Autism is a neuroimmune disorder, meaning that it affects both the immune system and the nervous system. Immune dysregulation can take many forms, including immune deficiencies, allergies, and autoimmune diseases, and it is not unusual for a person with autism to experience all three of these conditions. Each will be explored and the important topic of maternal-fetal immunology will also be discussed.
Speaker: Cindy Schneider, MD
Dr. Cindy 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. Her 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 is a unique healthcare provider who has established a reputation for responsible and effective management of patients who have not found relief through conventional treatment. She takes a functional medical approach to a variety of complex conditions including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit disorders, Tourette’s, tic disorders,and Down syndrome. Her emphasis is on optimizing each patient’s nutritional status and insuring that key metabolic pathways are supported when necessary. Dr. Schneider obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Illinois. She then completed both medical school and her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine and practiced obstetrics and gynecology from 1990-1998. This background provided a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of fetal development and the dangers posed by environmental toxins, viral infections, and nutritional deficiencies. Her interest in nutrition, immunology, genetics, and toxicology is now applied to her general practice.
