother says.Įven just brushing her teeth or combing her hair could set her off. When a tantrum intruded on family outings, her mom and dad wished they had T-shirts that said “My kid has autism” to ward off judgmental stares.ĭuring autism therapy sessions, Gracie would kick, scream, spit and hit at her occupational therapist. Gone are the days of Gracie throwing fits in long lines at Disney World or during dinner at restaurants. Gracie Gregory made a dramatic improvement after participating in an initial stem cell trial at Duke. This study was open-label, meaning everyone – the doctors and the families – knew that the therapy was being administered.īut for the Gregorys, the change in their daughter has been monumental. The initial trial, published Wednesday in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, was a safety study, not a controlled, double-blind study with definitive proof of positive results. Even Duke researchers acknowledge as much. Skeptics say there are too many unanswered questions to get excited. A larger second trial is underway, one its researchers hope will lead to long-term treatment for children with autism. The results were impressive: More than two-thirds of the children showed reported improvements. The goal: to see whether a transfusion of their own umbilical cord blood containing rare stem cells could help treat their autism. Gracie was one of 25 children who took part in the first-of-its-kind study at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. The life-saving treatment that's being thrown in the trash Blood extracted from cord blood at University College London Hospital (UCLH) in March 2017. ![]()
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