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.
Sensory Sensitivities Linked to Sleep Disturbances in Preschool Children with ASD
Study Finds Sleep Quality Related to Sensory Issues, Not Cognitive Abilities or Autism Severity An Israeli autism sleep study focusing on young children has come to a surprising conclusion. Sleep disturbances experienced by preschoolers are tied to sensory sensitivities and not linked to their cognitive abilities or even the severity of their autism symptoms. Previous […]
Age 6 Could Represent a Key Developmental Point for Kids with Autism
Study Finds 2 Trajectories: Continuously Improving & Improving then Plateauing Researchers from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada have recently found that the severity of autism traits decrease for most children on the spectrum from age 3 to 6. Sadly, their new long-term study also shows that this positive developmental trajectory does not hold steady. Progress […]
Therapeutic Horseback Riding Programs Prove Beneficial for Children on the Spectrum
Improvements Detected in Social Interactions and Communication Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have been viewed as an alternative therapeutic approach for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous research has recognized AAI as a structured and goal-directed intervention that connects kids on the spectrum to nature, the environment, and animals. Now, a new study out of China […]
Early Acetaminophen Exposure May Damage the Endocannabinoid System, Leading to ASD
Can Cannabinoid Treatment Help Fix the System and Lessen Autism Symptoms? An international team of scientists recently published a mini-review article which examined the relationship between dysregulation of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through a system of complex cell signals, the ECS assists in regulating sleep, mood, appetite, […]
Prenatal Environmental Exposures Linked to Long-Term Mitochondrial Changes in Children with Autism
Mitochondrial Dysfunction May Be Worst Offender of 3 Prenatal Physiological Abnormalities Linked to ASD A new review published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction is the main source associated with prenatal physiological abnormalities related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are three highly recognized prenatal physiological abnormalities affiliated with autism. The […]
Physically Fit Children Have Bigger Brains
Greater Amount of White Matter Linked to Superior Cognitive Performance An intriguing new Spanish study featured in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports has found that children with better physical fitness have larger brains than overweight or obese children. This discovery was made by a team of researchers from the University of […]
