Scientific and Clinical Advisory Council
SafeMinds Scientific & Clinical Advisory Council is comprised of clinicians, health professionals, and scientists from a variety of disciplines, including, among others, specialists and experts in autism, environment, toxicology, pediatrics, neuroscience, pharmacology, and psychology.
José G. Dórea, Ph.D.
Professor of Nutritional Sciences, University of Brasília
A graduate of the University of Pernambuco with advanced degrees from the University of Massachusetts (MSc and PhD), Dr. Dorea has worked at Iowa State University (USA), University of Hawaii (USA), and University of Campinas (Brazil). He has authored numerous book chapters, and has published on infant nutrition and the environmental impact of toxic (natural and man made) substances on the growth and development of children. Dr. Dorea is on the editorial board of peer-reviewed scientific journals, and has authored and co-authored more than 180 papers in journals of public health, medical and environmental sciences, toxicology, and pharmacology.
Cindy Schneider, MD
Medical Director, Center for Autism Research and Education
Dr. Schneider is the Medical Director of CARE, the Center for Autism Research and Education. Her integrative medical practice is exclusively dedicated to individuals with autism and related neurological and immune disorders. Dr. Schneider’s areas of special interest include treatment of the immune, gastrointestinal, and metabolic aspects of autism and the identification of environmental toxins contributing to the autism epidemic. She has designed and implemented multiple research studies, and collaborated with researchers worldwide. Dr. Schneider’s priorities in both her medical practice and her research include the identification of the causes of autism, the formulation of effective treatment protocols, and the prevention of autism in future generations.
Dr. Schneider has served as a member of the Defeat Autism Now! think tank since 1997, and serves on the Clinician Advisory Committee at the Autism Research Institute. She was the founding president and medical director of two nonprofit organizations for autism research, and is a medical advisor for SafeMinds. Dr. Schneider has published extensively in the areas of genetic vulnerability to environmental toxins, and innovative treatments for the gastrointestinal and immune complications of autism.
As the mother of two children with autism and a leading authority in the field, Dr. Schneider closely tracks developments in autism research, and provides both a medical and personal assessment of current and promising treatment options.
Robert Sears, M.D.
Robert W. Sears, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician in a full-time private practice in Dana Point, Calif. He received his medical degree from Georgetown University, and did his pediatric residency training at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. “Dr. Bob,” as he likes to be called by his little patients, provides a unique blend of mainstream and integrative medical care. He is a co-author in the Sears Parenting Library, including The Baby Book and The Portable Pediatrician, and is the author of The Vaccine Book, The Autism Book, and HappyBaby: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months. Dr. Bob has appeared on Dr. Oz, The Doctors, CNN, CBS Early Show, Fox Morning News, and Dr. Phil discussg parenting advice and pediatric health issues. He is a frequent speaker at parenting conferences, and serves on the medical advisory board for various organizations, including Talk About Curing Autism, Autism Care and Treatment Today, HappyBaby Organic Baby Food, and Kaplan University Department of Health Sciences. Dr. Bob is a contributor to AskDrSears.com, and regularly answers questions on his Mothering.com Ask the Experts forum.
Visual Mental Representations in Adults with Autism
Recent research from France has investigated the use of visual mental representation, sometimes described as “thinking in pictures,” in adults with autism.
Pilot Study Suggests Normal Fungi Levels in Children with ASD
A new pilot study has examined the levels of candida species (a type of fungi) in children with autism spectrum disorder. The study’s authors stated that they were compelled to research this topic due to the limited evidence which indicates that candida is more prevalent in children with ASD.
Comparing Individuals with ASD Who Experience Self-Injurious Behavior, Aggression, and Both Behaviors
Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D., the executive director of the Autism Research Institute (ARI), has recently published an article that compares health conditions and behaviors of individuals with autism who engage in self-injurious behavior (SIB), aggression, and those who exhibit neither behavior.
Special Needs Families Average $18K in Lost Income Annually
According to a new article in Pediatrics, a significant number of caregivers of children with special needs reduce their work hours or stop working altogether in order to manage their child’s needs.
Roadway Pollution More Toxic Than Freeway Pollution
A large, representative retrospective birth cohort study has discovered that in utero exposure to near-roadway air pollution (NRAP) from non-freeways was associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Target: Treating Pre-symptomatic ASD in the First and Second Years of Life
The current average age for autism diagnosis in the United States is four years and four months, which is an improvement from twenty years ago when the average age of diagnosis was closer to 5 years.
