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.
Machine Learning Recognizes Patterns of Maternal Autoantibodies Associated to Autism
New Technology Identified Biomarkers Linked with a Subtype of Autism with 100% Accuracy An exciting new study from UC Davis’ MIND Institute has identified several patterns of maternal autoantibodies that are distinctly associated with autism. Through an artificial intelligence generated process called machine learning, the study’s authors investigated maternal autoantibody-related autism spectrum disorder (MAR ASD), […]
CDC Finds 1.2% of American Children Qualify as Intellectually Disabled
Nearly 40% of Children with Intellectual Disability also Have Autism The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a new intellectual disability (ID) rate estimate for American children. By using the same data collection methodology as used by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network which determines autism prevalence, the CDC found […]
ADHD More Common in Children Whose Mothers Have Autoimmune Disorders
Symptoms of Autism and ADHD Often Coincide When the American Psychiatric Association updated their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in 2013, dual diagnoses became permitted for the first time. For years, symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been recognized to overlap. An estimated 30 to […]
In Utero Exposure of Ritodrine Associated with Increased Incidence of Autism
Korean Study Show Twice the ASD Risk of Exposed Group vs. Non Exposed Ritodrine is a prescription drug used to stop premature labor. The medication can also be used to manage asthma symptoms. In 1995, the United States discontinued the use of ritodrine for pregnant women due to dosage and efficacy problems. However, Korea continued […]
Biomarkers Identified in Father’s Sperm May Be Linked to Autism Risk in Offspring
Study Finds Paternal Age Not a Factor in Newly Identified Biomarkers A new study from Washington State University has suggested that epigenetic biomarkers found in a father’s sperm may predict susceptibility of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in his offspring. The study’s methodology involved recruiting 13 men who fathered children with ASD and 13 men […]
Screenings for ASD Sleep Issues in Children Not Robust Enough
Primary Care Providers Urged to Use Sleep Disturbance Index to Rate Severity of Sleep Problems Last year, a SafeMinds Shares article examined sleep pattern problems associated with autism. Our previous article reported that even though sleep issues are of critical importance, they are the least studied symptom on the spectrum. Now, a new brief report […]
