Biomedical treatment combines mainstream medicine with nutritional and complementary medicine.
The first step in the biomedical process is to assess the underlying nutritional deficiencies, which can cause metabolic irregularities. The initial assessment consists of a comprehensive physical examination and standard blood tests through MedLab. Treatment consists of nutritional supplementation.
A good example would be zinc: Many children with recurrent infections and behavioural problems are deficient in zinc, a mineral that used to be abundant in the soil and whole grains, nuts and seeds grown in that rich soil. The soils in New Zealand and other countries are now often depleted in zinc, and our children do not get enough of it from eating even healthy foods grown on poor soil. Our bodies need zinc for about 200 different metabolic functions – including brain and immune function, wound healing and detoxification. We have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years in a clean environment. Just in the last 200 years the world has changed and there are thousands of toxins and pollutants released into the air, water and soil. Zinc is needed to detoxify our bodies – so now we have both an increased need and lower intake, which can cause health problems, and can be remedied by taking oral zinc supplements.
Results commonly seen with biomedical treatment:
- Healthier children with improved immune function and therefore fewer infections and allergies.
- Healthier digestive system, with less diarrhoea or constipation, less abdominal pain, better appetite and less restricted food choices.
- Improvement in play and social interaction with peers and family, better eye contact, speech and behaviour.
For children on the autistic spectrum biomedical treatment works best when combined with behavioural therapies, such as RDI – Relationship Development Intervention or ABA (Applied Behavioural Analysis).