Mom: Son recovers from autism

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Watching Daniel Knowles play video games like most 10-year-olds, it's hard to believe that when he was younger he was diagnosed as autistic.

"He was in his own world; he played repetitively with toys, did not acknowledge other people," his mother Lori Knowles said.

Daniel's parents said doctors diagnosed Daniel with a mild form of autism at age three. One out of every 150 children in the United States have autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The diagnosis leaves parents like Lori to seek non-traditional treatments.

"The dream of your child you had, or thought you had, goes up in a puff of smoke," Lori said. "These children need all the help they can get to overcome what they're dealing with."

She first switched Daniel to a wheat and dairy-free diet.

"He started speaking just within days of starting the diet," Knowles said.

She also incorporated vitamins and supplements, started a chelation therapy to remove heavy metals from Daniel's system, and intensive one-on-one behavioral, occupational and speech therapy for 15 hours a week, for more than two years.

"He just came out of himself, out of his world and into ours," Knowles said.

Daniel continues to take the supplements and digestive enzymes before he eats and is still on the special diet.

"I consider him recovered because he looks and acts like any normal boy you would see anywhere," Knowles said. "It's a good goal to have, recovery, but, realistically, it's not going to happen for everyone, and I've been very blessed."

Lori now speaks to other parents about Daniel's success. She shares her story and talks about a vitamin and supplement line she and others created for the disorder. 

Brigette Miller listened to Knowles when she spoke in Edmond.

"The hope is there, she just brings that to our community, there's such a lack of knowledge in this area, in Oklahoma," Miller said.

Miller's son Luke has autism and he also is on the wheat and dairy-free diet.  Behavioral and speech therapists spend 40 hours a week working with Luke at home.

"We could not get him to say a word and probably within six weeks, he had five words, just from the behavioral therapy alone," Miller said.

Luke's parents spend $6,000 a month for treatments. 

"This is his future, we want to make him a productive member of society you know. This is our best shot," Miller said.

While there is no proven cure, Daniel's mother said anything's possible.

"When you take this kind of approach, you are going to see the most improvement you can possibly get out of a child," Knowles said. "In many cases, you will see recovery or near recovery."

To contact the Biomedical Intervention Group of OKC, call 405-949-0661 or e-mail them at bigofokc@yahoogroups.com.

To contact the Norman Group, e-mail them at parentsfightingautism@gmail.com.