Thursday, March 6, 2014

2013 Down Syndrome Track at AutismOne

The Down Syndrome Track 
at the 2013 AutismOne Conference 
 was a success!

Click the links to the downloadable notes and presentations from the DS Track at the 2013 AutismOne Conference:

Action Plan for Parents of Children with Down Syndrome

With proper intervention—physical, nutritional, neurodevelopmental, medicinal and environmental—your child's future can be full of opportunities instead of obstacles.
I've devised a proactive plan of action while addressing my three year old child's root causes and symptoms of Down syndrome. This is an exciting journey and I'm happy to share with you what I have learned.


Andi Durkin, BA

GAPS™ - Gut And Psychology/Physiology Syndrome

GAPS™ (Gut And Psychology/Physiology Syndrome) shows the underlying cause of some of the symptoms that plague special needs children, such as digestive issues, malabsorption, food sensitivities and toxicity. This session will explain how the state of the gut directly affects the health of the body and how the GAPS™ nutritional protocol can heal or greatly improve many of these symptoms.

Kristin Gustafson

Parents deal with gut issues on a daily basis. Many parents of children with Down's Syndrome deal with the same GI problems experienced by those with autism. Digestive enzymes from non-animal sources can often improve many problems associated with food intolerance and malabsorption. This lecture will help parents understand what enzymes are and how they work in digestive health

Can nutritional supplements benefit individuals with Down syndrome? Kent MacLeod will review the history of supplementation in Down syndrome, and discuss recent advances in nutritional science and how those innovations can be used to positively impact the biochemistry of Down syndrome.

Kent MacLeod


This talk will educate participants on current and optimal dietary options to ensure better overall health for their child with Down syndrome. The impact of diet and different methods on how to transition children with Down syndrome to solid foods will be discussed. Oral motor and feeding treatment methods will be explained as well as the importance of using these methods in order to develop a strong foundation for feeding skills and the development of speech.

Jill Rabin M.S. CCC-SLP/L IBCLC

Let's Learn - Reading Math and Fun Stuff

Learn and discuss fun ways to help your child read, do math, socialize, and play. Explore simple, logical strategies and activities which will increase overall retention of the information being presented. Sometimes the best teaching strategies are the most obvious.

Alison Wimmer

Balance tips for a busy household & Lydia presents her life

How do I balance it all? This talk gives helpful tips for maintaining balance while juggling therapies, doctor appointments, food restrictions, other children, marriage and self. What are the possibilities for my child? Lydia is in 4th grade and will share a slice of her life with you.

Jane Winans, MA and Lydia Winans

Biomedical and Thyroid Basics: Where to Begin

Dr. Schwartz will review the history and scientific research documenting the benefit of nutrient and thyroid support in Down Syndrome. He will explain low risk, high gain interventions to: optimize nutrition and supplementation; monitor and support thyroid; choose first line, functional lab tests; avoid environmental toxins; and support detoxification. These are the building blocks needed to form a solid foundation upon which your child may flourish.

Norm Schwartz, MD

Predictive Biomarkers in T21

Comparative effectiveness research depends upon a group of objective, independent predictive biomarkers. A current state of the art in regard to evidence based predictive biomarkers will be presented and discussed.

Russell Jaffe, MD, PhD, CCN

Down Syndrome: Evidence of a Susceptible Subgroup for Vaccine Injury

This talk will present biologically based evidence that children with Down syndrome are uniquely susceptible to injury from vaccines. With an 18% ASD comorbidity, we will explore the mechanisms that may connect vaccines to autism in this highly vulnerable population. The relationship of vaccines to Alzheimer’s will also be discussed.

Laurette Janak

Health Risks for Down Syndrome Moms and What to Do About It

Layman’s terms will be used to explain the folate cycle and its implication to the health risks for a mother with a Down syndrome child. Topics to be discussed include: depression, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer and risk for having a child with autism. Strategies to minimize these risks will be presented.

Laurette Janak

Boost Cognition Potential

Dr. Anju Usman will explain biomedical techniques for optimizing a healthy gut-brain connection including uncovering roadblocks to function as well as introducing nutrients for brain repair and neurogenesis.
What is epigenetic regulation of gene expression, and why is it particularly important in brain development? This presentation will provide a fundamental understanding of epigenetics, focusing on the specific implications of chromosome 21 trisomy.
Richard Deth, PhD

Glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, is both essential and highly toxic. Patients with Down Syndrome experience a higher rate of oxidative stress that damages neurons, potentially exposing them to the harmful effects of excess glutamate released from damaged neurons. Mediating the effects of excess glutamate is essential to optimizing the health of neurons.

Erica Peirson, ND