The Autism Research Institute was founded by Dr. Bernard Rimland and his associates in 1967. Rimland became interested in autism when his own son was diagnosed, and became one of the pioneers in the field. Over the next decades, the Institute developed what is now known as the DAN Protocol -- a largely biomedical approach to autism treatment. Hundreds of doctors have been trained in the DAN approach, and they practice all over the country. A full diagnostic manual has been developed, which is central to the DAN method.
What differentiates the DAN approach from the mainstream is a focus on controversial medical and dietary interventions such as chelation (a means of removing metals from the body), nutritional supplements and dietary changes. The vast majority of mainstream practitioners do not recommend these interventions -- and certain biomedical interventions, like chelation, are considered to be potentially dangerous.
At this point, the NIH and most other mainstream medical institutions believe that heavy metal, in the form of thimerosal (a mercury-based vaccine preservative) is NOT responsible for autism. They also point to many studies stating that the MMR vaccine is not a factor in the growth of autism diagnoses. In addition, the medical community generally accepts that, at the present time, there is no cure for autism. The Autism Institute and DAN practitioners, however, say that they have "recovered" hundreds of autistic children using a combination of biomedical, nutritional and behavioral/developmental therapies.
To learn more about the DAN Protocol, I went directly to the Autism Institute and posed a series of questions. I wanted to clarify my own understanding of what DAN is all about and where it comes from, and get answers to some of the more pressing concerns about the safety and efficacy of the DAN Protocol. The DAN organization was pleased to help.
What Are the Basic Elements of the DAN/ARI Approach to Autism Treatment?
Question: There seem to be many different elements of the DAN/ARI theory about the cause of autism. Would it be correct to say that they include: (1) genetic factors (predisposition to certain problems;(2) mercury poisoning; (3) viral infections from MMR and other vaccines; (4) overabundance of yeast in the gut; (5) over-reaction to antibiotics; (6) food allergies/intolerances; (7) lack of certain nutrients such as B-6 and B-12; (8) a compromised immune system? Do DAN practitioners feel that ALL of these issues are in play with all or most autistic children?Answer:DAN!’s primary focus is on biomedical research driven interventions for autism and similar disorders. The elements you list from genetic factors to compromised immune system are many of the important factors that our scientists and clinicians have identified in our population.
