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.
Ibuprofen Superior to Acetaminophen for Pain & Fever in Infants
Parents Worried about Autism/Co-Occurring Conditions Risk Can Chose Ibuprofen A new analysis comparing acetaminophen with another common pain reliever, ibuprofen, has found ibuprofen to be superior for the treatment of fever or pain in children younger than 2 years. It was associated with reduced temperature and less pain within the first 24 hours of treatment, […]
Insomnia Tracks with Clinical Impairment in Hospitalized Children with ASD
Poor Sleep Prevalent, Goes Hand-in-Hand with Autism Severity Researchers from the Maine Medical Center Research Institute report that autistic children who have insomnia also have more severe behaviors and more severe autism symptoms. The study was conducted among 427 psychiatrically hospitalized children with autism. Per parent report, 60% of the children had at least one […]
Study Finds More Doctor Visits During Infancy for Children with ASD and ADHD
Electronic Medical Records Utilized to Examine Health Care Utilization Patterns A new study from Duke University shows that children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis visited the doctor or hospital more often during their first year of life compared to non-affected children. This new study, featured in […]
Gut Microbe Deficiency Found in Children with ASD
Inadequate Ratios of Detoxifying Enzymes Can Cause a Toxic Overload A team of Chinese scientists have discovered additional evidence that autism is related to microbiome imbalances. While prior research has connected these two conditions before, these innovative researchers have now shed more light on how microbe deficiency can cause symptoms of autism. Their study involved […]
Advances in Medicine/Prevention for Other Diseases May Be Helpful for Autism
Same Biological Pathways Affected, Comorbidities Could Mean Autism Applicability Three recent developments in treatments and early identification for other brain disorders might have applicability to autism. This is because the biological pathways targeted are found in these other conditions as well as in autism. The scientists or companies working on these interventions are not including […]
EPA Announces Research Grant for Early Life Exposures
Research Centers Needed to Explore Effects of Environmental Risks The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to grant almost $2 million in funds to a research team interested in investigating early life exposures of different types of environmental stressors. The grant’s purpose is to examine possible adverse health outcomes due to contact with chemical and non-chemical […]
